My Journey

savingholmes

Hi Sal - yes did plants for sis getting married - in her wedding themed colours... They are for when they take piccies of her leaving the house but thought she might as well have them now... she was really chuffed! I took the kids to see her today and tok the plants too. I also strimmed her back lawn and did some weeding. She has ME and her fiance is working 2 jobs to pay for the wedding - bless!

Also popped in and saw mil on the way home!

I have felt pretty rubbish this week but hopefully things will pick up soon - we;ve had loads of rain and that hasn't helped either...

We are going on an almost free holiday next week - 3 nights away free but will pay for a couple of nights en route too. That will be nice hopefully

Hope the party goes well!

bevan840

Hello everyone

Not having such a good time at the moment, since I came back from Mum's my ME/CFS seems to be acting up. I'm very tired from moment I wake, even though I go to bed at 9pm! Nausea is back, body is aching etc etc so not been posting for a little while, the only things I can manage at the moment is work and sleep. DH is away at the moment so no help in house either at the mo, cant wait for him to be home on Sunday

Good points, I've won £5 twice on my free scratch :j Wish I hadn't withdrawn after the first win now as could of withdrawn £15 instead of £10, never mind, if I hadn't of withdrawn I probably wouldn't of got the £5 today lol

Birthday soon so decided to treat myself to something I've been after for a long while, an iPod Touch Came yesterday and within 10 mins of excitement I had to go bed (Love/Hate relationship with excitement at the moment, tires me out way too quickly) Want to find a case/cover for it when I go shopping tonight as want to keep it in top condition seeing as it cost £359!!!! :eek:
But, went through TCB, there was a voucher there which took £15 off, bringing it down to £344, also because I went through TCB I'm hoping it will track (hasn’t yet but says it could take up to a week!) and give me some cash back for it. Bought it from Littlewoods and as it was over £60 (5 times over £60! lol) I got the free finance for 52 weeks, so will be paying £7 per week. £5 will be what I would normally of had every week as my spending money and £2 will be taken out of my birthday money every week. Hopefully a few more wins on free scratch will cover when the birthday money runs out Haven't had the statement yet so not sure when I should start paying, but if not received I will start paying as of next Friday (14th) The weekly amount is actually less than £7 a week but unsure of the amount as it's cheaper than the catalogue because of the £15 off, at full price it was £6.90 a week, so guessing it will be around £6.60 a week so that's a 40p overpayment a week should get it paid off within maybe 50 weeks :P Worth a try

The Ann Summers party was a good laugh, although only 3 people (including me) actually turned up!! The hostess will be having another party so hopefully some more of her friends will show up next time. Didn’t buy anything at the first but know the date of her next party so going to buy some little bits and pass on the order form to DH’s cousin so it can go towards her commission for the next party.

I got the kitchen all sorted, cupboards all cleaned out, out of date items thrown in the bin. When we moved in I threw everything in random cupboards as didn’t know what we would use most etc as never lived with DH before. Seeing as we’ve been there nearly a year I knew what we used most of the time so could put them in one cupboard and items we don’t use somewhere else.

Spreadsheet, still looking as though overdraft next year but if DH has a few more tours like this week we might fix it, although not counting on it. We won’t be as bad as we have been, came close to the limit last week, only had spend £10 and it would of gone over, very scary week!! Was glad when payday came round!

Jo, your completely right, I miss the ‘panic’ of moving things from here to there etc on time, I’ve never been this organised financially in my life and I’ve even given out my spreadsheet to 2 people as they asked about it! I might actually be able to help others as I dig myself out of this blooming great hole!

