So I've created a blog

This seems like a good idea today.  Not sure how I'll feel about it tomorrow.  I am trying to get out of the mess called debt.

My boyfriend is helping.  My friends are aware and no doubt bored by me talking about it.  My parents do not know.  There would be 'disappointment', as there was last time I was in a cycle of debt and admitted it.  And if there's one thing no-one can stand it's parental disappointment.

So far it's going fairly well.  I have paid off about £5k since I started.  I have this week been successful in gaining a 0% credit card for 21 months, which will make things significantly easier, and have also written to my previous bank to contest bank charges.  If that is successful (fingers crossed, fingers crossed) I should get about £2k back.  I can dream... : )

However, despite things going in the right direction, it does feel like debt is taking over my life.  Yes, it's no-one's fault but my own, but like weight, it is easier to put on those pounds (onto your credit card) than it is to lose them.

It's easy for people to say 'money doesn't make the world go round', but the only people I've ever heard say this are those for whom finance isn't a constant stress and struggle.  When you are in debt, whether making a concerted effort to get out of it or not, the one thing you can't stop thinking about is MONEY.

The sector I work in appears to be going belly up, and in a few months I may not have a job.  But I'm not worried about losing my job role, only the loss of money, and the inevitable pay cut I'll have to take to get another job out of a sector I am trained in.  Well, I guess I'll just have to cross that bridge when I come to it.

Current debt stats so you can see the damage:

Card A - £2056.70 (credit card)
Card B - £2717.24 (credit card)
Card C - £1732.70 (credit card)
Loan A - £4231.36 (bank loan)
Loan B - £2700.00 (car loan from family)

Total: £13,438

See, it's a little bit scary!  And that's not everything... there's a few small debts here and there to other things and people, but for the purpose of this blog I'll try and keep it simple by only including the large debts.

Cards A-C are being transfered onto my new super 0% deal... if all goes according to plan I'll be out of debt in around 2 years 9 months.  But the road to debt free life is never an easy one...