new start - get life straight

taxi73

Well done on posting your SOA as I know how hard that was for you.It's a good idea to put the money away into an account for all the bills so that if you get a big bill you will have the money set aside.
I'm just wondering where you can cut back or earn another £22 so that at least the budget balances or else you'll be getting slightly more in debt every month?

mum2one

Its sounds so silly doesnt it £22.00, the prob I have is as im on Income Support, so I can only actually earn £7.62 per week, so not able to do much for that. I'm on the books of a couple of mystery shopping agenies, but as I wont/cant travel here, there and everywhere, I only get offered the dreads... One company pretty gd, I do a regular job, (touch wood), thats £10 every 5 weeks, the company wants a regular auditor rather than different people each time so that works in my favour.
Fingers crossed the rest will work itself out! x
Thank you thou Taxi xx

DreamerHelen

Hiya Hun

Well okay, you can only earn an extra £7 per week, but that's better than nothing!! And that would work out at £28 per week which gives you your extra money that you're short on...

You know what I do for a living, and you can earn as much or as little as you need to earn from that.

I feel like I'm going around telling everyone that they should do that LoL...but it IS a great way to earn extra money because you can do it in your Spare time....

If you need any advice about that, if you decide to do it, then please feel free to PM me hun...

Apart from that...Good Luck and WELL DONE for posting your SOA, I know from experience how scary that can be...but you did good hun

mum2one

Not much going on here, still aiming this new push the debt free front for next yr.

Sounds sad, but although DDs birthday is not until Sept, shes haveing a party, so I've been to couple of Woolworths stores and got a wack of stuff for the party - bags, table clothes, party favours, and its all money neutral as I pd for them from the money saved from supermarket vouchers.

I'm also going to try and aim for 5k payoff of debts by Dec09, how successful I dont know, but I will give it a damm good go.

Aim to have envelope supply for each pot of money and that way once its gone its gone and any left will be chucked at the debts. DD has my loose change and 50ps, so am going to start a £1.00 pot......whether its got £10 or £50, I intend to leave it to Xmas 2009 as a surprise.

Thats me for now, TTfn xx
Have been orgainsed and done birthday and xmas lists for 2009, and skimmed down the lists to the best that I can, we have some presents left over from this year and also got some stuff in the sales, not much, but all helps.

mum2one

Just decided to go for the push with my debts, I'm so pround of myself that I havent gone mad in the sales as I normally would. All I brought was 4 pillows from M+S, did try Tesco but they'd sold out (as I was going to use some supermarket vouchers.....), but got the 4 pillows for £10 at M+S so cant really complain.

Good news I start my next OU course in Feb, so that keep me out of trouble.

Had a chat with mum about presents, ie the amount that we spent, she has agreed with me to cut back and were going to work more together.

Lula-Hula

Hey Mum2one,

I know just how you feel about DD doing hobbies etc. My DD does 3 activities which I wouldnt dream of making her give up as she enjoys them all & they're an opportunity for her to make friends out of school too.

I now find they're manageable as since I had my budgeting lbm I worked out how much they & her pocket money & holiday clubs cost over the year & now save the necessary amount each week.

If I dont pop in before then, Happy New Year to you & wishes for all good things for you in 2009

Lula xx

Buffythedebtslayer

Hello Mumtoone was looking for your diary and there it was!

I am doing a spending diary too, from Thursday, in a notebook..... should stop me wasting money!

I am really impressed with this money neutral presents business...I might look into that.
thank you for your lovely posts in my diary,xxx

I shall catch up properly tomorrow

debt free here we come!

Buffy

xxxx

mum2one

Hi Lula-Hula, hope you dont mind but Im joining you on the £100 clothes challenge, otherwise I just waste money! I have to excluded my undies from the £100 challenge otherwise 2 bras and few packs of knickers from Evans and my budget is blown!
I will stay away from Ann Harvey - you need a 2nd mortgage to go through the front door, even on a sale day!! Thou had a dress for xmas day from there, reduced from £100 to £20.00 but that was my last treat. x

Have now edited my sig to take into account this new lightbulb moment, my 5k challenge, and £100 clothes.

So far re dd, have some money saved from 2008 towards her next ballet, (due Apr, swimming due Feb.....). Were get there.x

moo2moo

Try free scratchcards to make up your shortfall. Of the ones I'm experimenting with Take a Break Bingo seems to be the best (so far). Sign up with them deposit £10. Open up a bingo game, click on the free scratchcard (Lucky the Cat) win something. Immediately withdraw your original £10. After that you can log in once a day and do the free scratchcard. I appear to be averaging £2.50 a week, so £10 a month. You can also do this with St. Miniver owned Bingo sites, some of which are giving £10 cashback via Quidco, but only open 1 St. Miniver account (which Take a Break are not). That should net you approx £20 a month for a few dull moments everyday.

I'm amazed by how much you've achieved and how positive you are especially in the face of 49.9% interest rates from Vanquish. Thats outrageous!

taxi73

Hi mum2one...the spending diary is a good idea.
If you are larger like myself..Matalan,tesco and Asda all do bigger sizes.The bingo sites are a good idea as well.You sound really motivated and that's half the battle.We can all only try our best as we can't do any better than that.