Time to take control!

realitycheck85

Ok, so here goes.

I'm new to this but have spent a while reading everybody's diaries so thought I would start my own as it seems to help.

I'm 28 years old and still living at home with my mum, I have 2 younger sisters (21 & 25) who have both moved it, so i'm the last (this makes me sad).

At the moment I have approx £18,500 of debt and I have decided that it is now time to take control.
I got my first loan at 18 , can't even remember what is was for. I have had more credit cards than I care to remember, catalogs and overdrafts and have refinanced loans too many times.

My bf lost his job 2.5 years ago and that's where the majority of my debt has come from along with the fact that money seems to burn a hole in my pocket, i also have an online shopping addiction

Anyway, the bf has finally found a job , which makes me very happy as a bit of responsibility is taken off me.
The thing is we have decided to try and save a deposit for a mortgage, i know you're not supposed to save when paying off debt but I need my own place. He is also saving for a car (at the moment he uses his dads) and he needs one to get to work.

My current debt is £500 @ 0% on a credit card, £150 to park Christmas and the rest is on a loan i refinanced about a month ago which has 5 years to go
I have finally paid off one credit card which was £500, one Argos store card £200 and my overdraft which was £1500 so a good start.

I have had a look through my finances and have deleted all non essential items eg: magazine subscriptions, netflix etc and am just trying to put away every spare penny I have.
My other vice is smoking, I have cut down from buying 20 to 10 cigs a day and am hoping to kick the habit real soon.

So that's everything i think and if you read this thanks xx

realitycheck85

Sooo sorted my bank accounts out today, i've applied been accepted and swithed to the co-op so the £100 you get for switching will be going straight on my credit card, its 0% and only has a minimum payment of about £6 pm but i wanna get it cleared asap, also set up a s/o for £75 pm to go on this (all i can really afford at the mo). I have a few pots of money in my room 1 for 1p/2ps, one for silver 5p/10 & 20ps and one for 50p/£1 & £2 coins, i think there is about £125 in these combined at the moment (they're are sealed so i can't get into them) hopefully once they're full there should be about £200 in total which i was going to use for spending money for my holiday in 9 weeks but after a chat with the bf we've agreed its better to put it all on my credit card!
I nearly bought a laptop last night, the one i have isn't in the best condition and i have been needing a new one forever, but after careful consideration decided to keep this one until it does give up instead of putting £400/ £500 on my Argos card for a new one . GO ME!!

ThatKiss

Hello! Just wanted to say welcome and good luck!

realitycheck85

ThatKiss wrote: »

Hello! Just wanted to say welcome and good luck!

Thanks,

Well I've had a lovely day i found a gift card for next in an old bag with £18.50 on it so bought my 2 year old nephew a 'gryffindor' t shirt . he doesn't know what harry potter is but i love it also got sum first size vests for my other sister who is pregnant, i also had £40 worth of gift vouchers for new look so treated myself to some new bits.
Back in January i booked a spa treatment from lastminute.com from martins email and me n my friend went today it cost us £20 each and we each had a facial & back massage and full use of the facilities , was lovely and definitely deserved as I've had a pretty rubbish year in and out of hospital and 2 operations.
Also sorted out the odd penny's and pounds in my many bank accounts and found a tenner, happy days xx

realitycheck85

sold a couple things today on fbook so made myself £25 straight into the pot, although i am treating myself to a takeaway tonight, not had one 4 a while and i'm in on my own as the bf isn't well so he's at his mums tonight.
one of my pots is very nearly full and i wanna open it 2 see how much is in it but i'm resisting temptation as I know what i'm like and will only wanna spend it.
passport arrived on thursday so i'm nearly ready for my hols, just need my visa and not sure how much that costs, thats a job for next payday if it ever arrives
apart from that no other news, a pretty standard week .