Jo_R's debt-free diary, slow and steady progress!

bevan840

My only idea is, unless you've already done it, to set up a seperate account to put money in for annual payments ([STRIKE]Car tax, MOT[/STRIKE], forgot you didn't have a car lol TV licence etc) work out what your annual payments cost monthly (car tax for 12 months = £150. So 150/12 = 12.50) add up the monthly amounts and transfer these and a little extra if you can afford it (Monthly payments = £140, so pay £150) into a seperate account. That way you have them to one side so you cant spend them, and you also have that little bit extra in case a rather large bill pops up also

I know the feeling, once I worked out I could be rid of one of my CC's by this time next year I really wanted to do it, now that we might be moving though I'm having to make the payments to the CC smaller again so going to take me longer (unless I win the lotto and then I can get rid of all my CC's and not have to worry about moving as could buy 2 houses, one near my family and one near DH's )

Jo_R_2

Things been a bit here and there this week.

BAD BAD BAD!!!

Have been doing the 'popping to the shop' that ends up costing me double, this week in sweeties for DD2 and bottles of fizzy pop for me:o I can't help it, so what I'm going to do is buy cheap stuff with the weekly shop to avoid the temptation to buy that and god knows what else on our daily jaunts down to the precinct.

Bought a USB cable for my camera (OH helpfully on one of his tidying sprees chucked a load of old cables amongst which, it turned out, was the USB one for my camera.) Photographed all my ebay stuff earlier on, meaning to make the most of the evening with OH off out, but as I sat down here to upload my piccies, I realised I'd bought the wrong cable so the plug does not fit my camera :mad: Have ordered another one but just means putting off listing things til next week.

Whilst things are slowly getting into place, I desperately need MORE organisation with my money. With everything being in one pot (well, within my account anyway), I find it hard to see what's going where. So I am going to open up separate accounts/pots, mainly thinking of a monthly spend for groceries, but also for savings for things such as the emergency fund, Christmas and birthdays and so on. That way I can properly organise things by allocating a 'place' for each bit of money I need and what is left in my account is exactly what I have to play with so to speak.

GOOD GOOD GOOD!!!

We went to the letting agency today and handed over the deposit and first month's rent. OH's mum and stepdad are loaning us now the total amount, then we have arranged when we get the deposit back from this house after we move, we will repay that so they are actually giving us the first month's rent as a gift - all we'll have had to pay practically is the admin fee which was not much compared to others I've had to pay int he past!:j

My overpayment for my CC has gone through, a great boost for me to see it there, all I need to do now is get cracking with my ebaying next week, and hopefully have those listings finished and items posted before we move.

Feeling fairly organised at the mo with a clear list of things to improve the situation - doing the snowball calculator has really helped me see a way forward, along with being able to overpay my CC for the first time in a while.

Keeping_Positive

Hello

Thank you for yur support on my thread was having too much of the bad recently and not seeing the good bits.

Great news on the loan from OH parent that is a nice gift.

I know what you mean about thelittle extra shops all adds up. I do what you intend and buy chep/offer/value stuff in the weekly shop to help. I am the worst culprit with choc so buy packs of 5 that work out at 30p each instead of 50p at work.

Tesco value tortilla chips are not only lush but are 25p for 100g. Their small choc bars (with peguins and things) are 45-47p and not too bad either. Strawberry value angel delight is under 10p great for a cheap pudding.

EssexHebridean

Hi Jo - think positive on this, at least you have already done the photos for the ebay stuff - you just have to transfer them to the pc when you get the cable and then do the listings. One less thing to do!

That's a lovely gesture with the rent isn't it - you must be well chuffed!

Keeping_Positive

Right you have me intrigued about Quicken but when I search its all us based. Looks good though. Has the UK free version been stopped to new users?

Jo_R_2

Glad you're feeling better KP! Just ordered online shopping and got 12 cans of own-brand cola - it always makes me think of that Peter Kay stand-up where he talks about 'Rola Cola' LOL!

Thanks EssexHebridean, I was pretty peed off at buying the wrong cable but you're right, the groundwork is done so all I'll need to do is upload and list the items!

Have agreed with OH provisionally a simplified way to deal with finances. When we move to the new house, OH is going to take over rent duty (by that I mean have it coming out of his account:)) I'll continue to be on direct debit duty (LOL) which just about balances out things - rent is more than the DDs but he has more going into his account so it sorta works out like that. Not sure how am going to sort out grocery shopping, I expect it will come from his account but I do the actual shopping, might still set up a separate account - that way any savings we make will be clear to see and can do as we like with:D

Bit peeved by a comment OH made earlier when having this discussion... He said when talking about sharing finances that he didn't want to be paying for my credit card. I see his point, but it annoys me because a fair share of the amounts on there are not from me buying stuff but cash withdrawals towards rent (when we first moved in together), council tax and also when he was off work last year, I helped him out with money a fair bit, admittedly not always for him alone but for shared things such as petrol for trips out.

Don't know what to say to him, I have a feeling however I say it, it's going to sound like I'm trying to offload my debts onto him and as the loan I have with my ex is such a sore point for him (and rightly so), bringing up another of my debts isn't going to be his favourite subject!

EssexHebridean

Is it workable to sit down with the statements and actually go through things month by month to see how it does balance out\? If some of the debt on there is either joint stuff, or his, then the payments against it should be split accordingly. MrEH has a card on my capital one CC - we sit down each month when the statement comes in and work out how much is mine, his, and joint, and money then gets transferred from account to account as needed.

Jo_R_2

Having a bit of a stress today! Can't go into it too much as typing one-handed with a baby on me but first thing is someone wants to come to look at house tomorrow and it's a right mess!:eek::eek::eek:

Second is thought had sorted DD1's new school out for when we move but found a nearer school (which is as good and near to OH's mum) has places... Whilst totally dithering, am going to phone up and arrange a visit asap and take it from there, luckily admissions lady at council v. nice and helpful and says to email her asap if I change my mind so need to get sleeping baby off me to phone said school up... Cue very cross baby LOL!

bevan840

Aww Jo, hope baby doesn't get too cross. I'm sure whoever views the house will be able to see past the 'mess' If baby gives you enough time why not try a quick run through all rooms, making lists of what needs doing, then work out which items on the list are the most important and get them done first, if you have time/energy left for a little bit more then give it a try. Make sure you take plenty of breaks though, too much too soon and you'll be shattered!
Good luck with the new school, sounds good

Keeping_Positive

Good luck with the house tidy not nice with an unhappy babe in tow. Good advice from Bevan there.