My debt free diary...determined to do it for my girls!!

helnag

Aggghhhh...

Just got my bank statement and they're charging me £39...

I rang them when I noticed cap 1s dd had bounced last month and explained that cap 1 had taken it early so they agreed to refund the bounced dd charge. Have just called to query why it's on my statement and they say this charge is cos I'd been over my limit when sky took money they shouldn't have which was refunded under the dd guarantee...

Surely they can't charge for going over my limit if they then refunded the dd that caused the problem under the dd guarantee????

Forris

Well done on calling the bank straight away and getting the charges back. Regarding the Sky payment, it may be worthwhile posting that issue on a different board. The DFW board is great but it does move very quickly and posts can get lost sometimes.

helnag

Thanks, the bank say I need to call sky to see if they'll credit me the bank charge.

Really disappointed with myself today, had 2 cigarettes last night. I stayed at my mums for the night and pinched a couple of hers...haven't smoked today and can honestly say I don't want to. When I've given up before I've had a couple and then before I know it I'm smoking like a trooper again but haven't had one today and really do feel like %^**&!! My throat's sore and my chest is tight...will not smoke again!!

Just feel so fed up with myself.

mum2one

helnag wrote: »

Hi, Please be gentle, trying hard to become debt free, I've been lurking on this site for some time, guess you can say I've finally had my lightbulb moment!!!!

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 1
Number of children in household......... 2
Number of cars owned.................... 1

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 680
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 1320
Other income............................ 200
Total monthly income.................... 2200

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured loan repayments................. 0
Hire Purchase (HP) repayments........... 305.95
Rent.................................... 412 - have you tried for houseing benefit
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 92 - have u tried for council tax rebate, or maybe next year, could you see if you can go for 12 payments not 10
Electricity............................. 80 - that seems high, can yopu look at swopping
Gas..................................... 80 -same as elec
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 58 - can you look at a water meter?
Telephone (land line)................... 20
Mobile phone............................ 0
TV Licence.............................. 11.67
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 17.5
Internet Services....................... 10
Groceries etc. ......................... 240
Clothing................................ 25
Petrol/diesel........................... 60
Road tax................................ 18
Car Insurance........................... 122.5 - is that every month, that is very high, at renewal shop around, try cash back sites, the last time I changed my ins I cut my bill by half
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 10
Car parking............................. 12
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 251
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 39
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 18.96
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 80 - this really needs to be reduced, pop over to the money neutral thread, great suggestions
Haircuts................................ 25 - can you try and extend the period between haircuts,
Entertainment........................... 0
Holiday................................. 50
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 2038.58


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


Secured & HP Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 0........(0)........0
Hire Purchase (HP) debt ...... 0........(305.95)...0
Total secured & HP debts...... 0.........-.........-

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
capital one....................192.......9.85......30.34
welcome loan...................3390......210.6.....62
home learning college..........1762......75........0
next catalogue.................430.......40........0
Total unsecured debts..........5774......335.45....-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,200
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 2,038.58
Available for debt repayments........... 161.42
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 335.45
Amount short for making debt repayments. -174.03

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 0
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -5,774
Net Assets.............................. -5,774

Created using the SOA calculator at www.makesenseofcards.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using Firefox browser.

I've popped a few comments down, the presents seem very high, may be worth looking at the money neutral thread, great bunch of people we all support each other and help with suggestions for presents etc, and def save money.

Well done thou on the lighbulb moment xx

helnag

Hiya and thanks, Money neutral? I've been on MSE for a while but never on any bits other than re-claiming so still finding my was around!!! Do you think I would qualify for housing and council tax benefit? Thanks again.

mum2one

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=19758557#post19758557

Thats a link into the money neutral thread, dont panic when u see its 83 pages long, were a little community who like to chat a look, but if you read the first couple of pages you get the just of it.

What we try to do is raise money via survey sites, cashback companies, selling on ebay, tesco points, boots points and use these for presents, look in sales etc,

One of my birthday presents, - in out house theres my parents, me and dd, so we bung together and do one present list, but sometimes the person needs a present from 3 of us.

