Mind change to debt thanks to MSE forums!

sassychick2014

Well, it's been a few weeks since I last posted in here but it's all been good. I have finally been paid my outstanding invoice from March which is amazing!! I've also been asked to put forward a further 4 proposals and am in meetings to try and target new work so hopefully things are on the up.

I opened the sealed tin for Christmas pressies and in 4 months managed to put away £146.50 which I'm quite chuffed with. I needed to open it to get Littley's pressie as I'd been holding out for the sales and there's one atm so have got her gift & saved 20% - bonus!

Next week is half term and like many parents am not wanting to spend heaps. Littley's got friends coming over a few times so saving a few quid on outings there.

Have a great weekend & half term xx

Harryspotter

Great news on the work front - well done!

That is a lovely surprise with your christmas savings! Takes the pressure off a bit doesn't it? wish I had something similar, will need to come up with an imaginative christmas plan. Got to get tiny little things for advent calendar as well as stocking things. Probably need to get cracking.

Hope you both enjoy half term x

sassychick2014

Morning!

Half term is going well. Littley has a friend here who stayed over last night & they asked for takeaway pizza for dinner. As Littley only likes ridiculously expensive pizza from a certain place I got them made to order ones from Sainsb so that was a heck of a saving made.

Have had another 3 invoices paid which is great. The company who does not pay has a new guy there and he basically hounds the accounts department until they pay which is great. Therefore today I've paid £600 off the mortgage arrears which means for the first time ever I'm under 2months of arrears. I'm determined this will be gone asap so I can concentrate on getting my account with the bank into such a good position that I can remortgage & get a better deal. I had a meeting with a bank a few years ago and it worked out I would have been nearly £300 better off a month (incorporating my debts etc) but the computer said I couldn't afford the repayments so wouldn't allow it. Even the advisor couldn't understand it. Bonkers isn't it.

I've also put £500 into savings for when work is slow, taking that up to £1380! This works out at just over 3 months worth of mortgage payments so that's fab. To cover 3 months of all bills I need to have £3725 so that's the aim.

On top of that I've managed to put £100 into both mine & Littley's ISAs and pay off my outstanding gas & leccy bills.

I've just realised that my house insurance & car insurance are both due for renewal this month so will try and get those paid off in a lump sum rather than monthly. I currently pay my car tax monthly too so will aim to do that as a one off when that's due too. I've enough in the bank to be able to do that and it'll take my monthly payments down. I currently pay about £65 just for those so that would be good.

Finally (!) I've spent the Christmas money on gifts and so have about 60% of my presents bought already. I've spoken with people and found out what they actually want and got those. Seems books are on the cards this year. I've already bought another sealed tin and have started putting money away for next year. I've sold a rug and some books so there's already £25 in there. Got to start early!

Have a good day everyone! xx

sassychick2014

So, tried to make a transfer out of my savings account last week and was told that although the bank was happy to take my money I couldn't actually transfer it out as I didn't have a current account with them. When I explained I'd never had one and so had tried to open one a few days ago (and was refused) they said there wasn't anything they could do. Am really cross that a big financial organisation is happy to take your money in savings but not be helpful in letting you have it. Their only options were to either have a book to go into branch to withdraw money - from an ONLINE only account. Or to close the accounts and have the money back.

So I'm now looking for a decent savings account that will let me access my money if I need it but not too accessible that I spend it. So frustrating. It also means I've had a further £3k go into my account and will be going straight out again. Makes my account look so dodgy as well as being so tempting to just spend it.

Any recommendations? xx