SH bless fiance for working 2 jobs, it isn’t easy living/being with someone with ME, it’s difficult for the sufferer to go through, but what people don’t see is how it affects the people around them, I couldn’t get to do half as much as I do if I didn’t have DH.
Me and my X fell out a few years ago because he said I was talking about DH like he was a god, when X had ‘grown up’ a bit we had a chat and I mentioned it, I told him that to me DH is a God, because he’s the one who has seen me through the good and the bad, the times when I was in so much pain I couldn’t move, he’d cuddle me and carry me wherever I needed to go and the good times when he kept my feet on the ground and didn’t let me do too much, where X left me because he ‘couldn’t handle it’ anymore.
I’m sure she’ll have a lovely day, I can still remember parts of mine, but got 2 DVD’s (or will have once Mum works out how to take it off her camera and put it on to a disc) of the day, from Ceremony to end of the speeches and sooo many photo’s, we have to pick 200 out of 850 odd to get developed from the professional photographer so that I can create my Wedding Scrapbook (when I’ll find time to complete it when we have decided on the photo’s I got no idea!! Lol)

Hope all is well with everyone
xxx

savingholmes

HI Sal - nice to hear your catch up tho sorry you've been struggling. do you go on the disability forum on here ?- as there is a thread to do with me/cfs if it is of any help to you!

We are doing okay. I had an interview today for a short term job - should find out tomorrow if I have it. Got an interview for a perm job Wed next week -stage 4 of 5.... Really want a job...!

Bye for now - hope things improve for you soon

Jo_R_2

Ooooh I've been lusting after an ipod or some such similar music player, not envious at all LOL!

Not long til your DH is back! You mutst be looking forward to seeing him, awww

bevan840

Hi Guys

I hadn't looked at the Disability thread (and didn't know about it either tbh) But had a quick peek last night while playing around with iPod lol only problem was I was falling asleep while reading so turned it off and tried to go to sleep, that was at 10pm and last time I saw the clock it was telling me it was 00:33 :mad: Cant wait for DH to get home, might sleep better then!!

If you can spare £5-£7 a week Jo you can get the iTouch from Littlewoods, it's £4.90 a week for the smaller GB and £6.90 a week for the largest GB. If you go through TCB there are voucher codes there too Plus if your lucky your cashback will track and you'll get up to £25 ish depending on which one you buy, they also do all the other iPods as well, I ordered it last Friday at 9pm and received it on Wednesday So not bad delivery time either I actually have 2, I won an iPod Video 2yrs ago answering questions on tickbox.net and my new iTouch, not sure what I'm going to do with the old one yet, I kinda like it as a music player in my bedroom Can save the iTouch for when I go out etc

Still very tired and not done much, gained 3 x Clams on scratch so 20p to me

Tried to sign up to BP via your email SH but it says I'm already registered So sent them an email because I haven't signed myself up and I've never received any emails from them either, so a little confused on that one, hopefully be sorted soon Can't wait to earn Amazon vouchers but I will remember to use 750 on bingo first (also got it written down to remind me!)

Jo_R_2

I'll be honest, the thought of taking out any kind of credit is not one which I relish. I've never been a crazy spender; however I do worry that I might think, okay that was only £7 a week, I can afford to get x/y/z as well, and then start buying other little bits and bobs.

It's not the amount so much - it's more the principle, I swore after I started to sort out my debts that I would never take out any credit on anything else except a mortgage and such associated housing stuff iyswim, I want to go back to that old school way of 'saving up' because I think I'm safer that way LOL! Honestly I know if I dealt with everything in cash I'd never be in debt I reckon, seeing the 'real' money in my hands has a massive effect!

The annoying thing is I got given an ipod as a present a couple of years ago, the exact one I'd been lusting after then... Trouble was it was a very surprise present from a very generous friend who had designs on me:o I had to pass it on so I ended up selling it, my friend knew it would be an awkward gift to accept with me being with OH and I knew I was doing the right thing by selling it on but boy that was hard LOL!

bevan840

Hello Everyone

Sorry been MIA for a while, body still isn't working brilliantly so managing work and then going bed as soon as possible. Although there is good news this week:

:j:T:j:T WE ARE OUT OF THE OVERDRAFT!!!!!! :T:j:T:j

I got fed up of seeing my spreadsheet red and the D next to my bank balance!! So I transferred the money I was putting away every month for my Moving Budget (I want a bigger house) or if we can it will be a House Deposit amount if we decide to buy, there was £100 in there and another £50 due to go in at the end of the month but I've transferred the money already in there and made a transfer which should happen the day after the £50 goes in to move it back, complicated I know :rotfl: I have also told DH if he behaves I'll leave our money in the joint account, but he is still to ask if he needs cash as there are times when we will get close to the overdraft :rolleyes: but don't want to use it, he is not putting me back in it again!!

