Reality check

Honky_tonk

Yeah! I think I must be a "White belt" in smilies now!

dancingfairy

Mortgage................................ 258
Secured loan repayments................. 0
Rent.................................... 359 why rent and a mortgage or have I missed something here?
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 114 can you pay over 12 months to help with budgetting -ask your council
Electricity............................. 33
Gas..................................... 19
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 20
Telephone (land line)................... 11.5
Mobile phone............................ 40 how many for? have you tried getting a low contract if it's a contract?
TV Licence.............................. 12
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 10
Groceries etc. ......................... 240
Clothing................................ 40 good to budget highish for this but you mayb not need to spend this much every month and can add to your emergency savings pot.
Petrol/diesel........................... 130
Road tax................................ 15
Car Insurance........................... 32
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 10
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 25
Childcare/nursery....................... 800 are you using childacer vouchers for this?
Other child related expenses............ 165 um what's this?
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 7
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 10
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 10
Life assurance ......................... 22
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 30
Haircuts................................ 10
Entertainment........................... 20
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 20 I guess this is currently being used every month - good to try and save a bit though as on a dmp you will not be able to get any more credit so good to budget for absolutely every eventuality.
Gas/elec maint.......................... 36 good to have but seems rather high? can you get it cheaper? is this insurance or savings for parts?
Kids (pocket Money etc)................. 10
Dentist/Optician........................ 10
Tobacco................................. 20

Just thought I'd have a quick gander through the SOA and see if there are any easy savings to be made. If you manage to get your figures below the amounts CCCS think you need to live on you can save this amount up for an emergency fund and then if after a year or 2 you have a surplus you might be able to slightly increase your DMP payments or make lump sum payments off the debts.

Good Luck with it all
df x

Honky_tonk

Hi Dancing Fairy,

Thanks for looking in! I'll break down your questions 1 at a time:
Rent and Mortgage - we are shared ownership
Council tax - I will check the 12 month thing!
Mobiles - 2 phones ties in for another year
Childcare - No vouchers I'm afraid, my firm doesn't do them and OH temps at mo.
Other child related expenses - Maintenance payment
Gas and elec maint - this is a contract with gas co to look after our boiler, has been used big time this year!

We hope to be able to live within the budget and save some pennies!

Thanks
HT

Jacks_xxx

Honky_tonk wrote: »

Yeah! I think I must be a "White belt" in smilies now!

Ooh - at the very least!

Verbatim

Good news that you got your new bank account. Was it with the co-op after all?

Honky_tonk

Hi, good news indeed. I actually havent heard from the coop. I was posting my DMP papers, strolled out of the Posty and into LLoyds (good/bad?) Nice youmg lady opened my account there and then. in and out in 15 mins. I did check to see if they were "in bed" with any of my creditors and couldnt find a link. So hopefully all good.

Gemmzie

Hi Honky tonk,

Can you not claim childcare from Child Tax Credits?

Honky_tonk

Hi Gemmzie,
It would seem that between us we earn too much. Which I guess is true, just made a pickle of what we had!

Honky_tonk

Hellooo folks,
I am back AND I got me a star! I feel like a sheriff! Which is good because a lovely lady drove into my wifes car and then drove away from the roundabout at high speed! Maybe my new star will enable me to hunt her down and bring her to justice!:rolleyes: Turning left from the right hand lane is not in the highway code people!

Thats it really, nothing related to my fiscal issues (soon to be brought to justice-like that saying now!)

So, unless you are missing a headlight and dont know why, its partially embedded in my door!

Ta ta
HT

Verbatim

Ohh rats. Just what you need right now. You seem to have a cool head and a sense of humour though which will stand you in good stead!

Things can only get better..........I hope.