Time to get free of DMP and move on..

WelshSaver

It has been about 5 years since I last had a diary on here :eek: Recently I have been reading Sun Addicts diary and she has inspired me to post my own.

A little on my background. I was with my ex husband for 19 years and split with him in early 2012. We had so much debt and at one point it was near £40,000 not including the mortgage. No savings and had to keep up with the Jones's. For an easy life I didn't say no whenever he wanted to change the car etc. Soon we were relying on credit cards to pay for food each week. I finally left in 2012 with about £10,000 worth of debt and my life changed to a single mum working part time with 2 lovely boys aged 14 and 8.

Fast forward to today, the boys are 19 and 14, still living with me and I have a boyfriend who I have been with since 2013. The total opposite to my ex, he is a saver, doesn't like debt and is on the same page as me.

I still have £5240 worth of debt and have been on a DMP ever since 2012, but have also managed to put a little money away for an emergency fund, no overdraft and live within my means. I try to make as much extra money as I can by using Quidco and a bit of matched betting. My boyfriend and I live in a property he bought in the last few years. I however now want to think about getting my own property so that we can achieve an income in our retirement with both properties and hopefully move abroad.

My credit file has gone from very poor to fair since 2012. So now I intend to improve this further and pay off my remaining Debt and save for a deposit. Then go for the mortgage.

Due to my age at the moment I can get a 23 year mortgage so do not want to leave it many more years. I would love you to join me on my journey and offer any advice that would help me get to my goal sooner

Sun_Addict

Glad I inspired you to start a diary.

Plus point that OH is on board

Good luck with your journey, will follow and cheer you on xx

WelshSaver

Thanks Sun Addict, welcome on board :beer:

It was pay day last Friday so I have set a budget for myself for the month and put that over into a new current account that I have just opened. That will be my spending money for the month for food, fuel , going out etc. I haven't been this regimental for many years, so hoping it works. The remainder stays in my 5% current account for bills and savings.

I am having my hair done today, this will come out of my budget. It is long overdue, last time I went was June 2017 :eek:

This weekend my boyfriend and I celebrate 5 years together so we will be away in Cornwall, looking forward to that but will have to dip into my savings, hate doing that, but it is a special occasion.

Only 1 more day after today with dry January, this has saved me a lot this month and I feel so much better. I will challenge myself to more AFD's in February. I have also started following a Vegan diet which to be honest doesn't feel like a diet, I haven't gone hungry at all and lost 7lbs in 2 weeks, another stone to go.

Things to do to make a dent in my debt:
Sell some items on eBay
Contact creditors to get settlement figures

Yesterday and today have been No Spend Days :T

Sun_Addict

Sounds like you got 2018 off to a flying start - well done

beanielou

Happy shiny new diary

WelshSaver

Thanks SA and welcome Beanielou :j

Well yesterday cost more than I expected with my haircut. But since I hadn't been since June last year I shouldn't be too shocked. I had budgeted about £45 for a colour, cut and blow dry, but it was £54 so will have to be a bit careful with the remainder of my budget this month.

I also got home yesterday and had a letter from one of my creditors offering me a settlement figure and to call them. I owe £320 on this and was hoping to settle at about £150. I called them this morning and their figure was £220 and not willing to budge. I declined this as I want to concentrate on paying a couple of others first that are still on my credit report. This one is over 6 years and not on my report anymore. Bit gutted as I thought they may have accepted the £150.

WelshSaver

Btw SA I cannot find your diary. I had it in my bookmarks but it keeps coming up as invalid thread!!

beanielou

WelshSaver wrote: »

Btw SA I cannot find your diary. I had it in my bookmarks but it keeps coming up as invalid thread!!

SA's diary has been deleted.
BUt she does now have a shiny new one

beanielou

RE creditor, If I was you I would put it in writing to them the offer that was declined. Worth a stamp?
If you could increase offer to 160 then that is half & they might just accept.

WelshSaver

Thanks beanielou I will do that, nothing to lose. And another thanks as I found SA's new diary :T

WelshSaver

Another month has begun and a great 31 days without alcohol has come to an end. My aims are to have 4 AFD and 3 NSD per week. So far this week I have had 2 NSD and 3 AFD.

Made a sweet potato, lentil and spinach curry last night so looking forward to that later. Didn't make any lunch today so will pop down the local shop to get something healthy, so will be a spend day today.

£60 paid off my debt today, off to amend my signature.