E.ON - Sly as a fox

Monday 1st September, 2008 - £7,977.79 in debt…

When I’ve finally paid off all my debts and I’m looking back at my “journey” (which is what I’d call it if I were an X Factor contestant), I’ll think of month 4 with great fondness. Not only was it the month in which I finally got below the £8k mark - it was the month in which these things happened:

Good times

1) This month’s biggest success story was being accepted for another home-based job, which can fill in the time when I’m not temping or freelancing: I’m going to be an internet researcher for AQA (Any Question Answered). I’ve now finished my training and will be starting the job properly once I’ve finished writing this blog post…

2) I collected a lovely range of loyalty cards: the Nectar Card, Tesco Clubcard, Boots Advantage Card and Co-op Membership Card. Aside from the Co-op one, these all enable me to collect points, which mean prizes. Hooray.

3) I used Money Saving Expert’s new credit scoring tool to find out whether there’s anything I should be doing to make sure my credit rating is as good as it can be by the time my debts are cleared. I learned that I should cancel each card as soon as I’ve paid it off, and that I shouldn’t move house. Fine by me.

4) Online shopping with Asda was an enormous success, but they’ve now stopped sending me ‘free delivery’ vouchers by email. I am shocked and appalled.

5) I’ve decided to go on a cheap holiday, probably in November. You might think this is a bad thing, considering my situation, but I’ve decided to put it in the ‘good times’ pile because it will improve my mental state, making me a happier and more efficient worker when I come back. Yes it will.

6) And I’ve signed up for free UK calls with 1899, a very cheap secondary phone supplier. I keep forgetting to dial the prefix number though - might have to have it tattooed on my hand, which will cost money.

Bad times

1) I went a bit crazy doing too much work. I would have had to stop myself if the work hadn’t dried up on its own.

2) After switching my gas and electricity to a capped tariff with E.ON, I discovered that either (a) the comparison service I used had provided me with the wrong information, or (b) E.ON had done something shifty and added a cancellation fee where there shouldn’t have been one.

3) I realised that Endsleigh have been taking me for a ride for the last 18 months or so, charging me for a Payment Protection Insurance policy I didn’t want. On the plus side, I complained to Endsleigh and they sorted it out straight away. I now have a cheque for £25 to play with.

So, with a grand total of six plus points and only three minuses, this has been one of my more successful months. I’ve also paid off £401.04 after interest - and that doesn’t include this month’s Barclaycard standing order, as my statement hasn’t arrived yet. I’m still perfectly on track for my goal of being debt free by the end of April 2010.

Now, how much quicker could I do this if I become the fastest researcher AQA has ever employed? There’s only one way to find out.