LttF's Dairy... 2009 here I come, ready or not!!

looktothefuture

Paid another £225.00 toward my Council Tax debt - thats £450.00 in 2 months :j ! I plan on paying off the BT and New Look debt by the end of February 09. I don't think it will be too difficult to do, I've just got to budget properly and I know I can do it!

Heard from the Landlord of my place again yesterday - he was in a much better mood than the week before. He said he'd be sending the Estate Agent around to ours to take photo's but also wanted to know if there was someone ready to move in, how quickly could we move out - I said 2 weeks tops... I'm a very mean box packer! So the Estate Agent rang this morning and said he's got 3 people waiting for a house in our area, would it be ok for viewings to take place this coming Saturday? Hell yeah of course! I'm hoping that we could have new tennents in by the 17th Jan as that is the day all our utilities transfer over to our new house... (it's also the day I've planned on moving the fish tanks over to the new place...).

Right well best I get on with some work... I'm 1 of only 7 of our 83 strong staff in today... Just shows you the committment hey? :rotfl:

looktothefuture

SOA for January 09... it's actually looking really good considering I will now not only paying less rent with the move to my Mother in Laws but I'll also be paying the Havering Council tax and the arrears from Basildon Council Tax, all my debts and still coming out with a few quid at the end of the month! :T Now this is starting to look really really good! In theory I can do it... in practice I will have to keep a close eye on my partner's contribution toward the house... (afterall, it is his family home, why should I have to pay the full rent alone???)

My money jars are all ready and labelled for each account/saving... now when I get my first full weeks' wage I will just have to split it evenly between each jar... (photo of money jars to follow soon!) and watch the money grow...!



Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1800
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 0
Tony's Rent............................ 200
Total monthly income.................... 2000


Monthly Expense Details
Rent.................................... 650
Council tax............................. 110
Electricity............................. 38 (Elec and Gas combined... This will change when we move as rate will be renegotiated!)
Gas..................................... 38
Water rates............................. 23
Telephone (land line)................... 25
Mobile phone............................ 10
TV Licence.............................. 11.66
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 47 (Am going to change package when we move)
Internet Services....................... 9.49
Groceries etc. ......................... 150
Clothing................................ 0
Petrol/diesel........................... 50 (This will come down, less to travel when I move)
Road tax................................ 5.5
Car Insurance........................... 22.94
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 2.25
Car parking............................. 135
Other travel............................ 170
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 25
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0 (Brother-in-law pays this)
Contents insurance...................... 0 (Brother-in-law pays this)
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 0
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 0
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 1522.84

Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 0 (I own my car but it was given to me by my aunt... I owe nothing!)
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 0

No Secured Debt
Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Credit Card....................416.......7.8.......0
Overdraft......................1594.41...30.25.....0
Bank Loan......................4288.02...81........0
Council Tax Arrears............1488.8....225.......0
GE Money - Store Card..........137.22....1.5.......0
LB of Havering.................141.49....2.68......0
BT.............................159.11....10.........0
o2.............................524.07....9.95......0
Total unsecured debts..........8749.12...371.18....-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,000
Expenses (including secured debts)...... 1,522.84
Available for debt repayments........... 477.16
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 371.18
Amount left after debt repayments....... 105.98 :T


Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 0
Total Secured debt...................... -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -8,749.12
Net Assets.............................. -8,749.12

looktothefuture

Yesterday was a little quiet at the office, I eventually gave up and went home at about 4! It was terribly quiet!

I took the chance to sit down and re-do my SOA which I've posted. It makes me feel really pleased with myself that I've done so much in such a little time!

I also called Moorcroft who have now bought/taken over my BT debt... I had a civil conversation with Rick who agreed that BT were in the wrong with passing the debt to them after BT had received the letter from me explaining I was in financial difficulties and that I was offering them a reduced payment of £10.00/month. He asked me for a breakdown of my finances so I sent him my previous SOA by email. Today I received written confirmation in the post from them that the offer has been accepted and my first payment is due 02 January. All sorted!

I tell you what... not being afraid to open the post is a wonderful feeling! :j I tackle what ever is posted through my door the second I get in every evening. It either gets filed away immediatly (Paid or Correspondence) or it goes into 1 of 2 drawers... To Pay or Payment by DD/SO. To pay is anything that I pay in Cash over the counter at the bank and Payment by DD/SO gets checked against my Bank Statement at the end of the week to make sure it's come out my bank... It really does feel great knowing what I spend my money on and where it all goes! My OH said to me last night when I was telling him about my January SOA that he knows that the next few months are going to be tough but he feels safe in the knowledge that I'm the one handling our finances now because he's seriously screwed us up by not paying me enough... so here's to hoping that he starts to take this into consideration the next time he short pays me his £200.00 toward the house!

looktothefuture

This is so not money saving just I'm annoyed so I thought I'd post something here before I go off on one at my 7 year old stepson about what a knob his mother is making him look and who is currently sitting on my sofa looking like a mini chav!

His mother hasn't sent a belt to go with his rather large waisted jeans so he'll be hiking them up every few minutes and she's sent boxer shorts when she knows I abhore them on young boys... especially when he doesn't have a belt... she's also sent him a brand new brand name black shiny shirt... it looks plastic it is so shiny (either that or scorched from the iron... oh wait, it wouldn't be that, she doesn't know how to switch an iron on, let alone use one!) and he looks ridiculous in it!

