Redemption - The journey of a recovering gambling addict.

Four_Seasons

You are doing so well, have a lovely weekend.

ChampagneSupernova36

Brilliant progress , love to see it 

Lonelygambler

So today my windscreen was cracked, not sure how maybe a slight chip and then cracked in the heat? I’m hopeful it wasn’t deliberate. 

Anyways when things like this have happened before I would have easily deposited £1000 to try and win the cost of the repair. Thankfully I am starting to understand how ridiculous this is and I’ll just have to pay the £75 excess and not pay so much off on my credit card next month. 

Speaking to my wife we are going to put £100 to a contingency fund each month as this is something we’ve never had and do need. It does mean again a bit less off the debt however a better sense of control when dealing with additional bills / events. 

Still pretty happy with how the payments have gone within 3 months. Got to see the long game and aim to clear within a year. 

LG

Lonelygambler

A few more things to contend with.., 

Car insurance is due. Last year I gambled and won the cost in a few nights, now I need to pay. Boo. 

EV - Silly price 🥹

Bonus I read all 9 month old children will get 15 hours of free childcare care… 

This could be a £200 saving! 

FacelessNumber

Car costs can be a killer, definitely worth having a contingency fund to deal with it. I generally have a target amount to have in easily available accounts, and then anything extra I decide whether to put it in or investment accounts or pay off the mortgage. 

I'm not convinced that the extra hours of childcare will kick in, but it will be a nice saving if they do! There just isn't the infrastructure in the childcare sector to deal with all of the extra hours. My youngest will be over £900 to go in 3 days a week next year if we don't get any funding!

Hope you had a nice weekend with the family.

backinbusiness

Hi @Lonelygambler. Congrats on how far you've come! I also think you should allow yourself small "treats" to break up the slog of paying off debts. Doesn't have to be often or even particularly expensive; £5 cinema ticket, £3 tub of ice cream? Whatever you'd view as a treat - it helps keep the whole process "doable". BiB x 

enthusiasticsaver

You are doing brilliantly.  I think you should build a contingency into your budget for car costs and emergencies.  It saves putting stuff on the credit card just when you are working so hard to pay them down.  You also need a  fun fund. If the debt is at 0% it does not matter  if it takes a few months longer to repay it as long as you have a budget which works and covers things like car insurance and chipped windscreens. 

alt80

Doing well mate.

I feel your pain with the car insurance, we have an EQC and an EQE - they were about £2.5k a piece to insure this year. !!!!!! madness, they have doubled pretty much since we got them. Tbf I do have 9 points and a claim for driving into the back of another car but I hardly drive these days, doesn't matter to them, it's still absolutely !!!!!! crazy. Do save up a contingency over the year for the next round of them robbing you agree with the others about the fun fund too.

Aimingforthegoodlife

You are doing fabulously! Annoying about the windscreen and car insurance though, necessary spends, but an annoyance for sure!

FootyFanDan

I feel you on the car costs! I don't regret learning to drive and it opens up so many opportunities and freedom, but the costs just seem to be going up every year. I would try build up some car maintenance/emergency fund to fall back on when required, I really struggled with budgeting car costs for a long time. This service and the massive repairs weren't fully covered but the fact I had even a bit saved away made a huge difference. Keep up the good work you are doing brill.