2024 - Let's go again

wildheart83

So I'm starting 2024 with my debt at a little over £31k - still sounds so bad but considering it was £50k when I had my LBM in 2022 it's not so bad.

I'm paying £700 per month towards debt and all but one account has been defaulted. Which makes me think about how best to tackle that. Defaults will start dropping off in 2028/2029 so do I hammer the debts now and have my DFD in 2026, or slow it down a bit, pay less and aim for full and final settlements? I know the morally right thing to do is to pay everything back but there are options there. Will have a ponder. 

New diary is here partly for accountability, and partly because it's just me and the dog, and well, he gives terrible advice. 

I'm not happy in my job and with no real prospects in house, I'll be moving on in the next few months. And it means the clawback agreement I signed for training will be implemented. Do they allow you to pay it back in instalments or do they take it from your final salary? Hmmm need to find that out. The obvious answer is negotiate a welcome bonus from new company to pay that off. 

Plans for 2024:
Tackle the weight issue - I'm the heaviest I've ever been and whilst I don't look at the numbers, I'm feeling every pound of my weight - I'm unfit and it needs to change. A necessary evil, the gym membership is looming fast. 
Get rid of the BT account for phone/BB/TV - it's a dreadful service and I could happily launch the telly box out the window it's so glitchy. I'll be glad to see the back of it. And not paying £77 for it.
Insurances - car and home insurance is up in March, that'll be a sore one but needs must. 
Car service is also due in March - might push that out a month or 2 if I can. 
SIM only deal is up in May, will deal with that nearer the time, although £8 a month for 25gb isn't too bad a deal. 
Deal with the drippy overflow pipe that's above my bedroom window that I noticed dripping last night. Now I've seen it, it's driving me mad. But because it's upstairs I can't do anything myself, will need to find a plumber. Is this an emergency? Not sure. It's not a lot, but a constant drip, drip, drip. It's annoying. 

[Deleted User]

Seems daft to me to change jobs if it is going to involve taking on more debt. Just keep the same job until you don’t have to pay anything back for the training.

wildheart83

[Deleted User] said:

Seems daft to me to change jobs if it is going to involve taking on more debt. Just keep the same job until you don’t have to pay anything back for the training.

I know it seems mad, however long story short, I need to stay for 2 years under the agreement which mentally, I can't do. I potentially have something lined up, which is a better package than I'm on currently so I'm keeping everything crossed that it pays off. I've failed these exams once already, I'm being pressured to resit asap without any additional support, have spent a fortune on material to help me (all at my own cost) and I'm no closer to passing so I kind of just want to cut my losses, keep my sanity and move on. 

Sorry that wasn't a short answer at all  

vampirotoothus

Hi if it is a drippy overflow (rather than guttering) then it will be from a toilet, so you should be able to fix this from indoors. The ball !!!!!! is probably a bit furred up, so take the lid of the cistern and have a look Vx

wildheart83

vampirotoothus said:

Hi if it is a drippy overflow (rather than guttering) then it will be from a toilet, so you should be able to fix this from indoors. The ball !!!!!! is probably a bit furred up, so take the lid of the cistern and have a look Vx

Amazing, thank you! I'll go and have a look when I finish work, that'll hopefully save me a call out charge for a plumber!

Less_Talk_and_More_Action

Good luck with your diary and whatever you decide about the job. That’s a good amount paid off already.   Although I love my job now I  have certainly been in the position of feeling that I don’t want to work another day somewhere.   Just bear in mind the job security side as well - very few rights in a probation period etc.  it has to be done if you want to change but just worth adding to the mix in terms of when you might decide to move jobs. Is there any way you can discreetly find out about the training repayment so that you can plan properly. 

I shall be following along - keep posting.  I’m finding it really helpful and enjoyable.  

And dogs definitely give terrible advice 🤣. 

L x 

wildheart83

Less_Talk_and_More_Action said:

Good luck with your diary and whatever you decide about the job. That’s a good amount paid off already.   Although I love my job now I  have certainly been in the position of feeling that I don’t want to work another day somewhere.   Just bear in mind the job security side as well - very few rights in a probation period etc.  it has to be done if you want to change but just worth adding to the mix in terms of when you might decide to move jobs. Is there any way you can discreetly find out about the training repayment so that you can plan properly. 

I shall be following along - keep posting.  I’m finding it really helpful and enjoyable.  

And dogs definitely give terrible advice 🤣. 

L x 

Thank you, I've been in this company for less than 2 years so the job security aspect isn't a factor just now. You're right about the repayment, although having done my sums, it's ok as long as they take it out before deductions etc. but I absolutely need to do some digging. 

wildheart83

I had a look at the toilet and the push button disintegrated in my hands when I lifted the cistern lid so pinched the button from the other one and ordered new ones. At least I think I've sorted the drippy pipe! I suspect I need to replace the toilet sooner rather than later though. 

I bought new specs last week, but they were too wide so returned them. Bought new smart boots for work since I'll potentially be in the office more but they weren't a good fit so returned them too. 

And I'm the dog's favourite person just now as I bought a big pack of ham reduced in the supermarket for 80p. I'm not sure if he's just a gannet or if the cold weather means he's using more energy keeping warm but the dog seems to be constantly starving (or acting it!) so he's getting extra wet food in with dry, plus I cook up a load of veg for him. 

wildheart83

Went to the office yesterday, I can't believe I used to do that commute every single day! The train operator up here is doing a pilot where they've scrapped peak fares. The train fares are a bit odd, if I go to my nearest station it's £8 return but if I go to the next one along which is only 5 minutes it's £6.90 and it's got a bigger car park, so I go there. 

It was -7 and today was supposed to be as cold but the weather app is saying it's 0 just now so that's not so bad. 

Although I'm not doing the regular commuting just now, I still have my monthly trip to the north east of England so I'm debating what to do about RAC/AA type recovery. I can up my bank account to £20 per month, which covers full AA coverage (would normally be £255 for that) mobile phone insurance and travel insurance. TCB is offering £100 back on the full AA package so need to work out what's the best option for me. 

wildheart83

Finally made it to payday yesterday and we're into a new month at last! 

Have upgraded my bank account to include AA cover and mobile phone insurance etc. 

There's something funny going on with Loan 1 and CC3 creditor which makes me think they're about to sell it on. I'm waiting for Loan 2 and CC4 to go the same way - they've taken an eternity to default me and now I keep getting letters asking for payment with threats of what happens next. I wish they'd just hurry up! 

In non money saving world, I had an interesting conversation with a friend over ghosting the other day. When did it become the done thing to just stop talking/replying rather than be honest? Is it the coward's way of dealing with things? For context, I started seeing someone, we'd known each other previously and lost touch. We went on a few dates, we were starting to have the "where is this going" chat and then.... nothing. Turns out, he had been seeing someone else at roughly the same time and long story short she had his baby recently. Rather than be honest he just went quiet. 
Also I had a chat with someone about a job, which turned into a proper interview and was told I'd get feedback in a couple of days. Over a week later still no feedback. Now I'm not naive enough to think there's even the possibility of it being a yes, but why not just send the standard, we've gone with another candidate? Instead of just doing nothing?

Anyway, that's my moan for today! 

Paid another £700 to my creditors today and I'm looking at offering F&F to some of the smaller debts. What's the worst they can do, say no? Or ghost me haha. 

Have a good Thursday lovely people 

vampirotoothus

I laughed out loud about the creditors ghosting you Good luck with the rest of your journey V x