The long haul supporters thread...

In_Search_Of_Me

lol my mum used to clean at pontins!! Re sun hols have to say that I just couldnt - prob being snobby but would rather not have a holiday tbh...havent had one for 2 years and have been ok although mum and I will have a cheap week in the sun somewhere! heaven!! Do feel the need for a hol this year...hope people are doing ok. Am having great fun decluttering, reading books I bought but havent read etc and spending little money! With decluttering it makes me feel lighter each time something goes!!

millionaire_in_training

hi folks. I've been having a wee declutter too ISOM and when I have some time I have loads for e-baying. Will get it done in the next couple of weeks as some cracking clothes that ds has hardly even worn. Whatever I make I will get paid off of a cc. Need to cack on with them and get rid. I keep having wee panics that my income will change. Dont know why as I am in a very secure job but ex isn't and if he gets paid off my maintenance will end (again) . Dunno why I am thinking this way though lol. Maybe its cos everyone is talking about money and being skint. Anyways I hope you are all well xx

poorbabe

Evening all.

It's been a while since I was here but I've been popping in to read some of the posts during that time.

Not done great on debt busting last year. In fact it's increased by £1300 due to holiday expenses, however this year is my 'debt reduction' year so watch out credit cards!!

With the financial gloom that's prevalent at the moment I have to admit to wavering on the credit card front. I don't actually have proper wardrobes, making do with a plastic one from Argos and my friends clothes rails with a large piece of cloth to keep the dust off.

Having returned from my Christmas break, I waded through my mail to see that Barclaycard had sent me a siren letter offering me 0% deal (again) on balance transfers. My local furniture shop that has lovely wardrobes I've been drooling over for the past 3 years, has slashed prices quite heavily and has one listed at £150 :T. I've not been in the shop to have a proper look yet but I had thoughts of doing a balance transfer to enable me to buy it Then I had a think and realised that doing the bt would only increase my debt, taking longer to pay off. I also 'need' a tv as the colour tube or whatever it is has gone and all the faces are a lovely green colour and it sometimes has a pink and blue haze. Lovely!

I can't deny I'm still strongly tempted to do the bt and get these items, but as the days go by I'm begining to realise that if I have to increase my debt to buy them then they aren't a great buy. It's a real struggle and only time will tell if I resist temptation or not :cool:

On the flipside to that, a colleague at work has an old Victorian wardrobe (double sized) going for £95 that I could have but I'd have to get a van and two men to cross London (it's in Charlton which is a bit of a trek from Balham!) pull it apart, bring it back and reassemble it at mine. Overall cost would probably be £150.............. Actually I've just realised that I could use my overdraft to fund the wardrobe purchase and pay that off with the 2 months non-council tax money I will have :j Which one should I go for: the old one that's been around for many years, or the new one (probably made from MDF) with free delivery but probably a small charge for assembly? Decisions, decisions

Keeping_Positive

If they are of similar size Id be tempted by the old one. Much more study and wil last.

Well done or resisting temptation until you had aplan to cover the cost.

reb

poorbabe wrote: »

Evening all.

Then I had a think and realised that doing the bt would only increase my debt, taking longer to pay off. I also 'need' a tv as the colour tube or whatever it is has gone and all the faces are a lovely green colour and it sometimes has a pink and blue haze. Lovely!

I can't deny I'm still strongly tempted to do the bt and get these items, but as the days go by I'm begining to realise that if I have to increase my debt to buy them then they aren't a great buy. It's a real struggle and only time will tell if I resist temptation or not :cool:

Have you had a look on your local freecycle site for a tv. You wouldn't get the one you wanted. But it would work and be free! We have had loads on ours just lately. I had one, it was brilliant and did us till I could get one by saving. :T

suzialwaysbroke

Oooh, Poorbabe, the old one everytime. (wardrobe, that is)
Our TV has the same illness as yours, but orange not green, makes everyone look as though they've been tango'd.
Anyway, I have my mtge statement through today, & I now own my front door, the hallway & possibly part of the kitchen, Progress, yes?
Mtge now £86K, business o/d STILL 18K, mind you one of my cheaper debts now, & cc's have come down to £46K,
So have paid off £23k in 2 years
Keep on truckin' ..... Total debt now £149K, down from £172K

Love Suzi xx

Keeping_Positive

Oooh its gone quiet here. Is everyone fed up of Jan yet? Things going ok here after adding almost £2k to my dbet at the end of last year . Been signed off work with stress but feeling much better and a bit more focused. Annual/monthly budgets set and Jan wasnt too bad except for the £180 unexpected washing machine repair at New Year.

Will have an extra £120 a month to throw at the debts thanks to OH so hopefully that will help bring that DFD closer.

Well done on your debt busting guys. Heres to a great 2009.

In_Search_Of_Me

Jan always a tough month - weather, post Christmas exhaustion and realisation that the broken resolutions are the same!! Am totally hacked off with the constant doom and gloom on news etc...wish people would shut up about the fing credit crunch and just get on with it tbh...want some good, happy news once in a while!! Sorry rant over - just annoying...
Hope people are doing ok...feeling v. positive about 2009 but some bad news that may have to pay for some roofing and also have to have the downstairs tiled after Alfie cat peed everywhere and ruined the carpet!! Little s** - somene suggested making a rug out of him and with the smell I can tell you it dod come close at one point!! He's far too cute though!!
Well done with the debtbusting pepys - very impressive reduction in totals suzie...is it 46,000 on cc's or do I read wrong?!

ltm07

You're right ISOM , it is all doom & gloom at the moment! We're just plodding along on the debt busting front & just trying to stay on top of things. The tumble dryer packed in last week so could do with replacing that ASAP! Cut down on doing as much overtime as it was starting to get me down again & I do feel a million times better to be honest, kind of got around to the fact that we'll be in debt for a few years yet, so half killing myself just to try & clear debts a bit faster seems pointless! Maybe that seems like the wrong attitude but I'd rather have a nice homelife where I'm not always stressed & knackered than bust a gut to be DF quicker. In a strange sort of way we do save a few quid by not working as many hours, as we do more home cooking & more bulk shopping, rather than takeaways & buying bits & bobs from the local shop/petrol station where the prices are sky high, because we're too knackered to do a big shop or cook from scratch IYKWIM. Also starting to get the house more organised, but will need to use my week off next month to do some serious de-cluttering. Don't think that we've paid much debt off if any this month but we have plenty of food to keep us going for a week or so. Sorry to hear about having to pay for the roofing, there's always something isn't there! Good news about having £120 a month extra to throw at debts KP. Hope everyone else is ok, all the best!!

dubgirl

Hi everyone, it seems that everyone is feeling a bit gloomy, we are no better. Our fixed rate ends at the end of March and started already to check out our options. We are not going to get another fixed rate at the moment that is for sure, given our credit rating and will end up going onto the variable rate. Oh and we are in negative equity as well, I did kind of expect that. The company that OH works for has 2 depots in Milton Keynes and OH has told me that the staff at the other depot (smaller than the one he works at) have all received a letter informing them that there will be redundancies. Who knows how this will impact on OH depot, but almost everyday, he is telling me that they have no work to do. He is a lorry driver who does the deliveries. I too am going to try to do some decluttering to sell on the items, maybe a car boot. Also going to try to squirrel some money away just in case things get worst! Remember PMA, although sometimes I find it hard to stay positive. Take care everyone x