After years of debt journey through my sensible 40s... and save a deposit for a house

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lantanna said:

Booked in to get my hair cut and coloured, counted £ in the one pound jar last night and there’s £49, so that will cover it. Life is so much easier when you have money set aside for things. If only I’d learnt this 20 years ago..... 

Agreed, I've got the cash for my cut and highlights this weekend fully set aside for the first time ever, feels great!

lantanna

Really does make a massive difference

lantanna

Stopped myself going out today for a courgette and onions as I wouldn’t just come back with a courgette and onions. Small wins. Think I’ve about £35 in my purse to last until 20th. Hoping to not spend it all. Booked a much needed holiday for feb next year to Lanzarote. Paid the deposit so will have to factor in the payments over the next 6 months.  Off work until weds so want to do some decluttering and mum wants to go round looking at houses again. 

My pay rise was due in April we never get it in time always at Xmas and backdated, not holding my breath for it this year with everything going on. If I do get it my plans are to offer PRA group another settlement offer. 

Need to review and confirm Julys budget before getting paid on the 20th. Probably just be standard set savings this month, the challenge is to squeeze a little extra in from somewhere

lantanna

Budget for July done, have allowed myself a little extra this month for spending to keep myself on the straight and narrow.  Pretty sure I’ll end the month with a bit more that can go to savings. 

lantanna

Came back from looking at houses feeling deflated today, saw 3 I really liked, how on Earth do you make the right decision. Also worry the mortgage won’t happen. Also feeling a bit of cold feet, classic commitment phobe.  Focus shifting back to paying off these damn debts, payday on Monday and a spends week ahead with the hairdressers and out for lunch on Saturday.

lantanna

Was reading on the mortgages boards about defaults having to be satisfied by 12 months and over 2 years old. Mine is 2016 but still outstanding balance down to £580 from just over £2k paying minimum £20 per month. Just rang them and got a settlement figure of £400. Moved £ out of Marcus to pay it so that’s it gone. The £20 a month can now go into the Coventry BS Reg Saver legal fees etc account so that’s £50 minimum going into that now a month.  My mortgage savings will be down £400 now but that will make me even more focused to claw that back out of somewhere over next couple of months. Already planning .....
Outstanding debt now is PRA group not on credit file £1200 approx paying £35 a month, keep meaning to ring them and challenge them for a credit agreement.  Will need to do something about it this year, offered them £500 earlier in the year but they wouldn’t play.

Capital one £1000 approx, focusing on getting this down to zero for Xmas. This is achievable.
Glad to see the back of Moorcroft/ Satsuma especially since they defaulted me when no one else did and I was in an arrangement with them but hey now it’s gone. 

lantanna

Have asked PRA for the CCA, let’s see what happens

lantanna

PRa came back and said account is on hold until they get the original documentation. Fingers crossed. Wonder how long now under the GDPR rules banks would have to hold this info for, debt is now at least 10 years old. 

Figures update:
Deposit: £4743
Legal Bits: £77
Credit Card: £1095 

Would be nice if PRA was unenforceable and I could just focus on clearing the CC now and upping the savings in these two for the foreseeable.

lantanna

Other positives 
August birthday presents bought
cleared one cc using for groceries and paying back in full
halfway through phone device plan
Hol booked for Feb, deposit paid and payment plan factored in
70 euros left from last hol and £20 spending saved
 Closed Very account, at one point owed £2.5 k, paid every penny off over 16 months. 

Sinking fund for Xmas presents accounted for
Nasties like payday loans starting to drop off credit file
was feeling a bit down yesterday so wrote this list to cheer myself up. I’m not at my goal yet but making good progress.

Littlebigmoose

Really enjoyed reading your diary and finding it motivational. Am in awe of how driven you are to pay off the debt and save for a mortgage deposit. You’ve inspired me to do the same and I’ve subscribed to your diary. Looking forward to the day you finally buy your house.