Washing Away My Debts By 2024

SusieT

At least you have done your bet with the exam, and managed to write something for every question which is more than a lot of people are able to do!  By doing that you have given yourself a good chance of a pass, so fingers crossed it has gone well for you. 
Good luck with the interviews, I hope you are offered one, and it is what you are looking for

LittleMissDetermined

Hey @Squirrelz92, I have just caught up on your diary and I'm sorry you've had such a stressful time. I hope things have started to ease for you a little? I think any pay period where debts haven't increased is a win given the cost of living and the times we are dealing with right now. Just keep doing what you can, when you can. 
Lots of luck with the interviews!
LMD x

Squirrelz92

Morning folks,

Thanks so much for your kind words. Still trying to ease myself back into writing on here as I still find it quite intimidating and overwhelming at the moment. I am still plodding away with my tiny PAD's although this morning I put £8.59 into the CC2 pot due to my phone bill being cheaper than normal this month  

I managed to pay off the £500 bulk holiday payment a few days ago using the £348 I have saved religiously every payday and my partner making up the other £152. This is a relief and an achievement for me in itself as now the pressure is off needing to pay the holiday balance until the end of March. Taking this extra £116 out of salary each payday ontop of the usual bills has stung but this next payday should be the last of that... I have made a plan!

Out of all my debts that I owe, I will get the most benefit back in my pocket by paying off the holiday as quickly as possible. I save £116 every 4 weeks towards this compared to the minimum debt payments on everything else (except CC2 at the moment). This September with us being paid every 4 weeks has worked out that we get paid twice this month; the 2nd and the 30th. On the 2nd my salary got wiped out as usual being emptied once again into all my different bill pots ready to pay on the 1st October. However, once I am paid on the 30th it will do the same again leaving me with double in all my bill pots. Some of these amounts must stay due to the timings of when they are taken out, but others such as my council tax, mortgage etc is extra cash not needed. I plan on using these extra funds to pay off the remainder of my holiday balance being £652. If I do this, I am freeing myself up to have an extra £116 a month with not having to save it anymore to pay for the holiday This will take a little extra pressure off! I know its perhaps not a massive deal, but to me it makes the most sense instead of using my spare bill money to put towards CC2 that won't clear it and will perhaps only provide me with a small benefit of an extra few quid with my minimum payment going down. Makes more sense to free up £116 than £5 a month! 

My emergency fund needs building back up but that will happen over time. I am not putting pressure on to increase it rapidly as I am happy doing what I am doing with CC2.

I managed to get through to second stage interview at one of the jobs I applied for although I am not 100% feeling the company vibe... think it is down to the manager who interviewed be describing the position as more of an analytical role than management accounts which has fed some doubt into my decision. Have applied for lots of positions but it's such a shame that next to nobody ever gets back to you! Surprising really considering recruiters rely on getting people employed for bonuses.

Hope everyone has a good day x

LittleMissDetermined

Sounds like a good plan you have there. The extra £116 a month freed up will make a big difference

Good luck with the job hunt, but you’re right about looking for red flags, you don’t want to move and be unhappy or work for a firm you don’t value/like.

LMD x

SusieT

That sounds like a good plan, at least it gives you a little bit of elastic in the budget and take some pressure off you. With the job, you could ask more detailed questions at a second interview, it could be doing and analysing (possibly discussing with management) the accounts which although its different, could be a good addition to your cv for the future and may make a natural lead up to the next level when your exam results come through. It may also of course be something you think you will hate or be bored with, but at least if you ask for more detail about the everyday work and what % is analysis you will have a good idea of how it will fit with your plans for progression

Squirrelz92

Morning all,

Still throwing £1 every day to my CC2 pot. My DD for CC2 came out on the 12th for £25 and I still have just over this amount accumulated so far this period from small PAD's and round ups when spending so not doing too badly Don't think I will reach over the £100 mark this period for total debt payments as with it being a 5 week month, I lose an extra week of bill contribution from my partner so must tighten my belt a little more. Looking forward to pay in 16 days time as it's the extra cash not needed for bills which I already have plans for

The job hunt has its positives and negatives. Negatives being that nobody seems to ever want to get back to you when applying for work. Apparently its the candidates market at the moment but from the way both company's and recruiters are acting it sure feels as though its the opposite. Good news is that I reconsidered a role that is just under half an hour away from me and they instantly called me back! Spent half hour on the phone going through all my experience and what the company and role entails and it sounds like a fabulous fit! The recruiter mentioned that she is struggling to find candidates that tick all the boxes that the client wants but I tick them all so hoping that is a massive positive for me! Sadly no hybrid working but I cant moan really as I have never had the opportunity to so far. That plus what she reckons she can get for my salary wise would be more than sufficient so I am very excited. Trying not to get my hopes up too much but I cant help but be bouncing about on the inside thinking of the 'what ifs...'.

Today marks the first official day of getting my head stuck back into a fresh set of study books ready for the December exam. This time it's the equally dreaded 'Financial Management' module which from doing a bit of research on other ACCA students, it appears that this exam is just as much dreaded as 'Performance Management'. My boss thinks I will love it as its how my mind naturally operates at work so I am hoping this will go in my favour! Went out and bought myself a flip book of 50 revision cards to trial as a study method ontop of my notes and exam questions as it was highly recommended by fellow students when I asked the question of what people do to revise Excited as I have been twiddling my fingers for the last week wanting to get stuck in!

LittleMissDetermined

Morning @Squirrelz92, this all sounds very positive indeed! Does your company pay for your study? If so, what does that mean when you leave?

The job prospect sounds great and it's wonderful that you're excited about it. I will keep my fingers crossed that you're successful   I must admit, being in the office full time would be a deal breaker for me as the dog just wouldn't cope.

LMD x

Squirrelz92

Morning all,

Yes at the moment they pay for my study @LittleMissDetermined but because it is worth so little (£80 for books and £145 for exam) compared to others having £3000 worth of fancy study content, my manager has said they doubt they will be chasing me for it if I ever chose to leave. So that is reassuring  

Well I heard back from both jobs yesterday. I have been asked to attend a second interview on the 27th The job that I applied for the night before last have also asked me to attend their office in Skelmersdale for an interview too! This is the one I am most excited about as they have great benefits and the pay is immense compared to what everyone else is offering. Sounds shallow of me but every little helps at the moment! Sucks the is no hybrid but you cant have it all! I think letting the recruiter know that I got asked for a second interview with the other company made them speed up a little as when we spoke about the role etc she told me that she is really struggling to find anyone who ticks all the boxes. Here's to hoping they like me on Friday when I rock up! Have to ask my current work to leave half hour early so I can get there on time... awkward. Will have to come up with something!

£1 to the CC2 pot as always

LittleMissDetermined

Good luck for Friday xx

Squirrelz92

Well the day has arrived! My interview is at 4pm and I am excited but also a little nervous about this one. Apparently, they are lovely and friendly which always helps as you can get some right grizzly bears at interviews which make you so much more nervous and on edge than perhaps what you already are. This company really does have the core values that I would love to work within and it's also food manufacturing which is where all my experience is sat so far in my career. Praying they like me and I like them! Sucks I will have to wait until Tuesday or Wednesday to get feedback but fingers crossed all goes well. Could really use this job for the massive £7000 pay increase. It would help so much towards clearing my debts quicker and getting this blasted house renovated faster!!!

For some reason I have received a £5 payment from Vodafone today... not complaining as it's free money! I shall whack that into my CC2 pot alongside the normal £1  

My other interview got moved to the 30th as it was the other day HR are in so its extra time to prepare (although secretly hoping this other company will offer me the job). 

Not much else happening today!