Washing Away My Debts By 2024

Parkyp

Morning, just started reading and subscribed to your diary.
Well done on cashing out on prolific.  With regards to petrol starling never used to allow you to pay at pump so this must be a new thing, at out petrol pumps it advises that banks can reserve up to £100 on you’re card before you start filling up, so maybe Starling automatically holds £30. I’m guessing there must be people filling up and don’t have enough money to pay.

I personally wouldn’t throw all the money you are due to pay your debt. I would save it for Christmas that way if you see any bargains you have funds and can pick them up and start early.  

I bought reduced gift sets in January so I started then 🤣🤣. 

 

Squirrelz92

Morning @Parkyp and thanks for taking the time to visit
Although I have never experienced them reserving money before for fuelling up, it makes logical sense with people struggling to pay sometimes. Nothing extra has come out of my bank yet so here's to hoping that it was indeed the case.

Yes I am definitely swaying towards keeping that £223 for the start of my Xmas savings. Once birthdays are out of the way (beginning of Aug) i shall swap my weekly £20 money transfer to the Xmas pot instead of the birthday pot

Wow that is awesome! I have never been able to do that as I am not a fan of shopping so I try and keep a wide berth until absolutely necessary! x

Squirrelz92

Quick afternoon update Just received £6.34 owed to me from Prolific so this has just been sent straight to CC2. Signatures are 100% up to date (bit of an obsession after every payment made)!

sunshine_raincloud

Good to start saving for Christmas early! Can't believe how quickly the year has gone already so good to start preparing! 

Well done on getting the surveys account going again. I've tried to register for prolific but been put on a waiting list. Seems to be the one that pays out the best. Also great that your employer will pay for your exams and courses! 

LittleMissDetermined

I think I need to revisit prolific… a job for my day off on Monday I think 
LMD x

Sarahwithlove

LittleMissDetermined said:

I think I need to revisit prolific… a job for my day off on Monday I think 
LMD x

I'm thinking same thing but Sunday for me! 

Squirrelz92

Afternoon folks!

Made my daily PAD of £1 to CC2 just now as this morning has been fairly busy so only just getting round to my daily diary entry.

So I received my £600 apology holiday voucher from First Choice yesterday evening so me and my partner spend an hour or so reviewing our next adventure in June of next year. I have already booked this week off at work at the primary school is shut for a second week after normal May half term (all inset days). There naturally won't be any clubs running so it's the best week to go abroad. Finally decided on a great hotel in Egypt (been to the hotel next door 3 times before) and have booked it The annoying part (don't virtually slap me folks.....) is that I wanted to set up a DD for 8 instalments of £265 but for some reason the website just didn't like my St@rling card. It says my details didn't match up to the lead passenger's details which they did as I checked soooo many times!!! The only other options left were to pay in full (not going to happen), apply for Paypal credit and have 0% interest for 4 months (hell nooooo) or pay a deposit of £300 and pay the balance by the end of March. So yes, I used my EF to pay for the deposit I know I know, believe me the pain I felt of using that and letting it go hurt sooooo much. BUT, I could have put it into a CC and I chose not to! Used cold hard cash which felt great. As mentioned in my prior posts I am due compensation from First Choice of £1400 with £350 being my partners so now a greater percentage of this will go towards the EF to get it to that £1000 goal. 344 days and counting until Egypt!

This morning there was a local summer fair which we decided to walk to and see what was there. The kids used their bank cards for the first time and each withdrew £10 of their pocket money to spend on what they wished. I also took out £10 for anything for myself. My son was eager to spend spend spend whilst my daugher was much more conservative and didn't want to spend it all. I came back with my £10 in one piece as everything was naturally overpriced I couldn't stomach spending £8 on a burger or £5 for a crepe! Half tempted to put the money back into my account and send it to CC2 instead as if I had spent it. It was lovely weather and we took the dog to get him out and about. Had to quicken the pace walking back home as it started to rain and I had a full load of washing hanging on the line which I pegged out this morning. Thankfully it was already dry so no harm done

I have also made the decision to take out some life insurance this afternoon after reading an emotional post. Something I have often thought about but never got round to. Heaven forbid my children are left with nothing and struggle should I suddenly disappear from their lives. Forgotten the exact amount but it comes to roughly £9.02 a month for cover worth £270,000 for 16 years (want to be covered until my youngest finishes university). 

I have confirmation on my banking app that the tax owed back to me is due into my account on Tuesday alongside the return of my exam fee by my company. This £143 will be put straight back onto CC1 and the HMRC payout will still go into my Xmas pot. 

Not too much left to do today really other than attend the horse. Shall probably ram some studying in now that I actually have an exam booked! 

LittleMissDetermined

I don’t blame you for booking the holiday. And using your EF instead of a credit card is a definite positive in my book! £600 voucher is a big chunk, plus you know you have money coming in to top the EF up

Very well done for not spending at the fair. I agree that things end up being grossly overpriced. Your daughter sounds like she has a good head on her shoulders

LMD x

Keedie

I think sometimes people underestimate the importance of having a break, and I think having a holiday to look forward to can make all the difference. The voucher and emergency fund combination is a good one, and you have the time to settle the balance. 

I'm stubbornly still paying off my holiday next year and although it's expensive, the thought of knowing that this time next year my son would've sat his GCSEs and we're in holiday preparation mode has helped me when I've felt too overwhelmed by how desperate my situation is at the moment.

Did you get the compensation as standard or because you had travel insurance? I've not had travel insurance for years, but with all of the cancellations that's happened recently, I think I might have to look into this for our trip next year.

Squirrelz92

She certainly does @LittleMissDetermined! She often quotes 'I don't want to spend all my money like you Mummy'... part of me feels guilty as she clearly is very aware of me trying to save pennies, but the other part of me is beaming inside hoping that she is laying her foundations for being careful with money. 

Thanks @Keedie! I have just finished reading your diary from start to finish and have subscribed. Very inspirational and I hope your son is enjoying his studies from home! I did think that I shouldn't have booked the holiday with me owing almost £7.5k but then with the £600 voucher and having cash to pay for the deposit, it was difficult to say no. That plus I want to give my children what I was fortunate enough to experience with my Mum when I was their age. Not sure if you mentioned when you are due to fly but we need to pay the final balance in March 2023 like yourself so you may be flying in June like us too?

Luckily I didn't need to make a claim on the travel insurance as TUI were very on the ball with email and text communication notifying us of what we will receive because of the cancellation. Still waiting to see the pending amount due to come into my current account but they have until next Friday before I start ringing them up as they said 10 working days. x