Can someone help me make a plan of action?

[RavioliOnToast]

I have a barclaycard with a balance of £821 and a next account with a balance of about £745.

I've just started a new job with contracted hours and so will be getting regular wages again. I'll be working 18.5 hours a week and earning 189£ pw.

This will average about £800 per month with my overnight allowance.

My initial idea before I start taking chunks out is-

My first wage will be 4 weeks full time, no overnights, so will come in at about £1000 after tax and ni- I was going to pay £200 for my tumble dryer (bought on buy now pay later, £200 is the entire balance so that could be gone), 2/300 for Christmas presents. £200 away for minimum payments on the cards whilst I save some kind of cushion to keep me afloat. £400 for shopping and things (won't spend this amount though), anything left, into savings.

Next month will be the £800- with this wage, I was going to half whatever I get paid and pay it off one of the cards. Or shall I just put £200 towards it, plus last months £200 for repayments and then put £200 into savings? Repeat the month after... I don't want to end up in a situation where I have no money left for the month so then start putting money on my CC again. I want them paid and closed.

What would you clever lot do?

Liberated!! I meant liberated- stupid phone...

Tesco do one that has 0% on money transfers, into your current account, if you transfer within the first 90 days.

So you can pay the two debts off that way.

There are quite a few offers around.

If you go over to Martin Lewis' MSE board and go onto the Debt Free Wannabees forum you'll get loads of advice and suggestions on there.

Can you sell anything on gumtree or ebay and throw that at your debt? I also take part in the odd survey, very tedious but I've got £30 in Sainsburys vouchers and about £20 in cash (paid into paypal) over the past 4 months.

I've sold about £200 worth of stuff on ebay over the summer, stuff that was just sitting round in a cupboard. I even sold an old damaged kindle and case for £15.

I always just feel bad when they don't have much to open. And toys are quite expensive now too. I'm sucked in by consumerism and that I should be buying them loads.

It's possible to get 'lots to open' cheaply, if you shop at the right places. Personally I'm not a fan of pound shops etc, but this site is fabulous for really good Christmas bargains;

www.hawkin.com/

Just wanted to update the thread. My MBNA card came through the post today and as soon as I activated the card online the money was in my bank. I've now paid off my next account and have arranged for it to be closed as soon as the amount clears and I just paid £800 off my barclaycard. It now has a grand total of £67 on it which I'll pay if half this week and half next.

I'm going to pay £150 a month for 12 months off the MBNA card and then once it's paid i want to apply for a new credit card with hopefully a better interest rate.

Would it be better for my credit rating though if I kept the barclaycard open? I won't use it but just wanted to know how it'll look on my credit file?

Won't really make a difference to your credit score if you leave it open because you're managing other debt, as long as you don't miss any payments on the others and keep the payments regular you won't need to keep the old one open too.
Went to the metrocentre today - currently loads of 50% off toy sales on, worth having a look and spending half of what you originally intended?

Which shops were the toy sales on Q? do you remember. I feel like I can breathe again now. I'm a bit emotional

Just remember you still have the ORIGINAL debt, you've just switched it around so that its in another place! It hasn't gone anywhere!!

You need to cut up the Barclaycard AND the MBNA card! If you use them you'll just carry on increasing the debt.

If you can't bear to cut them up, put them in a bowl of water and put them in the freezer. The minute you use them you're increasing the debt, so you'll be paying £150 a month PLUS the new spends.

Use money you have in your current account to buy presents. If you don't have the money, don't buy them.

I am aware of having the original debt but now I'm not paying interest off it. My minimum payments last month were in the region of £80 and only around £35 of it actually paid off any balance. At least this way I'm making an actual dent in it.

How old are the DC? Can't you buy them presents from eBay?

Dd1 is 4.5 DD2 is 20mo. What kind of things from eBay? I haven't really looked before. I know they do little wooden things from China but I'm not keen cause of the paint and things on them.

There's a half price toy sale at tesco Argos & sainsbury. Disney DVDs 2 for £12 in lidl.
For £100 you'd get quite a bit. Your dc don't notice a big pile of presents unless adults say it's a big or little pile.

I know argos and there's a toy shop near the yellow entrance (can't for the life of Me remember it's name) mothercare too.
Tesco have emailed me this morning about theirs, I'm getting all my little people Xmas presents now In these sales as too many nieces and nephews and it means I only end up spending 15/20 on each

Goodness me they're babies. They will have absolutely no idea whether their toys are second hand or new. I am quite astonished that you'd spend that much on them.

Practically anything you'd buy in the shops you'll find on eBay second hand. Stuff like lego, duplo, sticklebricks, zoobs, mobilo, playmobil can even be put through the dishwasher.

Until my DC were about 7ish about 80% of their presents every year would be from eBay and even now things like audio books will always be bought second hand. You save a fortune.

They are 4.5 and 2!
You can go to a car boot sale this weekend and plenty for both of them for £50 total. (less if necessary)
It is really is crazy to spend £300 on small children when you're in debt.

I have 2 teenage boys aged 13 and 17. I spend £200 each on them for Christmas but I save for this all year. I don't use my credit card at all much nowadays as I'm budgeting and saving.

My friend sells stuff on eBay, she buys the 3 for 2 toys from Boots and then sells them on, all brand new. There are loads of brand new toys on eBay.

Kids as young as yours don't know how much things cost. I used to buy one biggish main present (£15-20)and then lots of little things e.g book, pj's, socks, jigsaw, crayons, colouring book, selection box, DVD or story CD's. you can make a massive pile of presents for little money.

My boys end up with about 3 things now. I miss the toddler years!