DFSD's motivational ramblings...

debtfreesomeday

Yeah I'm fine now thanks Raini, just been off work for a few days feeling really rough. Back to the grind now! :rolleyes:

debtfreesomeday

Sat at home feeling sorry for myself yesterday I thought I'd try these free bingo sites with cashback through Quidco. Well I got completely confuddled and ended up depositing £10 and not being able to withdraw it back as I thought I was able to - a complete waste of money!

Thursday 2nd - £10 on stupid bingo site. :mad:

Edit: Hubby filled the car up with petrol today so a spend of £40.32 for that.

Total spend Thursday 2nd: £50.32

Today I'm not planning on any spends. The only reason I may have to spend a little is because my friend is giving me a lift tonight and we're going for coffee. We do however have some luncheon vouchers from doing surveys to use between us, so am gonna try my best not to spend anything and use the vouchers instead!

Friday 3rd - Anticipating a NSD! (unless I have to supplement cup of coffee!) :j

I am working this weekend . Probably 5 hours Saturday and the same on Sunday - it's flexible and I can choose how many hours to work and when etc. I'm trying desperately hard to think of the money as it should net us about another £150+ after tax / NI / Pension increases! The thought of it is very soul destroying though...
THINK OF THE MONEY DFSD, THINK OF THE MONEY!

There is absolutely no reason for me to spend any money this weekend so my plan is to aim very hard not to!

debtfreesomeday

Well I ended up paying £5.04 towards coffees and cake yesterday. Vouchers didn't cover it and friend was hungry, so didn't mind buying her a cake.

Total spend Friday 3rd: £5.04

Although I think hubby went to a supermarket and bought himself some supplies, he had to use the joint card as had no other money on him, so I think he spent around £3 - £4...

I've been at work since 6.30am this morning :eek:. Am thinking of the money!!!
I'm coming in tomorrow as well for the same amount of time as it's double pay! :j

Haven't spent anything today, not sure what I'll be doing this afternoon yet, maybe cleaning and gardening just to stay in and not spend anything. Although it looks like rain again...

debtfreesomeday

Well, I've just worked out how much we'll have left in the bank if we spend NOTHING in the next 19 days til pay day (I'm not counting, honest!). We have £120 in there which is currently not allocated. BUT I guess we'll need at least another 2 tanks of petrol as we're going away next weekend. If I say a £75 spend on petrol then. That leaves us with £45 for groceries and everything else. :eek: So, guess we'll be overdrawn again then...:(

I'm definitely not stepping foot out of the door this afternoon - I'm not going to spend a penny this weekend!

EDIT: - I've just remembered - there's another £30 to add on top as my Mum has sent me a cheque for something I picked up for her - so that's £75 left - that's not so bad. BUT I'm still not spending this weekend!

debtfreesomeday

More money WAS spent at the weekend - about £40 - and I'm ashamed to say £32 of it went on the egg card. This shall now be cut up into little pieces again, never to be used again. Problem is, we need to buy a few things but I just don't know how we're gonna pay for them.

I'm really struggling at the moment. I just can't seem to stop spending money, stupid as it sounds. There is always something that we need for the house! I'm so fed up. I haven't written a spending diary today, I can't bring myself to do it and am aware I don't have any money but still manage to spend it.

Me & hubby also had a chat about having kids the other night. We're aware we're both getting older and we do want children, but we just have no idea how we're going to be able to afford them and this is the only thing stopping us. We can't afford any drop in salary, have no savings and loads of debt. I just don't know what we are going to do - how we'll ever be able to have children. If we wait until the debt is paid, will we be too old and will it be too late? We can't even afford to put anything in our savings monthly. I'm so tired of all this. I'm wondering whether a new SOA might help at all?

debtfreesomeday

Well, here's a more recent SOA. The 'Surplus' money usually gets spent on extra credit card payments, the occasional birthday gift (although I buy things when I see them cheap throughout the year ). DIY supplies for the house, garden stuff for the house (we're in the process of doing some work on our house still since moving in), and supplements the grocery / petrol budget when we go over.

