It has taken a while but I have finally gotten below the lowest record balance I have had in about a decade. Way back in December 2004 my total debit balance was down to a mere £6,662.28 before it slowly (but insistently) climbed to the heights of £20,056.05 in June 2007. That amount really horrified me - how could I be in so much debt but have nothing to show for it? And so my blog journey started.
Now my total debt is £6,637.58 - OK that may only be £24.70 less than my lowest balance but it's a huge breakthrough for me and better still it is not yet the end of the month so I am working at getting below £6k by the end of the month. The getting out of debt business is getting lots of fun.
Haven't done so well on my £5 a day plan last week - brought my big bro a belated birthday gift, new earphones for my ipod and some stationary that I needed to that blew the plan for the week but I am back on track this week. I wont beat my self up as I have been very good and I haven't been using credit (rule No. 1 is still in place).
My NoCreditNeeded goal of clearing my debt by the end of this month is not going to happen but ending it under £6k is a reason to celebrate I reckon!
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
March Update
Well I am down to only two credit cards and would like them both gone (forever) by July this year.
The higher interest changing card is going first and currently it stands at £4,560.49. The idea is to throw as much money at it till it is totally gone and to pay £100 a month on the other card until the first is cleared. This monthly payment is more than double the required payment for the month but as the credit card company has reduced the percentage you have to pay each month that doesn't say too much.
With that all under control - the rest of my finances are now very much easier to deal with. I have reduced my monthly expense to under £200 a month and my £5 a day spending plan is keeping me on the straight and narrow when it comes to spending. I now tend to leave my debit card at home and my one and only unchopped credit card is kept well away from my handbag.
I have a few bank accounts scatted about with small amounts in them which I need to sort out as I feel that changed bank accounts are just around the corner here in the UK. I keep getting asked if I want to open a premier account which cost over £5 a month and includes travel insurance etc. but I am not interested. On Monday when I was taking out my weekly spending money the question popped up on the cash machine outside the bank and if you are not careful you could end up with an account by accident.
Trip to Turkey in early May is still on the cards and as yet I haven't worked out the costs so I really must get onto that as it is now March.
The higher interest changing card is going first and currently it stands at £4,560.49. The idea is to throw as much money at it till it is totally gone and to pay £100 a month on the other card until the first is cleared. This monthly payment is more than double the required payment for the month but as the credit card company has reduced the percentage you have to pay each month that doesn't say too much.
With that all under control - the rest of my finances are now very much easier to deal with. I have reduced my monthly expense to under £200 a month and my £5 a day spending plan is keeping me on the straight and narrow when it comes to spending. I now tend to leave my debit card at home and my one and only unchopped credit card is kept well away from my handbag.
I have a few bank accounts scatted about with small amounts in them which I need to sort out as I feel that changed bank accounts are just around the corner here in the UK. I keep getting asked if I want to open a premier account which cost over £5 a month and includes travel insurance etc. but I am not interested. On Monday when I was taking out my weekly spending money the question popped up on the cash machine outside the bank and if you are not careful you could end up with an account by accident.
Trip to Turkey in early May is still on the cards and as yet I haven't worked out the costs so I really must get onto that as it is now March.
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