Savings Kick Starter Diary

Jonesy135

cathybird wrote: »

My one concern here is I think a lot of people think they will use a credit card this way but it is too tempting to use it for other things and they end up piling on debt on it (as I did). I've got rid of all overdrafts and credit cards and hope never to have either of those things again.

Yeah this is exactly what i did.

however, lessons learned and all that.

I've got an overdraft set up to cover anything i desparatly need (insurance excess, mechanic bills, replacing broken things)
and the CC isnt even in my wallet any more i keep it in a draw in my bedroom, and only get it out if im paying for expensive thing so i get insurance if anything were to happen!!

Jonesy135

Sold my old Iphone 4 for 70 quid tonight


thats 20 quid into my cash savings (soon to be used to pay off my CC)

and 50 quid towards christmas prezzies!! woo!

and ive just sorted christmas for my mum, dad and brother for £12.03 under budget!!


and ive got £94.50 coming my way as a refund


so with only 2 nans to buy for now, if i spend less than 36 quid on them both then then would it be cheeky for me to say thats christmas sorted for free??

i know its not free really cause that 94 quid come out of my account already and i have nothing to show for it... but it hasnt made this made bank balance any lower... so im counting that a small win!




im in quite a good mood tonight as i may have sorted out a Vice President of my company to be my personal mentor which could really give me a leg up in my career =D (im currently fresh out of an apprenticeship and a "Technician" which it lowest of the low at the moment so im hoping this could get my name out in the next few years!)

100saving

take a look at this https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4642017 you might find it helpful .... i did

If you can i would take advantage of the opening bonuses you can get with first direct and halifax easy £200 in your pocket. open both in 30min online.

think about opening the flex direct account 5% on amount up to £2500 could earn an extra £100 a year and its savings that are not tied up, you can use it anytime.

if you drive a lot get the 123 credit card 3% cash back on petrol and get a points card and earn free money when buying it!

and save like mad!!! hope that helps

jimjames

Jonesy135 wrote: »

Sold my old Iphone 4 for 70 quid tonight

Well done, all things that can boost your bank balance are a great way to help along especially if they had otherwise been gathering dust.

The only comment is that it sounds like the credit card isn't paid yet, just remember the sooner it is cleared the sooner you stop being charged interest on it. Every day there is an uncleared balance outstanding you will be paying that 20%+ on the whole amount so paying it off will immediately save you money. Even if you then have to use it again next month you will still get the interest free period again - you don't get that if you already have a balance on the card.

Jonesy135

Yeah my credit card hasnt been paid off yet... ive got the cash too pay most of it off but i haven't had chance to get to the bank recently... i think i will be able to on friday, so hopefully that'll be 600 less... then if christmas all goes to plan i should be able to clear the rest off by the end of this month!!


I should have already done it i think, but as it is nearing christmas im going to put some bits and pieces up online this weekend, hopefully there will be interest for christmas presents!!


on that subject.... is anyone after an acoustic or electric guitar for christmas?? both in good nick im loathe to put them on ebay because shipping is pain in the bum!

Night, for now!

Jonesy135

Another little update


My mum has a Barclays account and Barclays is the only bank in town, she ive given her my £600 cash which she paid in and transferred across to me

so that leaves £274.60 on my CC which should be cleared by christmas



and we got word from work yesturday that we should be getting a 400 quid Christmas bonus.... so thats christmas completly covered plus i may have a little left to get my snowboard boots in the new year sales

Jonesy135

Right so today has been sh*t.

I've spent about £100 on presents that wasn't expecting to buy because i don't know what else to do.

I spoke to my ex-girlfriend about christmas today.

for info - we are still close,
we speak virtually every day on the phone,
see each other at least once a week or so usually to go to the cinema or just chill and watch dvds
ill stay over at hers once a week or so.
so we are still really good friends.

My family know that we have broken up, although she hasn't broached the subject with her family (she's a bit of a "bury you head in the sand" type and doesn't want to deal with attention and pity.)



I asked her what she was planning on doing.

boxing day is the usual, at her sisters with her family, i'm going to be there too partly to keep up appearances, and partly because i've become part of the family a bit, and it'll be nice to see them.

but christmas day, she can barely stand a few hours with her parents so a whole day is out of the question for her. she doesnt think its fair to take her friends invites to go to them. and she doesnt want to deal with any awkwardness or anything (not that there would be in the slightest!!) if she were to come to mine - even though my parents would be more than welcoming to her!!

so she's, spending it on her own. at her house. with no friends, family christmas dinner or presents.

and that is really bothering me.

i hate the idea of her being alone for christmas.


We have a shopping trip to manchester on monday, which ive planned for.
we are also going to winter wonderland ice skating and the ice palace thingy on christmas eve. which i wasn't planning for but ive managed to cover.

but now knowing that she's going to be alone, i've spent another completely unplanned 100 quid on a couple of present for her, that i'll try and give to her on christmas day (she's about a 40 min drive away so have to plan it around lunch/dinner etc)


i suppose its not the end of the world, it just means ill have to pay off my credit card with some of next months wages instead of just this months.

so its no big deal really...
i guess i just wanted to vent a bit.

Christmas is gonna suck

Jonesy135

Todays update:

I emptied my e-savings plus today and put it on my credit card
and i also paid off 200 quid from my CC leaving £30 on it

i've got a few pence less than £30 in my current account at the moment, im keeping that there for the time being so i don't go into my overdraft. come payday (hopefully tomorrow if its early, if not it'll be christmas eve.)

on the 16th i made another payment on my car taking that down to 4619.09 (its killing me that it isn't a round number!!)

aaannd i sold a bunch of my books last night for £20... im hopefully going to take to the pub to see some old school friends that i haven't seen for 18 months or so.

jimjames

Jonesy135 wrote: »

Todays update:

I emptied my e-savings plus today and put it on my credit card
and i also paid off 200 quid from my CC leaving £30 on it

i've got a few pence less than £30 in my current account at the moment, im keeping that there for the time being so i don't go into my overdraft. come payday (hopefully tomorrow if its early, if not it'll be christmas eve.)

on the 16th i made another payment on my car taking that down to 4619.09 (its killing me that it isn't a round number!!)

aaannd i sold a bunch of my books last night for £20... im hopefully going to take to the pub to see some old school friends that i haven't seen for 18 months or so.

Well done for starting to pay things off.

From the posts made previously you would be much better off to just completely clear the credit card. That then gives you free money (no interest charged at all) for nearly 60 days if you time the purchases right. All the time you have any balance on it you are paying interest on that and also on any new purchases.

The car loan may well have a much lower rate than the credit card so clearing credit card would be a better option than paying down the car loadn.

Jonesy135

jimjames wrote: »

Well done for starting to pay things off.

From the posts made previously you would be much better off to just completely clear the credit card. That then gives you free money (no interest charged at all) for nearly 60 days if you time the purchases right. All the time you have any balance on it you are paying interest on that and also on any new purchases.

The car loan may well have a much lower rate than the credit card so clearing credit card would be a better option than paying down the car loadn.

Thank You

As its christmas i think ill get paid early however even if i don't my normal pay date will be christmas eve so my credit card will be 100% paid off this time next week.

which will feel good.

as long as i can control myself and not let it mount up again!







Ive just had a read of This Article for a Mac website i follow



Enough is what i want. i would love to have enough. once i've got enough ill feel like ive succeeded in life
Also i try and go for the BIFL philosophy too, so yes, i do spend a lot of money on certain things (the Macbook Air i'm typing on for example) but i know when i spend my money that im buying something of quality that will last for years.