Muriel's Diary - almost debt free
Muriel_Heslop
Forumite 61 Posts
Good evening
Well this forum has changed a bit since I was last here
I've been unable to crack into my old account so it looks like it's a fresh start.
I actually feel a bit of a fraud being here, apart from my mortgage, I only owe £70 on a credit card. I could pay it off but keeping a little bit of debt stops be going off the rails and buying stuff I don't need. I've dipped into savings too many times in the last few months, they're dwindling a little, so I need to gain control again.
I had a bit of a false start in dealing with my debt in 2012, I forget what the figure was then, but in July 2015, I had my proper LBM. My debt was just under £7000, accrued through poor spending habits, holidays, lots of frittering, you know the score. Anyway, I cut back, I got my bills as cheap as I could, cancelled unnecessary things, got a Christmas job, did surveys every night without fail, looked on the ground for lost money (
), claimed PPI, bascially anything I could to pay the debt off. It was trapping me in a job, and life, that I'd come to hate. I earned quite well in that job but I couldn't do it anymore, I wanted to move back to my hometown and get a less stressful, which meant less well paid job and there was no way I could do it with that much debt hanging over me.
By the summer of 2017, my house was on the market, I'd been offered a new job and I'd found a flat in my hometown. I think my debt was around £1000 by then but I had more than that in savings which I didn't realise at the time until another forum user pointed it out
I eventually moved in the October and handed my notice in but I continued to commute until the December which was hard. Finally my last day came.....best day ever!! Even now, 2 and a half years on, I'm still so relieved I managed to escape. Occasionally I wake up in the morning and for a split second, my heart sinks....then I remember
Life wasn't perfect though, I'd ditched the awful job for a job I liked, but the hours were terrible! The daytime shift was fine but I wasn't cut out for evening and weekend shifts, I like routine. In January 2019 they announced they were bringing in a night shift. Well that went down like a lead balloon, loads of people left, including me! I've been in my current job for just over a year. The hours are great, the parking is great, the people are generally nice so I'm happy! It's not that well paid really, I should be a band higher, but everything else is good so I have no plans to move. I still look though
So, why am I back here? I've been drifting along, no real goal or focus, not being careful with grocery shopping, not reviewing deals for utilities, so I want to get a grip before I fritter my savings (mostly money I had left over from the house sale really). My flat needs work, from professionals, to get it how I want it. I only have 2 single sockets in my bedroom, 3 in the lounge but inexplicably 9 in the teeny kitchen! The walls need skimming, there's awful vinyl paint, over wallpaper, hiding all sorts of wonky walls. The skirting boards are awful, the radiators are in random places, the aerial has never worked properly so I can only watch a few channels. I think I've put up with all for far too long.
It's good to be back
Well this forum has changed a bit since I was last here
I've been unable to crack into my old account so it looks like it's a fresh start.I actually feel a bit of a fraud being here, apart from my mortgage, I only owe £70 on a credit card. I could pay it off but keeping a little bit of debt stops be going off the rails and buying stuff I don't need. I've dipped into savings too many times in the last few months, they're dwindling a little, so I need to gain control again.
I had a bit of a false start in dealing with my debt in 2012, I forget what the figure was then, but in July 2015, I had my proper LBM. My debt was just under £7000, accrued through poor spending habits, holidays, lots of frittering, you know the score. Anyway, I cut back, I got my bills as cheap as I could, cancelled unnecessary things, got a Christmas job, did surveys every night without fail, looked on the ground for lost money (
), claimed PPI, bascially anything I could to pay the debt off. It was trapping me in a job, and life, that I'd come to hate. I earned quite well in that job but I couldn't do it anymore, I wanted to move back to my hometown and get a less stressful, which meant less well paid job and there was no way I could do it with that much debt hanging over me. By the summer of 2017, my house was on the market, I'd been offered a new job and I'd found a flat in my hometown. I think my debt was around £1000 by then but I had more than that in savings which I didn't realise at the time until another forum user pointed it out
I eventually moved in the October and handed my notice in but I continued to commute until the December which was hard. Finally my last day came.....best day ever!! Even now, 2 and a half years on, I'm still so relieved I managed to escape. Occasionally I wake up in the morning and for a split second, my heart sinks....then I remember
Life wasn't perfect though, I'd ditched the awful job for a job I liked, but the hours were terrible! The daytime shift was fine but I wasn't cut out for evening and weekend shifts, I like routine. In January 2019 they announced they were bringing in a night shift. Well that went down like a lead balloon, loads of people left, including me! I've been in my current job for just over a year. The hours are great, the parking is great, the people are generally nice so I'm happy! It's not that well paid really, I should be a band higher, but everything else is good so I have no plans to move. I still look though
So, why am I back here? I've been drifting along, no real goal or focus, not being careful with grocery shopping, not reviewing deals for utilities, so I want to get a grip before I fritter my savings (mostly money I had left over from the house sale really). My flat needs work, from professionals, to get it how I want it. I only have 2 single sockets in my bedroom, 3 in the lounge but inexplicably 9 in the teeny kitchen! The walls need skimming, there's awful vinyl paint, over wallpaper, hiding all sorts of wonky walls. The skirting boards are awful, the radiators are in random places, the aerial has never worked properly so I can only watch a few channels. I think I've put up with all for far too long.
It's good to be back
LBM
in 2015 - £7000 in debt 2020 - CC - £18 outstanding
Savings goals -
home improvements / newer car / EF
5
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I've been paying £36 per month (broadband and line rental) but I've upgraded to unlimited fibre extra for less money. I have done the advanced line rental saver thing so I've dipped into savings (last time!) to pay £210 which means I'll only be paying £7 per month for broadband. When I worked it out, it's saving me the equivalent of £11.45 per month. Win! The money I'm saving will be transferred into my (one of 18
Oh, and I've done some surveys too - £4.15's worth.
I feel like that's a good start today
LBM in 2015 - £7000 in debt 2020 - CC - £18 outstanding
Savings goals - home improvements / newer car / EF
Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
LBM in 2015 - £7000 in debt 2020 - CC - £18 outstanding
Savings goals - home improvements / newer car / EF
It's really weird but I just feel having a little debt protects me from putting something bigger on a credit card. I just think, no, I can't buy that, I'm in debt!! I did almost get debt free a year ago and then my washing machine broke so I put it on the CC. I think I was secretly pleased!!
But I also think it will be such an anticlimax when I do get there that I want lots of debt free moments, like getting close, but not quite, again and again, cause my debt has just sort of dwindled away and I haven't had that feeling of 1 last big payment!
LBM in 2015 - £7000 in debt 2020 - CC - £18 outstanding
Savings goals - home improvements / newer car / EF
I still think of you on my Facepack Fridays!
Did you do the cruise?
Happy new diary and welcome back
Solicitor/survey savings 300/1700
Emergency fund 0/1000
Buffer fund 0/200
Oh wow, you still do Facepack Friday.....that's amazing. I've not done it much lately but it's something I need to do more of, my skin is so dry.
Unfortunately I didn't go on the cruise for a variety of reasons, but mainly the thought of not seeing my cats for 2 weeks upset me the most. Sad sap I know
LBM in 2015 - £7000 in debt 2020 - CC - £18 outstanding
Savings goals - home improvements / newer car / EF
When I was on here last time, I challenged myself to pay for a holiday with my survey earnings. I called it C.H.E.F.S. (Cruise Holiday Entirely Funded by Surveys). I'd got up to about £600 in July 2018 so I booked a cruise for November 2019 but I ended up cancelling and losing my deposit. I've not added much to this account in the last few months but now I'm back and feeling quite on it, I'm going to try again. With the addition of the PA money today, that account stands at £438.55
LBM in 2015 - £7000 in debt 2020 - CC - £18 outstanding
Savings goals - home improvements / newer car / EF
It's so good to be back and taking control of my finances, I've been winging it the last couple of years, hoping for the best which is no way to be really.
LBM in 2015 - £7000 in debt 2020 - CC - £18 outstanding
Savings goals - home improvements / newer car / EF
At the moment all my survey income goes into savings (which will end up being used to clear a credit card) but down the line I'd love to do something fun with that income
LBM in 2015 - £7000 in debt 2020 - CC - £18 outstanding
Savings goals - home improvements / newer car / EF