Bec's debt busting year!

beckseven

I need to get to grips with my debt this year. It has stayed the same for quite a few years with me just maintaining it by paying minimum payments etc and to be honest it is a millstone round my neck. I need to focus on my money and budgeting. I don't have a huge salary as a teaching assistant but my dream is to begin a PGCE in 2016 which obviously could mean more debt but ultimately a better salary and career prospects in the future. My targets are to reduce my grocery budget, sell stuff on ebay, do some events work at weekends to pull in more money and find some other ways to earn more money to pay off debts. I'm going to aim to check my bank and cards each day and shop around the supermarkets to save money.

beckseven

I decided to blitz the house today as it was absolutely bogging. I seem to have been cleaning it all day and it is looking marginally cleaner. I decided to let the kids do their 'Excavate a dinosaur' and 'decorate fairy wings' kids at the same time-little did I realise how much mess and dust would be generated! I also rang my Debanhams card and got the £12 late payment charge taken off. I checked with my bank and the payment went through two days before it was due so not sure why they charged me. I have decided that this is the card that I am going to concentrate on getting rid off first. There is only £31 pounds left on it but in my old ways I would have let that drag on for about 6 months making a payment of a fiver a month. Not any more! I am going to budget strictly this week and see how much I can pummel off it. I think psychologically that if I can get rid of even the little debts I am going to start feeling that I have achieved something. The debt on my HSBC card is high interest and next time I get an deal on one of my lower interest cards I am going to transfer it. I spent £28 on a Tesco's shop and £9.10 in Sainsbury's today on food that should hopefully last me the week. Back to work tomorrow-eek! How am I going to get the kids up and out?

Lily_rose_2

Good luck bec.....am subscribing!

beckseven

Thanks Lily- Rose! I've been away for a few days as it was my 40th birthday but am now back and trying to keep focussing on moneysaving and getting rid of my debt. Have paid off my Debenhams card which wasn't much but it will feel good to cut it off my list and then I'll focus on paying off my Next card. I bought a lottery ticket on my birthday and won £20 so will be putting that towards my Next card payment. Think I will put to the side in an easily accessed saving account what money I manage to save each week and pay it off in a lump sum whatever I have saved off my allocated card (lump sum sounds impressive doesn't it!) My Marks and Spencer's card's interest has gone up so need to do some balance juggling now so will give NatWest a ring as they have sent me an offer.

beckseven

It's my daughter's party today so my shopping budget got slightly stretched this month although I kept costs low by going to Iceland and Home Bargains for my party food and bits and made my own fairy cakes instead of buying shop bought ones as I already had the ingredients in the house and even I can't go wrong with a fairy cake! However my friend kindly made me a Frozen birthday cake and only charged me £15-it is beautiful-and I need to pay hall hire so will use my lottery win for that so won't be able to use that towards my Next card but hey ho. Paid the minimum off my Next card today and got my CB today so took £85 of that and put it in my savings account to transfer back just before my M and S card is due. I still haven't rang Nat WEst to transfer my M and S balance-think that will have to be tomorrow's job as need to concentrate on the impending party now....

beckseven

Well party done and dusted-phew! Think I need to start putting a bit aside for DS's birthday now as it's next month so major debt busting may have to stop. I'm going out for a meal for my birthday tonight but hopefully it won't be expensive as it's at my local pub plus I'm dieting so won't be having pudding! Have changed my weightwatcher's membership to an online only membership as I have been working a lot and not been able to make my meeting.-it saves about £15 a month doing it this way. Feeling a bit of a chunky monkey today as after Christmas and my birthday I have overindulged! Got £25 win for the lottery which was £5 more than I thought which meant that I could buy my daughter choccie pancakes and a birthday badge for her actual birthday which is tomorrow. Still need to transfer my M and S balance to my Nat West-to do list for today!

beckseven

Meant to be on here posting everyday but have let it slip. However I have been keeping an eye on my finances and checking them everyday. Today I finally transferred my M and S Debt onto my HSBC card as it had a 0% deal for 20months. kind of good getting it on one card so I can concentrate on hacking away at the debt. Every so often it terrifies me how much debt I have got as my income isn't great but I think that I just need to get on with it. Have had an expensive week as had DD ballet, tap and gymnastics to pay for-ouch! I have been having a clear out of clothes so will cash them in on Saturday and hopefully get some more money.Think I will now read some diaries to spur me on and keep me positive.

beckseven

Ok have let things lapse postwise as have had flu but now back on the ball and debt busting! Nearly got rid of the Debenhams card-just paid the last £1.34 off but want to get the statement through with a nice 0 on it before I say goodbye to it forever! For some reason HSBC wouldn't let me balance transfer from my M and S card which is a pain so instead I've transferred £2000 from my M and S card to my Nat West card as had a 6.9% offer which is better than the 20% i'm paying on the M and S card. I'm now hoping that M and S will then off me a good balance transfer rate so I can transfer my HSBC balance to it to lower the interest on that. Complicated stuff but because my basic wage is so rubbish I'm reliant on them offering me stuff rather than applying for some of the zero percent deals that are about. Rest of the day is being spent meal planning and cleaning. Have a £7 off Tesco shop voucher plus another £3 off so should save a bit on the shopping next week. I'm going to make a lovely green Thai curry tonight and watch a film-cheap and cosy Saturday night!