not quite a light bulb moment...

farnesbarn

nothing else paid off - however, I have finally got round to listing 6 things on ebay. I have been putting it off because I have found it very stressful in the past if there has been conflict. For example, when I had listed a beautiful girls skirt from monsoon which was still perfectly wearable but had a small spoldge of nail varnish on it (which I had mentioned in the description and photographed), and then the buyer complained grrr. I also find that the costs involved can sometimes make you feel like its not worth the hassle. However, the house needs a pre-Christmas declutter so it kills two birds as they say!

Lovely Saturday - library with the children, then swimming lessons then rest of the day at home cooking and cleaning. Now Halloween strictly with the heating on - nice:) Only small confession - treated ourselves to a gorgeous coffee at the library cafe:o

Looking forward to my Sunday

fb x

farnesbarn

Finally managed to sell some stuff on eb*y - 4 things sold 2 unsold £37 in total. Not too bad. However, I am not using this for debt repayments - I am using it towards an arg*s order for girls christmas presents which was 3 for 2 and totalled £80 which I am really pleased with. This is the first time in about 10 years that I have been super organised for Christmas. This being organised is great for relieving stress and great for the finances as well. All thats left now are our parents. I have even started buying bits off food and drink. Loving it! No post Christmas fear of the credit card this year!!
So now I am going to challenge myself to raise the remaining £43 of the Christmas order from further eb*y sales. Off I go to find some things......

fb

farnesbarn

Positive step today - remortgaged onto a better rate bringing mortgage payments down by £130 a month! Also due a pay rise at the end of this month. Not quite sure how much this will mean to my monthly pay but it has to be at least £20 so that would have an overall effect of me being better off by £150 a month - yay!:j

Going to keep to my cash spending budget so that will mean the extra money can go to debts and savings. Got to wait a few weeks for it to be processed though so no immediate extra money.

The next trick up my sleeve is to gather up a big bag of well used clothes to take to the cash for clothes people. That extra cash will be the money for the childrens stocking presents.

I am still enjoying this process and feel just as determined. Think I have this diary to thank for that.

fb

farnesbarn

Paid £100 off each tesco credit card and £50 off virgin. Not as much as usual but I have used my spending credit card for a few Christmas things and I have my car tax this month so wanted to be a bit conservative with my payments at the beginning of the month. If there is any money left at the end of the month I will pay more. Total debt is now standing at £18,800.

fb

farnesbarn

Happy Christmas!
My family and I have had a wonderful Christmas and have not incurred any extra debt - yay!
Unfortunately, Christmas has meant that there hasn't been much extra money to throw at the debts which are going down frustratingly slowly. I have to keep telling myself to not be despondent. The totals are going down but I guess I just wish it was quicker!
Other bad news, the virgin card has begun to charge interest which I hadn't realised was imminent. There is no flexibility with the credit limits of the 0% cards either so I just have to suck it up.
Totals are now standing at
Tesco 1 £1350
Tesco 2 £5550
Virgin £11750
I had initially wanted to concentrate on paying off the small balance first but now interest is being charged on virgin I am going to have to concentrate on that one first. And that is going to take forever:mad:
I am feeling ready for a frugal first few months of the new year which I will use to make any overpayments I can.
Keep plodding on x

farnesbarn

My iPhone is out of contract next month and I have been investigating sim only deals. The best seems to be gxffgxff but it would mean unlocking my phone. I have literally no idea how to do this and the instructions on their website could have been written in a foreign language (although it also said it was easy to do?!). £7.50 instead of £36 would be great though.

Fb

debtfreeoneday

I don't know much about phone unlocking, but your diary is inspirational and I'm subscribing to follow you. x

Buffythedebtslayer

Can you move the Virgin balance? even part of it? This time of year some credit card companies are doing new offers? Might be an idea?


xx

farnesbarn

Debtfreeoneday - thanks, I have looked on your diary and you have paid off loads wow! That is inspirational!

Buffy - thanks, you are right. It is the amount that is a bit scary. If I got another new cc I can't believe I would get that kind of credit limit. I do have an m & s card which I only use occasionally and always repay in full with a credit limit of £15000 (!) I wonder if it is worth asking them if they can offer a good bt rate?

Might be worth a try.

X

Buffythedebtslayer

I would check out offers, sometimes M and S do them, or maybe you could split it between two cards? add some to your other balances?


I'd try B'clay card? Hal*fax?


It will just be a pain in the !!!! to have to pay interest on it, at least get some of it off.


I know what you mean re asking, I have to phone my CC soon to borrow more (I know) am v nervous.


Best of Luck eh!


xxx