Yukkibear's journey to money making land

yukkibear

I've read loads of diaries over the last few weeks, and you have all inspired me to start my own. I have a few goals I would love to achieve and this site has been a great start in helping me along the way.

I live "down south" with my partner and our two girls. We're fortunate enough not to have a lot of debt, just the mortgage which I don't class as debt, but would still love to pay off early all the same. Before I tackle that though I have a wish list that will need to be tackled.

I'm definitely the one in our house who is "tight" with money, but I am human and like to spend as well.

My goals for this diary are as follows

- set myself mini targets / lists on a daily basis and complete them.
- write here frequently. I can't promise this will be an interesting read but it will help keep me focused if nothing else.

My wish list

- New front door
- Redecorate the lounge including new lcd tv
- Get married
- Holiday abroad in 09
- Pay off debts (£557 as July 08, just waiting for Aug statement to check how and when my overpayment went on last month before I chuck loads more at it)
- Get my head around matched betting (have read the thread once and whilst I thought I was beginning to understand it, I realised I lost it again and confused myself)
- Re carpet the whole house
- New bathroom

I don't particularly have an order for my wish list, but I suspect the first to tackle / save for will be the wedding, albeit on a small scale, but I feel if we don't do it soon, we'll let the years slip by and that would be a shame.

If you're still with me you're now a dedicated follower of my drivel lol. Thanks for staying with me so far. Feel free to butt in at any time with general words of wisdom, ramblings etc etc.

notenoughcash

Well done for posting and good luck!! I'll be watching with interest. It makes such a difference to feel like you're telling your 'friends' about your good and bad spending and saving days.

Have you read through the old style board? Loads of ways to save an extra few pounds here and there

mum2one

Good luck with all the challenges, have you done any of the daily clicks to make some extra money? x

yukkibear

I haven't been to the old style board yet, must pop on over there and have a read,

As for daily clicks etc I currently (try to) do

- pigsback, onepoll, quidco, gp, topcashback, ipoints, and started looking into coffeeclicking, mysearchfunds, and when I motivate myself I slice the pie.

Ebay features heavily in my daily list but am running out of things to put on now

yukkibear

My first proper day in my new diary home. Hope everyone popping in for a read is well.

My mini list for today to get done before work this afternoon is

- [STRIKE]check my online bank and see what is left after the holiday last week [/STRIKE]doesn't look too bad and I think most has gone out now, so back to budgeting
- [STRIKE]Tidy my bedroom, and hopefully I'll find a few bits to list on Ebay tonight after work[/STRIKE].looks a lot better than it did, but didn't find a lot to put on Ebay, but managed to sort my present box so have a start to think on what I need to get to improve upon for pressies
- Have a think about sorting my wanted list into some kind of priorities so I can research prices and start having monetary goals to reach for.

If I get time I also need to go up to the bank and see about changing an old account that I don;t use into a joint account so my partner doesn;t keep using our joint bills account every time he spends something when he has spent all his own money (not that he has much and it's not fair for him to be a kept man any longer!)

I also suppose I shoult tackle an up tpo date soa so everyone can see where if poss I can save even more money.

Have a good day everyone.

mum2one

yukkibear wrote: »

My first proper day in my new diary home. Hope everyone popping in for a read is well.

My mini list for today to get done before work this afternoon is

- check my online bank and see what is left after the holiday last week.
- Tidy my bedroom, and hopefully I'll find a few bits to list on Ebay tonight after work.
- Have a think about sorting my wanted list into some kind of priorities so I can research prices and start having monetary goals to reach for.

If I get time I also need to go up to the bank and see about changing an old account that I don;t use into a joint account so my partner doesn;t keep using our joint bills account every time he spends something when he has spent all his own money (not that he has much and it's not fair for him to be a kept man any longer!)

I also suppose I shoult tackle an up tpo date soa so everyone can see where if poss I can save even more money.

Have a good day everyone.

Just a thought with your currrent account, if you go through Quidco you get £50.00 cashback and if you open a savings account its another £20.00.
Thou check the Alliance and Leicester site 1st as I sure I saw a mention of £100.00 yesterday, but didnt take much notice.

yukkibear

Thanks mum2one, I have looked at the website and you're right they are offering £100 to switch. I don't want to switch my acc though just have an extra one that we can have as "spends" throughout the month, so not sure if it'll be for me as it has to also have £500 per month paid in.

Am watching How clean is your house and it makes me feel so much better about some of my clutter as there's no way my house could feature anywhere near as bad as what are on tv. eewwwww.

I want to read the matched betting thread again tonight as well as post my soa, but chilling at the mo after work with a glass of wine.

