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

Jo_R_2

Thanks for the support guys, I'm seriously struggling here though!

Just got back from playgroup and the afternoon stretches out in front of me. Had some baking planned (brownies, yum!) but have had that planned all of last week as well

I need to get to the bank at some point soon to set up my standing order for my council tax, although feeling like I do now, I don't think that's gonna happen in the next few days so will have to manually transfer my first payment - I think this should be fine, I might do that later.

I still need to set up a separate account for the rent as well, so can do that also when I eventually get into town!

As far as I can see, everything else is ticking over okay so nothing immediate to worry about. Me and OH were discussing last night about the Sure Start grant I got and what to do with it, as at the mo it's just sitting in my bank and it's all too easy to dip into it, which I have done a couple of times now, for bits and bobs. We were thinking split possibly £300 between us and use half each to pay some off our respective credit cards, then keep the rest aside 'just in case' - which from my experience seems to happen a lot right after a baby comes along!

Not 100% decided yet but whatever we do decide, I want to get it sorted asap before baby arrives and important money stuff gets pushed aside.

beanielou

Yeah, best to pay CT manually meantime.
You can pay it on line where I live

panambi

Hi Jo,

I have just come across your diary and there are so many similarities between your situation and mine. Just wanted to say well done for tackling this and not giving in to getting a car! My OH is helpless with money/budgeting and tends to just buy stuff when he wants (not needs!) them even though we are on a very, very tight budget - just puts it on his CC or overdraft! :eek: I have already sent my forms off for Sure Start Maternity Grant and the new pregnancy grant (£190) and want to put most of it towards CC but OH would rather buy something with it...:o

I like your idea of a separate account for rent, will consider it for us as well. What I do with other "pots" - I have a few e-savings accounts with my bank where I can make instant transfers from my current account and can give them any name I like, so I have one called "Christmas", another "Kids" etc. (I pay for swimming lessons every 10 weeks so if I put some in there every week I don't suddenly have to find £70 to pay for the new term, can just access it instantly from the savings account by transferring it back to current account and taking out the cash) Hope that makes sense.

Well done for being so organised, keep it up and I hope baby shows up soon - all the best with your homebirth!

Sweetpeanut

Hi Jo :hello:, thought i'd pop in and say "well-done" really enjoying you diary, and i hope this baby gets a move on, for you, hopefully it might just be a lazy one:D, lets hope its just as lazy when it arrives:rolleyes:. GoodLuck and i'll pop back later;)

Lemon_Tree

thought i would say hello as well and not just read and run.
Isn't it frustrating when you and your OH want slightly different things. I updated my accounts last night as i'd had my payslip, and said to OH that it was going to be a tight month, had to then explain that i'd rather we stick to a budget than hit the savings etc and see how we get on. We'll all get there in the end

Jo_R_2

panambi wrote: »

Hi Jo,

I have just come across your diary and there are so many similarities between your situation and mine. Just wanted to say well done for tackling this and not giving in to getting a car! My OH is helpless with money/budgeting and tends to just buy stuff when he wants (not needs!) them even though we are on a very, very tight budget - just puts it on his CC or overdraft! :eek: I have already sent my forms off for Sure Start Maternity Grant and the new pregnancy grant (£190) and want to put most of it towards CC but OH would rather buy something with it...:o

I like your idea of a separate account for rent, will consider it for us as well. What I do with other "pots" - I have a few e-savings accounts with my bank where I can make instant transfers from my current account and can give them any name I like, so I have one called "Christmas", another "Kids" etc. (I pay for swimming lessons every 10 weeks so if I put some in there every week I don't suddenly have to find £70 to pay for the new term, can just access it instantly from the savings account by transferring it back to current account and taking out the cash) Hope that makes sense.

