"Deal With It!"

happymoneysaver79

My "deal With It!" Diary.

Lightbulb moment - approx January 2007. After having my first child and giving up work to stay at home and be a full time mum I had much more time to address the finances! What a shock! I had at least 100 unopened credit card statements and bank statements stuffed into my knicker drawer (I know! Why there?). I finally forced myself to sit down and sort it all out and it was the hardest, most frightening thing I have ever done (apart from give birth - obviously haha) I realised that my throwaway attitute to money that I'd had over the last 10 years was going to have a major impact on my new family and that was the worst feeling ever. What a role model eh? Good job she's too young to understand!

The most shamefull thing was that a few years ago I re-mortgaged our house to pay off my debts -but never did!!! It paid for a med cruise instead (which was very enjoyable!) can't believe I did that!!!

Anyway....Total debts were around £50k so re-mortgaged again swallowing £24k of high interest credit cards and cleared my overdrafts to give a clear picture of what was going on(making mortgage £100k - no equity left now .Originally purchased for £30K)I then transferred balances to 0% (where I could get it) and 5.9% cards, I also was pleased to discover that I could claim back my bank charges of which there were £5000, so far I have accepted Barclays offer of £1,600, so just Nationwide now!(thanks by the way for all the support and encouragement from everyone here x) I have taken PP of everything, reduced my Life insurance, just got basic cover now - so fingers crossed!!! Cancelled the gym membership, telly package,reduced food bill from £400 + per month to £150 (shopping at Aldi & Netto for most things), reduced every single insurance policy that I had by shopping around and most importantly have stopped buying c##p that I don't need, at one point I was buying clothes and toys for my daughter almost every day. I have realised that my DD doesn't need hundreds of toys, she just needs me - which is the reason I gave up work to take care of her in the first place!!!
I also walk everywhere (within reason)now to save on petrol and I'm considering selling the second car as it is hardly used now.
One of the biggest changes has been in me though. I have really toughened up and am for the first time in my life taking control, I used to just accept what the big companies said in terms of bank charges, returns etc, but now I take a more confident approach. For example: earlier this year I had a problem with a carpet that had been laid for almost 3 years, it had never been fitted properly, but as usual I just paid up and said it was fine. One day comming out of the nursery, carrying my DD I tripped on the join which had lifted and fell. I was furious so rang and complained, after weeks of pestering them they agreed to fit a new one for free. Problem was, this set the ball rolling and I have since had £600 sent by cheque for my cooker that was also faulty, a set of digital phones and £50 credit for free from virgin media because of poor communications, £50 credit from British Gas for not increasing my direct debit and allowing me to go into £500 debit, a case of very good wine from Barker & Stonehouse following a problem with a new setee and yesterday a lovely gent at Barclays said he was sending me some wine and flowers because of an error in processing a bill paymet (he can't have realised I was suing their !!!!!!) And what is it with the offers of wine? Word must have got out!!!:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Anyway discounting mortgage debt is now as follows:
car finance -£3,000 -but am going to pay this off with bank charges reclaim
Marbles cc - £10,000 5.9%
virgin cc - £9,320.00 0%
Halifax cc -£3,268.84 6.7%


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I am not in this alone, my partner is a wonderful generous man :A (too generous) who is working his butt of to get us out of this mess - what more could I ask for? Think I've got a handle on this now, I feel positive and am pointing in the right direction. Whish me luck - will keep you posted

Thankyou all for your help and advice.
Hugs,
Happy x

justmarried06

Just wanted to say a huge congratulations for all you've done so far, you're an inspiration!

JM

JAMIEDODGER

well done yuu! what a journey. you sound like you have every thing under control now and will be heading to debtfreeness in no time!

bedhair

Well done Happy for everything you have done so far.
Your story is an inspiration. You come across as someone who is not going to stray from the DFW path and you'll be debt free before you know it.

moj1966

well done on taking control, Don't let people walk over you with bad sevice or goods

happymoneysaver79

Just wanted to say thanks guys for your kind words - better not let you or me down now had I???;)

Keep you posted
happy x