And to make matters worse....

She's taken him for a haircut :eek: he's now got a hairstyle that looks ridiculous... it's called an upside down mowhawk (fluffy top coming down into a point - like a tail - at the bottom of his neck, shaved sides - get the picture??) and he's got friggen zig zag stripes shaved into the side of his hair!

Come on... I know I'm getting on a bit and am 6 years older than his tween mother but doesn't she realise that he actually looks terrible? I don't spend £20.00 a month on him to go to a proper barber and for her to screw it up in one go by going to some chav barber in chav land where she lives! :mad: I've only just had his hair cut before the funeral... thats 1 week ago! Heloooooo woman, wake up and smell the coffee... your son isn't your doll, you don't get to straighten his short hair with straighteners and take him out shopping with a punk hairdo, or dress him pathetic outfits just because youre his mother... you are his mother, he should look respectable and have a decent haircut (oh sorry, I forgot you haven't changed out of that t-shirt in the last 7 weekends when we've dropped him off, so maybe I might have to excuse you!)

Geeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzz i'm mad right now! Tonight harry was meeting my partners stepfamily that he's reconnected with since they came to his mothers funeral for the first time and he looks like a tw.t! Great!:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

elaine373

So your stepson`s mum has worn the same t-shirt when you have dropped him off each week-end (obvioulsy not spending her money on herself but doesnt mean she hasnt washed it or herself) and yet you are moaning coz she has spent money on her son by getting him a haircut and clothes that you dont like. Sorry to sound so harsh but hows that a problem or even your place to say.? Your worried about people seeing him like that!! I would worry more about the clear dislike you have for his mum and would suggest you worry about his happiness by not obviously judging what His mother does for him.I have read your posts and realise you have all suffered a bereavement and am very sorry for you all,but so has the grandson and the last thing he needs is you banging on about his mum.Even if you think he hasnt heard you he will almost certainly pick up on it.

looktothefuture

elaine373 wrote: »

So your stepson`s mum has worn the same t-shirt when you have dropped him off each week-end (obvioulsy not spending her money on herself but doesnt mean she hasnt washed it or herself) and yet you are moaning coz she has spent money on her son by getting him a haircut and clothes that you dont like. Sorry to sound so harsh but hows that a problem or even your place to say.? Your worried about people seeing him like that!! I would worry more about the clear dislike you have for his mum and would suggest you worry about his happiness by not obviously judging what His mother does for him.I have read your posts and realise you have all suffered a bereavement and am very sorry for you all,but so has the grandson and the last thing he needs is you banging on about his mum.Even if you think he hasnt heard you he will almost certainly pick up on it.

Thank you for this post, another bashing from someone who doesn't know the full story!

I actually wouldn't put it past her not to have washed... she doesn't bother washing my stepson for the 2 nights a week that she has him, so why would she do it herself!

It is my problem and my place to say because he LIVES with US.... not her! And by the way, she pays no maintainence toward her child as she is on IS...

TurnaroundSue

Why don't you take him back to the hairdressers and get his hair cut into a style that is suitable. I know the style you mean and, yes, they do look horrible and makes the child look like a thug!! I personally would go and get his hair cut, change his jeans (or put a belt on at least) and change his top. Just because his mother has sent him back with clothes on that you don't like, doesn't mean he needs to keep them on!!

elaine373

looktothefuture wrote: »

Thank you for this post, another bashing from someone who doesn't know the full story!

I actually wouldn't put it past her not to have washed... she doesn't bother washing my stepson for the 2 nights a week that she has him, so why would she do it herself!

It is my problem and my place to say because he LIVES with US.... not her! And by the way, she pays no maintainence toward her child as she is on IS...

.You are right, I dont know the full story and i have only been able to go on what you have typed. That included a really nasty statement about the boys mum. Not necessary and it shows you are capable of being very nasty. I dont think thats necessary or relevant to your diary.The Boys real mother isnt able to give her side so why rant with venom.? Also, you have several contraditictions in your posts. I.e you said in one thread that he lives with you full time and in another it says frid-sun. Isnt my aim to ever upset someone but there`s something about your posts that makes me feel uncomfortable.If you dont want opinions then dont post on public forums.

looktothefuture

So today hasn't been too much of a good one... as far as this forum goes anyway! The conversation is now closed and has been deleted by the mods, so perhaps it best I stick to my diary and not venture out of the DFW thread! It's seriously scary out there!

Otherwise, I've paid my first payment toward my BT bill with Moorcroft :T . The last few days have been very MS as I've not had any money to spend apart from a few pennies hidden in my handbag!

Me, out!:D

ElizabethJH

Hey! Sounds like a bit has happened since I last logged in - hope everything is ok! Sounds like you're making good progress with the debts though!
I think with situations that wind you up, you need to assess whether it'd be easier to let it go over your head - the only person that feeling angry hurts is yourself. I know this all too well as just about anything gets to me, and I can't imagine how important your stepson is to you!
Glad you sorted things with Moorcraft - I'm starting to feel the same as you about letters - I used to put them straight in recycling but now I'm actually excited to be seeing totals going down and knowing that I'm finally within my limit on ALL my CC's, overdraft etc. So good to have cleared all the arrears now comes the good bit using my money to actually get rid of the debt!!