The long haul supporters thread...

SouthernSoftie

Can I join this thread and have a number pleeeeeease?

I'm going to be here a long time:D but I've made the first step:T

milliemonster

Hi everyone, new on here and hoping to join you if thats ok, we have a large amount of debt as you can see from my sig, fortunately it's all unsecured and we have large enough incomes to cope with it (just!) but my aim really is not only to be debt free but the FREEDOM that will bring, I hate my job (well my boss really) but can't afford to take anything that pays less because of this debt, I don't want to live like that, I want to be in the position where I can think oh F*** it, and not have to worry about the money thing anymore

Keeping_Positive

Welcome Milliemonster and SouthernSoftie good luck inyour DFW journeys. Im sure In Search of Me will be along at some point to award a number for each of you.

Main thing with being a longhaulers is too remember we are "running" a Marathon not a Sprint. We need to make sure we have juggle moneysaving with still enjoying life as its going to take a while.

dubgirl

Hi to you all, all those who know me and all the new faces. I havent posted for a while, been too busy really and for those who know the story, we did not sell the car, now decided to keep it for a while and see what happens. OH is now working in full-time employment, but we dont seem any better off, at the mo we have about £65 in the bank to last us till end of the month, hey ho, dont think we are destined to be any different! I hope everyone is ok and remember PMA

In_Search_Of_Me

SouthernSoftie (126)
milliemonster (127)

Welcome SS & MM! Tell us a bit about you and say hi to the folks! Would love to pay mine off in 2 yrs and wonder what the cunning plan is MM?!! Have had a busy week this end so debt busting hasnt been as good as it should plus had to buy lunch. Grocery budget (GB) managed at 15 but do need a few more bits like cat food, litter and cleaning stuff but now get that at lidl/wilkinsons.
I do find that things like shopping take longer than they did before but do save money! Mind you was a naugty DFW & got a new kitten (see diary!) yesterday as have missed having a man (cat!) in the house! Other cats seem okish so far but he's only just been introduced! Time will tell lol Doty cat is the runt of the litter & a little madam & will NOT take well to being bossed but so far he seems quite assertive!
Ltm hope youre ok...know things have been up & down but just wanted to say come back anytime you want. Sometimes we all need a breather but that doesent mean you wont be missed & that we're not thinking of you...
I did have a "flipping heck wil this ever end" feeling the other day but am so pleased that I'm not having my LBM now because it would be so scary...hugs for those that are! If I hear the word "credit crunch" again I think I'll scream. My CC cos obviously havent heard of it cos they just upped one limit to 10,000!!

SouthernSoftie

Hi, well here is my first post.... my LBM... which is turning into my diary almost.:D

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1023305&page=3

I think I'm going to have an ebay blitz this weekend as it's not exactly sunbathing weather.
Better go add my new number to my siggie.:beer:

milliemonster

ISOM - ok here goes
I'm in my mid thirties married to a lovely guy for almost 13 years now, we have 2 lovely kids 5 and 9 but have been in various levels of debt since we first moved intogether ( i can remember not sleeping cos I had £500 on my barclaycard!!! oh how I wish!!!!) we've gone through all the consolidating, secured loans (have had 2 of those) then earlier this year, it really was starting to get out of control so we moved house paid off the secured loan and another £40k off the mortgage and moved near to my parents, then my mum died after a long battle with breast cancer and I think it just brought everything home to me. She was always so good with money and I feel like I have let her down

Everyone else looks at us and thinks we're so well off, we both have good jobs, still have a lovely home, nice cars, clothes and kids have toys etc but it's all so FAKE

Previously when we have had LBM's we have always fallen off the wagon, I think because I have been too strict and ended up caving in but this time its going to be different. I just want to be in the situation where I have choices again and freedom in that if I want to change my job, I can do, at the moment I can't cos I know its too hard to get somethiing else that pays what I'm currently earning and I need all the money I can get to pay the bills.

I feel ashamed of the amount we have coming into our household and we have NO money a few days after we get paid!!! and we have frittered it all away on rubbish material things when they are not important at all, it's taken me a long time and my mothers death to make me realise that

I am also sick and tired of taking this stress out on the kids all the time, I am constantly worried and tired of it all and I don't want my kids to grow up with their only memory of their childhood being their mother constantly hassled and screaming at them all the time.

OH I am so sorry for hijacking this thread!!, I know its a long road ahead but we have done our SOA and with out incomings and the min £1k a month min payments on credit cards we have enough to throw another £1k a month at them and that will leave us with £225 a month for food and £200 for any other luxuries. Hubby is sending his precious car back, its due to go back in December but he can send it back now (we have 2 other cars for gods sake!!!) and that is immediately going to save us £530 a month which we can throw at the debts. I am really sad that he has to send his car back because he has wanted one for years and we could never afford it but when I got this job 3 years ago I got a company car so (thought foolishly) we could now afford it, it's just made the problem worse really but what hurts me the most is I know that if I we didn't have all these debts we would be able to keep it, and it is all my fault, he is good with money, its me that is the frivolous one

anyway, I am sure I have bored you all to death, sorry!!!

kpwll

Think I am having one of those weeks, loads of phone calls from 1 creditor, I keep telling them that I'm with Payplan and my 1st payment is due out on the 15th July. Every person I have spoken to has said that they will put hold on calls for a couple of weeks, to give things a chance to get sorted...............an hour or so later they ring again. Never mind. Have the flu so feel rotten and my head is on backwards. I had sent off token payments (£1.00 PO's) to everyone except my bank, because I needed to get new accounts up and running for me and separate one for hubby (he is now looking after household finances) and get all DD's sorted. Sent off token payments to bank for CC, loan and overdraught last night, to realise this morning that I didn't put anything on the postal orders to say who they are payable to. At least they were only for £1.00 each but I could kick myself now because they could turn round and say they haven't received anything from me.
I think that it is a combination of blonde (bottle of course) and rust (due to the rain) that has caused the lapse in concentration, (at least that is what I'm telling myself, because I'm not ready to admit it might have something to do with my age!!!!!!!!).
Well I've waffled enough, I hope everyone has a stress-free weekend and sees a bit of sun.

