Debt and Budget (Reset) plan

Keedie

Not a G&T fan (more Malibu and coke), but well done you for having that well deserved break. Whenever my son is away for the night, that silence is so loud and exhilarating at times, so it's good that you had quality time with hubby. 

 know things are really rough, and I hope your mum is being well looked after and than can help her and ease some of your worries. Petrol prices are a nightmare the moment, but to be able to still make debt payments and have time for surveys and holding onto the money to clear things further, is a testament to how well you're doing and how far you've come. If you were to re-read your first page or two of your diary, you'd see how much you've achieved. I just wanted you to know that I'm proud of you and inspired by all that you're able to achieve and the way you have stuck to your goals, it's very admirable.

EssexHebridean

Glad to hear you're making good progress on the difficult task of clearing your Mum's house, and also that you are making sure you take time for yourself to recharge a bit too as that's so important! 

shell16

Thankyou so very much for your lovely kind words @LittleMissDetermined, @Keedie and @EssexHebridean this means alot to me at this time you dont know how much!

Quick update from me, I have just transferred £62 and split £50 to Sainsburys CC and £12 to Virgin CC which is the total I have cleared from Prolific and CC saved up.  I wanted to keep hold just in case I needed to use before payday (tomorrow) but used a separate £49 to top up car on Tuesday so have enough for my trip to see mum later today.  That means Im now into the 3's which im really happy to see!

My Loan payment comes out on Monday which is just over £33 more than my usual payments but hey ho its then finished!  My plan is to start using that cash to bolster the debt repayments on my credit cards for as long as I can, I have been without £385 for the last 5 years so its seems logical. 

On a separate note Im really mad with British Gas! In October I was paying £250, then they said im paying too much and reduced to £230 for my November payment.  On Tuesday I received an email stating im not paying enough, and should be £270, then when I went into my Direct Debit Manager on the app it stated £270 was not enough either and they suggested putting up to £290!  To top it all off, they refunded me £215 credit I had built up!  I have increased my payments to £290 but I have paid back the £215 so I have a good buffer in my account....why do they do these things?

Anyway must dash, will update again when I can.
Shell x

LittleMissDetermined

Unfortunately the gas and electric tactics seem to be to get you in a debit situation for when you are coming to the end of your contracted period. This is to dissuade customers from leaving and having to pay a lump sum to switch providers.  Anyway, not that it matters with the current standard tariffs but that's probably just how their systems work. It's really frustrating! Did you get a smart meter fitted? I had to set my budget on the meter and so far we have only exceeded it once in 30 days so we are doing well.

Great news that you managed to still pay a good chunk off your cards and hurrah for the last loan payment! You're doing the sensible thing by using it for debt as you're not going to miss it. But I also think you deserve a treat so maybe keep a bit from the first month without a loan payment and treat yourself?
LMD x

SusieT

You are doing really well especially with everything going on in your life at the moment. I am an echo of LittleMissDetermined and think you should treat yourself, perhaps just put £300 to the Virgin card and have the remeinder to treat yourself? Then if you are able to use the full loan amount in December you will be able to have it at close to fully paid with just any residual interest to pay in January. What a financial finish to the year that would be  

EssexHebridean

Shell, are British Gas working out your use based on accurate monthly readings? And if they are, have you checked that their calculations are correct? If you have a smart meter it is worth checking it is sending readings, and that those readings are being used accurately by BG too. 

shell16

Morning all,

Just to comment further on the BG issue, my Direct debit now states I should be paying £267.51 a month, Im not sure whats happening here, it is all very confusing!  My smart meter for the electric was fitted in April and Im using just less than £100 a month, my gas smart meter was only fitted a month or so ago, so it isnt updating in my app yet, but I really cant see im going to be using £190 worth of gas a month.  Will need to check my setting on the monitor and just see if I can see usage.

On a more upbeat note, I have FINALLY paid off my loan!  After 5 years my final payment was made today, the original amount started at £20,735.29.  I can now focus on my remaining debt on the credit cards, although this month I will be paying a minimum £300 which is my usual payments (minimum for all 3 cards is £82.65, this is without the extra PADs Im making from Prolific and CC).  From December I will also use either all or majority of that regular loan payment to my credit cards.

Ive just joined another survey site, and have £1.43, cash out is £3 or more, but it does tend to time out alot which isnt ideal, but hey its still free money!.  Prolific currently has £4.30 cleared and £3.42 pending.  I also have £7 in my PAD pot which I will be adding to, in order to make a lump sum payment to one of my Credit cards.

A good positive day today, loan paid off, survey money adding up, long may this continue!
Shell x

LittleMissDetermined

Whoop! Congratulations on paying off the loan Shell, that must be a fabulous feeling  

Free money is never to be sniffed at, I'm all for the little amounts adding up especially as this time of year I am happy to be huddled on the sofa with a brew doing a survey or 2!

Hope you're doing OK and things are easing with your mum's situation. I hope the rest of the day (and week!) is just as positive as this morning has been
LMD x

sunshine_raincloud

Congratulations on paying off the loan! A fabulous achievement! It must feel like a weight has lifted 

bigbeff

Congratulations on paying off your loan!