Can't go on much longer :-(

bank_of_slate

Also, when you are looking at changing ANY suppliers, register on and go through www.quidco.com or www.topcashback.com.uk or https://www.greasypalm.co.uk

Many companies give £80 - £100 cash back!
Also go through there if you are purchasing things over the t'internet for more cash back - no catches!
...Linda xx

pebblespop

me and my husband share the food shopping in the same way - he buys one week and i buy the next.

my weeks are usually a lot cheaper than his as he doesn't plan and just buys whatever he feels like. i plan the meals for the week and don't go crazy with treats etc.

maybe you could do something similar.

bank_of_slate

letmeoutofhere wrote: »

i am sooo happy that i finally accepted the fact i was in trouble and found all you brilliant people to offer advice.

Show your OH this thread and the site so they are also totally on board with the MSE way.
It'll only get better if you are both equally comitted to tackling it.
...Linda xx

Katie-Kat-Kins

I'd second the recommendation for a spending diary. If you do an SOA and it shows a surplus you don't actually have sitting in the bank then it is the best way to track down the missing money. It is also a great disincentivisor (if that is a word!) when you start seeing things written down you start to question whether you need to buy things. You start to take pride in no spend days too!

I think you need to look at the figures in the first SoA and the second, some don't match up, for example you had £7 for buildings insurance on the first and £5 in the second. That isn't the full amount or half what you put down first time either. Check those figures and get them accurate.

Also consider pooling finances with your wife, it makes things so much easier if at least you have a joint account and a pocket money account. You may be able to moniter your spending better that way too. Your incomes are similar so it would seem to make sense. She will certainly want to work with you to get your finances striaght too so let her in. I'd hate my husband to be struggling and worrying about money alone.

bank_of_slate

Me and my hubby used to have seperate bank accounts and it didn't work.
We now have 1 main account that both our wages go into and all bills are paid from.
Then I have a basic account with a solo card (no cheque book, overdraft etc...) which we put a set amount into at the start of every month, this is my spending account but when it's gone, it's gone!
This and the nice vouchers from my surveys works well for me!
...Linda xx

gargrave50

Good advice all round for you let me out.

You have a list to start when you get home - women love lists! Or is it just me?

Glad to see you are tackling things. Get yourself set up on Ebay, it really will surprise you what people pay for things you are finished with. Its a BIG income generator. And you can do it when its raining without getting soaked - alas the same cannot be said for paper round!

Travelqueen

The water rates also look a little high to me - but then I don't know where you live. Mine are £29 a month for 4 of us in a big house. If you have more bedrooms than people it might be worth getting a water meter? Water rates are also generally over 9-10 months so you can ask them to spread over 12 too.

Along with the film suggestion, are either of you with Orange? There are always the 241 Wednesday deals (bonus if on a work phone!)

If you have satellite TV the phone can also be bundled along with the internet which should bring things down.

A great bit of home entertainment (for free) is Spotify - you can listen to any and every music on here free streaming which is great. Could save you money on music purchases maybe?

For the car, if you can why not register with a carshare site and see if someone does the same journey as you? There may even be someone at work? This could cut down your fuel bills a bit.

There was also a thread a while back on the boards about the random things people buy from Ebay. Rout around & find your old cables & random stuff & give it a go - wait for a cheap listing day 1st though.

Finally good luck - hopefully a spending diary - try this if you're not disciplined enough to write down / keep an excel sheet every day http://www.spendingdiary.com/

If its any consolation mine were a lot lot worse!

TQ

[Deleted User]

letmeoutofhere wrote: »

Hi batb

the apr's for two of them are i think at 0% - i switched them relatively recently. i'm pushing the limit on all so i can't transfer one to the other, for example.

with regard to the sky tv, i know what you mean trust me. i've thought about it but i'm only paying half of what yuo see there as my wife obviously covers half. i can't expect her to pay my half as she would then be effectively paying for my debt and, as she has been through this, i'd find it a bit unfair to ask if you know what i mean.

the groceries works out at about 60-70 a week (which we share, paying alternate weeks) so it can depend on those darn 5 week months between paydays. :-(

seeing it all laid out in front of me like this for the first time, it is easy to see what could be done but when it comes to things that would effect all of us in the house (sky tv), i'd find it terribly difficult to effectively punish my wife and step-daughter for the mess i'm in - does that make sense?

i have just this afternoon requested a repayment holiday on my loan so this month i will not be making a payment. i think this might help me possibly get a little back in order and out of my overdraft. the payment will not be going on a luxury or anything obviously but more just to make paying the credit cards a little more comfortable.

thank you very much for looking at my post

Whats all this my half/ wifes half thing?

I see you SOA is both your income. Do you really split things down the middle like that?

Wouldnt she help you out if you were skint and via versa? You are married after all.

[Deleted User]

Must admit I dont understand this own account thing. Surely if you're married its should be all one thing.

And I'm saying that as the major breadwinner in my house - not just because my wife now works part-time. Over the past 20 years, my income has probably been AT LEAST double what my wifes is.

However, at no point would I ever consider saying it was MY money, and that we were going to split the bills 50/50. If we had done that I guess I'd be loaded by now but the wife would be heavily in debt.

I guess I can see why a lot of relationships fail because of money arguments. In our house, all income is our income and all bills are our bills regardless of whos name the income is in or whos name the bills/ccs/loans are.

BeautyandtheBeast_3

wales forever!!