SouthernSoftie

milliemonster wrote: »

ISOM - ok here goes
I'm in my mid thirties married to a lovely guy for almost 13 years now, we have 2 lovely kids 5 and 9 but have been in various levels of debt since we first moved intogether ( i can remember not sleeping cos I had £500 on my barclaycard!!! oh how I wish!!!!) we've gone through all the consolidating, secured loans (have had 2 of those) then earlier this year, it really was starting to get out of control so we moved house paid off the secured loan and another £40k off the mortgage and moved near to my parents, then my mum died after a long battle with breast cancer and I think it just brought everything home to me. She was always so good with money and I feel like I have let her down

Everyone else looks at us and thinks we're so well off, we both have good jobs, still have a lovely home, nice cars, clothes and kids have toys etc but it's all so FAKE

Previously when we have had LBM's we have always fallen off the wagon, I think because I have been too strict and ended up caving in but this time its going to be different. I just want to be in the situation where I have choices again and freedom in that if I want to change my job, I can do, at the moment I can't cos I know its too hard to get somethiing else that pays what I'm currently earning and I need all the money I can get to pay the bills.

I feel ashamed of the amount we have coming into our household and we have NO money a few days after we get paid!!! and we have frittered it all away on rubbish material things when they are not important at all, it's taken me a long time and my mothers death to make me realise that

I am also sick and tired of taking this stress out on the kids all the time, I am constantly worried and tired of it all and I don't want my kids to grow up with their only memory of their childhood being their mother constantly hassled and screaming at them all the time.

OH I am so sorry for hijacking this thread!!, I know its a long road ahead but we have done our SOA and with out incomings and the min £1k a month min payments on credit cards we have enough to throw another £1k a month at them and that will leave us with £225 a month for food and £200 for any other luxuries. Hubby is sending his precious car back, its due to go back in December but he can send it back now (we have 2 other cars for gods sake!!!) and that is immediately going to save us £530 a month which we can throw at the debts. I am really sad that he has to send his car back because he has wanted one for years and we could never afford it but when I got this job 3 years ago I got a company car so (thought foolishly) we could now afford it, it's just made the problem worse really but what hurts me the most is I know that if I we didn't have all these debts we would be able to keep it, and it is all my fault, he is good with money, its me that is the frivolous one

anyway, I am sure I have bored you all to death, sorry!!!

OMG you are me!
When I met my OH just over 8 years ago I had no debt and he had a terrible credit rating after just getting divorced.
I moved in with him (I have a 15 year old son) and stated working full time only didn't the hours to start with. But we were in love and enjoying ourseolves and it just crept up. We would buy things on my cards that I would ever have bought for myself.
Anyway, 4 years ago we bought our first house, a big one, as my Mum moved in with us, she had her own bit of it. We were able to pay off some debts at the time and all was ok, but a new house needed, we thought, new things and I needed a new car... you know the story.
Mum died of breast cancer home her with me just over 2 years ago. I had worked and cared for her full time.
I did all the probate etc myself and since then things have got worse as we now have two incomes in the house instead of three and the interest rates kept going up, plus I consoled myself with 'stuff' as you do, not much but more trying to relax with meals out, etc etc.

I've been working too hard and now have stress, more stress than from this debt tbh, but the debt doesn't help.
So we have a lovely house, two cars, the OH's precious motorbike, etc but it's now getting too much.
We have never missed a payment, but I don't want to get in that position either. Luckily it is all unsecured debt too.

My Mum never ever had credit cards and had so much saved even though she didn't work much as she had me to look after, but when she could work she worked damn hard. She often bailed us out and now she's not there.

I also know that if the debts were gone we would be very comfortable.... and that's what I am aiming for.

My only other relative is my Uncle, who is also very good at saving money and would never consider credit. He is tight on what he buys himself but always very generous at birthdays etc.

I finally told him everything last night on the phone, he was shocked but ok, just kept saying 'Gosh' a lot. A man of very few words. I know if I asked he would help us out but I'm not going to ask unless I really need to, just wanted him to be aware, esp as he'll why we aren't going away in August anymore.

And I'm sorry for hijacking too, but it's very cathartic!:A

Keeping_Positive

Dont worry about hijacking the thread thats what its here for. Supporting each other. Families and stress do have a big part to play in the debt mountain of the country.

Raising three kids with a non working part disabled partner with other famiy issues in the back ground hasnt been easy. For years I have been spending more than Iearn and even when I have been good for a while something carp would happen and I would spend to make things better.

Hopefully we are all on the right path now and slowly byt surely will get out of this mess even allowing for a few diversions (hopefully minor) on the way.

(((hugs to all)))

Dubgirl - sorry to hear you didnt sell the car. PMA is the way to go.