Kate's Journey

beanielou

Hope that the all important letter comes soon.
Good news on the chat with your DH.

Kate_fixing_it

A week since I updated! I've been a bit lax there!

Well, first off I have received a letter from the hospital. It took me 20 minutes to pluck up the courage to open it and when I did it told me I'll be receiving a letter soon! Reading between the lines I think it means I've been declared fit for surgery but it doesn't actually state that.

The big bump in the road I was expecting hasn't happened! In fact it's gone the other way with more income than we expected! I've spent a good hour going over figures and bank statements today and it's all correct. However, in direct opposition to "the old days" I've sat working out how to make this work best for me. I spent yesterday stocking up cupboards, bulk buying meat and separating it for the freezer and planningways to rreduce the grocery shopping further. If I stick to plan it's perfectly feasible to clear definitely one and almost all of a second debt :j

Things at home are good. DH is getting lots of odd jobs around the house done, we're communicating and sharing the load of family life.

I can see the progress snowballing, over £4k paid already! I never thought I'd be able to say that. I am slightly obsessed with checking balances and looking at various scenarios but every single one of the scenarios ends the same way. Debt freedom. I'm beating it down one payment at a time and actually enjoying each successful day. I couldn't do it without this forum.

And I'll be back soon, very soon with the news that I'm another debt down and ready to take on the next!

Kate x

wantabetterlife

Well done Kate..you are doing great! Fingers crossed for a surgery date for you so your leg will finally be sorted.
I am really happy that you and your OH are getting on better...debt can cause so many problems in relationships and if you can survive this you will come out of it stronger

Kate_fixing_it

Thanks wantabetterlife. Things really have improved massively but it's taking a lot of getting used to having him around so much, not least because of the increased food consumption! He's working away for two days at least this week so that'll help the grocery budget a bit he's currently "fixing" the bathroom taps, by that I mean that the water has been off for two hours already and he's on his third new tap purchased as he has to keep going back and exchanging wrong parts! Still it's a great excuse for not doing the washing

I'm just debating whether to hit the two debts or to hold off a week on one. I live near a very affluent area and have had some success in buying from charity shops there and reselling on ebay for a profit in the past. For example high end high street clothing bought for £3-5 sold on for £20+. I'm also off work next Friday for a teacher training day and could tie in the buying with a planned trip out with the children. I won't incur any interest if I hold off but then maybe it's better to simply keep hammering away as I am and not take the risk of it not selling. Needs a bit more thought. I could still make an overpayment just not quite as much. Hmmmm plenty to think about.

Any thoughts on this idea?

Kate x

Kate_fixing_it

Three updates in one day! Yes, im spoiling you

Just had to share this! DH has spent afternoon out with children to (and I quote!) give me some peace and quiet!!! He returned and asked if he could go out for a few drinks so I seized the moment and talked debt while he got ready. I TOLD him which card he'll be using for work and that I've ordered one for him, I continued with the plan for repayment, the timescale and the plans for after and how we'll split bills more fairly.

There was no anger, no hostility and just very straightforward communication.

I've also decided against the buy to sell idea. I have enough on my plate without creating more work plus a hospital cancellation could appear at any time and I'm determined to focus on recovery this time, eBay sales won't help that.

Right now I'm feeling incredibly positive. The debts are reducing more quickly every month, the only way to describe it is literally as a snowball and I have no intention of putting the brakes on until I plough through the finish line.

Kate x

beanielou

All sounding good :j

in_need_of_direction

And all sounding very steady. Leave the buy to sell til post op when you'll have fewer physical demands.

Kate_fixing_it

Midnight and I can't sleep

Finally got all the information for tax credit people from DH. Called them and got off the phone half an hour later. Turns out that the information I provided last October when DD2 started school wasn't processed and they have no record of the call. By my calculations that means they've overpaid us around £50 a week for 20 weeks I received a long scripted telling off from the woman on the phone who just talked over me and refused to answer my questions. I'm now in limbo until the new reward letter arrives. Advice on the forum is that the overpayment can be treated as a separate issue to tax credit payments and a repayment plan set up but I'm still concerned that payments will stop - after all no matter how it happened I've received money I'm not entitled to and it will have to be paid back. There's absolutely nothing I can do until I hear from them but that doesn't stop the stress.

On the debt repayments front I have good news! In an attempt to cheer myself up I did my usual 400 calculations until I was completely sure and I've just made another overpayment Another £67 off the vanquis card which makes the balance £80!!! Under 3 figures!!! I'll have another round of calculating to do on Monday but I'm certain I can pay that and reach zero before the 13th when the next statement is issued

Feels like a bit of a hollow victory as it looks like I'll be adding £1000 to the total to be psid but I know I'll get there...one day... just not as soon as I thought

Kate x

Skinnylatte

Hi Kate,
thanks for stopping by my diary, I woke up early this morning and have read yours from start to finish, what a lovely frank and honest way you have. We have a similar DFD
I used to drink 1-2 bottles of wine in a go too, and love the feeling now of not needing a drink, and how much better I feel and orderly life is.
You're doing amazingly paying off your debts, and with 4 kids too wow!
I wish you every success and luck in the world, and look forward to reading more about your journey, together we can all do this :grouphug:

Kate_fixing_it

Thanks Skinnylatte xxx I think reading yours when I did helped me through the tax credits issue yesterday as odd as it sounds. I can't change the past but I can react positively to it, just a shame that my brain kept ticking until the small hours.

DH is away working right now and it's given me a small taste of single parenthood. I know I did it nearly a decade ago and for several years but I was a lot younger, had smaller debts and didn't work full time back then either! Between the financial issues raised yesterday and being everyone's gopher I'm exhausted this morning! Didn't help that DD1 had a trampoling accident yesterday too only minor but she's 16 and a sore neck is a disaster! Talk about overreaction! The kids were overall well behaved but it's quite clear how hard that would be. I fell into bed physically done in and didn't even take off my make up! Very unlike me!

Still I've woken up to a lovely reply, one debt is down to double figures and so far it's not raining. Whatever today brings I'll get through it because one day this will all be a memory and chalked up to "lessons learned"... then I'll be learning a whole new set of lessons

So onwards towards a new day full of opportunity

Kate x