Long Time Lurker...

LittleMissH

Hello all,

I am a long time lurker of this wonderful forum (that actually sounds faintly creepy). I havent posted before because to honest I felt a bit stupid having got myself in the position I was in.

I say was, as my light bulb moment came over a year ago. I have since paid off 8k of debt including a rather spectacular overdraft (£2600) at it's worse.

I now have two debts, both sat on 0% APR on two credit cards amounting to £12.8k :eek:. I have one further card with a zero balance to do my deal surfing on when one comes to an end.

I feel lucky that I tackled it before it had chance to snowball into something I couldn't manage. I have a fair salary and benefits (car and fuel card), but I do take the lions share of the household bills as I am on the larger salary.

My debts came from a couple of years of just being careless with money when I was told we wouldn't be able to have a family - I took a who cares attitude and starting 'treating myself'. I was rubbish with work expenses so I'd charge £500 - £800 a month to my credit card, then claim it - it would go into my back and then bizarrely I never paid it back onto my cards. Choosing instead to see this as a cash bonus (dim I know.) Then with huge irony the rest of it came from managing an unexpected 10m maternity leave on a private sector very very poor maternity package.

So here I am, and though things are tight I am incredibly lucky that I never ended up having to enter in a formal repayment arrangement, incredibly lucky to be able to pay my bills every month (including the dreaded childcare costs) and feed my family but also desperate to get this noose of debt from around my neck so that I can start over paying our mortgage and get my lovely little family into a much more comfortable position.

I owe it to my gorgeous little girl that she have a lovely life, and by that I mean security and happiness, which means me being in control of my finances as part of that.

So in order to focus the mind I have decided to sign up and throw my ramblings out into the world wide web, in an effort to really get focused on overpaying where I can and limiting my slightly scary childrens clothes habit.

Looking forward to getting to know you!

:j

LittleMissH

Impromptu NSD today after asking my other half to pick up the bits we need on his way home rather than drag the little one round the supermarket on my day off.
Pay day on Monday, but a large dual fuel utility bill due on the same day. Talk about bittersweet!

Managed to sell one of the little ladies tops on Ebay today. So that's another few pound for the pot. It all counts eh?

We have some friends round for a takeaway and a bottle of wine tomorrow. A little bit frivolous but me and OH are a bit wimpy on the portion size front and normally share a meal so we only spend £8 between us. Plus I am pretty sure it's OH's turn to buy.

Have a lovely weekend - whatever you're doing!

want_to_save

have a lovely weekend

LittleMissH

Did a grocery shop today. £45 - I normally spend £70 - £80. I did a weeks meal plan, wrote a list and stuck to it. Who knew?!

Pay day tomorrow and the dreaded utility bill lands :eek:

I am going to attempt to keep the non essential spending to zero for the rest of the week.

Watch this space!

LittleMissH

Slightly gutted having just totalled up my debt properly for my signature that I got it wrong. I was >£200 out! Bleugh.

We all have to start somewhere eh, and given that total was >£20k at it's worse I need to remind myself I'm doing ok.

I reckon my problem is my temptation to go out to the supermarket at lunch time when I am office based. I am not normally in the same place everyday but I know where the local shopping centres are in all of them. Those £10-£20 little shops add up don't they?

So I reckon I am going to give myself a personal challenge on the NSD front. So this week I am going to attempt to have 3 NSD's on the trot. The cupboards are full so I shouldn't need anything at all. I need to take a leaf out of my partners book - he HATES shopping!

LittleMissH

The utility bill was not as scary as I anticipated this time round, largely I think due to me spending less time working from home. I now have an office at one of the company sites and use their kettle/microwave It all helps I guess!

Managed to buy most of my Christmas presents and as yet all of that spending has come from my Christmas savings pot. Nothing is going on a card this year!

Managed to get my grocery bill average down from £80/week to nearer £60 and to be honest I havent really noticed any difference so I am sure some more could come off that. Every £1 saving makes a difference.

Just reset my direct debit amounts on my 2 credit cards to take more than the minimum payment and adjusted my monthly budget as a result. It appears I may be getting the hang of this!

HeadAboveWater

Hello

Sounds like you've got a handle on the debt free stuff already. Fab! You've made very good progress already!

You never really think about it, or realise, but it is the small changes that make a difference!

Your shopping bill for one - write a list and stick to it. I don't do that I have to admit Although OH has me very well trained in the 'reduced' shopping

Work is my problem too! I'm office based so sit on my behind 8 hours a day. Lunch I'm 'free' for 45 mins, and I'm based in the town, so, needless to say, I browse the shops! Difficult to stay away from I agree, but occasionally I call in at the library, or if the weather is good go and sit in the local park and watch the world go by. I don't have to spend money at lunch time!

Pledging your NSDs is a big challenge. Sign up to each monthly challenge if you haven't already (Novembers is here) Even if you do spend on a day, the challenge makes you very aware of the fact you are spending, and how much. I think of it something along the lines of a confession!! :rotfl:

Good luck in getting debt free!