I’m taking control of my life, now.

GeorgianaCavendish

WOW! That debt reduction is amazing, well done

I am itching to get rid of the 27.9% and 27.6% interest rates I'm paying on part of my Barclaycard and MBNA debts. It would make such a big difference to my total debt repayments to be on a lower interest rate!

Suffolk_lass

When you posted your SOA you asked if anyone had any other ideas and I was wondering if you had encountered Tilly-tidying on your forum travels? It's great for topping up without pain.

It works like this - You check your bank account regularly and round down your balance (depending on your means, it can be more or less). I always move down to the next £5 but I sometimes tidy to the next £10 and have occasionally felt I could go to the next £50. I currently move mine to the equivalent of our CF, but when mine reaches my desired level I will do a monthly (probably pay-day) sweep to pay something down a bit. You could try it to pay down your highest remaining interest things, while maintaining your regular payments. If you can't make overpayments you could build a little stash to pay off your HP (or whatever) early.

I know you said originally that all your payments go on the same day - so an alternative would be to round each of those up to the next £5 and stash the difference. I use my bank debit card for grocery shopping so that works pretty well for odd amounts.

SL

EssexHebridean

Suffolk Lass that's the same principle as the VSP challenge on here -and yes, it works brilliantly! Our VSP last year ended up sitting at just over £300 and paid our car hire and food bill while we were away over Christmas. I usually round to the next £5, and I tend to sweep TCB money over there too.

Boxofpaws well done for making it to the layby. I have a memory of a similar incident from many years ago. A handbag was involved. Thankfully I had the presence of mind to remove my purse, phone and keys from said handbag ahead of the incident coming to fruition. A good thing too, there was no way I was going back in there afterwards.

I sympathise with your chicken seasoning also....speaking as someone who's recent kitchen audit turned up 8 cans of baked beans and 5 of kidney beans, along with a packet of sugar-free jelly crystals that went out of date a decade ago. :rotfl:

boxofpaws

Deleted_User wrote: »

Fantastic! you're doing really well.

Thank you PMo2, see you soon on your thread

117pauline wrote: »

You mentioned Groupon and I have even used them in Spain, France and Belgium whilst on holiday. I managed to nab a couple of Village Hotel breaks for us as well so we have something else to look forward to.

Its always sounded like a lot of faff, looking for deals and vouchers and things, but I have to say, I am quite enjoying it.

GeorgianaCavendish wrote: »

WOW! That debt reduction is amazing, well done

I am itching to get rid of the 27.9% and 27.6% interest rates I'm paying on part of my Barclaycard and MBNA debts. It would make such a big difference to my total debt repayments to be on a lower interest rate!

Have you tried the MSE credit club to see if you might get some better rates?

boxofpaws

Good things today:j

• Food supplies are being stretched until Friday. I am away with work for a couple of days (expenses) and the husband will be eating out of the cupboards while he is on nights
• £20 profit on expenses today
• Work is marginally less horrific
• Had to cancel hair appointment at the weekend. So stretching the appointments means lower average monthly spend. My hair is pretty frightful though
• Had a nice weekend with family and didn't spend too much (we had a special celebration that included travelling 100 miles and staying overnight). Probably £10 plus £30 diesel
• Our friend that the husband helped with the van gave us all the van money and diesel etc, plus an extra £10 plus a very nice bottle of whisky and some wine and some chocolate
• Also the friend's sister has asked the husband if he would do the same for her but to pay him for it. I am not sure how it stands with tax and the like so I need to look into that.
• The chicken flavouring is delicious

Bad things:(

• The stepdaughter keeps asking the husband for money. We send her a small amount every month (£50) as an incentive to keep going to her apprenticeship job (she spent 2 years as a neep), plus he sent her a month in advance. She asked if she could have March's too but he said no. I do love her and I feel bad for us saying no but constantly asking people for money is not the answer. When I was 19, I worked all hours to make enough money. She works in a school so could easily get a weekend or Saturday job if she needs extra. It doesn't stop us feeling guilty though. What would/do other people do?
• All expenses for this trip are coming out of CF (because using the company credit card is a faff) but I do get them back.

Jonesy88

Aww I'd stay strong with your step daughter. I don't have kids but aged 19, (nearly 10 years ago, oh god I just made myself feel old, am I a proper adult now?), anyway, aged 19 I went to uni in the day and worked in a call centre at night. If anything working and studying kept me focused as I didn't have the time to procrastinate! But at 19, I didn't have any real responsibilities, if I ran out of money bad things wouldn't happen. Instead I would just have to wait until next pay day and learn to budget better the next month.

117pauline

I would keep saying no because that is the only way she will learn. Perhaps you can offer some encouragement and advice on budgetting and prioritising. Saying no is difficult but look at the number of people here on the boards who have got used to parental bailouts which in the end stop. And yes, I have been in that situation with both my own son and OH's children. I am pretty sure he still sends them money (late 20s/early30s) but as our finances are separate, I can't complain.

I believe you bring up children to leave home and stand on their own two feet. Help them accumulate life skills to manage their world.

Just a thought - why don't you add a "work collection" section to your SOA next time you redo it?

[Deleted User]

Hi BoP,

Love the plan for the week.

Hope step-daughter sorts herself out, I do see where you're coming from xx

EssexHebridean

Pauline's nailed it I think - speaking from experience I can honestly say that I appreciate the advice and support I got from my parents when I had debts far more than I would have appreciated a bail out. I appreciate that your SD isn't in debt, but giving her the tools to not get into that situation seems to me to be the best way of equipping her for life. (And no, she won't appreciate it now, but I bet she will in the future!)

Suffolk_lass

I was eternally grateful when my Dad bailed me out but the consequence was that we sat down and I learned how to budget with his help, and some of his systems. A lesson well-learned can be as good as a no, but if she is away, not so easy. You could offer to work with her so her money works better for her - it's half-term here next week.

SL