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

Keeping_Positive

sORRY TO HEAR YOUR WEEKEND WAS A BIT CARP TO jO. nO WONDER oh SNAPPY IF NO HOLIDAY LEFT. wEEKENDS ARE JUST NOT LONG ENOUGH. oPP CAPS LOCK PROB SORRY GOT TO GO

Jo_R_2

Yeah - gonna ring up OH's mum and arrange for her to babysit baby next Saturday evening, and see if DDs can stay at my parents and see if I can take OH out and cheer him up a bit.

Not sure what to do that won't cost much though - I like cinema, OH not that keen! Need to rack my brains, needs to involve getting out of the house though as OH gets claustrophobic if he spends too much time indoors.

Watching a couple of bits to wear on ebay which finish I think Wednesday so hoping for a bargain or two as desperately need clothes!

bevan840

Is there a favourite place that OH has? Is he an active person? Maybe take him out for a loooooong walk Fresh air can always help

Keeping_Positive

What is it about OHs and finding something they want to do?! Cinema is about the only thing as he doesnt drink and hates food sogoing to pub/restaruant out of the question.

Hope you find something - we tried Iceskating once which OH liked except I couldnt do it so once aound the rink and back home to the local :rotfl:. OH thought it was very funny that it was 46 miles to go 200 yards down the road.

Jo_R_2

Still not come up with anything but not thought much about it as been soo busy today. Will give his mum a call tomorrow to ask her to babysit, and my parents too.

Just going to dig out my SOA and update totals with receipts. Think may have overspent a little but will find out, don't think it's tooooo bad:o

Really need to keep on top of Christmas shopping, must admit DD1's list has daunted me quite a bit. Want to have most of it sorted by end of next week.

Jo_R_2

Totals updated. Have just over £13 left in surplus until end of month. Have already overpaid £20 on Virgin cc this month so if anything left out of this then will transfer over.

Just been checking my PPI reclaim result letter. By now the remaining PPI and interest should have been removed, thus decreasing the amount outstanding. My monthly amount payable will go down from £154.22 to £98.02 from 1st December. All am waiting for now is refund of PPI which should take up to 28 days so pretty much anytime in November.

Just wanted to jot down a few things for my 'To Do' list tomorrow:

• [STRIKE]phone to check registered on electoral roll here[/STRIKE]
• check council tax-free months and amount payable from next April
• [STRIKE]check if have any water rate-free months as gather I may possibly do (not not sure!)[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]check online banking[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]check ebay items on auction[/STRIKE]

EssexHebridean

Any thoughts on what to do at the weekend yet Jo? Tricky when money is tight as well isn't it.

Hope the PPI reclaim comes through nice and quickly now - good feeling when you win, isn't it!

Jo_R_2

Yep EH I keep planning what am going to do with it. Was working it out last night and provisionally thinking could poss. pay off

a) Virgin cc (a la sig)
b) Tesco cc (coming in just over 2k at mo)
c) overdraft (£800)

which would leave the outstanding amount of my loan (worked it out roughly last night, can't remember figure came up with but was somewhere around 3k) plus my interest-free debts ( 2 x Tax Credits, 1 @ £200 and 1 @ just under £600 and a HB overpayment which is relatively small @ £60.)

That would leave a few hundred left to use towards my mental list of things we need for the house (bits of furniture, stereo) and OH keeps asking for an XBox :rolleyes: NOthing decided totally yet but debts planned to pay off think will be the best way to go, just need to decide whether to use more towards debts or use some for house stuff.

Jo_R_2

Where's my PPI refund then?!! Keep checking but nothing gone into bank account OR come in the post (loan was with IF and is now dealt with by Halifax.)

Baby crawling round when he should be having a nap:rolleyes: Don't mind of course as he's a lovely little star but means I can't get much housework done. Ah well;)

Also means phone calls bit difficult but might call up Halifax and find out what new outstanding balance is on loan and when new monthly payment amount kicks in - assume it will be from 1st December but want to double check.

Found out water is on DD plan 12 monthly so no payment-free months, oh well

Council-tax bit confused me, it appears that I have ONE payment-free month in March, going to phone up and check this, gather it is because we moved part-way through year (or a bit through the year.) Nevermind - one payment-free month is better than none eh? (looking on the bright side!)

Gonna try and get on with doing something vageuly resembling housework whilst baby in happy mood:D

Jo_R_2

Phoned Halifax yesterday. Loan has been recalculated, has gone from a balance of just over 6k to 3.7k:j Monthly payments reduced from 154.22 to 98.02 from 1st December and PPI refund should come via cheque sometime during first week of December as apparently their office has a backlog:rolleyes:

Car knackered so been walking lots. Quite like it actually - am guilty of jumping in car for short journeys - that's more due to my poor timekeeping than laziness (although OH would argue otherwise:mad:;)) Discussed last night cutting our losses with this car and maybe putting a little bit more into something half-decent. We do seem to buy these really old cars that appear to be all right but then conk out on us - this is the second since we moved in June and looking for another:o

We have a Nissan Largo, it's fabulous for space but gets through diesel like nobody's business:eek: Looks like a complete shed but we love it, 8 seats and still boot space for shopping and got it essentially for free:D Not sure what we'd be looking at, or when, I really need to sit down and work out what I'm doing with this money then I'll know exactly what I have free to "play" with.

Got a bid in on a top on ebay, forgot I had a little bit in my Paypal and desperate for clothes but can't get anything yet until got my full December's money in (just waiting for child maintenance off ex), finish my SOA and can budget accordingly, as also need to get DD1 new school blouses.

Hope everyone good!