Page 3 | Feeling a bit sick at 0 to £3k cc debt within 3 months

Liesmorelies · 2025-10-27T17:50:33+00:00

No debt other than mortgage and separate car loan (cheap car - £95 per month over 5 years, ends next year) for a few years now and suddenly it's gone up to £3k just like that. It's due to £1k leftover from big holiday (USA) spending in the summer - I knew this would have happened and thought it would be paid by now, which it would have had the following not happened: - car repair at £500 just before we went away in July. Paid not on CC but obviously meant had less money in current account. - Car service + minor repair when we got back - £400 - Cat having to be pts following some tests. After insurance still left with £400 to pay. Some of the claim was settled separately so I actually only pay £400 but didn't allocate the other money when it came in so total of £600 to pay now. - New laptop for ds going to uni - £800 - Other cat needed dental work not covered on insurance - £700 - Adopted two kittens- £200 - Band ds2 loves announced long-awaited tour dates - been promised to ds for about 2 years - £350 - Other expenses for ds starting uni and travel - around £500. Not all put on CC but has meant less money at the end of every month to throw at the cc. Ds starting uni means I have to give more money to him each month and have also had to raise ds2's allowance to match what ds1 had at his age - it's not huge but all adds up. I do have it all on interest free cards and should be able to spend around £500 on it each month, maybe more. In addition I have a £20k isa maturing at the end of the year, but wanted that to be a buffer for dc in uni so don't really want to touch it. I know a lot of this was avoidable but it's scary how quickly it has all piled on.

iamnotalemon · 27/10/2025 20:59

Not sure why you are being defensive OP, you posted saying you felt sick at the credit card debt and now you are saying you can afford it 🤷‍♀️

But yes, it goes to show how quickly debts increase with unaccounted emergencies or luxuries.

Pepperedpickles · 27/10/2025 21:04

iamnotalemon · 27/10/2025 20:59

Not sure why you are being defensive OP, you posted saying you felt sick at the credit card debt and now you are saying you can afford it 🤷‍♀️

But yes, it goes to show how quickly debts increase with unaccounted emergencies or luxuries.

This.

Either you’re concerned about it or you’re not… I have a lot of cc debt, mostly from when we’ve had stuff like the roof going wrong etc. It’s a horrible place to be; even if you can afford it but I think it’s really important to separate stuff that is really essential and stuff that isn’t. It’s very easy to suddenly have an expense that IS a real emergency and no way to pay for it because you’ve maxed out credit on kittens / laptops / band tickets etc.

Justcallmedaffodil · 27/10/2025 21:06

Liesmorelies · 27/10/2025 19:06

Surprised by some of these replies really. Completely agree I should have waited until after Christmas to get the kittens, but the rest was unavoidable and, had it not all happened within a couple of months, would have been fine and wouldn't have needed to involve credit and I would also have been able to pay off the holiday. I do think I underestimated the cost of getting ds off to uni and upfront costs of that too, even things like visiting family and meals out for that on the way, but that's done now.

Ds isn't allowed to work at his uni but did have a part-time job before going. We researched the laptop and I don't think you get all that much for much less than that. They all seemed to be Chromebooks, which wouldn't have worked for him. Yes, you can get lucky with something cheap being great, but if not you're stuck having to buy again.

I don't really think it's unaffordable either - as I said, I'd rather not have it, but I can spend at least £500 per month in it so it should all be gone in 6 months and the interest free period is 20 months. Before the summer I generally had around £800 -900 left at the end of the month, but now that will be less - I'm thinking £500-600. August-September were expensive but that should settle down now so I should be fine.

Gig tickets don’t really fall into the category of “unavoidable” spending IMO.

TwoTuesday · 27/10/2025 21:12

I don't think you need to feel sick about it, or worry at all. The whole amount is less than one month's income, it's at 0% interest and you've got £20k on the way. And you have hundreds of pounds available every month to pay it off anyway. I wouldn't have bought 2 more cats though, as your vet bills for the others were so high. Maybe get a car on a lease instead so no repair bills?

IMustDoMoreExercise · 27/10/2025 21:21

Is the debt on a 0% interest card?

ReadingSoManyThreads · 27/10/2025 21:22

It all seems very manageable to pay this off. However, I do think you need to rethink your spending, a lot of unnecessary spending there, and I am failing to understand how DS couldn't have purchased his own laptop, or at least paid for half of it.

