Joined 31.05.16

Poor_Single_lady

Thank you everyone for brilliant support and advice. Nearly made me cry at work.

I haven't closed the credit card or overdraft. I'm going to keep them both because the credit card is one that will send me balance transfer offers that may be better than what I am paying. But it is in the freezer. Not to be used. And the overdraft I feel I need for the time being.

So I now have 5 credit card payments each month totalling £228 and the loan at £153.
My salary will increase marginally which is much welcomed and (rightly or wrongly) I Am putting a small amount into my pension in order to bring home as much as possible.
If I make the minimal payments and stay out of the overdraft I will be happy but it's difficult to plan because this month is not typical.

I haven't yet paid any of the bills (ex the loan and mortgage) and have higher than normal travel bill this month and some different things going on. I'm not sure if it's the time of year or stress but have eaten far too much this month and need to be better in April. Both eating and spending.

At the moment in the black but not sure how the rest of the month will go. It's 4 weeks without using a credit card or overdraft and with too much social going into the calendar. Nothing now until Tuesday and if it was all like that it would be easy.
Much easier to get perspective when you are out of the overdraft and only spending on one place. I think there is around £200 for eating, going out, the flat, clothes, make up and toiletries, presents and cards, plus the last credit card interest. Drinking less definitely helps. No drinks for 1 week, (this is the plan at least).

Getting there slowly with excessively boring diary.
And thank you.

Verbatim

Can you cut out new clothes and toiletries/make up this month and use whatyou have?
Maintain the excellent momentum you have given yourself and plan how you will spend that £200 and avoid spending more. Nothing succeeds more than success. Keep it going! And well done.

GoingToDoIt

This time of year is birthday nightmare month for me, to be honest that was one of my early MSE light bulbs years ago- save up all year round, as most of the birthdays are bunched up in March/April. It's nice to be socialising but it's tough on the wallet!

enthusiasticsaver

Debt busting and budgeting is hard PSL. Watching every penny is tedious but if you focus on the fact that one day when this millstone of debt is gone all the money you currently spend on paying off debt will be yours to do with as you wish. Paying off a debt from a bonus is soul destroying but necessary I think. Well done for not using a credit card or overdraft in 4 weeks.

System

PSL I am going to have the same dilemma very soon, will receive a small amount of money and my head tells me to pay it all off my cc . I want to save some of it though.

I will decide nearer the time , anyway a big well done for paying it off your debts .

Poor_Single_lady

It is all a bit carp right now.i just feel really majorly like ignoring it all and getting drunk. I won't tho At least not this week.

No alcohol planned till Wednesday.

Cumbria if your debts aren't a problem then you could think about using the money for something that makes you happy.

I can cut out toiletries and use what I have but not sure about clothes. Going to be tough.

Verbatim

Have a good weekend PSL. You have excellent will power over alcohol. Just keep the same mindset for steering clear of the shops. How about a couch to 5k type challenge to concentrate on health and fitness?
And in no time you'll have the £153 ++ to spend on clothes and toiletries without loading interest on top which you'd be paying back for months or years. Have you worked out your dfd? Very motivating to keep working on bringing it forward.
Chin up and smile. It's the weekend and you're doing well.

Poor_Single_lady

Thank you Verbatim. I am trying hard. I hope I don't come accross defeatist and wallowing. It's just that I am trying to be honest. And honestly this situation can make you feel so terrible and really like drinking a lot!

Lots of bills go out tommorow.
I am really hoping I can stay out of the overdraft this month.

This week is quite expensive, 2 lunches out and 2 nights out. Next weekend is empty so I have earmarked it for films and books at home. Then a quiet week to Easter.
I saw some nice work clothes and shoes to add to my wardrobe but going to hang on till next pay day.
I've got a lot in my freezer and full cupboards so no need for big shop.
Hair is cut and coloured.
Council tax paid.
May need some work shoes and tights at some point.
Need few house bits this week but nothing too expensive.
Credit card direct debits go this week and next.
Travel costs yet to be paid.

Need to budget for hair in June £110
Need to budget for water bill in June £100
need to plan for exam costs -£100 and £500- company will pay but will recoup if I get a new job, I can put off for 6 months and see where I am. Quite a massive amount to think about.

1 Credit card has about £750 coming off 0% in july. If I haven't paid it I might leave it where it is for time being because I don't want to open another credit card and the interest is 20% so imagine I will just plod through it. If it takes 6 months to pay off its roughly £80 in interest so I think I will just see how that goes.

Please can I just clarify that my current payments versus disposable income are Way too high to have any quality of life (or quality of life as I see it- I know other people might not agree) so at the moment I make minimal payments but this is too much - driven by the loan.

Once I have paid the loan off if I am not in my overdraft it will be a miracle - so this £153 that I pay on my loan each month won't go to a 0% credit card because I can't live on a tiny income for ever. I would rather pay off slowly and be DF at 45 than be this miserable til l i am 36 but pay if off in 5 years.
So the £153 might go towards the overdraft but it won't go to a credit card because that just doesn't work for me and it's not realistic.

I tried to look at debt free dates but it just made me feel sad! I think my main aim in all honesty is to stay alive so that my parents never find out!
And right now stay out of overdraft and keep credit card permanently in the freezer.

[Deleted User]

I think it's a good idea to get rid of the overdraft, the credit cards you can get rid of later on.

Dxxx

Poor_Single_lady

Thank you Dolly. Paying off the overdraft felt massive but I need to sustain it from now on. xx