1st step taken I hope......

Naomim

pottsy_79 wrote: »

WeeklyMonthlyYearlyMonthly Total
Income From Employment / Self Employment£1,290.00£
Benefits (Including Child Benefit, Child Tax Credits & Income Support)£605.00
TOTAL£1,895.00

Mortgage/Rent: £465.00
Buildings & Contents Insurance:£25.00
Overdraft Cost: £40.00
Council Tax:£130.00
Water Rates/Meter: £35.00
Gas £30.00
Electricity £40.00
Cleaning Products/Cleaner-£5.00 Cut this - check out the old style boards for home-made cleaners
Home Phone £20.00
Internet £25.00 - Really high! You can get a deal for sky/internet/homephone in one package.
TV Licence £12.00
Mobile Phone £50.00 (This is for 2 mobile phones with contracts up to the end of Dec) - You can see if you can go to a lower package even on contract.
HOME TOTAL£877.00

Pet £5.00
INSURANCE TOTAL£5.00£5.00

Food and Household Shopping £250.00 - This can be cut by at least £50 a month as you are putting money by seperately for nappies I see. Check out the Old style boards again for cheap meals and meal planning
Eating Out £10.00 - Cut this out completely
Meals at work £10.00
EATS TOTAL£270.00

Rail/Bus/Coach/Taxi £10.00
Car Maintenance £20.00
Car Insurance £35.00 - Seems very high, check on confused etc and see if you can get a better deal then see if you can buy through a cashback site
Car Tax £15.00
Petrol/Diesel £80.00
TRANSPORT TOTAL£160.00

Car Loan Repayments £100.00
Personal Loan Repayments £528.00 - one of these is a payday loan type thing which is nearly paid off
REPAYMENTS TOTAL£578.00£628.00

Childcare/Play Schemes £6.00
Nappies/Baby Extras £15.00
School Meals £5.00
Pet Food £7.00Other
FAMILY TOTAL£33.00

Satellite/Digital TV Subscription £45.00Other
FUN & FROLICS TOTAL £45.00

Dentistry £5.00
Haircuts £5.00
HEALTH & BEAUTY TOTAL £10.00

New Clothes£5.00 - Cut out new adults clothes and live with what you have for a while
New Children's Clothes £5.00
TOTAL CLOTHES £10.00

Christmas £12.50
Summer Holiday £29.17 Can you cut this out and not have a summer holiday next year?
Birthdays £5.83
BIG ONE OFF TOTAL£570.00£47.50

Newspapers & Magazines £5.00
ODDS & SODS TOTAL £5.00

Total income £1,895.00
Total spend £2,040.50

Hi,

I hope you don't think I'm being harsh, just trying to look at ways you can save some money. You've taken the right steps to making things better. :T

You say your husband is looking for a job at the moment, in the meantime, if you work daytimes, would he be able to get an evening job maybe in a supermarket just to help out until a fulltime job comes?

HTH

Naomi x

doodledo_2

Hi and welcome to the forum it sounds like you are taking the right steps already and are getting in control of your finances.

A big key is your hubby get a new job so hopefully he will soon find something even if he has to settle for a slightly smaller job until his ideal one comes along.

I definately think there is room for improvement on the grocery front, take a look on the old style board as there are some brilliant ideas on reducing your spends.

Good luck with your journey.

pottsy_79

Hi Naomi,

Thanks for your comments, and no you aren't being harsh.

I currently have a full time job, but actually most nights am not back until after 6pm and am at work from 8am. I would prefer not to go in to details as to why my husband has been out of work for so long, part of it is due to ill health. I physically and mentally do not think I could do a part time job as well, I see little of my kids as it is.

The plan that CCCS have set up for us is manageable and we know we will stick with it. Once the plan is up and running I know that our debts will become more manageable.

With regards to comments on internet fees, as I have said already, Virgin Media are ripping us off, but once the BT line is fitted we are getting broadband through Sky.

The car insurance isn't high, I have a 1.8litre car and am 27 with 3 points and 2 claims! It was by far the cheapest quote I found believe me. I need the car to get to work as it is so far away, and as I finish after 6pm it is almost impossible to get back to my estate by bus without waiting at the bus station for an hour, cutting even more time from what I have with the children. I spent 6 months without a car so I can honestly say I have tried it, but decided that I need one.

Anyway, thanks and hope this answers some of your comments.

Naomim

Hi Pottsy,

I completely understand about the job and car. I have one LO who starts nursery next week, I start work at 8am too and have to have the car. I looked at whether train travel etc would be a cheaper alternative but I would spend the same on a monthly train pass as I would on petrol, would still have to have the car to drop LO to Nanna's whilst I work and would then spend another couple of hours travelling which should be time spent with my son.

It's good you are going to be getting your broadband with your sky package. I also meal plan and have got my weekly spends down to around £40-£50 a week and that at the beginning included nappies and wetwipes etc.

Good luck

Naomi x

pottsy_79

My husband has started asking whether it is possible that the credit companies won't accept the CCCS DMP. Does anyone know if this happens often, as he is making me worry.

pottsy_79

Hi, sorry i'm bumping this up as everybody seemed to be posting at the same time!

sarriep

Hi pottsy,
I had my CCCS appointment today but have come quite obsessed with this board so have been reading up lots! There doesn't seem to be any way to know whether your creditors will accept the DMP or not. All we can do is hope! Doing it through CCCS at least shows them you are serious about sorting out your debts so thats good to start with. Reading the threads on here, it seems some creditors behave more amicably than others, I think it's a case of wait and see. We have lots of creditors to deal with and are hoping they are ok with us.
Only time will tell!

Just about your new bank account, we were told to get a basic account - not one where you have cheques, access to an overdraft etc. I'm kind of glad really as I don't want any more credit! Check your new account is ok with CCCS - I know if you take on any more credit they can cancel you DMP!

Best of luck!
Sx

hypno06

I am not on a DMP so don't know the answers, but have you popped over to the DMP Mutual Support thread on this board - they are really helpful, and you can bet that whatever the question, one of them will have been through the same thing, so will have an answer!

Good luck!

pottsy_79

Just about your new bank account, we were told to get a basic account - not one where you have cheques, access to an overdraft etc. I'm kind of glad really as I don't want any more credit! Check your new account is ok with CCCS - I know if you take on any more credit they can cancel you DMP!

Thanks for your response.

I know that they will cancel the DMP if we take out any more credit. Although I have access to a cheque book, I haven't written a cheque for years. Also Lloyds were told quite clearly that I am entering in to a DMP and made a note on the system of this and I chose not to have an overdraft. I have also let first direct know about the DMP who said that they will close my account as soon as they get confirmation fo the DMP, regardless of whether they accept the amount or not! I have left enough in the account for my phone bill to go out tomorrow but have transferred the rest across to the Lloyds account. Have also been paid £180 today for some work I did extra at work so at least I have some money to last me until pay day!