Credit cards, still not sure when they will be paid off, I'm hoping end of next year(2010)/beginning of year 2011 to get the highest one paid off, then maybe the 2nd at the end of 2011 *fingers crossed*

The loan for my Home Learning Course will be the last payment in September Still haven't started the course though :rotfl: Unfortunately I'm thinking it will never happen, I just cant get into it and they wont let me change so I might just ring up and ask to send all the bits back as I'll never do the course, someone else will be able to use the books then and it will be one less bag to clutter up my house

I was rather lucky for my Birthday, all the money totalled I received £155!!!! :eek: Wow, so all my birthday money will be going onto the Littlewoods account which will mean I can have my spending money back before July, although not sure when that will be :rotfl:

The car repayments are still going on although no SO for them, I've given up now and just give the money to DH every week, it's then up to him to get it to the boss. What he didn't tell me was that he was adding some money to it some weeks and he came home one day and said there's £60 paid off already, and only given him £40! lol So told him now that I need to know when he over pays so that I can keep track of how much we have paid back!

The honeymoon fund is still going, I'm not touching that one. At £40 now, hoping that eventually I'll be able to pay more than £10 a month but need to pay off atleast one CC before I do that

DH will be home Sunday :T:j Cant wait!!! These 8 day tours are a nightmare!!

Going to do another SOA at some point to see how things are going and siggy will get updated beginning of September with updated Debt amounts, should be considerably less with £400 overdraft gone!!!

Hope all are ok
*hugs* for you SH, hope your doing ok
Jo I completely understand the No more Credit thing, I wouldn't of done it if it hadn't of been mostly my Birthday money going on it even though DH kept telling me to go for it, knowing that I'd be getting more spending money a week to pay it off!! He's after a PSP now so there may not be any spending money for him soon as well!! lol

Sal xx

Jo_R_2

Wow out of the overdraft = excellent work! The forward thinking about the credit cards is great - it really gives you an incentive when you can see the light at the end of the tunnel doesn't it? It's not that long either - you must be well chuffed!

Lovely to hear DH is home soon and sorry to hear you've been feeling a bit under the weather - I had been wondering where you were! Nice to see you back!

savingholmes

Nice to have you back sal - well done too on being out of overdraft

The disability forum has been a godsend to my sister literally as well as virtually. They have been so supportive to her and some of them have even sent her gifts to neighbour's addresses and things! Couldn't ask for a nicer group of people.... She has found out all sorts about the side effects of medication as well as money matters thro the forum which has helped her when she has had to go the docs and stuff

There is also a wedding forum on mse which she used - and brought her wedding forward a year.... Have you found that forum yet - it is near the special occasions board or part of it not sure... Her wedding is in about 4 weeks now....

bevan840

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
Household Information
Number of adults in household.......................... 2 *Me and DH when he's home*
Number of children in household...................... 2 *At weekends if Dh is home*
Number of cars owned........................................ 2 *Me and DH*

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................................... 876.61
Partners monthly income after tax................. 997.2
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income...................................... 1873.81

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................................................... 450 *£112 a week, roughly £450 a month*
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax........................................................ 88
Electricity........................................................... 30
Gas..................................................................... 40 *Payment plan until we have enough money to pay bill off, shouldn't be long*
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates...................................................... 29.37
Telephone (land line).................................... 40 *Just gone up as account is in Debit and BT like you to be in Credit so have to pay £40 for 2 months then lower it again*
Mobile phone................................................. 70 *Working on it*
TV Licence...................................................... 12
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ............................................... 200
Clothing.......................................................... 20
Petrol/diesel................................................. 200 *2 cars and one is a 2l engine*
Road tax......................................................... 30 *2 cars*
Car Insurance............................................... 63 *2 cars*
Car maintenance (including MOT)........... 17 *2 cars*
Car parking................................... 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc)........ 10.25 *PPC*
Pet insurance/vet bills............................. 17 *2 kittens*
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance.................................. 16.2 *Finally got this sorted!!*
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)........ 35
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................................... 4 *Lovefilm*
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 1371.82


Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s)........................................ 2000
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 2000


No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description............................Debt................Monthly.................APR
CC1....................................1752.49.................50.....................20.9
CC2.....................................924.14...................30.....................17.8
HFC (Sofa)........................1135.7.................31.55.....................0
Car Repairs.........................200........................40........................0
Littlewoods.........................316........................28........................0
Halifax Loan (Car)...........3209.15...............91.69.....................0
HLC........................................55..........................55........................0 *Final payment next month :j:T*
Total unsecured debts...7592.48...........326.24....-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income..................................... 1,873.81
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,371.82
Available for debt repayments...................... 501.99 *Where does it go????? :rotfl:*
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments.......... 326.24
Amount left after debt repayments.............. 175.75
Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........................ 2,000
Total HP & Secured debt................................ -0
Total Unsecured debt..................................... -7,592.48
Net Assets........................................................ -5,592.48

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

Well, wanted to do another SOA just to see how things were going, looking better than it has been. Finally got contents insurance sorted, had a random amount put into my account last week and when checked with the bank it was cashback for taking the Contents Insurance out with them and I'd forgotten!! :rotfl:
Finally out of the overdraft and if I can help it, we will stay out of it!!!

Still havent looked at the Disability forum, what's her name on there SH?

The light at the end of the tunnel is about 4yrs away but we will get there!!! Need to buy a new money box as we (Me and DH) have decided to do a sealed pot of £2 coins, a friend of his made £1400 in 6 months!!!! :eek: That could almost pay off CC1!!!! We've decided that we will put 1 £2 coin into the rent pile a week, rent is £112 and it's so much easier to use £2 coins instead of 2 £1 coins as we never have any left, anymore than that one will go into the moneybox Using my 'silver' moneybox at the moment, we collect coppers in one jar, 5ps and the odd 10p or 20p if we're feeling flush in a moneybox and I will be getting another container for the £2 coins, the sooner we pay off the cards we can start saving properly for a honeymoon!!!

:T:jLast payment for the HLC course which I haven't done will be in Sept :j:T Talked to DH what to do with that money, gave him choices of:
1. Pay a little more to CC1 a month
2. Pay a little more into Honeymoon fund
3. Halve the money and do both 1 & 2
4. Get Sky

His choice?? You ready for it??? ...................................... Option number 3! (You were all thinking Sky weren't you!! :rotfl: I thought he'd of said Sky as well tbh)
So, we're going to change the SO to honeymoon account to £25 a month (Currently at £10) and pay £75 instead of £50 per month to CC1. That will leave us with £15 to try and build the bank account up a bit! We really want and need a decent holiday, so we're going to see what happens next year and maybe have a week somewhere abroad, don't know when/where yet but it will happen

Life healthwise is still not working right, got Dr tomorrow night after work to get some more tablets as I've run out Also a little panicy as Mum thought a few weeks ago I could of been PG :eek: (Bit difficult when DH had a vasectomy after SS2 was born 6yrs ago) but it has happened before to other people, so not sure if the symptoms of relapse might be hiding something else Will talk to Dr tomorrow, there's only one symptom that isn't ME/CFS related but is PG related. Current symptoms:
Extra weight (and I don't like it!!!) :mad:
Nausea
Tiredness
Weird periods
Weirdly emotional (I'm not an emotional person) but I'm crying at simple things on TV, weddings, deaths etc etc Not like me at all
All of them could be ME/CFS related but, for some reason for the last month, at the slightest squeeze theres something coming from my b00bs sometimes its white, sometimes it's clear, sometimes its mixed As much as I would LOVE to be a Mum, I'm not getting my hopes up as it could just be nothing and then the disapointment could set off the depression and then I'd be extra bug8ered!!

Umm cant think of anything else at the moment, hope your all ok.
Hope the spreadsheet isn't confusing you too much Jo
SH enjoy Cornwall

ETA I'm also always hungry!!!!!