Well done for being so organised, keep it up and I hope baby shows up soon - all the best with your homebirth!

beanielou, done the council tax thing, pat on the back for me for remembering to do it! :T:T:T

Thanks panambi, our OHs must've come from the same school of moneysaving LOL! OH's terrible trouble used to be that he was quite the impulse buyer - he saw something, he'd buy it, and I'm sooo the total opposite, I much prefer to research, see what's out there and get the best for my money. Having said that, it does have it's drawbacks, I have often been teased by OH because I've waited so long to decide whether to buy something that it's not on sale anymore so have lost out :rolleyes:

Sweetpeanut, thanks, I always enjoy reading other people's diaries, it's nice to see that being a DFW is a gradual process and being human life gets in the way sometimes - or babies do!

Lemon Tree, exactly what me and OH were talking about, although the money from the Sure Start grant isn't exactly "savings", it is there for when we need it, and I'd rather have something to fall back on. I said using this money for everyday stuff like shopping (his suggestion) to me is ignoring the reason why we find ourselves short come rent day or direct debit day - ie because we're not budgeting properly. I think he got it!

Jo_R_2

Not much to report this last couple of days. Minor achievements for me though:

• been remembering to check online banking daily - great habit, is really helping me to keep on top of things
• paid first instalment of arrears for council tax for March online - have the details to set up a standing order but not been feeling up to getting to town, nevermind walking round so did this payment manually then can set up SO for next month.

Minor drawbacks to work on:

• did a good shop on Monday, came to £41 using shopping list, but has quickly become apparent that I didn't get enough to stretch over the week despite sticking to a rough menu planner. This is partly because my parents came over yesterday so used more food, and partly because I've cut down on sweet treats (ie biscuits, cakes etc) with the intention of making them myself as have the stuff in the cupboard, but been so tired I just haven't gotten round to it. Need to be more realistic at this point in time - yes I want to cut down but we do have that little extra in the budget for now to be able to afford a couple of sweet treats and it won't be forever.
• Over last week have withdrawn £30 in cash. Now, I very rarely carry cash with me because I spend it soo easily on little things that add up, so I have been really slack and am quite cross with myself for doing this! :mad:
• Paid for shopping out of my account. Now we're not short because of this, because the Sure Start money is sat in there, but really shopping should come out of OH's account. However he checked his online account, a good habit he's just getting into, and realised that the DD for his mobile phone last month wasn't quite the £30 he thought but more like £55 :eek: He's slowly starting to realise part of the reason why we're finding ourselves short even though the budget adds up on paper...

Bad/good news depending how you look at it... The last bank charges have come out of my account, so no more to worry about. I knew they were coming this week so that's one thing to tick off the list.

That's about it for me at the mo!

Julu

Just wanted to wish you all the best - both with your imminent arrival, and in dealing with your financials. Will pop back from time to time to see how you're doing.

beanielou

Well done on paying the CT on line.
Baby steps hun.

Jo_R_2

I got a letter this morning from the bank. Last time I was in town I handed in my standing order form for my Housing Benefit overpayment. The queue was so long at customer service that an assistant was popping down the line seeing if she could help anyone out with any quick queries so I gave her the form and she said she'd sort it out.

The letter that came confirmed the SO had been set up, but that rather than when I *wanted* it to come out (the 1st of the month), it looks like it's just been set up as on the date of the day I was in the bank (18th.) Funny because I am fairly (not totally!) sure that I specified on the form the date of 1st of each month as I like everything coming out at the same time so I know where I am.

Just a little thing but now all worried that if payment doesn't come out until the 18th that the council will think I've forgotten to pay (I'm not sure how it works regarding what notification they get of SO's being set up.) So just going to phone council now (yippee - lunchtime on a Friday - twenty mins at least on hold I reckon! :rolleyes:) to explain.

Good news is that maintenance money for girls has gone in which I had completely forgotten about (good for me for checking online banking!)

Was going to go to playgroup - in fact will try my best, is a free stay and play session with drinks and snacks for all provided - but I ache sooooooo much I can hardly move. Texted OH asking if he could come home, which I really didn't want to do but he finishes early on a Friday anyway... He's not replied at any rate so must be busy. Ah well, hopefully I'll manage.