Road to better Life!

gailey_2

Ahh bit about me I kept a diary about 6months ago but gave up as I got so negative and upset that things were not going my way.
In refelection I can see although last 6months been hard learnt so much and now feeling more positive and realise I need to stop sticking my head in the sand every little counts and if I work hard and am determined it will happen!
Must admit been lurking on this board for years and find it all so interesting and supportive and the challanges keep me motivated.
it just seems so daunting!

Bit about me we live in rented house but nice are seems like its shrinking since we had baby who is nearly 3 now and also have step son one weekend a month and pay monthly maintainance.
I gave up work 6months ago as the stress and take home pay after nursury fees was dismall so have now taken daughter down to part time and to save money just doing 1 day a week this year until we get vouchers in april.
Husband has good fulltime job and works lots of hours problem is gross seems good but by time billsfood,private rentcar and debts paid we not got much left infact we got defecit most months! Because his salary looks lots we not entitked to much family tax at all so just get child benefit.

I do lot of ebaying and tryed to set up own business last year which I failed to get off ground so will give another shot this year.
I also did carboots and surveys last year too but this year plan to setep it up by doing reveiws signed up for mystery shopping and quidco plus want to try bingo. Im also entering as many competions as I can as need some luck and could sell high value things to pay off debts.
Got some furniture and scooter to sell scooter failed to sell before xmas but hoping to get good price as my new insurance quote came through and is high as had accident last year and other driver claimed false whiplash injuries and damage to car so was fuming.
Hubby car cost us a fortune last year in repairs prob about 2grand which is why he run up 2nd credit card I keep saying cut your losses sell and get something else but he says it may not go wrong again but ineveitably it does!
We have gone through our budget many times and downgraded phone landline broadband and mobile packages and are on basic sky which we wont get rid as our only luxury if half a council estate on benefits got sky then we keeping it is my motto!

We did well on our energy as switched to scottish pwoer and got it fixed until 2011.
We with virgin for phone broadband and tied into contract but may look to change when it ends.
I wanted to do sky everything for £30 but you need bt line so have tonpay bt reconnection cost as we got cable and bt line rental think it would work out more pricey a scurrently pay £40 virgin includes lien rentalbroadband and calls and £18 sky basic package.
Daughter broke tv last year and had nitmare claim with more than so amy look into switching home insurance as they were awful.
So had so much bad luck in 2008 trying to feel postitive about 2009 and this was meant to be our year for paying off debts however hubby disheartened now as bonus scheme in work cancelled diue to crdeit crunch whiich will make us wsorse off each month as he nearly always got it could have made lots.
Cant take bank to court over bank charges as its still on ice very annoying as between us the banks have taken thousands over the years.
We would love to buy but need to be debt free first with savings as banks want silly 20%deposit so have decided we need to get few thinsg for hosue this year not go mad just essential and make it more homely as we going to be here next few years.
We desperatly need new sofa but will get new throw instead!
beige carpet a nitemare desperatly need rug doctor anther £35 hire but its the best and works!
our dining table too small and want new one which we will get once bike sells
our bed frame broken and propped up by tool box but will make do and save for new one as just need frame!
daughter getting tall will need stage 3 carseat this year another £100
rug for hallway to protect from buggy trailing in dirt £40

But by far worst is kitchen we decided we we will get a plastic shed container and put freezer outside so we can put work surface back up as when we moved in we had huge chest freezer,large fridge washer and dryer to fit in very small kitchen and we been struggling for storage in kitchen for ages so in order to do this oh decides to move cupboard himself but drills into power cable causing half the houses electrics to go or at leat one circuit so no power in litchen hallways or daughers room got sparky coming round tommorow for a quote so dreading the cost!

Have signed up for grocery challange as wee need to keep to £180-£200!
Our food bill has dropped few months as stopped going to tesco have shopped around been to aldis and lidls andshopped the deals switched to own brand and cooked from scatch but im sure I can do more on that front.
My plan was spend £45 a week and buy £5saving stamps each week for xmas as was nitemare this year although did forgo turkey and got goose breast,lobster,leg of lamb and large free range chicken for same price as we would have paid for turkey!

Im looking for part time job and did hand applications before chrstmas but heard nothing problem is jobs in retail getting harder those who are not going bust are trimming their wage budget even the mighty tesco!
But next year maybe I can fufill my dream as an elf!
Will keep ebaying and doing extra stuff to boost income so hoping to make good progress on pay off your debts by xmas 2009 as paid £215/9000 so far.

The 9000 figure is mien and oh finances added together

I have small loan
overdraft
1credit card

oh got
2credit cards
overdraft

He does have large loan which is not included in 9000 figure as once everything else paid we can eat into that and pay it off early but at the moment £9000 seems like a huge challange!
We both now on same page and agree wee need to plug defecit and pay more off each month as at moment we just been treading water.
im trying to convince oh that every little counts hes skeptical of small amounst as I paid grand total of £5 off card other day as managed to convert my euro coins into £ so was pleased as its £5 less!
Going to cash £5 lightspeed and pay that towards debts too!

No holiday for us this year unless we win one but did get tent last summer in sale but never used as rained constantly!

Sorry to ramble hope I not bored pants of you. its more for me to keep track of my progress as attitude wise last 6months I think I have progressed just need to put new found knoweledge and positive go getting attitude in to practice as do have tendancy to get bit down over it and worry.

So plans for today

complete 2 dooyoo reveiws
list 5items on ebay
enter 20 competiions as aiming for 10 a day 70 a week but ideally 400month must surly win something then unless im terminally unlucky!
only entered 20 so far so bit behind.
check surveys
pray to god sparky is cheap tommorow

Fire_Fox

Have you completed a Statement of Affairs yet? It can be really helpful.

leo1976

Hello and welcome.

