£23,690 to clear

sudonum-mum

Gosh March has flown past, can't believe its the end of the month.
Hope everyone is doing ok and looking forward to the better weather and some lessening of the restrictions.
I managed to pay another £150 in to the L-ISA and also got my bonus for February.
Also managed to find out the interest rate on the credit card, had to request a paper statement because it doesn't show you online and my interest on Debt 8 is 27.87%.

End of month round up:
Debt 8: £1058.37 now £995.11 - paid off £63.26
L-ISA £450 now £831.25 - increased by £381.25

The plan is to pay some more money in to the L-ISA before 5/4/21 and then concentrate on Debt 8 and also one of the debts to a family member while paying a set amount in to the L-ISA each month, likely to be £50.

Seasidegal58

Hope everything is going well. 

beanielou

Hope all is well in your world,

sudonum-mum

Thanks seasidegal and beanie for checking in - all is good in my world, never enough time to pop on and read other diaries never mind post on mine although I am really only posting monthly with my updates. Hope you are both well.
So a week late but better late than never:
End of April round up:
Debt 8: £995.11 now £957.23 - paid off £37.88
L-ISA £831.25 now £1182.65 - increased by £351.40 (mixture of my payments, bonus and interest)

My pension deduction started in my April pay packet so my wages are less although my pension will build nicely as it is a Local Government one. 
Still struggling to budget, my chest freezer broke and so I can't do my usual monthly shops so I am shopping twice a week sometimes. I have changed the fuse but the electric in the shed keeps tripping as my ex-husband wired it in himself and he's not an electrician plus the roof of the shed is not great and is letting water in. I will get the roof fixed and then the electrics and then hopefully I can go back to monthly shops or I might just run an extension lead out there for now.....

Savvy_Sue

sudonum-mum said:

or I might just run an extension lead out there for now.....

If you do that PLEASE make sure it is a weatherproof one! 

sudonum-mum

Doesn't time fly....

End of May round up:
Debt 8: was £957.23 now £919.20 - paid off £38.03
L-ISA was £1182.65 now £1245.15 - increased by ££62.50

End of June round up:
Debt 8: was £919.20 now £879.47 - paid off £39.73
L-ISA was £1245.15 now £1307.65 - increased by £62.50

End of July round up:
Debt 8: was £879.47 now £839.53 - paid off £39.94
Debt 9: was £3940.74 now £3747.52 - paid off £193.22
L-ISA was £1307.65 now £1370.15 - increased by £62.50

Although Debt 9 does not charge interest I need to pay this back as this is a debt to a family member and they are currently only working part time so need the money back. I am aiming for £200pm which they are also happy with.

sudonum-mum

Happy New Year 

Why o why have I been MIA?
11 months ago I promised to do better and start getting my debts cleared once and for all and here I am to report my debts have increased 
No longer can I keep blaming my ex, although when we were together most of the debt was because I had to pay for more household stuff than he did I realise I am really bad at budgeting - I know all the hints and tips and could give advice to my clients until the cows come home but I just can't follow it.
My DD decided a few years ago that she has ADHD and having looked into things I realise that it is 99% likely I do too and one of the issues in females is lack of budgeting control and that sums me up.

Officially I shouldn't be able to run up much debt as I have barely any access to credit, my credit card is nearly always at its limit, I won't increase my OD but one thing I can do and I need to stop is borrowing from a family member who lets me borrow whatever I need. I had made good inroads in paying them back this year but over the last few months I have borrowed it all back (plus more).

So from today I will not be borrowing from them again and I will stick to this as I am ashamed that I am in my 40's and keep doing this. I won't use my credit card for any new spending - I have a couple of Klarna and Clearpay payments to come off this month (yes, some of Xmas was on tick).

This is my situation last February and what it is as at 31st December 2021:

Debt 1: £6911.11 £6856.11
Debt 2: £3027.15 £3016.15
Debt 3: £1850.00 £1839.00
Debt 4: £1076.74 £1065.74
Debt 5: £1823.88 £1812.88
Debt 6: £1515.96 £1515.96
Debt 7: £1850.00 £1850.00
Debt 8: £1094.74 £1083.83
Debt 9: £3940.94 £4347.52
Debt 10: £600.00 £600.00
Total: £23690.55 £23987.19

So an increase of £296.64 in 11 months with no excuse.

I also have £1682.65 in my L-ISA, the deadline is 5th April 2022 to pay money in to this and get the maximum bonus. I won't pay in the maximum £4000 but I would like to pay a bit more in (I know I got advice on this last year and it was better to pay off debts  but I still paid into this and got my bonuses and psychologically I feel that one day I will buy a house).

I might post my financial statement up for scrutiny.....

The only extras since I started the diary are that I have started counselling so the money I earn from my second job goes to this, I am finding it really beneficial and it is helping me unpick things from my childhood and my marriage.

I am still doing some surveys, the money/vouchers I earn are being swallowed up with day to day spending though. I will save them into a separate account for now and budget my wages properly so I don't need to borrow from family and then if I need extra money I will take from the survey money instead.

Come on 2022, this has to be the year I finally sort myself out

crazy_cat_lady

Good luck with it. I'm still here and cheering you on from the sidelines. I've cut up my credit cards and am determined to get my s*** together this year. My debts are out of control again and I'm just spiralling - and I have no excuses any more. Court was settled almost 2 years ago now so I should have paid that debt back but I haven't. And unless exams get cancelled again this year I should have my extra income from that. I need to stop the mindless spending and buying too much of stuff I just don't need.
We can do this - let's just not give up.

sudonum-mum

Thanks @crazy_cat_lady, I've just caught up with your diary and we are so similar (although you have a valid excuse for your new debt in that you have lost income).

Hopefully we can support each other and get through 2022 without adding to our debt.

Tiredbutdetermined

I am too old for a L ISA
I don’t know the ins and outs of them but does the end sum have to go towards a mortgage/house or can it be used for debt if you are not in a mortgage ready position?