"I have got the means though - access to free credit." That is not a responsible attitude when it comes to money.

I really think you'd benefit from watching/listening to Dave Ramsey.

I winced at the unnecessary spending you've done, and wondering why you didn't have an emergency fund for car/boiler/vet emergencies etc.?

Owly11 · 27/10/2025 21:54

Wow you are leading quite a spend spend spend lifestyle. I would start spending less and saving more and only buy things out of savings when you can afford it.

Original poster

Liesmorelies · 27/10/2025 22:00

Wow you are leading quite a spend spend spend lifestyle.

What, by having the car fixed when needed, treating pets when needed and buying a one-off item for each of my sons? And normally having around a 1/4 of my income left at the end of the month?

OP posts:

Upsetbetty · 27/10/2025 22:04

@Liesmorelies what do you want people to say…you said you feel sick…people are telling you that you are spending beyond your means but you think it’s justified, people are telling what you are overspending on and you have an answer for everything! What exactly was the bloody point in posting if you know best?! Go on and live beyond your means then if you have a handle on it.

TheFlis · 27/10/2025 22:16

Liesmorelies · 27/10/2025 22:00

Wow you are leading quite a spend spend spend lifestyle.

What, by having the car fixed when needed, treating pets when needed and buying a one-off item for each of my sons? And normally having around a 1/4 of my income left at the end of the month?

But if you have 1/4 left each month, why didn’t you have an emergency fund? And you say this will never happen again but at any time your cats could get ill or your car could need more work or your boiler could go bang. I really think you are in denial about your spending.

CarpetKnees · 27/10/2025 22:20

Another who can't understand what you want from this thread.

You started of saying you were feeling sick at having the debt.

Many people have pointed out you are clearly living beyond your means.

You keep insisting that it isn't a problem as you have the savings should they be needed, but you also have a very large net monthly income with a very manageable small mortgage, so people are questioning why you therefore haven't saved up / budgeted for predictable things like Vet expenses and car expenses.
You are saying the America holiday was a big, one of, special event. Fine. So therefore, this year you don't have the money to

spend more than twice as much as you needed to on a laptop
get yourself two more money sucking pets
spend £££ on tickets for a concert abroad

If you think the debt is manageable, or nothing to be worried about - we all have a different attitude to debt - then why start a thread saying you feel a bit sick about it ?

mamagogo1 · 27/10/2025 22:29

by careful spending you can pay off the card and you have learned a lesson, you need to save up more to cover these sudden but mostly predictable costs, eg car repair was one off but servicing a minor repair are predictable and need to be budgeted for, kids going to university is also something you should have budgeted for (£800 is a lot for a laptop, we paid £520 last week) and getting more cats?

save up once you have paid off your cards and build a buffer in your account

WhistPie · 27/10/2025 22:30

I see the competitive poverty merchants are out en masse

Yes, I know.how debt can quickly build up, it did for me when my boyfriend died unexpectedly and I spent to numb the pain. But I stopped spending after 3 months and got myself back on track, I paid off the debt (0%, like you) and then built up a buffer. I'm sure you can do the same & don't need advice!

Blueberry911 · 27/10/2025 22:33

Pets are a luxury. You don't buy two kittens if you can't afford dental work for your cat. How ridiculous.

Original poster

Liesmorelies · 27/10/2025 22:57

I can afford the cat's dental work - the work has been done and would have been paid there and then were it not for everything else. As it is, it will be paid for by April, along with everything else. @Blueberry911 you make it sound like I'm not caring for the pets I have and then getting more, which isn't the case.

I pay for the car service normally out of my salary, but this year all the other stuff happened at the same time. If I'd paid say £500 for a laptop instead of £800 it wouldn't make much overall difference, would it?

People keep asking about why I haven't got an emergency fund (aside from the ISA, which does exist) but I have said I have not been on this income all along, just for around 2 years. I usually save up for things like holidays/concerts/Christmas and have the ISA separate. But since the promotion I put most spare money to the USA trip, which was money well-spent in my opinion. Now that's done I will channel all spare cash to this debt, though there will be a bit less as I do have to send money to ds at uni.

