£50k to zero - made it across the finish line

One-step-at-a-time

Holy carp, everyone! I have just managed to get a BT card that will enable me to move a huge chunk of the remaining debt that's on 3.9% to 0% for 29 months for a 1.75% fee. I am amazed at how much I was approved for.
I will divide the total including fee by 28, set up a standing order for payments and just let it ride in the background until it's done, and once the next smallest card is clear (November) I will close that account.

The knock-on effect is that I can let the DFD slide 6 months at no extra cost (though obviously if I can clear it faster I will) and have sufficient wiggle room to make joining the work pension scheme at standard contributions look more manageable. Final numbers still to be crunched, but I am extremely happy about this.

Lucifa73

That is brilliant news. So chuffed for you x

One-step-at-a-time

Lucifa73 wrote: »

That is brilliant news. So chuffed for you x

Thank you! It feels weird that the goalposts have shifted so quickly, and I'm having to hand-hold my brain through the silent flapping about the debt taking longer to pay off (even though it won't cost extra to do so), but the pros outweigh the cons. Joining the pension scheme was as simple as me emailing payroll saying 'I'd like to join, please can you send me any forms I need to fill in' and getting a reply basically saying 'it's fine, all we actually need is an email from you saying you want to join, so you'll be enrolled for the next pay cycle'. :beer:

The only minor pain in the backside at the mo is the ISA provider- I got a letter today saying they needed a recent paper bank statement (not a printed pdf) to complete an identity check, which is really annoying because I've been paperless on my bank account for years. I phoned up and asked whether a statement from my savings account from the same institution with my full name and address would suffice (no) or whether there was any other paperwork that they would accept (no), so I now have to wait a week for a paper statement to show up (luckily I get one copy free, subsequent requests would be £5 each) and then get it back to them in the post. So my account won't be opened until April, which also delays the cashback.

One-step-at-a-time

I am officially down to three debts! Pressing the button on that last payment was the most willing parting with money I have done for a LONG time.

Happy Thursday, everyone :beer:

Dottles1

Oh well done Step, you must be feeling fantastic !
I know you still have a way to go but it all seems to be coming together now doesn't it? So it's going to take a few months more to get to your DFD but this is about getting there, not about how fast. Anyway from what I've read I would bet you'll pay it off earlier.
You have worked so hard to get this far and you really deserve to feel proud.

[Deleted User]

Well done, what a great achievement! You're doing so well!

One-step-at-a-time

Hi everyone!

I'm ending the work week with a completed BT and a distinct lack of other activity
Yesterday I tried and failed to be spendy - went to the new Swedish emporium at lunchtime (which is scarily within walking distance if I am focused and take my entire break to get there and back) for one specific < £20 household purchase, the only non-grocery item I planned to buy this month, but it was out of stock (so much for the website stock levels being accurate to half an hour). Never mind, I shall defer the search to next month! It was an exercise win, regardless.
Tonight is the post-payday L!dl run. Not massively looking forward to it (I end up playing bad cop and removing the extras that DH *always* puts into the trolley) but it's a necessary evil.

Drawingaline

I have such a love hate relationship with l!dl. I love the prices and it is fab for cereal and lunch box stuff, but the queues are always ridiculous, it's always rammed, the car park is hell and it always takes longer than I think to get round.

I am glad it is a once a month thing.

One-step-at-a-time

Drawingaline wrote: »

I have such a love hate relationship with l!dl. I love the prices and it is fab for cereal and lunch box stuff, but the queues are always ridiculous, it's always rammed, the car park is hell and it always takes longer than I think to get round.

I am glad it is a once a month thing.

We always try to choose an antisocial time to go, usually 2 hours before closing on a weekday evening - ours is deserted at 8pm on a Friday!

One-step-at-a-time

A little happy dance - today's scheduled payments have taken me past the £20,000 paid off milestone :j:j:j