Single income, AuDHD, £31k debt, no savings

puffintail

I did the transfer, and have paid it onto ZOPA. It's taking ages to clear, but that's just ZOPA in my experience. 

I do have another £0 balance credit card with Tesco, they're offering a money transfer (which I could use to then clear the remaining ZOPA balance) but the rate is 4.99% - better than the ZOPA 8.4%, and it would allow me to have lower overall monthly payments (£603 rather than £667) but I am going to hold off for the time being, I think, for the (small) chance of better money transfer rates in the coming months.

puffintail

I managed to get 5 listings photographed and onto eBay, I'm scraping the barrel a bit at this point, as I've sold a good amount of anything valuable I had, already. The items are niche and the starting bids are around £5 each, so it's fairly uncertain, but I'm keeping hope 🤞🏻
They end in 4 days time.

I did also get a sale on Vinted, so that's £10 I can throw onto the debt when it comes through.

The grocery and fuel "pots" seem to be working, I'm sticking to the plan and consistently taking money out of those pots each time I make a related purchase and sharing it between the sinking funds pots.

1stTimer

The pots made a huge difference to me too, for something that sounds like a lot of work it really does make budgeting a lot easier😃

Scott_Weiland79

Try this for petrol next time you fill up

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=apposing.petrolprices

tiny savings anywhere help in the bigger scheme of things. 

You mentioned sales re vinted/ebay etc

Are you doing anything else to boost earnings?

puffintail

Scott_Weiland79 said:

Try this for petrol next time you fill up

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=apposing.petrolprices

tiny savings anywhere help in the bigger scheme of things. 

You mentioned sales re vinted/ebay etc

Are you doing anything else to boost earnings?

Thanks, I always check the cheapest price I can, keep my tyres topped up, use engine braking, and cruise control to boost the MPG.

With having a full time job, living alone and running a charity on the side, I'm maxed out on my capacity to boost earnings any further, emotionally and physically, but will happily hear any suggestions anyone has. If I can't implement them now, it's food for future thought.

Scott_Weiland79

I get what your saying re petrol, i do all of the same re driving i even drive home from the gym on a road thats a 20mph limit but its quiet as heck so it saves fuel. My car doesnt have cruise control i wish we had gone for the next class up.

Honestly try the app I thought i had found the cheapest petrol station in my area I was paying 132.9 or 133.9 I think it was for petrol, but the app found me one 4mins drive from my gym that's 129.9.

I know its only a couple of quid re filling the car up to the brim but re what you said about getting debt free suggestions all of this is part of it.

Little tweaks and time. If you can save a couple of quid here and there, and bring in a few quid extra here and there from surveys etc paying an extra 50-100 pm off that Lendable loan or Zopa loan will make a difference.

I did all of this lot lol until i built up 50-75 in a savings account and then i would make an overpayment.


I would do surveys on my phone in free time or during breaks at work or commuting time

Anything i bought on line i would make sure i used cashback sites where i could. My mindset was if i bought something online or did an insurance switch could i use top cashback.

I still do this I have just got back from seeing my son down south, 13quid cashback pending for a hotel stay from top cashback. I bought him some Superdry clothes as a gift 5 quid cashback pending on top cashback.

My other half bought a load of clothes and so did i for our little girl on a website called Blade and Rose 9 quid cashback pending.



I used apps where i could upload receipts and get money back

I use a current account that pays cashback

I use rewards cards always like nectar/tesco club card, asda rewards app

I use sites like vinted, we buy books, music magpie for old electronics.

Switch to Sim only when its renewal time, at renewal time use a cashback site

Do an honest soa and stick to it.


I used to have a lendable loan and i know you can go on the website and set up to pay additional payments.


Try an app called Curious Cat its an app with lil market research surveys on there. I have used it for years and if i hammer it i can bring in an extra 10-15 pw. I know it doesnt sound alot but think constantly small steps bigger picture.



eg save 2-3 quid on petrol pw

earn a fiver from curious cat pw 

say some cashback pw 5-10 quid

10-15 pw vinted or ebay

thats plus say 20-25 

trust me its doable years ago i went on a mission lol and brought in an extra 1500-1750 in a year.



Prolific Academic and Opinium Research are two other good ones. There are other survey sites but alot are rubbish.

puffintail

Thank you for all of the useful suggestions 

daisy_1571

Puffintail just read your diary and I think you are doing really well.  Between your adhd etc and the physical issues you had this year its amazing you have made such progress, I'm sure lots of people would have given up but here you are determined to get on it again. 

If you fancy a read i find its very inspiring to read other dfw diaries and mfw diaries.   It helps for the feelings you are currently going through  - when you are standing at the starting point its hard to see where to go as it's just going to take soooooooo long, it's easy to think there's no point trying.  Reading the diaries means you see people at that stage but you can follow them through the years and its so clear that these fiver here, tenner theres really do help keep the focus and people DO get sums paid off.

You can also pick up all sorts of hints and tips,some will suit you, some not.

Well done getting more moved over to 0%.  I agree its best to change so you save money monthly as that is giving you more options.   Counter intuitively it might be that the extra monthly money should go into savings for a while.  Building your own money up a bit will let you live off your own money in a month to month way.  Then you genuinely will be paying off the debt, not paying off your normal monthly/yearly costs if you see what I mean.

Dxxx

puffintail

That's a great idea, I'll go track down some DFW diaries to follow. Thank you for the time you've taken in reading mine, and the kind words.

puffintail

Just updated my signature, the ZOPA payment (from the CC money transfer) has gone through, it's nice to see that balance much lower. I'm planning to channel my focus into extra payments, however small, to the Lendable loan, each month. It would be great if paying that down reduced the monthly payments (from a monthly outgoings perspective) but, as it doesn't, I just need to be mindful not to leave myself short by any extra payments I make.

I'm also going to try and balance my mindset more, from one of fear, anxiety, panic, to appreciation for what the debt represents (e.g. comfort, security, providing essentials I couldn't otherwise have had) - not to erase my focus on paying it down, but to make it feel less of a massive demon.

(Just a stream of consciousness download)