Currently a NSD today :rotfl: which I'm chuffed about as I could really do with some chocolate

yukkibear

Here goes with my soa


Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 617
Partners monthly income after tax....... 1150
Benefits................................ 540
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 2307

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 518.64 fixed rate is ending nov 08 so expecting payments to go up considerably
Secured loan repayments................. 0
Rent.................................... 0
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 136
Electricity............................. 43
Gas..................................... 60
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 45.24
Telephone (land line)................... 20
Mobile phone............................ 62 this is for 2
TV Licence.............................. 11.7
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 15.99
Groceries etc. ......................... 280
Clothing................................ 10 I don't tend to budget for this but a little helps
Petrol/diesel........................... 140 2 cars
Road tax................................ 30 again I don't budget for this usually but should start to
Car Insurance........................... 46 2 cars
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 20 don't usually budget for this but should start to
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 361
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 12
Contents insurance...................... 10.03
Life assurance ......................... 23 for 2
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 10
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 0
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 50
Pension................................. 40
Total monthly expenses.................. 1944.6

Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 200000
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 4000
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 204000

Secured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 89000....(518.64)...4.99
Total secured debts........... 89000.....-.........-

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
comet..........................557.......24........0 not sure what the apr on this is but plan to pay it off as soon as
Total unsecured debts..........557.......24........-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,307
Expenses (including secured debts)....... 1,944.6
Available for debt repayments........... 362.4
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 24
Surplus(deficit if negative)............ 338.4

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 204,000
Total Secured debt...................... -89,000
Total Unsecured debt.................... -557
Net Assets.............................. 114,443

Created using the SOA calculator at www.makesenseofcards.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission.

======== Enter any other useful information below ========

e.g. the number of adults & children in the household, the number

of cars included in the SOA or anything else that may be useful.

mum2one

yukkibear wrote: »

Thanks mum2one, I have looked at the website and you're right they are offering £100 to switch. I don't want to switch my acc though just have an extra one that we can have as "spends" throughout the month, so not sure if it'll be for me as it has to also have £500 per month paid in.

Plan B then re Current account - as the account would be for spends then go through Quidco apply for the current account, but ignore the account switching option. Although there are benefits of the account they are only if you put in the £500 pm. Personally I have kept mine as a 2nd account, (just to put the odd cheque in for clearance, basically i get the no frills (chq bk, basic debit card) but am £50 better off for going through Quidco. x

mum2one

yukkibear wrote: »

Here goes with my soa


Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 617
Partners monthly income after tax....... 1150
Benefits................................ 540
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 2307

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 518.64 fixed rate is ending nov 08 so expecting payments to go up considerably
Secured loan repayments................. 0
Rent.................................... 0
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 136 - could you try for over 12 months,
Electricity............................. 43 - are you price fixed, go around turning off lights, dont leave on standby etc
Gas..................................... 60 - seems high - can you turn down the heating a degree or so, r valves fitted on radiators
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 45.24 - (stuck with them)
Telephone (land line)................... 20 - has that any inclusive calls
Mobile phone............................ 62 this is for 2 - sorry to do this do you need 2 mobile phones, could 1 be pay and go, barter down contract, new contract, go through cash back sites
TV Licence.............................. 11.7
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 15.99 - could you try and tie phone line and broadband in together, may be cheaper
Groceries etc. ......................... 280- is that 2 adults, one child - maybe plan meals, pop over to old style board, change supermarkets, go down a level, from brand to tesco, or texco to value (bcareful with toilet rolls!!)
Clothing................................ 10 I don't tend to budget for this but a little helps
Petrol/diesel........................... 140 2 cars - are there any journeys that can be walked, car shared
Road tax................................ 30 again I don't budget for this usually but should start to
Car Insurance........................... 46 2 cars -shop around at renewal, cash back sites again
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 20 don't usually budget for this but should start to
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 361 - can you not apply for extra during summer holidays on tax credits
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 12 - shop around, cash back sites - in 9/10 cases it is better to keep buildings and contents seperate as better value
Contents insurance...................... 10.03 - as above
Life assurance ......................... 23 for 2
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 10 - can you adjust your list, reduce, recycle, sales
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 0
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 50
Pension................................. 40
Total monthly expenses.................. 1944.6

Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 200000
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 4000
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 204000

Secured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 89000....(518.64)...4.99
Total secured debts........... 89000.....-.........-

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
comet..........................557.......24........0 not sure what the apr on this is but plan to pay it off as soon as -really try and push to get this finished asap - the apr is usually around 29% or maybe shift it to a 0% card
Total unsecured debts..........557.......24........-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,307
Expenses (including secured debts)....... 1,944.6
Available for debt repayments........... 362.4
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 24
Surplus(deficit if negative)............ 338.4 thats brilliant

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 204,000
Total Secured debt...................... -89,000
Total Unsecured debt.................... -557
Net Assets.............................. 114,443

Created using the SOA calculator at www.makesenseofcards.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission.

======== Enter any other useful information below ========

e.g. the number of adults & children in the household, the number

of cars included in the SOA or anything else that may be useful.

Hi
Sorry me again, have just thrown a few suggestions in blue, (hope u dont mind have tried to be gentle!)

x

yukkibear

I just blew my nsd at the final hour but bought some xmas pressies and think I got a bargain - For £9.50 inc delivery I got
- pirates carribean activity box set
- disney princess activity box set
- disney princess card making kit
- round and round the garden book (my 14 month old loves doing round and round the garden and I'm a sucker for her)
- teddy bear

I'm pleased with that order and can out towards xmas pressies

Mum2one just off to look at your comments on my soa now