Crunchy's Final Debt Free Diary!

Hello everyone!

Yesterday I celebrated 4 years of keeping a diary on here!

So much has changed in that time. We have moved house twice, welcomed our daughter into the family and paid down a whole lot of debt and also racked up a whole lot more.

Last year we managed to pay off around £12k of a loan in about 5-6 months and a year ago we had only £2800 left to go. We then decided to move and at the same time I quit a job I hated to do a course and I'm now about to set up a business doing something that I love.

Moving house and living off one income has meant that we are now around £13k in debt again. I no longer feel guilty about it I just want to pay it off as soon as possible in a sustainable way that has little impact on our current living standards (we are quite frugal but could def improve).

I'm calling this the final diary as I really mean it. This is my 5 diary I think in 4 years and we want to get our lifestyle nailed once and for all so we don't have to do this again and can move onto tackling our HUGE mortgage!

I look forward to this challenge and hope that you will join me!

Crunchy x
19/8/19 vs now Current Total debt £14,188 Savings £2757
Overdraft £1600 vs £1050
HSBC1 £1900 vs £3868
HSBC2 £4100 vs £3730
Virgin 1 £3050 vs £2800
House stuff and improvements £4460 Virgin 2 £2740
«13456740

Comments

  • beanielou
    beanielou Posts: 90,186 Ambassador
    Academoney Grad I'm a Volunteer Ambassador Mortgage-free Glee! Name Dropper
    Happy shiny new diary :)
    I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.

    Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
    "A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of" Jane Austen in Mansfield Park.

    ***Fall down seven times,stand up eight*** ~~Japanese proverb.
    ***Keep plodding*** Out of debt, out of danger. ***Be the difference.***
    One debt remaining. Home improvement loan.
  • dawnybabes
    dawnybabes Posts: 2,559 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Whoop, onwards and upwards x
    Sealed pot challenge 822

    Jan - £176.66 :j
  • enthusiasticsaver
    enthusiasticsaver Posts: 15,585 Ambassador
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    Living off one income is hard these days but hopefully your business will start to bring in an income soon. The credit cards all appear to be 0 so are you tackling the overdraft first?
    I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Debt free Wannabe, Budgeting and Banking and Savings and Investment boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • crunch_time
    crunch_time Posts: 1,353 Forumite
    Living off one income is hard these days but hopefully your business will start to bring in an income soon. The credit cards all appear to be 0 so are you tackling the overdraft first?

    My signature needs to be updated for sure. My HSBC one is all 0% but husbands saisnburys one is not all 0%. I recently tried to apply for a new 0% for him but was rejected so we are stuck for now paying about £20 interest a month.

    My sainsburys one is about £4k now with about £1.5k at 0% until August next year.

    We also have husbands HSBC one with about £500 on it as have had to have new tyres put on the car.

    The overdraft will stay on the back burner for a few more months. It costs us £10 a month but we do need to be rid of it by the end of the year.

    At the moment I need to work out exactly what is on my sainsburys card and work out a plan with that one as it is the biggest and most expensive. I also need to make sure we have enough money to get us through the month.

    Last year husband got a 10% pay rise in July so wondering if the same thing will happen this year. Not relying on it but it would be nice!!

    Crunchy xx
    19/8/19 vs now Current Total debt £14,188 Savings £2757
    Overdraft £1600 vs £1050
    HSBC1 £1900 vs £3868
    HSBC2 £4100 vs £3730
    Virgin 1 £3050 vs £2800
    House stuff and improvements £4460 Virgin 2 £2740
  • crunch_time
    crunch_time Posts: 1,353 Forumite
    Morning debt free diaryland!!

    So yesterday I registered myself as self employed and bought the url for my company! Such a great and big step for me.

    Next step is to sort out the website and my pricing structure and I!!!8217;m off!! Oh just need to get my head around selling myself too! Ha ha!!

    I have also made an appointment with a supply agency for work 1-2 days a week to supplement my income. Day rate is £120 so a nice little earner if I can get the work.

    I checked out husbands potential pay rise as well. Last year!!!8217;s payslip says he was paid an extra £150 a month from end of July. So if the same thing happens again it will be then. I should imagine if it does he!!!8217;ll get a letter.

    I still need to go through my cc with a fine tooth comb and figure out exactly what is on there and then devise a plan of action.

    Pay day is next Friday! Yippee!!

    Crunchy x
    19/8/19 vs now Current Total debt £14,188 Savings £2757
    Overdraft £1600 vs £1050
    HSBC1 £1900 vs £3868
    HSBC2 £4100 vs £3730
    Virgin 1 £3050 vs £2800
    House stuff and improvements £4460 Virgin 2 £2740
  • hugglemonster
    hugglemonster Posts: 1,244 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    Best wishes Crunchy, you sound determined!
  • Good luck :)
    Just trying to make up for past mistakes and work towards the future I want :hello:
  • crunch_time
    crunch_time Posts: 1,353 Forumite
    Just looked at my sains credit card account online and its a horrific £4784!!!!! I can't look at statements as it said that part of the system was down but it's about £700 over what I thought.

    Ah well. It will all get paid off for sure!!

    Crunchy
    19/8/19 vs now Current Total debt £14,188 Savings £2757
    Overdraft £1600 vs £1050
    HSBC1 £1900 vs £3868
    HSBC2 £4100 vs £3730
    Virgin 1 £3050 vs £2800
    House stuff and improvements £4460 Virgin 2 £2740
  • crunch_time
    crunch_time Posts: 1,353 Forumite
    Signature now updated £12,205 in debt and ready to SMASH!!!

    Crunchy xx
    19/8/19 vs now Current Total debt £14,188 Savings £2757
    Overdraft £1600 vs £1050
    HSBC1 £1900 vs £3868
    HSBC2 £4100 vs £3730
    Virgin 1 £3050 vs £2800
    House stuff and improvements £4460 Virgin 2 £2740
  • crunch_time
    crunch_time Posts: 1,353 Forumite
    Right,

    £519 will come off the debt next Friday just from a combination of min payments and planned overpayments. I also have some shoes to return tomorrow which will knock £20 off.

    My HSBC card is the one that is just going to run for the time being. It!!!8217;s the only one that is completely 0%. The min payment is £79 this month.

    I need to review our budget for sure. The great thing about this debt is that it is a great indicator of how we are spending our money. We haven!!!8217;t gone overboard in anyway these last 6 months just struggled to make ends meet in a bigger house with only one income. Time for an honest look at our lifestyle and see where we can make changes if any.

    Crunchy x
    19/8/19 vs now Current Total debt £14,188 Savings £2757
    Overdraft £1600 vs £1050
    HSBC1 £1900 vs £3868
    HSBC2 £4100 vs £3730
    Virgin 1 £3050 vs £2800
    House stuff and improvements £4460 Virgin 2 £2740
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