No more excuses - It is time to get serious

laurag89
laurag89 Posts: 728 Forumite
First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
in Debt free diaries
New Diary - New Start!

Im not going to wait until 1st Jan, I need to get serious about clearing my debt now!
I have been clearing debt and putting it back on for as long as I can remember - and I am never going to get rid of it once and for all unless I stop making excuses.

So a little about me: I am 28 (29 in March), Homeowner with a mortgage, and engaged (Getting Married June 2019). Also I have been debt for around 10 years now - which thinking about it is scary because that tells me that for all of this time I have been horrendous at managing my money.

There is absolutely no excuse, I earn pretty decent money for my area - around 30K a year with bonus annually, and I have taken on a second job on a Sunday purely to save for this wedding and to clear my debts. I only take £72 per month on my second job as only work two Sundays a month.

I have to pay the balance on my wedding dress in January which is £1300 and I'm ashamed to say I already know I need to take a 0% credit card for purchases to front the money. My second job is to pay for this specifically although I now plan to continue it after the wedding to clear my debts.

Shameful breakdown:

Very - 0% and will be paid before interest free ends: £249.28

First Direct Loan - (Consolidation a while ago): £10,550.32 - payment on this is £277.64 per month

Lloyds CC - 0% for 30 months - £3271.81

Total Debt: £14,071.41

So I am aiming to have this paid off in 3 years maximum which means I need to be paying £390.87 per month which is basically what I am paying now!

However my circumstances are due to change in Feb as our mortgage payment comes down so I will have another £180 spare to pay to my debts.

Anyway sorry for the long story, but after my wedding dress I am putting nothing onto credit cards! That is the hardest part of the battle for me! Tomorrow I am going to start a fresh with survey sites and all money earned will be going to credit cards!
Total debt to pay: £14,071.41/ Remaining debt: £12,884.12: Amount Paid: £1,187.29

Survey xmas 2018 savings: £10 / £150
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Comments

  • Poor_Single_lady
    Poor_Single_lady Posts: 1,527 Forumite
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Welcome Laura. :wave:

    You have a lot going on so hoping the diary will help. xxx
    2017- 5 credit cards plus loan
    Overdraft And 1 credit card paid off.

    2018 plans - reduce debt
  • laurag89
    laurag89 Posts: 728 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Poor_Single_lady wrote: »
    Welcome Laura. :wave:

    You have a lot going on so hoping the diary will help. xxx

    Hello :)

    Thank you for taking the time to read my diary so far, it ended up much longer than i planned!

    There is a lot going on, but hoping that I can finally knuckle down and get rid of this debt. I am hiding away and avoiding the boxing day sales today!
    Total debt to pay: £14,071.41/ Remaining debt: £12,884.12: Amount Paid: £1,187.29

    Survey xmas 2018 savings: £10 / £150
  • laurag89
    laurag89 Posts: 728 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Hope anybody reading had a lovely Christmas!

    So good news - I managed to avoid the boxing day sales yesterday, because clearly I can't afford it.

    I caught up on surveys, trying to do these everyday to work towards vouchers for next christmas, or cash to pay to my credit cards.

    Did my food shop online yesterday for today so all prepared for lunches at work Thurs and Fri - I find shopping online much better for us because we don't get tempted to add extra things we do not need into our trolley, and online shopping takes a lot more planning to know exactly what you need for each meal.

    Its a long way to January payday so not certain what I will have left out of my wages to pay to debt. Im saying £100 per month to the wedding, and £100 per month to holiday fund as we have a holiday booked in June which I do not want to pay with credit cards! So once June Hol is done I will have a spare £100 also for debts.
    Total debt to pay: £14,071.41/ Remaining debt: £12,884.12: Amount Paid: £1,187.29

    Survey xmas 2018 savings: £10 / £150
  • redofromstart
    redofromstart Posts: 4,152 Forumite
    First Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper First Post
    Happy new diary, and good luck with your journey.

    Well done on ignoring the sales. I'm trying to stay clear too, don't actually need anything. It's fatal to even look isn't it?
    My mortgage free diary: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6498069/whoops-here-comes-the-cheese

  • laurag89
    laurag89 Posts: 728 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    redofromstart wrote: »
    Happy new diary, and good luck with your journey.

    Well done on ignoring the sales. I'm trying to stay clear too, don't actually need anything. It's fatal to even look isn't it?

    Yes even looking is fatal! So easy to make yourself believe you really need something because it is in the sale!

    I know even if I look i will start making excuses to buy things, so I am just avoiding it full stop now. :)
    Total debt to pay: £14,071.41/ Remaining debt: £12,884.12: Amount Paid: £1,187.29

    Survey xmas 2018 savings: £10 / £150
  • laurag89
    laurag89 Posts: 728 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    So today I have been a little lazy as not feeling to great! My lovely partner has passed me his cold and cough just in time for newyear.
    However on a positive note I have spent no money, and we are now having a quiet newyear tomorrow going out for a meal at the local Tandori. I know there is money involved with that but no where near the extent of going out and needing taxi's and paying entry etc!

    Today I cashed out a £10 Boots voucher on Valued Opinions, when that arrives I'm am going to start my Christmas 2018 saving stash!
    I also completed surveys on other sites, but still a while till I can cash out!

    So I am not usually one for making new years resolutions however this year I am:

    1. Stop Smoking (Tobacco). I do have a vapour thing which I know we don't exactly know if they are safe or not, but I am planning to move across to this and then move to 0% Nicotine to then stop. But from 1st Jan - No more tobacco!

    2. Add nothing to debt for the whole of 2018! Now this one will be hard, because the moment something goes wrong I think to put it on the credit card, but this need to stop. I will also aim to pay off all remaining money each other to the debt to bring down the total!
    Total debt to pay: £14,071.41/ Remaining debt: £12,884.12: Amount Paid: £1,187.29

    Survey xmas 2018 savings: £10 / £150
  • laurag89
    laurag89 Posts: 728 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    I forgot to add that the adding nothing to debt is not including my wedding dress balance as explained in my first post - however this is covered by my second job.
    Total debt to pay: £14,071.41/ Remaining debt: £12,884.12: Amount Paid: £1,187.29

    Survey xmas 2018 savings: £10 / £150
  • System
    System Posts: 178,093 Community Admin
    Photogenic Name Dropper First Post
    Good luck - especially with giving up ciggies too. Just think not only will you be financially better off but much healthier too. Xx
  • laurag89
    laurag89 Posts: 728 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Thank you ramblehan! Happy Newyear to you!

    It is the one thing I really struggle with, well that and finances! But I am thinking if I track my progress with both on here it will keep me more focused.
    Total debt to pay: £14,071.41/ Remaining debt: £12,884.12: Amount Paid: £1,187.29

    Survey xmas 2018 savings: £10 / £150
  • laurag89
    laurag89 Posts: 728 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Thought I would quickly update whilst i have a spare 5 mins.

    My £277 loan payment has gone out so i will be back to update my totals later!
    This weekend i plan to stick some unused items on ebay and other selling sites, and continue with my surveys!

    I am working my second job on sunday so that is more money towards my wedding dress!

    Three long weeks until next payday, january is such a long month to survive moneywise but i am just aiming to not use the credit card and i will be happy! Its an expensive montj too as i have the dentist and quite a few birthdays :(!
    Total debt to pay: £14,071.41/ Remaining debt: £12,884.12: Amount Paid: £1,187.29

    Survey xmas 2018 savings: £10 / £150
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