My Debt Free Diary: Virgo In Pursuit
Debt-Busting Progress: 2020: £13,200 | 2020: £9,200 | 2021: £4,900
2022: ongoing
ONE DAY LEFT to add your questions before the Forum 'Ask An Expert: Energy' event ends. Our expert MSE Andrew will answer some from Wed afternoon
"Lightbulb moment - 67k down. Need to execute a recovery plan"
Comments
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How quickly do you think you can get shot of CC’s S & C? Will it be feasible to do so by say October? What will that free up per month for you to put in to H CC?
progress is being made and it is just a long game now, stick with it as it will all be worth it in the end!Save £12k in 2023 challenge
Jan = £715 / £1,000 - Feb = £1,275 / £1,000 - Mar = £400 / £1,000 (fallen behind will make up in April)
Apr = £ May = £ Jun = £Jul = £ Aug = £ Sept = £
Oct = £ Nov = £ Dec = £Saved Total = £2,390 / £12,0001 -
Putting H at the bottom of the pile is the way. The others are at 30% vs 20% (to be) H so they take priority.1
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MrFrugalFever said:How quickly do you think you can get shot of CC’s S & C? Will it be feasible to do so by say October? What will that free up per month for you to put in to H CC?
progress is being made and it is just a long game now, stick with it as it will all be worth it in the end!365 Day 1p challenge - £371.49 / 667.95
Emergency Fund £1000 / £1000 ( will enlarge once debts are cleared)
DFW - £TBC0 -
katsu said:As you have credit cards charging 30% interest I would pay the money off the debt rather than having a £1k emergency fund. Think about what you really need money for, and why. That's £300 in interest that you are paying to have that EF so it's something to bear in mind.
Saving money for annual bills is different and I would recommend you do that. I just think with the size of your interest rate the question is what emergencies could you have and what is that £1k for, that it is worth £300 a year to you.I hear you Katsu, and thought the same as you initially. But then there was an occasion a couple months back with car issues that meant i had to re-use a credit card. So in order to encourage my change in mindset, rather than default go back to credit. Let me have funds to ensure I dont have to.So that 1k... is just in case money. Plus.. its apparently a proven formula by the one and only Dave Ramsey lol. So I thought 1k isnt gonna break my plans drastically.365 Day 1p challenge - £371.49 / 667.95
Emergency Fund £1000 / £1000 ( will enlarge once debts are cleared)
DFW - £TBC1 -
The great thing about an EF is that if you have one you probably won't need it, but if you don't have one then something is bound to go wrong. It can remove a lot of stress & be cheaper to repay than a credit card.
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I agree with the just incase money part. I was given similar advice on my emergency fund versus high interest CC and for someone to manage even keep the funds in the first place in her account - I like to be reminded of that win.
Glad I bumped into this diary now. Well done on your progress so far!1 -
Just read your diary after you had commented on mine and wow you have done amazing! I wish I had started my journey last year (hindsight is great isn't it 😂).
Its been good to read the comments about the emergency fund as this is something I don't have and have been indecisive about. Think my plan is to start it after my next credit card is paid as I'm pretty annoyed with the one I'm paying off currently.
Did you start selling anything to help with the overpayments? I've started to out stuff on Facebook marketplace and I know whenever I put kids stuff on it gets snapped up. I just need to go up the loft to sort the old stuff we have been hoarding up there.
Looking forward to seeing how you get on and I'm sure you'll be debt free in no time!
On the long journey to debt freedom...here we go....
Credit cards:
Natwest card - now closed was £500 balance
Tesco credit card £1878.89/3300
Husband Bcard £4100/9400 - 0%
Sainsburys cc £4839/6000 -0%
My bcard £5215/8000
Halifax CC £6588/8000 -0%
MBNA CC £9150/12000 -0%
Loans:
Natwest Loan £14167 - ends sept 26
Old car loan £1897 - ends May 24
Consolidation loan - £6020 ends oct 26
Tax bill -57 ends next month
Student loan about 5k ends Mar 241 -
bamgbost said:katsu said:As you have credit cards charging 30% interest I would pay the money off the debt rather than having a £1k emergency fund. Think about what you really need money for, and why. That's £300 in interest that you are paying to have that EF so it's something to bear in mind.
Saving money for annual bills is different and I would recommend you do that. I just think with the size of your interest rate the question is what emergencies could you have and what is that £1k for, that it is worth £300 a year to you.I hear you Katsu, and thought the same as you initially. But then there was an occasion a couple months back with car issues that meant i had to re-use a credit card. So in order to encourage my change in mindset, rather than default go back to credit. Let me have funds to ensure I dont have to.So that 1k... is just in case money. Plus.. its apparently a proven formula by the one and only Dave Ramsey lol. So I thought 1k isnt gonna break my plans drastically.2 -
Stick with the security blanket of £1k EF, it will far outweigh any psychological benefit over a small amount of interest in the grand scheme of things (£1k vs your Total Amount Payable).
I had a bit of a spendy month this month (first one since beginning of the year as have been doing ‘No spend months’ and I have to say, I actually feel a little guilty for it, although I know the majority was needed to a lesser/greater degree!! Weird times.Save £12k in 2023 challenge
Jan = £715 / £1,000 - Feb = £1,275 / £1,000 - Mar = £400 / £1,000 (fallen behind will make up in April)
Apr = £ May = £ Jun = £Jul = £ Aug = £ Sept = £
Oct = £ Nov = £ Dec = £Saved Total = £2,390 / £12,0001 -
Jensfrugalyear said:Just read your diary after you had commented on mine and wow you have done amazing! I wish I had started my journey last year (hindsight is great isn't it 😂).
Its been good to read the comments about the emergency fund as this is something I don't have and have been indecisive about. Think my plan is to start it after my next credit card is paid as I'm pretty annoyed with the one I'm paying off currently.
Did you start selling anything to help with the overpayments? I've started to out stuff on Facebook marketplace and I know whenever I put kids stuff on it gets snapped up. I just need to go up the loft to sort the old stuff we have been hoarding up there.
Looking forward to seeing how you get on and I'm sure you'll be debt free in no time!Thanks for the encouragement.I defo echo an emergency fund, as the others have said. Hopefully will be at the £1k mark before month end.I have sold a few things on ebay / facebook. But where I have been able to make a bit extra, is through offering services like interview coaching (via. fiverr or paidperhour), tutoring, gardening services, etc. So if you have any skill to offer that could be a good way to bring in extra funds.Will continue to follow your journey too. good luck!365 Day 1p challenge - £371.49 / 667.95
Emergency Fund £1000 / £1000 ( will enlarge once debts are cleared)
DFW - £TBC0
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