Mr and Mrs K's New Journey to a Debt Free Life.

AlexLK

C-R: The ones at collection agencies haven't heard from me (until recently) in nigh on two years.

I'm not too bothered about playing the long game (over the F&Fs) as I've already wrecked my credit file anyway. However, I'd rather my money from selling things / extra income goes towards something other than the banks. I don't mean more pens either: towards our son's future or the mortgage or perhaps towards a car or long term, a BTL house.

Igamogam

AlexLK wrote: »

C-R: The ones at collection agencies haven't heard from me (until recently) in nigh on two years.

I'm not too bothered about playing the long game (over the F&Fs) as I've already wrecked my credit file anyway. However, I'd rather my money from selling things / extra income goes towards something other than the banks. I don't mean more pens either: towards our son's future or the mortgage or perhaps towards a car or long term, a BTL house.

Aaaarrrgggh!!!!!!!! Sorry have been reading and resisting posting.Just felt I needed to let that out.

AlexLK

Igamogam wrote: »

Aaaarrrgggh!!!!!!!! Sorry have been reading and resisting posting.Just felt I needed to let that out.

I'm rather confused and not sure what you are trying to say?

ETA: Our aim is to pay back around £18,000 of the credit card debt in F&Fs as we doubt we'll get them all at 25%. To be honest, as I pay myself such a low wage, my situation looks shocking on paper. This needs more looking into but should none of the companies agree to "haggle" (can't think of a better word), I'll carry on paying them £10.00 per month and put my money into other things.

Granariesgirl

Good Grief, this thread moves faster than Superman with a rocket up his... tights!:eek:

Some brilliant & thought-provoking stuff posted for you, Alex.
I think you are a good person but that unfortunately your horizons weren't broad enough before coming on here! I've got a feeling that they are now broadening by the minute!:rotfl:

Just a couple of comments, similar to those already made by other people:

AlexLK wrote: »

With all this talk of Christmas, I am worried about a frugal Christmas, not between Mrs. K. and I but more about what other people will think.

AAARGH Alex, stop with this concern with "other people"!!! :wall:
The IMPORTANT people will understand &, quite frankly, the others can just go take a running poke at a rolling donut!!

AlexLK wrote: »

I took it along to demonstrate he has achieved certain milestones attributed to 3-4 year old when he is not quite three yet. It was to illustrate the point that Mrs. K. and I are not just "proud parents" who believe our son is over achieving for the sake of it.

Chrrist on a bike, Alex - what would YOU think if a parent brought "concrete proof" of their child's musical genius rather than trusting you, the professional to figure out & adapt your teaching approach?! :mad:
I know what I would think - it would be "TW#T!" perhaps even with "pretentious" or "pushy" inserted before.
I've had the "my child isn't difficult & badly behaved he/she is a genius", "my child has spent X years at (a very expensive) language playgroup learning English / French (according to country of residence) & needs special treatment"... & the "Tigerparentwhoshouldbeshotstuffed&mounted" Prize is held by a father who told me that his (naturally supremely talented & overachieving) DD of 9 could help me with teaching the other kids!!! :rotfl:
There, when I had picked my jaw up off the floor, I could not resist a civil but icy put-down & it took me a mahoosive amount of effort not to behave in a prejudiced manner towards said child, who was perfectly normal, very sweet & NO Einstein!

Now you go back to that lady & tell her in private that you actually realise how utterly pretentious that sounded & that, as all parents are, you are just really concerned for your child BUT that of course you trust her to do the best for him!
That will start things off on the right foot again, IF you do it!! :cool:

7roland8

AlexLK wrote: »

However, I'd rather my money from selling things / extra income goes towards something other than the banks. I don't mean more pens either: towards our son's future or the mortgage or perhaps towards a car or long term, a BTL house.

Oh yes wouldn't we all rather spend our money on clothes or windows or, in my case, a new front door that has holes in it - rather than paying off our debts with interest.
But I feel we should honour our debts first - its not the banks you are diddling - but other people that are paying up properly.

