my debt free diary.....time to make a change for myself and my boys!!!!

samboss0306

that is a good deal i will get him to try that one. ive decided im going to write down on here all everytime i pay some money towards a debt or do anything money saving and when i spend money that i should not have!! (hopefully i can be strict and not do that!!) so basically i will write down my good and bad points for the day. that might make me feel like im getting somewhere when i can actually see it in black and white.

samboss0306

hi just a quick update for today, i have managed not spend any money today and cooked a large gammon in the slow cooker last night so will defo have enough for dinner tonight and oh and little ones lunch for a couple of days so surely that is money saving!!!


got to go shopping tomorrow for other bits and bobs, does anyone suggest how i can get my food bill down as im currently spending around £75-£85 a week plus popping to the shop for bread and milk etc

can taking a list help as it might make me more determined to stick to just what we need and not throw "Extras" in the trolley. thanks. xxx

Toni_Broke

Hi Samboss

Yeah taking a list will def help you, meal plan and just buy what you need for the week. You could try shopping on line this certainly cuts out those extras chucked into the basket.

Good luck

Tonixx

samboss0306

thanks Toni Broke. i do prefer shopping online as like you said i dont buy as much rubbish!!! i just hate paying the delivery costs as it seems to be getting even more expensive!! i usually wait till i get a discount or free delivery code!!

my good points for the day are:

• nsd today
• took kids to the garden centre and to see the fish they have there!! (was free and they love looking at the fish so defo worth going!!)
• cooked the gammon in the slow cooker so that will last a few days!!

my bad points for the day are:

• have done hardly any tidying or cleaning today
• still have my college work to do and have got exam on wednesday:eek:

must pull my finger out and get house sorted as i want to be able to watch dancing on ice tonight without having to do quick "jobs" whilst the adverts are on!! xxx

Toni_Broke

Hi samboss

I tend to have it delivered on a 'cheaper day' but i'm sure that if i went in person i'd spend the delivery and some!

Off to do some jobs myself now enjoy daning on ice!

Tonixx

moo2moo

You have a surplus of £248.32p wheres that disappearing to? If you can track that down it will allow you to clear you Egg card in under two months. Keep a spending diary and write everything down.

I know catalogues are nice but they are horifically overpriced. Dispose of them. You don't need them and nice as they are letting you pay for things over 6 months you really don't need to. Shop around and you'll find the same things cheaper. Save up for them and buy them as and when you can afford them rather than piling more pressure onto yourselves.

Your car insurance seems very very high too, especially when you use so little fuel.

TurnaroundSue

I bulk buy my bread and milk and freeze it - have been doing this for around 10 years now and stops those little pop ins to buy some and come out £20 worse off when all I really NEEDED was bread and milk.

If you haven't got a freezer big enough, look on freecycle and get one from there and then keep it in the garage purely for bread and milk. I have got 3 freezers and is great for making sure I have loads in and bulk buying/cooking. Mind you having said that my grocery bill is still quite high and am trying every month to reduce it. Am getting there but it does take time and discipline to change a lifetime of bad habits.

samboss0306

hi all thanks for your replies i must admit i put the wrong amount in for petrol i would say it was more £55-£65 a month. the insurance is quite high as we have a 2 lt clio 182 sport!! actually thinking about it it is only £5.00 a month more then when we had a 1.25 lt fiesta!! i think i am going to do my shopping online this week and get it delivered in the evening as i think it is cheaper then. i will try freezing my bread and milk too like you said turnaroundsue (thanks for that)

i must admit i dont know where the remainder of our money goes, i do pay more then the minimum amount on my cc and catalogue each month but i still dont know where the rest goes!!!
i think it basically goes on rubbish but i really want to stop that so i have even more money to pay off our debts with.
thanks again to everyone. xxx

Forris

samboss0306 wrote: »

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 2
Number of cars owned.................... 1
Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 0
Partners monthly income after tax....... 1800
Benefits................................ 30
Other income............................ 150
Total monthly income.................... 1980
Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured loan repayments................. 120.19
Hire Purchase (HP) repayments........... 139
Rent.................................... 478
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 110
Electricity............................. 52
Gas..................................... 45
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 14
Telephone (land line)................... 19
Mobile phone............................ 90
TV Licence.............................. 10
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 21
Internet Services....................... 12.5
Groceries etc. ......................... 220
Clothing................................ 20
Petrol/diesel........................... 40
Road tax................................ 9.58
Car Insurance........................... 58
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 10
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 105
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 15
Haircuts................................ 5
Entertainment........................... 30
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 1623.27

Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 5500
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 5500

Secured & HP Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 0........(0)........0
Secured Debt.................. 2695.....(120.19)...12
Hire Purchase (HP) debt ...... 6000.....(139)......8
Total secured & HP debts...... 8695......-.........-
Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
asda cc........................1581.18...35.87.....0
egg cc.........................411.67....22.54.....30.9
ctc overpayment................1117.08...50........0
Total unsecured debts..........3109.93...108.41....-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,980
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,623.27
Available for debt repayments........... 356.73
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 108.41
Amount left after debt repayments....... 248.32
Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 5,500
Total HP & Secured debt................. -8,695
Total Unsecured debt.................... -3,109.93
Net Assets.............................. -304.93

Gas/electric are a little high - can you switch? Don't forget to use Quidco or Topcashback to get your free money.

Mobiles are very high (as already discussed) - even your's at £20 can be halved. Most providers are doing a £10 deal now.

Telephone/bb/TV can be reduced - Is this Virgin or Sky, and is it a package? If not then you need to look at doing that for some savings.

Car Insurance -have you had recent claims? This is 3x what I pay.

Re. car costs - do any of these include costs that should be covered in OH's business costs. If so, you should not include them in your personal SoA.

Well done for starting the journey. It seems your major hurdle is getting OH to change (his mobile contract, and in general)! I wish you luck. As I have said on here before, you can't do this to best effect if you are not both onboard with what needs doing. Is there a 'prize' that he would be interested in, and would provide him with some motivation?

Forris

samboss0306 wrote: »

hi all thanks for your replies i must admit i put the wrong amount in for petrol i would say it was more £55-£65 a month. the insurance is quite high as we have a 2 lt clio 182 sport!! actually thinking about it it is only £5.00 a month more then when we had a 1.25 lt fiesta!! i think i am going to do my shopping online this week and get it delivered in the evening as i think it is cheaper then. i will try freezing my bread and milk too like you said turnaroundsue (thanks for that)

i must admit i dont know where the remainder of our money goes, i do pay more then the minimum amount on my cc and catalogue each month but i still dont know where the rest goes!!!
i think it basically goes on rubbish but i really want to stop that so i have even more money to pay off our debts with.
thanks again to everyone. xxx

Have you been with the same company for a few years? If so, you need to check out the comparison sites next time the renewal is due. And don't forget to go through a cashback site - you should get at least £50 for car insurance.

While I think of it, you don't list anything for Contents Insurance. You should have some, again use a cashback site.