It's time to begin.....

Kakiste

Thanks- I'm chuffed with what I got, it shows that people clearly put thought in and I love everything I was bought. 

A significant portion of my family/friends presents were from a box of presents that I add to when I've got a bit of spare money or see a bargain so 4 people's presents came entirely out of that. We experimented with my husband's family with doing a secret santa (it's been nixed for next year though- MIL, SIL both didn't like not buying everyone presents) ((selfishly I agreed- we split present buying that husband buys presents for his side of the family and I buy them for mine so the "lets all save money by buying only 1 present" meant I ended up buying for my side of the family as normal but then also buying an additional present for my secret santa on his side but then getting a present from only one person on his side rather than the usual 5 people......

 Literally only just realised right now that this was clearly the reason husband picked up the other 50% of the tab for my daughter's presents, he only had 1 gift to buy for his family, which he handmade and cost him £20 in materials- as oppose to the 6 people he'd usually buy for) 
What an !!!!!!......

Anyhow- before I get grumpy, I got my MIL and she'd asked for 'experiences' as they're packing up to move house in the new year so didn't want stuff, so I booked her and FIL onto a half day fused glass seascapes workshop with a local artist. She was very pleased with it (£70 of my £150 presents for family/friends budget)

Kakiste

Finally had some more details from the Financial Ombudsman- the interest and charges in total from the credit card I had with the bank comes to a refund of just over £2900! So that's apparently being transferred to me by the end of this week- I'm going to pay it straight off my DMP! It will bring my total to below £8k and that's with the other account yet to say what the full refund will be! (but will probably be more as the APR on that account was higher-)  

They've also said that they have reopened looking at my personal loan from the same bank as they think having found 2 cases in my favour it's actually likely that they should have found the third one in my favour as well.

I'm super happy right now.

rugbymadfamily

Brilliant news! Well done you! 

Know you're keen to get the DMP paid off, but is it worth putting some of the money aside for an EF if you do decide to separate from your husband? Apologies if that's out of line and not what you are thinking about. But just wander if having some cash reserves would be handy?

bellevie

Great news Kakiste!!
Your OH's behaviour aside, at least financially that is a pretty good start to the year!

Your coat sounds nice, I love a new coat!

Kakiste

In further great news, the Ombudsman rang me back yesterday evening whilst I was out at the waste food group collection and said that they have also found in my favour with the personal loan and the bank will refund me all the charges and interest from 2018 onwards- that's not as long as the two other accounts but it was for significantly more money (12k!) and The APR on that was really high (I think something like 37%) so I reckon that will be a significant amount of money as well. (Which will be paid straight off the money owed to them by the bank) 

@rugbymadfamily Two of the three account will basically be the bank reducing the amount I owe them on the DMP so I don't actually see any money there. But the £2900 will be paid to me in cash and thinking about it I think you may have a point there. I think i'll pay £2k of that back onto my debts and then put £900 into premium bonds to hold as EF- which would be a first month's rent and then a significant portion of the deposit as well. (The type of rental I'd be looking at would come in at £530-575 a month) 

In extra additional good news the Ofsted report for my school came in last week and we've been told this morning that we're all going to be given £150 extra in this month's pay as a thank you from the school. Just had my windscreen chipped by a stone last weekend whilst driving on the motorway so I think i'm going to put the £150 into the excess to fix the chip (£70 on my insurance) and then get myself a new pair of glasses (prescription changed last year and I've not got round to getting a new pair yet) 

GeorgianaCavendish

Brilliant news on the decisions from the Ombudsman! 

Where the amounts come off the DMP, do the monthly repayment figures stay the same? 

WinterWarrior

Such wonderful news 🎉

Kakiste

@GeorgianaCavendish Yes they do- it's based on what I can afford in my budget, not the amounts owed so the monthly amount will stay the same but on a much lower overall balance and will pay each creditor off at a faster percentage 

SandyShores

Brilliant news @Kakiste.  You will be debt-free before you know it!  My debt-free journey was expedited due to ppi refunds.  Before starting the debt-free journey it would have just been spent, so it felt great to pay it off the dwindling debt mountain. 

When I started my debt-free journey for the final time, I swore I was paying everything off and then leaving my DH (I'd had enough of constant debt and bad temperedness).  But on the way strange things happened and although he's not perfect now, he is very much a changed man.  

Savingtomove

I have been lurking in the background reading your diary and just wanted to pop up to say you are doing brilliantly and you will be debt free in no time!!!