The Diary of a reformed Ostrich! (no more head in the sand!)

MrsTinks

I know the numbers are often estimates but it does give us an idea of what you think is spent - and that is very often telling of what has taken priority and what habits need to be changed.
Ok bank charges... you need to start thinking about claiming these back
The formatting seems to have gone a bit to pot for some reason which means the debts section is very hard to work out List all of it including overdrafts and what aprs there is and what the limits are etc and you need to get details of the provident loan.

petrafyde

MrsTine wrote: »

I have made some suggestions above...

OK.

Elec is just what they charge us! No fish tanks, and I try not to leave things on standby.

Gas - I think this is arrears included, yes. Will confirm today. Husband rang them yesterday but wasn't very helpful when I quizzed about it.

Council tax is in arrears yes. 1189.68 per year is the total. I've paid the first instalment over the phone on the 2nd already.

TV, yes it needs sorting out.

I think our BB company does phone too - I'll see what they charge for combined and will compare it to tiscali etc.

Clothing was a ballpark figure. Some months we spend nothing on clothing at all, so that's dismissable I think?

We rarely use the phone, it's just the DD amount BT wanted.

I need to lose weight anyway, so walking seems the way to go. Sometimes we don't use £60 a month, but I figured it best to put the highest amount.

Haircuts - I can do the kids' hair and mine is a wild tangle of curls anyway, so that can be dropped totally if we can find the clippers so I can do his too

Car insurance, I've been driving for four years and the car is a 2.5litre. I didn't want (obviously) to get rid but I can see it's going to be more economical to get something smaller.

Other insurance is for me as there is a history of breast cancer in the family, I've had it for years.

Provident is notorious for huge interest rates, but when money is tight something has to give somewhere, I've just been stupid and done it the wrong way. I can't bring myself to ring them I don't think, I'll wait until she comes on Friday.

I'm going to look at CCCS, but I think I need to see if we can somehow manage the basics first? What do you think?

Yes, I can certainly start eBaying things. I collect Wedgwood, or did. It should fetch a few hundred pounds. Maybe I could pay Npower off with that.

petrafyde

also we're in the middle of switching to BG for Elec. Couldn't stump up what Npower wanted so are staying with them until we can.

petrafyde

Sorry, but I need a break at the moment. It's all a bit much and I feel totally overwhelmed and emotional. Just gonna go do the dishes and sort my youngests' dinner out then I'll be back when I've dropped her at school.

MrsTinks

Don't worry we'll get there Once you know what is being spent you can start to get organised
One of my favourite suggestions is the money jars either use theoretical jars or physical ones
If you have a food budget of say £100 for the month then have 4 jars - week 1 2 3 and 4 - that gives you £25 a week - anything you don't spend in week one can be carried over to week 2 OR put in a "treat" jar Alternatively half can be used to overpay a debt and half on a treat.
Having the physical money in jars helps vizualise the money and understanding where it's going It's all about taking control really.
Spending diaries are the same... it's amazing where pennies and pounds manage to sneak out of your purse when you're not looking :rotfl:
I think ebaying is a great idea - but make sure you keep a running total of what you have made and KNOW what you want to pay off with that money it's amazing what you can do when you have a goal

Start thinking about putting together next months budget too work out what you have definitely going out and then what's left for everything else and how we can best make it stretch if not overpay some of the debts

sarriep

I know just how you feel (look at my sig!!!) and it sounds like you're thinking in the right way! My LBM was in August and I really felt as if the world was coming crashing down. I found out DH had built up BIG debts and had not told me (gambling too GGGGRRRRRR). Once I started to take control I began to feel better and now I almost (strangely) look forward to the letters from our creditors. I feel in control and know my rights which has given me lots of confidence.
Advice on here sometimes may seem a bit bossy but there are a lot of people on here who have sorted out (and still are) their mess and want to help.
Please keep posting, everyone is here to help and share your feelings of despair. This is the most fabulous group of people who are there for each other because we really do all understand as most of us have been here (or 'there' for the lucky ones!)
Sx

petrafyde

Hiya

I feel a bit better now, needed to take stock because I'd secretly hoped sorting general monies out would be easier so I could start on our debts. I know the first debt is to ourselves, and we need to sort it out before we can broach other things which are causing worry.

I'm going to try and knock the shopping cost down by shopping online and buying the lesser branded products and going by a list (although the delivery charge is a bit of a nuisance, yet it will stop me overspending) I know I sound cowardly, and I hate it but I need to do it in a way that's not so 'face on' if you know what I mean, just to start with. I'm going to head into that forum you mentioned and start looking at other options to reduce the shopping bill.

Also going to look at other internet providers who can give us a phone package too.

With regards to a spending diary, I'd like to try but in all honesty I've always been totally rubbish at that sort of thing (diaries etc) and tend to dwindle off after a few days, the jars sound good though. I think I need to start handling the actual cash again, because part of my problem is how easy it is to just bang things onto the card, if I were to withdraw from the bank what I have to spend on whatever particular thing, it will help me count the pennies more tightly I reckon.

I HAVE opened the post today, and the bill gods were kind, only sending one.

I've started rooting things out to put on eBay, there isn't much I don't think but it needs to go. House is too full of clutter anyway

I'm losing track now so will get on with what I've promised myself so far. I'm leaning toward wanting to restructure our monies myself, rather than go straight for a management plan - do others do that?

sarriep

We just couldn't meet minimum repayments ourselves fro our loans and cards. I would have liked to have done it without going down the DMP route if I could but we couldn't. OH had been using one card to pay off another and then reached his limit on both so it kind of spiralled. Even if you don't want/ need a DMP the online Debt Remedy form is good to do as it tells you what you have left and gives you advice on where you can cut back and what you should allow for what.
I know what you mean about keeping a spending diary but it's very enlightening! Especially when you should have some spare money at the end of the month but never seem to!
Using cash is a good idea too. I'm looking forward to a future of living in credit! One poster said that when she saved for things herself, she was actually less likely to buy what she had saved for once she had the money! It's just too easy to stick things on cards or get a loan!
We've drastically cut back our food shopping. We've been planning our meals, checking cupboards and fridge/ freezer and trying to buy just the right amount of food. Some (but not all!!) of the value brands are quite nice and I've been sussing out when different supermarkets start reducing their food each day!
If you can do it yourself then go for it girl!
Sx

fatpiggy

Ask BT to see if you can get on the Low User Rebate scheme for you telephone. I rarely make calls, just receive them, and as a result the rebate pays for all the calls I do make, and part of the line rental as well. My average bill is about £12 - £15 quarterly.

Maybelline_Eyes

petrafyde wrote: »

Hiya

I'm going to try and knock the shopping cost down by shopping online and buying the lesser branded products and going by a list (although the delivery charge is a bit of a nuisance, yet it will stop me overspending)

Hi pf,

I'm a long-time lurker here, haven't any debt (yet!:rolleyes: ) but do have to manage on a very tight budget and find this thread very useful : http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1015057
Hope it helps you out too. Many thanks to all the kind people who find and post these!