My cousins daughter - 3 presents £10 mum+dad, £5 me, £5 dd, but by getting sale items this is what shes got.

parents - Trolley case £10 reduced to £2.50
me - box of bedroom accessories set £5 - reduced to £1.00
dd - bratz bubble bath, disney princesses book +stickers £5 - reduced to £1.20

the proper price would of been - £20 but I actually paid £4.70.
I dont feel guilty that we didnt spend £20 as the presents would of been £20, and she hassome really nice presents.

re council tax etc, I would suggest looking at the site
www.entitledto.co.uk

it asks about your income etc, may give you an idea if you are entitled to any help xx

helnag

Hey, thanks for that, I've had a look at the money neutral thread and it looks great. I'm worried I wont be organised enough but then I think that's something I need to work on anyway cos that's half my problem...everything's always last minute. I'm gonna sit and write a list today of all the pressies I need to get and see how I do, I'm already saving money for christmas with the sealed pot challenge so that's one thing.

How did you find those presents so cheap? Where do you look? I never find any bargains!!!

I'm gonna have a look at entitled to today and see how I go.

Had a good weekend. A lot of my things on E-bay ended last night and from what's been paid so far it adds up to around £65.00 already which will just go straight on my cc, still waiting for other stuff to pay but I don't like to count me chickens til they've hatched he he.

It's funny with E-bay isn't it, I had a pair of kids shoes which have had 17 watchers for most of the week so you think they'll do well but come auction end they hadn't had a new bid for 3 hrs!!! On the other hand another pair of shoes sold really well when they didn't seem half as popular!!!

Did my shopping online at mysupermarket on sat night and it came to £40.00 but I stocked up on a few freezer bits too plus I had a free delivery code so I'm pretty pleased and next week should be half that cos I'll only need fresh fruit and veg and bread and milk really. I have £30 in my purse but that needs to pay e-bay post so I can't really afford to spend at all this week, wish me luck!!!

My pad today is my stop smoking money to cap 1, I know I had a blip but I know that if I count that I'll probably give up giving up so Yayyy 1 week today lol...
Anyway a long with my e-bay money I should be shot of cap 1 and be able to start on Next within the next 1-2 weeks!!!!

Have a good week everyone...

Lemon_Tree

just a couple of things
water meters - the waste is just calculated from the clean supply bill so getting a meter won't affect it.
bank charge for going over and invoking the DD guarentee - you probably need to talk to sky and get them to cover it. I know i had to invoke the guarentee not long ago and was told to just prove charges if i'd had them and the company would refund them.
well done on the ebay sales, you're better than me as i've given up with ebay, it's just not worth being a seller these days.

helnag

I haven't done e-bay for a while but I spent last Sunday clearing out the kids stuff and I must admit there were some things that went for less than I think they would have this time last year but I suppose you win some you lose some!!

To me it's just a bit of extra cash and as long as everyone pays for what has ended so far it'll work out to around £140 which will wipe out the remainder on my cc and go towards my Next catalogue. I know these are small amounts to some people but getting rid of them makes me feel better about the bigger ones.

Lemon Tree, was it sky that you had to get bank charges back from or someone else?

helnag

Oh, I'm feeling so fed up today, took my pup to the vets yesterday and luckily it's just a cyst but still, £85.00 later. I know that sounds cruel but I was just getting on top of stuff and it's set me back a bit now.

Suppose it's just one of those times where everything's getting me down at the moment, it all just seems a struggle but I'm sure this time next week I'll be bright as a button again. Strangely the smoking seems to be getting easier to deal with. Maybe that's why I'm low.

On the plus side I just did todays pad and last weeks payments have come off my cc and it's under £100.00. Then I'm onto Next so I'm getting somewhere, my problem is I need instant results, that's why I never manage to lose this last half stone!!!

Oh well, trying to keep my chin up, hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow.