Sorting out my life!

tori.k

Financially it would make more sense, will you clear the credit card before the end of the current 0% deal ends?

Im in the same position but decided against it even tho it means I will pay £77 extra in interest on my loan as I think it's knowing the 0% ends in January next year that kept me plodding on I'd lose that urgency if I moved it and I just want the debt gone. but you sound a lot more level headed than me

GunShotResidue

I'm pretty sure we're stopping at 2, the thought of bring pregnant again fills me with dread! Financially and logistically 2 is a good number for us.

I've kept their going home baby grows, I'm going to have them made into little teddy bears!

I will just clear it on the current card if I don't pay much extra off the loan. I'm not very level headed! I still have a few weeks to decide, I'll probably change my mind a million times.

Managed to get a load onto the line today. Making toad in the hole for dinner as it's cheap and we had salmon yesterday!

GunShotResidue

We had family to stay for the weekend and spent a bit more than we should have! Still in budget but we don't have much entertainment money for the rest of the month. Personally I'm too tired to do much anyway!

Got a load on the line and one in the washing machine as it's such a nice day. Did meter readings on Friday and we are using so much electric. I think most of it is heating water as it is almost boiling, going to get the instructions out and try to turn it down! Have also started turning everything off at the plug.

I made a big chicken roast yesterday, so we're having chicken risotto tonight and chicken and vegetable soup tomorrow to use up the left overs.

GunShotResidue

I've decided I will transfer the balance, set up a standing order and try very hard to forget about it. I'll sort that out later today and from next month we will put any extra money towards paying off the loan.


Chicken and veg soup last night was really nice, I also made some chicken stock. Did a food shop and managed to stay within budget and we're getting better at turning off lights and stuff. Horrible weather today, so I'm skipping the laundry but have done an article for textbroker, my first in a while, and some work for my dad. Feeling fairly positive today!

GunShotResidue

Balance is transferred. There is £1600 on the new card, and 18 months of 0%. I'm going to pay the minimum next month then 100 a month from then on, and I should have one month extra in case of emergencies.


Contacted a recruitment agency this week about one off events, due to my husbands work I can't plan too far in advance so don't even want temporary work, but I am hoping there might be some one off events that I can wait/bar tend at. Have a meeting next week but I'm not sure they'll be able to do what I want. Worth asking though!


Staying with family for 3 weeks next month as my husband is away, then taking time off. Will hopefully be able to do some work for my dad and potentially some online work for a company he works with, which could end up being semi-regular. I've been very stressed recently and a break should really help

GunShotResidue

Going to do a big shop tonight that should be the last of the month, have just under £50 left in my budget and need to buy 9 main meals as well as lunches. I'm hoping to use up the rest of the cereal before going away as I think it will be stale when we get back.


Did meter readings and the last week we have managed to get down to £1.25 a day, including standing charges, so about £38 a month. Still seem to be using a lot of electric though, even though I haven't used the tumble dryer for ages. We're only here for a week next month though, so that should be cheaper!


All very boring really, but I'm feeling very good about how well we're staying on budget this month, we are usually struggling by now!

GunShotResidue

Last month went fairly well, but I did end up pulling £50 out of emergency savings (which has now been replaced) as we had a few unexpected expenses towards the end of the month. So this month I've put the extra I want to pay off our debts into a savings account and I will pay it off at the end of the month rather than the beginning. We have paid off the minimums, so now owe £6045.19, and hopefully at the end of the month I can pay off the extra, leaving us at -£5780.32.


I have some work lined up for my dad this month, and it's looking like I will be able to do the work for one of his clients, which should be an extra £80-100 every month that can go straight off the debts.


I'm motivating DH by telling him once the debts are gone, we will save the money we were paying for them and he can get his motorbike licence!

GunShotResidue

It was good that I didn't pay anything off at the beginning of the month. The exhaust fell off our car (which we knew we'd have to replace soon anyway and had a bit set aside for) and we ended up spending most of what we had set aside to pay off the debt to buy, tax and insure a new (to us) car. Not sure where we'll stand at the end of the month.


Hopefully next month will be better!

System

Cars are the bane of my life - mine is in for MOT and service next week - and I know it has "consumed" a bottle of oil in the last 4 weeks - I am wincing already at what it is going to cost!
good luck with your journey, you have already made great inroads.

GunShotResidue

Oh no! I always panic around MOT time. We bought a car that was only a few years old on finance a few years ago hoping it would put an end to our car troubles.... it didn't! It broke down dramatically and we ended up scrapping it and getting a loan to pay off the finance, which is what we're now trying to pay off!


Next month I want to replenish our emergency savings, then in October I'll start paying extra off the loan again.