The minimum amounts section on the debt repayments - I've put the amounts we pay in there monthly, not the actual minimum. I'd never pay the minimum only.

If anyone has any suggestions I'd really appreciate it. I may post this on the DFW board too and see what people can suggest.

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 0
Number of cars owned.................... 1

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1307
Partners monthly income after tax....... 900
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 2207

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 380
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 110
Electricity............................. 30
Gas..................................... 35
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 30
Telephone (land line)................... 21 (internet, phone and all calls)
Mobile phone............................ 45 (for both of us - can't cancel).
TV Licence.............................. 11.62
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ......................... 150
Clothing................................ 0
Petrol/diesel........................... 150
Road tax................................ 15 (we save monthly for this)
Car Insurance........................... 20 (we save monthly for this)
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 15 (we save monthly for this)
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 0
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 20
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 1032.62


Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 6000
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 6000

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Virgin.........................2600......300.......0
egg............................456.......50........16.9
Sofas (Start October)..........1232......104.......0
Overdraft (usually)............100.......100.......0
GE money loan..................10000.....216.7.....8.9
Lloyds Loan....................8900......168.5.....8.9
Total unsecured debts..........23288.....939.2.....-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,207
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,032.62
Available for debt repayments........... 1,174.38
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 939.2
Amount left after debt repayments....... 235.18

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 6,000
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -23,288
Net Assets.............................. -17,288

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

debtfreesomeday

I'm attempting to get myself into a more positive frame of mind on the debt-busting front today.

So, things to do tonight and over the next couple of evenings:

• Sort books / cds / dvds to relist and sell on Amazon
• Try and borrow a camera to take pics of ebay stuff
• Check for surveys
• Do free daily scratchcard
• Try and work out how the 'daily clicks' thing works
• Take item back to shop for refund
• Enter lots more competitions

Hopefully this should get me back into a more motivated frame of mind...

Raini

Hello :hello: I think the motivation list is a good idea - sometimes it's hard getting out of a rut isn't it?

Your SOA looks good to me, although I never really comment on them as I haven't posted mine I don't think I can talk! The only thing is maybe allocate that left over money to something, or a few things. Like x to debt, x to rainy day money, x the bdays & christmas? Maybe that way you'd be sure of where it goes?

As for having kids, I'd give yourself an absolute date of when you would try & then through everything into becoming debt free by that date but if you're not so be it. I hear from others (I have no kids!) that you'll manage. Maybe it wouldn't be ideal but I'm sure you would manage. x

debtfreesomeday

Hi Raini :hello:

Thanks very much for popping by and for your thoughts - I think you have a good idea about allocating the 'leftover' bit to various 'pots' so to speak. My hubby is very good that way (he has actual physical pots!) and saves for Christmas / birthdays etc that way so maybe I should try it for a couple of months. Thanks for the idea x

DFSD

Chocforever

Hello DFSD

As you can see, I'm new here and I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to write your diary as I have enjoyed reading it. I had a few observations on your SOA though I am by no means an expert in these things.

You are doing really well. You seem to be doing all the right things to increase income and cut back on expenses. Maybe some unforeseen expenses and less profitable things to sell on ebay etc have reduced your monthly payments and enthusiasm. This slight slow down is inevitable (or you would have sold all your possessions!) and you should be really pleased with the progress you have made and continue to make.

Is it possible to add some of your debts to the mortgage to take the pressure of repaying them so early? Similarly, would your parents be able to be your lenders instead (they might be happy to help if they realised you are putting having a family on hold and the stress this is causing)?

Could you do a couple of small gardening jobs for others? There is often demand in streets with elderly/frail people to do some basic gardening tasks.

I know you need the overtime, but working weekends at short notice is also helping your employer out. Can you ensure your boss realises this so if there are any pay rises or bonuses around, they come your way? Sometimes it pays to be pushy even if it isn't in your nature.

Best wishes