The neverending story

RAS

Good

Another thing, even in euros, your pressie section is high.

Does Belguim do the equivalent to car boot sales? Somewhere you can take stuff that you no longer use and get a few quid back?

slummymummyof3

Internet price is rather high as well.

alicemary

I worked out the presents based on what my OH likes to spend, so we need to tackle that. He's an angel, and loves to be generous, but I think we need to try and work out what we can afford and spend that rather than working out what we want to spend and adapting accordingly (we are clearly not very good at the adapting).
Internet is a pain in the neck. We need a high-speed broadband connection, and large allowance as OH is currently studying Distance Learning for a Masters. The internet business is tightly sewn up here, and changing to another cheaper provider would not improve things.
We did get the first 3 months totally free, so that was a great boost.

DoWhatULove-LoveWhatUDo

alicemary wrote: »

An emergency could be anything...for us the problem is we live abroad and have various sick/elderly relatives back in the UK and elsewhere that we may have to travel back to help care for at the drop of a hat. I like to have access to funds in case we need to travel suddenly.
Here is my SOA. It doesn't look so bad! I think we just need a month or so of being really prudent
Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1500
Partners monthly income after tax....... 1600
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 90
Total monthly income.................... 3190

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured loan repayments................. 0
Rent.................................... 600
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 0
Electricity............................. 100
Gas..................................... 20
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 20
Telephone (land line)................... 10
Mobile phone............................ 50
TV Licence.............................. 12
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 40
Groceries etc. ......................... 520
Clothing................................ 150
Petrol/diesel........................... 120
Road tax................................ 21
Car Insurance........................... 70
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 20
Car parking............................. 5
Other travel............................ 60
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 20
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 100
Haircuts................................ 60
Entertainment........................... 250
Holiday................................. 100
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 2348

Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 200
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 200

No Secured Debt

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
store card.....................2000......60........15
Lloyds loan....................6000......90........4
Student loan...................12000.....160.......4
Total unsecured debts..........20000.....310.......-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 3,190
Expenses (including secured debts)....... 2,348
Available for debt repayments........... 842
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 310
Surplus(deficit if negative)............ 532

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 200
Total Secured debt...................... -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -20,000
Net Assets.............................. -19,800

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

The way I see it my dear, and I mean no disrespect by this, you currently spend every penny you earn and more and you have no real idea of where it's going.

However, if you could control your spending for perhaps two or three months there is scope to make significant savings in the areas I have highlighted which would enable you to clear the credit card quite rapidly.

I think the key is to be aware of how you spend money, and the only way to do that is too keep track of every penny for several weeks.

At present your bills account for approximately a third of your income which leaves the other two thirds to be allocated as you choose.

If you sincerely wish to clear that debt then you need to choose to do it.

At the moment you choose to pay the card off and then change your mind every month.

Tell yourself that you will pay off half the card this month and half next month and do not use the card at all except in case of a dire emergency.