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Original poster

Debt Free 2009

119 replies

grouchyoscar · 31/12/2008 11:35

Anyone fancy doing one this year?

I've found it rather helpful/inspirational TBH. On the last day of 2008 I've managed to stay in the black and squirel a tiny bit towards 2009.

I can see things being much tougher in 2009 so lets pool our tips/idea/etc togther and get through it on mass.

Even a credit crunch can't get Mumsnetters eh...well HTH

OP posts:
Jas · 05/01/2009 13:16

All relevant forms for benefits filled in and ready to post this afternoon

By the time it has all been processed I am hoping dp will be back at work, but I can't afford to leave it just in case....

goldFAQinsenceandmyrrh · 05/01/2009 13:17

I went today to pick up a form form applying for a budgetting loan for my move .

If I do get it I'll be able to move earlier, and start paying off my debts sooner

Original poster
grouchyoscar · 07/01/2009 12:09

Feel a bit chuffed with myself....

Had a hospital appointment and I went by bus rather than a cab, home the same, didn't stop at the shops or anything

So today has cost £0!

Baby steps, not giant steps but moving forwards

OP posts:
Jas · 09/01/2009 19:55

Spending the evening looking for house insurance quotes. Last year I just let the renewal run without looking for a better deal

I'm not doing that again this time though.

FAQtothefuture · 09/01/2009 20:01

ok well I've been doing some spending the last few days - £175 to be precise.

but it's not all bad news - it was £125 for the referencing company to do their check on me, and then £50 today for the fee for doing the guarantors check - as.............I've found a house! I should be moving at the end of the month,

But the good news is that it's on a no deposit scheme (hence the odd way of doing the referencing through an entirely different company fromt hem) which means I'll be able to start clearing debts sooner - so long as the HB doesn't take too long to start coming through.

But for now it's going to be spend, spend, spend for the move

Jas · 09/01/2009 20:06

Ah, well, that is positive spending for long term gains. I hope you get to move soon

FAQtothefuture · 09/01/2009 20:10

yes it is positive spending, as once I've moved and am getting HB I'll have more flexibility with my money so can focus on clearing those debts.

VampiresWalkin · 11/01/2009 20:35

I'm back in.

We owe about £9k. Need to raise about £1.5k to get the car we want.

hunnybun1981 · 11/01/2009 20:48

i have 2 catalogues 1500 on one and 500 on the other but i cant get a credit card (credit history not great) still can get credit, but not credit card

i was thinking instead of paying silly interest on catalogues if i had a 0%card i could transfer them on to that and pay it off does anyone know if any cards that are easier to get?

siriusmew · 11/01/2009 21:01

I really do need to get a grip on money this year. Am now in sole control of the family finances so need to sharpen up! This is us at the moment!

Jas · 11/01/2009 22:50

lol sirius.

No idea about cc hunnybun, sorry.

My aim is to pay back money borrowed from fil, and not let the rest of the debt get worse this year.
I'm setting a realistic goal, but will change it if we start getting money coming back intot he house.

FAQtothefuture · 11/01/2009 22:52

hunny - have you tried Capital one? I don't know how long their 0% transfer is for, and it probably wouldn't be enough to transfer the whole lot - but I managed to get a Capital One card when I wasn't even working (and I'm single so couldn't even use a DP/DH's income for the form!)

Jas · 11/01/2009 22:56

I opened an Alliance and Leicester current account last year, which gave me a cc automatically. I closed the account, and transferred my interest paying bill onto it, but can't remember what I needed to open the account.
I am a SAHM with no income of my own and it wasn't a joint account though.

Original poster
grouchyoscar · 12/01/2009 17:50

Sirius I feel the same. I was just getting on top of stuff when...Ta-dah! Here is an unexpected plumbing bill to cover

Never mind, next month, next month huh

OP posts:
Original poster
grouchyoscar · 18/01/2009 14:12

Thought that entitled to might be useful. See if you can claim anything

OP posts:
Jas · 21/01/2009 20:45

Bugger
It dopesn't matter how many times I write it down, we will not have the money in the bank to pay the mortgage next month.

So do I put off paying the tax bill, or the gas bill???

Mammina · 22/01/2009 16:52

What I do (and I need to start doing it again) is take out x amount of cash per week (e.g. £70 i.e. £10 per day), then only take out £10 with me and no cards so I can't spend any more that day. Whatever I have left at the end of the day goes towards next day's budget etc.

Jas · 22/01/2009 22:59

Yes, I'm good at sticking to a cash-only spending budget (unlike dp)

I did set up a separate savings bit in the bank to put aside money for bills, but things have been even more rubbish than I'm used to and I just didn't save enough.

Original poster
grouchyoscar · 30/01/2009 17:00

Sorry to stick my beak in here

Jas, speak to the tax office, let them know what is going on. They may be able to defer payments or let you pay by installments

Dreading when DS gets his tax return myself

OP posts:
Flamesparrow · 01/02/2009 11:52

I agree Jas - call the tax people, hell call the gas people too. Both of them prefer to know there is a problem than just not get any money.

I know it is probably obvious, but can I check that everyone has been back on uswitch since british gas announced price drops?

Things are going to be stupidly tight this month (and I have the added bonus of 2 kid's birthday parties, DS's birthday, and two of my mate's 30th...). I also have to write and tell benefits about the money I have earned from school the last couple of times (I put it off til after xmas as I thought we would be doing better to lose the benefits money - they take nearly everything I earn, really try to encourage people to work but then I had the car smush so it will be worse). Oh well, I did at least put the wages into savings to use to top up when they deduct it iyswim.

Anyway - off to a trip round asda. I can only spend the cash I have in the house. Should be interesting.

Flamesparrow · 01/02/2009 14:07

Grr, someone put a different butter in with the one I was getting. I only noticed I had picked up the wrong one as I was packing it. I went 30p over budget and I had been soooooooo proud of how well I had done (wandered round with the calculator on my phone working it out ).

But as I came out a bloke asked if I had a cat (), and then handed me a pouch of cat food he had found in his trolley Balance is restored to the world.

Jas · 02/02/2009 22:25

Thanks grouchy and Flame. Sorry I didn't check back in

Gas/Elec people told me I'd be ok paying the remaining part of the bill (2/3paid straight up) by middle of Feb......then sent me a letter saying pay in 7 days or we'll pass you on to whoever it is

Tax bill wasn't huge, as most of it already paid. I appealed the majority of it (advance payment towards next years bill) and they let us off (but if next years is higher than £0 I will be charged interest....)

Both paid with help from my mum (again)

I can only think 2 weeks ahead at the moment, but I should be able to pay the mortgage now.

Car is being looked at this week. If insurerers were to write it off, we would be very happy as it is not sellable

Jas · 02/02/2009 22:27

Oh, and well done on shopping, Flame.

DP thinks I have a magical cost estimating talent, as I usually know how much it will be when we get to the checkout.

FAQtothefuture · 02/02/2009 22:27

ok I'm all out of sync as I moved this weekend so had money to pay out there, plus first months rent to pay, will be out of kilter until my HB kicks in and then I'll be onto the debt clearning rather than creating/reducing at minimum payment.

Jas · 02/02/2009 22:29

How is the new house?

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