Kate's Journey

Kate_fixing_it

Hubby starts a new job in 4 weeks but pre-tax pay is 500 per month less. It's a good move longterm and will give us as a family a better quality of life. Fortunately it won't hit us too hard as council tax payment of 115 a month is finished now until April and when we do need to pay again his IVA ends so thats 250 a month better off. Payment for his college course end in June so that's another 110 a month too.

in all April will be a really hard month for us but by the middle of the year I'll get my 2-3% annual pay rise and July I'll see a £300ish bonus.

I've bitten the bullet and just done the snowball calculator. Disregarding the loan and overdraft it's given me a DFD of 13 months! I'm honestly surprised! I thought it'd say 2 years or more - I'd got that down on myself! I feel incredibly silly for getting so stressed and upset now! That doesn't take into account the extra available funds with repayments mentioned above ending or the pay rise! The loan has 13 payments remaining so I'd just have the overdraft to deal with.

I feel like the light at the end of the tunnel has been switched back on. Now if I can just get the bl**dy leg sorted out...

Thank you so much for your help and support. I really needed it today.

Kate x

beanielou

Hurrah for the light being switched back on.
That is great
Have you to see anyone about your leg?

Kate_fixing_it

I had a CT scan last Monday to see if the bones have healed and I'm back at the hospital on 23rd January to discuss the next move. I'm 35, fit and healthy, there's no reason I shouldn't be back to normal by now and it's so frustrating. Yes, it was a major injury but it's been over 8 months and as soon as I make some progress I'm shoved back again. It doesn't help that there's no universal recovery plan. I also seem to acquire every complication possible from plaster sores to a rare pain syndrome and now protruding hardware which no two doctors can agree a cause of!

It's not all bad though. I've rapidly learned who I can rely on, I've been forced to take life at a slower pace and I appreciate what I can do. None of this stops me wanting to just get better sooner rather than later.

I'm being a bit of a negative and moody mare right now!

Kate x

beanielou

I appreciate it must be difficult.
I have CP & walk with a stick.
In fact I have just got a lovely shiny new purple stick which I love.
So much nicer than the skanky NHS ones.Love love love it!!!!

debtfreeoneday

Firstly, lots of hugs coming your way and second, don't be sooo hard on yourself.

In a few weeks time, one of the debts will be gone forever, so whatever you think you are or aren't doing - you are doing something right!

I have / have had tons of times of feeling overwhelmed and thinking I'm not on top on things, but just be kind to yourself, the fact you're even posting in here shows you are on working on it bit by bit.

Finally - keep smiling, you are doing great!

Kate_fixing_it

I've done it! Step one of the new plan CC is now £120 lower and statement is created tomorrow so I've saved myself a little interest. The balance was actually £8 lower than I thought so it's currently under £300 :j

I also managed to get a price match on DD2's birthday present saving £8 (8 is obviously a good number for me ) and a bit of smart shopping (i.e. 20 minutes comparing prices online then purchasing from the same retail park as aldi on the grocery shopping run to save extra driving) has brought her birthday in under £50.

I've also treated myself to the new Jodi Picoult book on offer at tesco and £2 less than the kindle edition AND I've booked Wednesday off to get some studying done and have a little time for myself - oh and get my blood test done.

I'm cold, tired, in pain and ridiculously happy for a person in a silly amount of debt!

Now, back to the debt, barclaycard have written to me and they're giving me another £400 of credit! Are they insane??? Actually this is what's made me even more happy. I can really see the change in myself. Upon reading this kind of letter just four months ago I'd have been treating this as a £400 windfall. Today I read the letter and my initial thought was "ooooh, I wonder if they'll give me a 0% balance transfer". My second thought was " I'll call and ask, if not I'll decline the limit increase".

I'm so proud of myself right now. It was an instinctive reaction but a healthy one and real proof that I've changed. So I'll be spending my Monday evening curled up with my book and grinning

Kate x

Kate_fixing_it

debtfreeoneday wrote: »

Firstly, lots of hugs coming your way and second, don't be sooo hard on yourself.

In a few weeks time, one of the debts will be gone forever, so whatever you think you are or aren't doing - you are doing something right!

I have / have had tons of times of feeling overwhelmed and thinking I'm not on top on things, but just be kind to yourself, the fact you're even posting in here shows you are on working on it bit by bit.

Finally - keep smiling, you are doing great!

Oooh I've just spotted this! Too excited to post that I'd paid something! Lol!

Huge thank you debtfreeoneday. I'm really getting my momentum up in climbing out of my pit of misery now. I slept better last night, I've had my "payment buzz" and I'm focusing on how far I've come as opposed to what is in the future. As you say I'm so close to waving a debt goodbye forever. I'm really looking forward to payday now because I'll absolutely definitely be celebrating being a whole debt destroyed

I knew this journey wouldn't always be easy and this is my first real blip along the road but I've climbed over it with the help of you lovely people.

Thank you all so very very much.

Kate x

debtfreeoneday

Whoop to Barclays - who cares if they are mad, £400 is lovely thank you very much!

Blips are fine, as long as don't get derailed, which I'm sure you won't! Bring on payday!

Kate_fixing_it

Confession time again... I am spoilt and picky! I like my luxuries a little too much.

There, I've said it! I have, however, found a remedy that suits my taste and my pocket. I've just been to not one but two branches of Boots for what can only be described as a hoard of luxury goodies. I now have enough Mark Hill blonde shampoo (£9) enough champneys bath products (£15), enough sanctuary hand cream (£6) to last the year.

I also acquired gifts for mum and MIL for mother's day, gifts for 3 year old niece's birthday, gifts for my teens instead of easter eggs and a stash of gift sets from champneys, sanctuary and soap & glory for next Christmas. I also grabbed a pair of slippers for myself as I tend to need replacements after 6 months.

so £300 of goods for £70. I'm rather proud of that. I can have these nice products all year and I can pamper myself whenever I want.

But here's the icing on the cake. I PAID IN CASH!!! Never before in living memory has this happened! I even went as far as to calculate the cost per ml of the things I bought. I only bought things I'd be buying through the year for myself anyway and each gift set was bought with a specific person in mind.

This is also probably the first time I haven't had an attack of the spending guilts straight after or driven away justifying the purchases. I was calm, organised and prepared. Quite possibly the best shopping trip I've ever had!

Kate x

beanielou

Great result :j :j