Journey North to Debt-Free and Become a Saver

Cousin_Creditor

I'm only paying priority bills at the moment. I paid £25 of credit into my electricity account. That's going with the £5 credit I got for signing up to something. 

I'm waiting for a response from the Ground Rent people to begin the payment plan, at which time I will pay them £30 as they offered me. That will leave me with £15 and the generosity of family until I get my universal credit or a job. 

Cousin_Creditor

Just to update there is zero progress on the job front. A job would fix 90% of my immediate issues including my stress levels. 

I had an extremely stressed phone call with the DWP about universal credit advances. I was on the phone for one hour and I was on hold for like 55 minutes of it.

I've tried to chase agencies but I've been fobbed off with "we will call you if you are successful." 

Cousin_Creditor

I received an unexpected payslip today. It was a tax rebate with a tiny bit of holiday pay. I was kind of happy, but realized that it would only reduce my Universal Credit allowance, so its not as extra as I thought.

I'm going to use it to pay my (reduced) mortgage repayment, a ground rent installment and my water bill. 

I have to come up with £105 from somewhere to pay my leasehold service charge at the beginning of February. Possibly I will ask my father. Although, I MAY have a job by then. Here's hoping. 

Cousin_Creditor

There is no news on the job front. Possibly this is to do with the holiday season. I have sent many applications through indeed and career websites, so I am hoping I will get an interview.

Cousin_Creditor

I've also started saving loose change up to 10p coins. I plan to buy one of those collection bottles. I also, here and there, transfer pennies from my current account to an easy saver account to make the balance to the nearest £. 

I've saved around £2.50 in just over one week. So who knows what that might be by the end of the year? 

I feel this is a new years resolution that I can stick to. Quitting smoking has never worked that well. 

Cousin_Creditor

The savings I would make on quitting smoking would be £4k for the year. I would dearly love to quit smoking and subtract £4k from my debt. It would reduce it to £9k. 

I do need a job though, however. I'm desperate for a job. I am still unemployed. 

Cousin_Creditor

There's some movement on the job hunt front. I have an interview on Monday at 1700. 

There are a few other leads as well where I will potentially get an invite to interview or an induction. 

Edit: I also wore a smoking patch today, and so I did not smoke. I guess I saved my Mum £11.50 then. 

MFWannabe

Great news! Good luck for Monday 🤞

Cousin_Creditor

MFWannabe said:

Great news! Good luck for Monday 🤞

Thank you very much for the encouragement. 

Can you remember your journey to being debt-free? 

Cousin_Creditor

I attended a job interview recently. I am one of 10 applicants. I don't hold much hope that I'll get the job, but you never know. If I do get the job, I'll be cooking on gas. 

I still haven't had a response from the council about my council tax reduction. As it stands, I might be summoned to court being that I can't/haven't paid my bill. 

I don't have any other job leads. Just dead ends. I am sending out application after application with no joy. The job centre refer me into pointless things as well.

I'm going to have to beg my narc father for £110 for my property service charge otherwise I risk losing my lease.