As for the cats, the original ones I have had for 15 years and, apart from one having a couple of abscesses over the years, they have not cost much at all. Obviously they are old now (one pts) but I have no reason to think the kittens will be more expensive than they were over their lifetimes. They might be but it will be manageable. I did only plan to get one but most came in pairs. I should have waited a few months, yes, but not the end of the world.

OP posts:

Bonden · 27/10/2025 23:12

But you don’t feel “abit sick”do you, OP? You feel 100% justified.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 27/10/2025 23:19

Liesmorelies · 27/10/2025 19:23

I think if my take home pay is £3900 and my mortgage £700 and no other big expenses I shouldn't be limited to 'essentials only' spending?

i think you should have savings to dip into not credit cards with this big income?

Crispynoodle · 27/10/2025 23:33

The uni years are financially draining that’s for sure I was skint until they were done!

ReadingSoManyThreads · 28/10/2025 01:07

I think you're still missing the point really, either that or you just don't want to listen. Being on that salary for a couple of years is more than enough time to build a small emergency fund of say £5K. That should have been a priority over a holiday to America. I just think you've got your priorities all wrong. Spending money without that emergency back up. This thread is pointless as you don't want advice.

Augustus40 · 28/10/2025 05:33

Pets and holidays are only for the super rich these days. You need to stop having them end of.

Running cars is very costly too but a necessity for many owing to their jobs/children.

whimsicallyprickly · 28/10/2025 05:43

Liesmorelies · 27/10/2025 20:50

OP takes home £3.9k a month. Her monthly mortgage repayment is £700. She has no child care costs. She shouldn't be relying on credit cards to pay for anything.

Reached this salary last year and most of my disposable income went towards the USA holiday. No regrets whatsoever but it's why I 'only' have the £20k savings despite this salary/mortgage.

If you've got no regrets why the heck are you posting on here about not having enough money?

Do not have pets, go on holiday or spend ANY money other than essential spends UNTIL you have an emergency fund of 6 times your net monthly salary

Once you have this emergency fund you can start saving for holidays etc

If you're going to ignore every piece of advice on here, then you will be in debt

SErunner · 28/10/2025 05:58

I think you need to look at whether you can afford these big holidays - a lot on your list are things I would have budgeted for. Others are not essential (adopting kittens, band tickets, new laptop (second hand would have been fine)). It might be worth a review of your finances to reframe what you can realistically afford at this point in your life.

andjustlikethat1 · 28/10/2025 06:02

Your heart is in the right place x you appear to be a very kind person buying for other people and caring for animals xxxxx Don’t feel bad just try and pay it off xxx 😘

Blueberry911 · 28/10/2025 06:17

Liesmorelies · 27/10/2025 22:57

I can afford the cat's dental work - the work has been done and would have been paid there and then were it not for everything else. As it is, it will be paid for by April, along with everything else. @Blueberry911 you make it sound like I'm not caring for the pets I have and then getting more, which isn't the case.

I pay for the car service normally out of my salary, but this year all the other stuff happened at the same time. If I'd paid say £500 for a laptop instead of £800 it wouldn't make much overall difference, would it?

People keep asking about why I haven't got an emergency fund (aside from the ISA, which does exist) but I have said I have not been on this income all along, just for around 2 years. I usually save up for things like holidays/concerts/Christmas and have the ISA separate. But since the promotion I put most spare money to the USA trip, which was money well-spent in my opinion. Now that's done I will channel all spare cash to this debt, though there will be a bit less as I do have to send money to ds at uni.

As for the cats, the original ones I have had for 15 years and, apart from one having a couple of abscesses over the years, they have not cost much at all. Obviously they are old now (one pts) but I have no reason to think the kittens will be more expensive than they were over their lifetimes. They might be but it will be manageable. I did only plan to get one but most came in pairs. I should have waited a few months, yes, but not the end of the world.

Then I'm not sure why you made this thread, because you're not feeling sick, you're feeling like it was all okay 😂

springintoaction2 · 28/10/2025 06:23

I have 2 points for the OP - you can get a fabulous reconditioned computer from Back Market (or phone) for a lot less than £800.

Plus - why have you not posted pics of the two new kittens???

The credit card bill is 'meh' to me. We had the same when we took our family to USA to visit the cousins - paid it off over a year - and our income was probably a lot less than yours.

It was worth it, and not a trip that was going to be repeated.