Starting Over

thegirlinthegreenscarf

Started to update my signature. This is scary stuff! The direct debit was automatically set up for the minimum payment, but I think I need to increase it from £50/month to £180/month to pay it off in time. I have gone onto payapl and set up my 0% credit card on there. Hopefully any money I make from Ebay sales can be transferred to it quickly and easily.

thegirlinthegreenscarf

So far my ebay sales have come to £41.00. Not alot, but every little helps. I have another listing due to end on Friday night (that I have a bidder for) so that's good. I had to wait a few days before I could transfer money to the 0% credit card from paypal, but I've done that now. I still need to finish my signature and list some things on ebay.

EssexHebridean

With the credit card payment, you can always set the monthly payment to the level of the minimum payment as it stands now - and then make additional payments to it each time you have anything extra. That way you get the benefit of a monthly payment that knocks a little more off as a percentage every month, rather than the standard minimum which drops over time. Makes a small difference, but every little helps, and you can still pay off the additional amounts just by doing bank transfers.

thegirlinthegreenscarf

Ebay sales are getting there slowly but surely. I've managed to sell/transfer £150. I have not been able to save as much from my wages as I would have liked due to MOT/Service and 2 new tyres, but hey ho. Card balance £2,365.27. I still haven't got a figure from student loans (I contacted them but they have not replied), or braced myself to look at how much I owe my inlaws for my old car. Sometimes its just too much.... I keep telling myself that I am getting there but its so slow.....

thegirlinthegreenscarf

Hi


Sorry, I have been away for a while. I did lose sight for a bit, but am back on track now! I think turning 40 in November (7 months away is making me panic a bit and I am trying to control everything else. So the Barclaycard is down from £3000 doen to £1438.27. The % expires in August so only a few payments left. I am not going to be able to pay it off in time so I have had to apply for another 0% card.


However, I am working on budgeting and listing my "big" purchases throughout the year and setting up piggy bank accounts. Looking to put away approx £800 a year for both Christmas and my car so I think I am going to set up a nationide account(s). It goes without saying that if the time comes and I can spend less than £800 then I will. The car account is to cover service/MOT/tax/spare tyres.


The Christmas account is to cover husband, parents, daughter, family and friends' kids. We were never having kids, so we loved being the "adopted" aunty and uncle and showerng the kids with gifts without giving the price much of a thought. I think I'd spend £20 on our friends' kids. But as more kids came along, and of course when our daugher came along I went part time, but we received gifts for her. I have been deliberately been cutting down though. Some of my friends have agreed to cut out buying the kids altogether because now they are older it is too difficult. My other friends and family members prefer to keep buying for the kids, but have agreed to bring the price down. Christmas 2016 I think I spent £15 per child. Last year I spent about £8-10 per child.


I have started a starling account/app to help me budget for gifts/christmas. The reason I like starling is although you have one account, you can set up several "goals" so I like it because since its gifts I am using this account for, I can allocate what I am spending for whom ifywim.


I have been tutoring for a few weeks, and have been paid in cash, which I have been giving my MIL towards the car payment.

thegirlinthegreenscarf

Right! Today I am going to phone the bank and start making more standing orders to my "piggy bank" accounts to help with my budgeting. I have been meaning to do it for at least 2 weeks and have not done it yet. I also need to get some things on ebay but I keep putting it off. Maybe putting it here in black and white will make me do it!!!

Daddio70

I'm wanting to change from my TSB Cash Account to the Starling Bank account as I've read some great reviews about it, but just wondered if it still counted as a basic account.

thegirlinthegreenscarf

Well, I am still here. The car loan has gone down to £2K, but the credit card has gone up.
The good news is we shortened the term of our mortgage (yey!)

I joined slimming world and lost a stone (yey!)
but I turned 40, and threw a party, and bought tickets for Elton John's last concert (over £100/ticket) and long story short I got into more debt.

I actually think I was being too strict with the debit in some cases - I had no "wriggle room" but I have had to take out a new 0% credit card for 20 months.


I am going to have to update my auto signature.
Trying to be brave.....


I have just cancelled my Netflix subscription and I am going to have a look at what other expenses have crept up that I can cancel