For those of us who are literally scraping the pennies together to keep our heads above water your comments sound very self centred and selfish.

AlexLK

Granariesgirl wrote: »

Some brilliant & thought-provoking stuff posted for you, Alex.
I think you are a good person but that unfortunately your horizons weren't broad enough before coming on here! I've got a feeling that they are now broadening by the minute!:rotfl:

---

Chrrist on a bike, Alex - what would YOU think if a parent brought "concrete proof" of their child's musical genius rather than trusting you, the professional to figure out & adapt your teaching approach?! :mad:

Thank you for your post and yes my horizons do indeed seem to be "broadening by the minute".

I have to admit putting it like that, I do feel rather embarrassed. Brother-in-Law is convinced his daughter is a "fantastic" pianist. She isn't, she's average. Yes, he's brought around her Grade certificates and mark sheets to "discuss" (read: tell me how brilliant she is and make remarks of "I bet you didn't get marks as good as this?") it with me. Every time I see him I think "TW#T!"

AlexLK

7roland8 wrote: »

Oh yes wouldn't we all rather spend our money on clothes or windows or, in my case, a new front door that has holes in it - rather than paying off our debts with interest.
But I feel we should honour our debts first - its not the banks you are diddling - but other people that are paying up properly.

For those of us who are literally scraping the pennies together to keep our heads above water your comments sound very self centred and selfish.

I'm sorry you feel that way. I'm not trying to diddle anybody other than the greedy banks and wouldn't everybody like to get "one up" on the banks?

I am willing to honour my debts by paying what I owe, adding together what I am willing to pay in F&Fs and what I paid previously (when I was paying over the minimum payment) but not including the (frankly) extortionate interest.

Should I be successful, I am more than willing to share my "how to" with others in a similar position.

kissjenn

Alex a thought just occurred.

You say you've already wrecked your credit rating. Is that yours personally or both of you?

Don't know what Mrs K does but I have to have a squeaky clean credit rating to get jobs...and many other professions do too...finance industry workers, accountants, lawyers etc. If she's been in the same place for years then its fine but if she is looking to move they may do a full credit check and the results will be made known to the prospective employers.

As I say, just a thought.

fc123

AlexLK wrote: »

C-R: The ones at collection agencies haven't heard from me (until recently) in nigh on two years.

I'm not too bothered about playing the long game (over the F&Fs) as I've already wrecked my credit file anyway. However, I'd rather my money from selling things / extra income goes towards something other than the banks. I don't mean more pens either: towards our son's future or the mortgage or perhaps towards a car or long term, a BTL house.

Lost for words for a second time Alex.
Last nights Daily Mail-esque comments were the 1st time.

:wall::wall:


Last time I will write this.......you pay them off by changing your habits, addressing your issues (which created the debt in the 1st place) and one day the 'payments' become yours and convert to savings.

Justifying Spendaholicism by saying you only have it for certain 'quality' items is kind of missing the point.

oceanspirit

AlexLK wrote: »

I'm not trying to diddle anybody other than the greedy banks and wouldn't everybody like to get "one up" on the banks?

I am willing to honour my debts by paying what I owe, adding together what I am willing to pay in F&Fs and what I paid previously (when I was paying over the minimum payment) but not including the (frankly) extortionate interest.

When you chose to borrow money on the credit cards you were no doubt aware of the extortionate rates of interest they would charge should you then make the further decision not to repay the money borrowed on those cards in full each month.

You are still not taking responsibility for your own actions which is very sad. You will feel much better in yourself if you do the right thing, sell your excess clothes etc which were no doubt bought with that money and pay off the debts in full. You will learn a much better lesson than if you run away from that responsibility by trying to get one over on the banks.

You and your wife have an income which is more than enough to cover your monthly outgoings, you have the ability to increase your income with music lessons, you have the ability to sell the things you bought with money that was not yours. Please do the right thing.