My diary... becoming debt free whilst still having a life!!!

sistercas

SH well done on all your applications I hope you get something very soon.if it goes on motivation and determination then you will be top of the list
Ruby thanks for explaining about your spreadsheet. I think I do a similar thing only its in a notebook. I write all the outgoings and tick them off when they have gone out. is that the same do you think? I have no idea how to put a spreadsheet on the computer though:o but I think I might have to find out
YB hope you are feeling better. I think 'what small things...' is excellent . every little thing towards reducing debt can only be good. you will definitely get there.

on the orthodontist front. we went yesterday. the basic package will cost us £1700 so not as bad as I thought but bad enough. we can pay it monthly so will be approx £70 a month for 2 years. not sure how we are going to manage it as we have cut back alot already. but we need to find it as DD1 is very self conscious about her teeth

on a positive front . I will be paying the last payment to one of my credit cards this month :j :j only 3 more credit cards to go , which will take some time to clear but psychologically its a boost.

hope you are all ok x

not sure why I have an embarrassed face at the top of this post

~Yorkshire_Belle~

Cas - well done on clearing the CC - way to go! Hope you can find a way to manage the dentist bills - nightmare!
SH you seem to be very positive as always - best of luck finding something new
Ruby, glad you are feeling better - whatever it is just seems to linger doesn't it. Could do with some sunshine to cheer us all up now!
Hi to smarties and IC too
Belle

rubydoiwannabee

Evening my lovely friends, I have had a lovely couple of days ruined somewhat by DH and I discussing whether I should work another day a week. I would love the money but also really, really love my Fridays off. I know I am in the fortunate position of working term time only but this means my salary really suffers. It could mean about a couple of hundred a month extra if I added a Friday on.... hmmmmm..... just don't know what to do.

I am meeting my new boss on Monday to discuss hours and location so I need to make the decision by then, the trouble is I wasn't even considering it until now. The other thing is if I get to work from a location closer to home or indeed get a home working contract it could make all the difference because I could still pick DD up from school a couple of days a week.

Too many decisions....

Any advice gratefully received???

Also and this is really cheeky, if I did take on the extra day would it be awful to consider it holiday money?? Just until the summer then it could all go to debts. That might make the decision more platable.

xxxxxxxx:o

smarties84

savingholmes wrote: »

HI Ruby - hope you feel better soon

Smarties

Could you get some of your bank statements together - work out when your income comes in and when your outgoings like direct debits or standing order come out. Then work out how much you need to allow a week for things like fuel, food etc and then put that in a spreadsheet and make sure it balances. You could also use the budget planner on here but that doesn't show dates.

If you bank with someone like barclays - they will let you download your data into a csv excel format - if that is of any help.

I have now applied for 8 jobs - thanks again for the support.

Thank you - i shall do that and see how i get on

rubydoiwannabee

Hi smarties,
Sorry I have just realised I didn't answer your question about a template, sorry I don't have one. Each month I almost have to start again, moving dates etc around and it is really fiddly, I would be embarrassed to pass it on!!

Best of luck with the approach SH suggested.

x

smarties84

Thats ok hun, i will try what SH suggested - i am sure i will work it out.

I really dont no wot to say ref the extra day at work - sorry, what do "you" want to do?

rubydoiwannabee

smarties84 wrote: »

Thats ok hun, i will try what SH suggested - i am sure i will work it out.

I really dont no wot to say ref the extra day at work - sorry, what do "you" want to do?

I would like the money without giving up my free day!:D
I know we need the money enough to go for it, and it could give us a bit of a buffer or help us move our mortgage back to repayment. So I think I know the answer.

If I can get a working from home contract and can still pick up my little girl at 3pm a couple of days a week from school I will do it happily.

decisions, decisions......

smarties84

What job do you have? Yes maybe if you can do that, it wouldn't be so bad and you can collect DD. Is it something you can do for a little while and then maybe go back to 4 days or would it be 5 permantly?

rubydoiwannabee

smarties84 wrote: »

What job do you have? Yes maybe if you can do that, it wouldn't be so bad and you can collect DD. Is it something you can do for a little while and then maybe go back to 4 days or would it be 5 permantly?

I work for social services in the local authority, and in my new role I will be responsible for a particular part of the county so should be able to justify a home working or location closer to home contract, which would help on the mileage etc. and may allow flexibility to be around at school pick up time. At the moment I work 30 miles away from home, so travel time always causes a problem. I think I might be able to give it a go and maybe change if it didn't work out, that's a good point actually, I hadn't thought of it like that. Thanks.

Do you work smarties?

smarties84

Ahh that sounds like a really interesting job, i think if you can work from home or closer to home - go for it, even if it is to save for a holiday in the summer.
I did work from home until yesterday but i was made redundant, thankfully have a new job lined up starting at some time over the next week or 2 in a bank xx