Never too old to learn

parsniphead

An inspiring diary Jools. Looking forward to updates.

jools1985

I've been very lax with this diary. It was meant to keep me focused on debt busting.



I'm doing OK though. 18 months now without gambling. It feels really liberating although I know the urge will always lie dormant within me. I've been doing Swagbucks since last summer and have around £220 in amazon gift cards sitting on my Amazon account. I guess it has become my new obsession. It's been great building it up and buying things off Amazon without it actually 'costing' me hard cash.


I've been busy whilst not updating this diary! Lots of hospital appointments with my mum. She is so much better than she was last year. Her weight had gone down to just under 6 stone. At her last appointment she was 6 stone 10 pounds and her consultant has discharged her. It's such a relief to see her more like her old self. She will always be on anti depressants but hey they are working for her and she is eating and thriving again.



I look after my 10 month old grand daughter one day a week when I'm not at work and she is an absolute joy.



I've also been earning extra money whenever I can. I've worked every Saturday and Sunday for the last 4 weekends. This will massively boost my take home pay for the end of June.



When I contacted Stepchange last summer I had around £56000 in unsecured debt and also had around £18000 outstanding on my mortgage. Now that the June payments have gone out I owe just under £50000 to my DMP (still eye watering I know) and £9500 on my mortgage. Getting them both under the next 10 thousand feels great.



Only 13 more mortgage payments to make and that's it over. I'm so pleased I took it out over a 10 year term - see I wasn't always an idiot with money Once that is gone I can really get stuck in with the DMP payments - bring it on!

jools1985

a productive day for me today. 8 hours overtime done. Came home and did 2 Swagbucks surveys. Cashed out another £5 Amazon gift card.

Willing2Learn

jools1985 wrote: »

I've been very lax with this diary. It was meant to keep me focused on debt busting...

… I'm doing OK though. 18 months now without gambling. It feels really liberating although I know the urge will always lie dormant within me...

...When I contacted Stepchange last summer I had around £56000 in unsecured debt and also had around £18000 outstanding on my mortgage. Now that the June payments have gone out I owe just under £50000 to my DMP (still eye watering I know) and £9500 on my mortgage.

Only 13 more mortgage payments to make and that's it over...

That is all great news that you've been managing your budget just fine...And gamble-free for 18 months too...Things are really looking up for you... :T

jools1985

Had 2 letters today. One from Creation telling me they have sold my debt to Lowell and to deal with Lowell from now on. The second letter is from Lowell saying much the same thing. I'm hoping they may settle for a lower amount than I owe sometime.



Stepchange have been great for me but i'm thinking of maybe going srlf managed for more flexibiblty. I'd like to pay off a couple of smaller debts just to make me feel like I don't own money to so many companies.



Hmm.....

secretdebt

Hey

Congratulations on being gamble free or 18 months.

I had a similar (Slightly less) amount to you at my worst, all from gambling. Have paid it off now and was 4 years of ups and downs to be honest. I'm now about 8 months fully gamble free since my last small bet (I count even a £1 as a reset on the clock, although it's not as bad my 5 figure compulsive bets I was guilty of) and have no urges to do it anymore.

Anyway, the point I found, was that I was on a DMP, and I paid a couple of my debts off early. I just told Stepchange that someone had paid them off for me and they readjusted the amounts the others got (higher so they can't really complain I guess). I would honestly say that SC were awesome to start off with, but if I had to do it again, I would go self managed.

Keep up the good work

jools1985

It was all going so well .....


Today I've had a statement from MBNA. I'm paying them £102 per month via SC. This month MBNA have added on £92 interest so my debt with them has only reduced by £10. This is one of my higher debts.



Just wondering how to play it really. I've paid off £900 of this debt since December. I could go self managed and offer token payments only but if I did that the debt would soon rise back up again.

Bit gutted really especially as I have 2 debts with MBNA and expect they will also start charging interest on the other one also.



I'm off work tomorrow so I suppose I better get on the phone to them - not looking forward to that at all.


20 months without gambling though

jools1985

I'm feeling more positive today. I rang MBNA this morning and the adviser I spoke to was very kind. He's taken the interest back off the account and given me another 30 days breathing space. My review with SC is due by the end of the month. I'll be doing it today so hopefully they will write to all creditors again with the new payment and MBNA will leave me alone again for another year.

doingitanyway

You are doing really well

jools1985

I've now done my review with SC. My direct debit will increase by £5 per month. I can live with that. May still go SM though - I'm dithering about that.


Only 11 months until my mortgage is fully repaid. I owe £8230 and the next payment is due on 2/9/19. It's a big payment of £768 per month. I borrowed £75000 over 10 years. Really feel like that is coming to an end now that I'm inside the last 12 months. Current debt free date is October 2024 but I'll throw more money at the debt once the mortgage is paid off.


It all feels a bit slow at the minute. I berate myself every day for getting into this mess