Finally making a dent in the debt

Humdinger1

wildheart83 said:

Forgot the actual point of my update, other than my terrible kitchen!

Work came back with a counter offer which would be funny if I wasn't so outraged. 

Boss apparently realised when he looked at my contract, that my salary has been wrong for the past year and a bit, and the benchmark salary should have been over £10k more than I'm on.

He dangled the carrot to say if I stay, he'll try his best to get me the benchmark salary and also get it backdated. But, he says, it needs HR's approval and it's not guaranteed. And the kicker is, if I leave then I don't get the backdated salary and the slap in the face of me being underpaid all this time. 

As usual, nothing in writing so I don't have a leg to stand on to say it was ever offered but it's confirmed that I'm right to go. I'd like to go now but need to work my notice for a while. 

Just started reading...what a flaming liberty! Quite right to tell to them where to shove it, even if not quite in those words.   Am subscribing love Humdinger xx 

wildheart83

Humdinger1 said:

wildheart83 said:

Forgot the actual point of my update, other than my terrible kitchen!

Work came back with a counter offer which would be funny if I wasn't so outraged. 

Boss apparently realised when he looked at my contract, that my salary has been wrong for the past year and a bit, and the benchmark salary should have been over £10k more than I'm on.

He dangled the carrot to say if I stay, he'll try his best to get me the benchmark salary and also get it backdated. But, he says, it needs HR's approval and it's not guaranteed. And the kicker is, if I leave then I don't get the backdated salary and the slap in the face of me being underpaid all this time. 

As usual, nothing in writing so I don't have a leg to stand on to say it was ever offered but it's confirmed that I'm right to go. I'd like to go now but need to work my notice for a while. 

Just started reading...what a flaming liberty! Quite right to tell to them where to shove it, even if not quite in those words.   Am subscribing love Humdinger xx 

Thanks Humdinger - the whole situation was dreadful. Unfortunately when you take these types to task over sh*tty behaviour and practices, they have the funds to fight it and I just couldn't justify spending 7-10k fighting it. So they get to continue the practice but I can only look at it from the point of view that I walked into a job at a significantly higher level and salary, and can hold my head up high. 

Nothing much to report in terms of money saving, have found more clothes and shoes to list on my favourite place so that's my job for the weekend. Payments to creditors are due out on Tuesday so I'm hoping to get down to the £34k owed. Still an eye watering level but still £16k paid off since last year. 

wildheart83

Wow, I blinked and lost a month! I'm still slogging away at the debt repayments. It seems to get slower because one of my creditors has reverted back to charging me late fees and interest. I've redirected that money elsewhere and using it to pay off other debts as much as I can. 

I've booked a cheap UK break as I've not had a proper holiday since 2015. I've also agreed to get some work done to the garden as it's too much to do myself and it's badly needed. 

Updates are below between May 2022 and now:

CC1 11820.97 / 7842.66
CC2 9644.87 / 8150.35
CC3 5851.78 / 4410 - after paying this for a year they're now adding interest and late fees on until it defaults
CC4 2978.01 / 2053.68 - awaiting the account being defaulted 
CC5 2142.46 / 1290
CC6 1508.88 / 760
CC7 238.61 / 0
CC8 340 / 0
CC9 562.50 / 0 

Loan 1 8999.38 / 4736.44
Loan 2 6943.95 / 5275.22 - awaiting the account being defaulted 

So I'm getting there slowly, it's more of a plod than a sprint but it's all moving in the right direction. 

wildheart83

Happy Friday every one! Here's my October update:

CC1 11820.97 / 7581.66
CC2 9644.87 / 8081.17
CC3 5851.78 / 4296 - queried why they're adding interest and late fees, and apparently it's because I'm no longer with Stepchange. No late fees/interest this month though which is odd
CC4 2978.01 / 2053.68 - awaiting the account being defaulted 
CC5 2142.46 / 1200
CC6 1508.88 / 700
CC7 238.61 / 0
CC8 340 / 0
CC9 562.50 / 0 

Loan 1 8999.38 / 4526.44
Loan 2 6943.95 / 5275.22 - awaiting the account being defaulted

I'm still plodding along, slowly but surely. Sold another item on V*nted so that'll be £30 towards CC6 when it lands in my account. 

Garden work has been done, for once it was sooner than I thought but it's another thing ticked off the house list. 

Sarahwithlove

Have you thought about making minimal payments and saving the rest for settlement offers? You could probably reduce the debt quite significantly that way. 

_Dolly_Rocker_

I also live in a house that jack built 

It will be perfect one day, just not today. 

Following to cheer you on!

wildheart83

Sarahwithlove said:

Have you thought about making minimal payments and saving the rest for settlement offers? You could probably reduce the debt quite significantly that way. 

Hi Sarah, silly question but how would I work out what the minimal payments would be? I've been paying roughly what Stepchange advised, and slowly chipping away but not sure how I could reduce what I'm paying? Do I just tell them I'll pay xx.xx each month? 

wildheart83

_Dolly_Rocker_ said:

I also live in a house that jack built 

It will be perfect one day, just not today. 

Following to cheer you on!

It's hard work isn't it?! I'm currently without a big oven because it broke and I'm not spending the money replacing it as it's integrated and even second hand it's expensive!

wildheart83

November's update

CC1 11820.97 / 7320.66
CC2 9644.87 / 8011.99
CC3 5851.78 / 4254 - finally defaulted so no more interest and fees and they asked me to fill in a budget calculator. Then wanted to speak to me after I did that. No thanks, you'll take the payment I'm making and like it. 
CC4 2978.01 / 2053.68 - also finally defaulted but I've had nothing in writing from them, hopefully once it's sold on I can set up a repayment plan
CC5 2142.46 / 1152.70
CC6 1508.88 / 500
CC7 238.61 / 0
CC8 340 / 0
CC9 562.50 / 0 

Loan 1 8999.38 / 4316.44
Loan 2 6943.95 / 5275.22 - awaiting the account being defaulted, but it's been wiped from my online banking app. 

I got some money for my birthday a few weeks ago and bought new specs as I'd had a bit of trouble with the old ones. Now I'm trying to work out what's needed between now and the end of the year as I might be able to pay off CC6 this month. 

_Dolly_Rocker_

wildheart83 said:

_Dolly_Rocker_ said:

I also live in a house that jack built 

It will be perfect one day, just not today. 

Following to cheer you on!

It's hard work isn't it?! I'm currently without a big oven because it broke and I'm not spending the money replacing it as it's integrated and even second hand it's expensive!

Yes it is!

I just spent the last hour scrubbing all my doors and skirting boards in the living room and hallway because I'm getting these 2 rooms painted when I am away on holiday next week - my god they are a mess! 

I've now added the replacement of all the woodwork in the house to my wish list in my head!