Journey to £0 by 2020, with a few bumps along the way

chelseablue

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

Firstly, well done to Mr CB in paying you the £175. £400 spending money would last me two to three months too. Cutting down smoking would be the best thing he could do if he still smokes as that is expensive. Same on the drinking.

If you think you can trust yourself not to spend on the credit card after clearing the Virgin or dip into the Marcus savings then I think it is worth going for. That presumably means you would pay it off within the deal period so no interest and that gives you a chance to build up savings. As long as your DH does not get wind of your savings and appropriate them to subsidise his spending. Gives you a bit more breathing space I guess if finding the £600 is tough every month.

The £600 is doable, but would be nice to have lower payments so I can save more

For example my car is 13 years old now, and although there is nothing wrong with it I am keen to have a large pot of money saved just in case I need to replace it. Also want to put more in my S&S ISA

I always plead poverty to Mr CB he has no idea what I have saved in case he think's I'll be helping him out :rotfl:

The Barclaycard offer expires on 31st December so I've got time to decide.

If I go ahead should I close the Virgin card? I don't actually have it as I shredded it but would mean my % credit utilisation would be low if I kept it open

Currently I have:

Halifax Clarity, £8,000 limit, zero balance
Barclaycard, £12,000 limit, zero balance
Virgin, £15,900 limit, £8,635 balance

enthusiasticsaver

I would close it but then I am sceptical that credit utilisation rates are used in credit scoring.

chelseablue

Pay day tomorrow!

I still have £386 left in my account, debating what to do with it

Thinking of leaving it there as it covers my half of the presents with a nice surplus. And extra things always seem to crop up at Christmas time

enthusiasticsaver

Good idea to leave it. We have an underspend this month too so leaving it to boost the eating out budget for December which is growing due to list of social occasions we are now committed to. It is not presents we overspend on at this time of year but eating/entertainment.

chelseablue

HELP!

Worrying situation, husband got paid on Monday and now has no money left.

Worried he's going to keep asking me. I cant afford his petrol, drink and tobacco until he's paid again (well I can but why should I)

The only thing I can suggest is he stays at his mums during the week as she lives close to his work so he could walk there

Or see how much he can increase his overdraft by

enthusiasticsaver

So he has gone through £400 in 5 days? He has a serious problem. The thing is that you split your finances because he seems to be a serial spender so I think you should just leave him to it and turn a deaf ear to his pleas. He can stop drinking surely or is he an alcoholic? Is he trying to stop smoking as it appears he cannot afford it. He could go on to self rolled as that is cheaper if they still do that. When I was a debt counsellor we were not allowed to suggest smokers give up as it is recognised as an addiction so the suggestion was to move to self rolled cigarettes as a cheaper option. As you say he could stay with his mum and walk to work from there but will then have to admit he is useless with money. Do his family know what he is like?

chelseablue

Im not sure, he must have, I know his phone bill was £70 and he went out with his brother last night (to a concert where the tickets were booked back in July, he did try and sell the tickets but no takers)

He also spent £30 on some work shoes (he did need those as the others had a small hole at the bottom) plus £12 on a belt

He does have a drink problem, he saw a therapist (NHS) for the first time last week so he recognises the problem. Just hope he can cut down

He already smokes self rolled

His Mum knows what he's like so will be no surprise to her if he asks to stay there

enthusiasticsaver

Yes the drinking must be a worry. Hopefully he is not driving when out drinking. Does he want to sort out his finances or is he burying his head in the sand? Are you financially linked to him? I guess you must be through the mortgage?

chelseablue

The only joint account we have is the mortgage, none of his other accounts appear on my credit file just mine

chelseablue

Husband tried to increase his overdraft but the bank said no. Not sure what I should do?

Offer to put petrol in his car but not pay for beer and tobacco?

Or just keep saying no?