Crunchy's Final Debt Free Diary!

Willowtree222

Hi Crunchy.

Even committing to no more debt is a huge step x

crunch_time

So!

£15k ish in debt. One income at the moment. Christmas is coming up. Big dreams for a foreign holiday next year! Eek! Not a good time to make a completely fresh start on slaying debt. But I'm going to.

This time is the last time so it's going to be slower and more sustainable than the last time and not get in the way of foreign holiday plans.

Our plans until the end of the year are to not spend any money on things we don't need.

I have an interview for a teaching job this week and potentially more interviews as the closing date for 2 others I have applied for are today. Fingers crossed one of them works out eh! It will bring home at least £600 a month after childcare.

The debts

Sains 0% £2060
Sains 17% £3119 Min payment £113 (but not really paying it off)
Virgin 0% £6678 Min payment £67
HSBC 0% £2950 Min payment £100
HSBC 17% £600 Min payment £20

Total £15,407

The plan is to let the 0% run as they are 0% for a few years each apart from the sains one of which the deal runs out in August 2019 when I shall get a balance transfer card if I can then.

For the rest, we have decided to keep paying off the minimum for the time being until we have paid for other things that are coming up and built a good buffer for emergencies and bigger payments for things.

So our real focus is going to be feeling good about what we have got and practicing gratitude, frugality etc.

Honestly, I'm in waaaaaay better shape mentally than I ever have been. I feel comfortable in myself and what I want out of life and feel great about the journey. The last debt paying off journey was all about getting rid of the debt because I felt so embarrassed about it and thought I would feel happy when I did, but I wasn't. Now I am happy and content regardless of the debt but it won't make me complacent it making me choose what I will and will not spend our money on.

Hopefully, in 6 months time, things will look significantly better financially and we will have some groundwork in place to make sure we can smash this debt once and for all.

So looking forward to some cozy nights in catching up with diaries, creating a wonderful homely life with my children and husband, making the most of weekends frugally, learning, blogging, planning exciting lessons and growing as a person. But most of all - NOT DRINKING to buffer it all. (I worked out I will save around £70 per month which is BONKERS!)

Crunch xx

Willowtree222

crunch_time wrote: »

So!

£15k ish in debt. One income at the moment. Christmas is coming up. Big dreams for a foreign holiday next year! Eek! Not a good time to make a completely fresh start on slaying debt. But I'm going to.

This time is the last time so it's going to be slower and more sustainable than the last time and not get in the way of foreign holiday plans.

Our plans until the end of the year are to not spend any money on things we don't need.

I have an interview for a teaching job this week and potentially more interviews as the closing date for 2 others I have applied for are today. Fingers crossed one of them works out eh! It will bring home at least £600 a month after childcare.

The debts

Sains 0% £2060
Sains 17% £3119 Min payment £113 (but not really paying it off)
Virgin 0% £6678 Min payment £67
HSBC 0% £2950 Min payment £100
HSBC 17% £600 Min payment £20

Total £15,407

The plan is to let the 0% run as they are 0% for a few years each apart from the sains one of which the deal runs out in August 2019 when I shall get a balance transfer card if I can then.

For the rest, we have decided to keep paying off the minimum for the time being until we have paid for other things that are coming up and built a good buffer for emergencies and bigger payments for things.

So our real focus is going to be feeling good about what we have got and practicing gratitude, frugality etc.

Honestly, I'm in waaaaaay better shape mentally than I ever have been. I feel comfortable in myself and what I want out of life and feel great about the journey. The last debt paying off journey was all about getting rid of the debt because I felt so embarrassed about it and thought I would feel happy when I did, but I wasn't. Now I am happy and content regardless of the debt but it won't make me complacent it making me choose what I will and will not spend our money on.

Hopefully, in 6 months time, things will look significantly better financially and we will have some groundwork in place to make sure we can smash this debt once and for all.

So looking forward to some cozy nights in catching up with diaries, creating a wonderful homely life with my children and husband, making the most of weekends frugally, learning, blogging, planning exciting lessons and growing as a person. But most of all - NOT DRINKING to buffer it all. (I worked out I will save around £70 per month which is BONKERS!)

Crunch xx

Loving your positivity and how you have grown stronger mentally. I make the mistake of paying more off than I actually can and missing out, so I love how you have updated your signature about the journey.

Looking forward to reading how you get on.

Good luck with the job interview and fingers crossed for the other two. xx

crunch_time

Hi all

Been prepping for my interview today. It's on Friday in my area of specialty so hoping that I get it!

Its only 2 days a week but I've worked out the child care and it will bring us home about £900 a month which shall pay for a lovely foreign and much needed holiday next summer.

I know I have the debt to pay off but I'm in it for the long haul and no longer feel guilty that this is what I actually want. Debt pay off has got to be sustainable going forward.

Crunchy xx

Willowtree222

Good luck for Friday x

crunch_time

I got the job! Hurrah! Just 2 days a week till the end of the school year but its a start! And I'm very pleased! Start in January subject to references so hopefully they will come back ok!

Very pleased. The first step towards a new life and a new me!

xx

Willowtree222

Congratulations. Every little helps. xx

crunch_time

Morning all!

Very excited today as I have amended my signature and it actually has some green on it!

I have paid just over the minimum payment on husbands virgin card so it is a nice even £6600 and have put in the budget that we will pay £100 a month going forward, Hurrah! Baby steps and all that!

Husband had a day off yesterday so we went for a walk and inevitably the subject of money came up. Come September 2019 when I am working full time we are going to split up the finances and start paying proportionate amounts towards things and have our own money. He said it would help him get more involved in money so it is a definite good thing going forward.

I have also found some coats and fat face clothes i no longer wear to try and sell on flea bay - woohoo!

Crunch xx

Willowtree222

Sounds like the perfect plan for you both.
I love seeing green x

Seasidegal58

Hi crunchy - just caught up with your diary. Congrats on getting the job and how nice to read how positive you feel over your money plans.

Good idea on stopping the drink! £70 per month isn't to be sneezed at!:D