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Life overhaul

2 replies

Overhauler · 17/09/2023 13:52

i couldn’t decide which topic to post this in but as it’s mostly money oriented I thought it would go here.
not sure if anyone wants to join but I am starting a bit of a life overhaul, I have recently finished uni and secured myself a decent job. Pay isn’t fabulous mumsnet style but more than double I’ve ever earned before with some great potential to work up.
I am edging close to 40 and feel like I really messed up my life when younger and it’s taking me a long time to get it right. I was a single parent from my early twenties but now have a long term partner and second child. Home life wise everything is great.
I have around 4k of debt which I really want to focus on and pay off as quickly as possible,
i need to learn to drive and lose around a stone weight wise and generally be healthier so targets in a lot of areas
i feel like everyone around me at this stage in life has wonderful careers, owns their home and are so stable money wise and I have been floundering and just bobbing along so I would really like to change that.
my aim is that by 45 I can look back and realise I’ve achieved all these, the main one being bringing my debt under control.
I checked my credit score today and it is horrific, it’s really given me the push to work hard to turn things around
i can be a bit of an impulse buyer although now I’ve changed jobs I don’t have as easy access to shops through the week and not much time so that is helping.
It’s my first payday next week so I am hoping to try and sort my bills out and see what I have left afterwards to make a plan with.
if anyone would like to join me or has any tips or advice then feel free.
I am unsure of how to approach the debt. I quite like the Dave Ramsey method of paying them off from smallest to largest but then wonder if spreading the money I have across them all so they all start to reduce may be better or paying off first the ones with the highest interest or monthly payment?
I will see how I get on over the next few weeks I guess and update (even if it’s just for myself) as I go

OP posts:
BuddhaAtSea · 17/09/2023 14:04

If you go on money saving expert website, under credit cards you can see if any of the banks are prepared to give you a 0% transfer, it’s a soft search, it won’t show on your credit score. It might be worth a try.

The more you earn, the more you spend. I have no idea how that works, but it’s definitely a thing. To stop that, I pay myself first. Set up a regular saver to come out on the day after payday. One account for bills, one for food/petrol.

HTH

BarbaraofSeville · 18/09/2023 09:44

Definitely recommend the debt help section of Moneysavingexpert.com.

Your first priorities should be setting a budget and minimising the interest you pay if you can.

Then concentrate on paying down your debt, but without details it's hard to be specific on what's best.

However I'm sure that with your great new job and only owing £4k you'll be debt free in no time.

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