Small debt, just saying hello

Cheery_Daff

Hi all,

I've been lurking around for a while, being very inspired by you all! My situation is very mild in comparison to some, and theoretically easy for me to deal with, but I thought posting here would give me the kick up the backside I need.

Only have one debt - Abbey credit card at £1386. Transferred from another one because of 0% on balance transfers - then took out about £500 cash (I know, I know, and I shan't be doing it again...). Never even had a credit card til a couple of years ago, then got an alcoholic partner... (long gone, thank goodness). Anyway...

I'm a postgraduate student, I've had studentship money of £12000 this year (no tax taken). However, this runs out at the end of September, and I've got a part time job which pays £300 a month. Have been working and saving this since June. Have also saved £700 from another job I did during the summer. And I managed to pay off my £600 overdraft in 3 months before June, so I CAN do it!

My "necessary" outgoings are minimal:

Rent: £265 pcm all inclusive
Mobile: £35 (18 month contract - tied in for another year)
Credit card: £30 (minimum payment about £15, but £10 per month interest at the mo, so overpaying).

I've been ignoring my credit card, just paying £30 a month, and after hanging round here for a while, put it into the snowball thing - which gave me a debt free date of June 2013!!! Ridiculous So I'm here to do something about it.

I've been keeping a spending diary for about 4 months now - that's how I managed to pay off my overdraft, and why I got a part time job. However, last month I STILL managed to go £230 over my £250 budget.

Because my income is partly coming from what I've saved over the past few months (I'm writing the last few months of PhD now, should be done by Christmas, so don't want to work full time yet), I'm allowing myself £700 per month for everything. I would like to (and can) spend far less than this!

I know exactly what I need to do from my spending diary (take lunch to work, do a weekly instead of twice daily food shop, don't spend half the day in the cafe... ) I'm just here for a little motivation, if that's ok? Just thought I should out myself, since I'm lurking on everyone else's threads.

And just saying hello

Thanks,

Daffy