Complete one of these and we can all help.

Good luck in your debt free journey.

http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

Fire_Fox

Deleted as double post

beanielou

Break it down into baby steps~it might help you find it a wee bit easier.

gailey_2

Thanks for response guys

I havent botheered with soa as we practiaclly shopped around and changed everythinga dn made all the cutbacks we can expenditure wise and have checked entitled 2 website.
We realise cant cut back much more but grocery challange has helped we need to increase income as we on cheapest option for everything.
We been on all comparision sites and rang up current providers and also cut back on childcare.
Biggest drain has been the car which oh informs me playing up again leaking radiator nothing but trouble.
My mums lending me money for sparky which i can then pay back when bike sells.
As the house never seems big enough we been trying to move stuff to make more space which wa sidea in kitchen as we dident have eneough surface or work space hence need to move freezer.
As for other purchase new table when bike sells rest will pay off debts big chunk which be nice as think want to clear one of hubbys tesco credit card and my barclaycard 1st as highest interest.
The new bed will have to wit and will save for as well as save for car tax renewal in july.

Good news sold few things today although awaiting payment for one helps towards ebay fees.
Listed on ebay but not manged reveiws.
have checked surbeys none atm.
will enter 10 comps tonight and catch up tommorow I guess.

Toddler been demanding of time tommorow hoping to achive lots tommorow including housework and trip to postoffice!
Will job hunt on tuesday too. sold pram for 45 making 20 profit and brought cheap pram to replace so happy there.
Got one big pram to list this week which should help pay
orange fone bill
credit card
and remaining ebay fees

which then just leaves £40loan £120 cat and wnated to pay extra off cc and overdraft but will see how it goes!
Running low n food but determined to make it last!
got oh keeping spending diary to track true cost of petrol and fags which unfortunatly he wont give up.

Only bad news is ebay fees they tried to take direct from bank which will boucce causing me £8 charge.
Papers all doom and gloom today another shop going bust and forcast 2009 worst financilaly for familes and government planning to throw more money at banks!
Im pleased im on right tracka nd feeling more postitive dealing with it.
Will do my best to be devt free by xmas.

gailey_2

Well january turning out to be tricky month.
sparky costing me £85 mum lent money but need to pay her back
ebay super slow
not many surveys
behind with my 70 a week competition entries and cadbury comp driving me crazy
still not done reviws but sold few things and doen surveys this week.
today need to go postoffice and get few essential bits coffee and sqaush!
running really low on food but determined to exist on whats left.
Oh driving me mad with his careless misc spending.
Going to have to sit down with him every month to determine where his money goes as got back pay this month and no ctax feb march so he can pay cc instead.
Need to lost bike in paper again and list more on ebay
clean up pram and arrange courier.

got lost of housework and naughty toddler to contend with never seems to be enough hours in day!

Want to pay off more debt but got

ebay fees
phone bill to pay 1st

still got another £25 cc
80od to pay
£40 loan
and wanted to pay off 120 cat this month!

Seems ovewhelming but I will suceed!

mummum2

Sounds like you doing good, keep it up and good luck with getting the bike sold.

MM2

gailey_2

Got phonecall about job intervewi today 16hours shop but sadly tehy wnat fully flexible which i cant be bacause hubby works fulktime and no childcare as nursury need notice and the wage would barly cover nursury fees so had to pass am gutted but will continue with search.

Off to aldis to spend £10 to keep us going until oh payday next thur.
sparky coming tommorow to fix electrics.

I made a bargain purchase today hopefully to sell on with big profit.

need to make another £225 this month to cover everything ebay slow last lot of items dident sell but will try again this weekend.

St down with hubby tonight to re cruch numbers and hes changed to cheaper tarrif on mobile from £30 a month to 18quid for 18months saving us £12 amonth.
Going to ring loan about repayment breal and garage about work done ages ago thats still not right with car.

if we strictly keep to new set budget our monthly defecit egtting smaller and as soon as I get job and sell nike we be even or better to pay off more.
Just trying to get oh and motivated as he feels stuck and cant see how little things will improve.

gailey_2

Right cant sleep so maybe time to type update

friday handed in applcation for promising jobs near me so fingers crossed as sounds perfect.
but plan to aplly for more this week too.
Me and oh had huge chat and decided whats best to tackle debts together and think hes more hopeful.
He rang aa about repayment break for loan they said no
paid £85 sparky for 20min work,oh still embarresed.
had disagreement yesterday about food with oh as i had emal planned what little we had to last until hubbsy pay day 15th but he borrowed yet more money off his mam dident tell me then fibbed about amount until foudn receipt in his pocket was quite bad value shop so not impressed we had stuff just nothing he fancied!
On plus side ebay going well made £120 this weekend paid off
£52 ebay fees
paid off new bargain pram for resale
arranged courier for pram tommorow
sold another pram tonight
brought bubblwrap for prams
transfered some money onto top up card to post 5 ebay items.
still awaiting payment for few things hopefully another £15

feeling more postive and will list lots this week.
also breakthrough with oh decided to sell some warhammer figures on my ebay as im so generous hopefuly raise 200-300 towards his cc debt.
I hope bike sells in tradeit this week or might opt for shop taking cut as insurance up for renewal this month too.

Hopefully by end of jan we will have paid £2000/9000 if bike sells which will give us real boost that it can be done!

gailey_2

feeling positive today did my first dooyoo reveiws and up to 1700 points if i keep this up i reckon extra 40-50quid a month how exiting hope I dont run out of things to reveiw.
wont ebay until thursdat but plan to list lots again ready for weekend.
today is chance to catch up on competions and surveys.
All these extra income ideas keep me busy.