Millie's Moans

milliemonster

Thanks for the comments on our SOA, yes I completely agree about the Next Directory, it really has to go, but the £240 a month at the mo is actually the min repayment, I don't actually spend that amount a month on clothes.

Unfortunately I lost loads of weight at the beginning of this year and binned my 'fat clothes' now I've regained a lot of it and can't fit into anything again, looks like I need to lose weight again. My job is a corporate job aswell where you are expected to look good so I am conscious of not appearing like I am skint even though I am lol!

Re the life ins - yes this is correct, the cover is for our mortgage over the term of the mortgage and was taken out when we got our first house in our twenties and has been updated since. We have separate pensions aswell that pay out an additional life benefit of £140k each if either one of us carks it so I think we have enough cover.

Groceries - believe me £350 a month is a big improvement from what we used to spend!, I know we could get this down further if we really had to but I'm trying to get the balance right between being frugal and it not drastically affecting our standard of living IYSWIM?, I would like to get this down to around £250 a month which I am sure I will be able to in time, just need to do it steadily I think

Petrol - my company pays for all petrol.

TV Licence - I pay for this annually when it is due straight from that months salary, fortunately I don't have to put money away for it. But yes I guess I still need to deduct that from our SOA

Anyway, some good news (I think), well strange news actually, Natwest have increased our credit limit from £9k to £12k bizarrely after an account review, it just goes to show that although we have a crap rating it proves our creditors are quite happy with the way we are conducting our accounts. I think hubby is going to see if they will do a BT deal to transfer the HSBC card debt (which is now at 21.9%), if not we'll leave it as it is.

milliemonster

I think the problem I've got is that my family know I have this great job that pays well and gives bonuses, and hubby has a decent secure job with a good wage so they think we have loads of money, they have no idea about the debts we have, so I feel that I have to justify why I'm trying to be really careful with money etc, I am sure they must be suspicious but I really don't want my family to know. For some reason I am writing in italics now and I don't know whats happened to my laptop, help!!!

savingholmes

Hi millie - I have been honest with my family not necessarily quoting figures - but in principle - I find they actually pressure us less that way. They live over an hour away too tho which does help....

I find it actually helps as far as addressing my shopaholic tendencies.... Its a bit like an alcoholic has to confess to his alcoholism to be able to recover...

milliemonster

Well, not written in my diary for a few weeks and was going to sack it off but tbh, I think it will help me keep on the straight and narrow.

Things are going well at the moment, have settled into my new job (sort of) and have managed to pay off a few debts lately, including 3 overdrafts (yes, 3, I know), plus finally paid off oh's dreaded A&L 34% APR Card HURRAH!!!!!

We have finally got the balance right I think about having some money to spend each week on 'anything' whilst still overpaying the debt so at least I don't feel horrendously deprived like I did.

Have joined a couple of the daily scratchcard sites and am up to around £6 between them, also got back into my onepoll account and that's now up to £18.65.

Next debt to be tackled is the Next Directory which is a rather embarrassing £1875 on there still, but hey, I've chucked them out now (the directories, not the clothes lol!!!) and will 'make do' with what I have.

We have whittled down the food shopping budget substantially and although I'm aiming for around £200 a month for the four of, I never seem to quite make it (get suckered into all the nice things unfortunately!) but it's still a lot better than when we used to spend £600 + a month. this month's shopping budget will be blown out of the water, esp as I have to feed the five thousand on xmas day but, it will NOT go on a credit card, I'll cut back in some other way.

Anyway, better go pick up DS from school, got DD off sick with a nasty chest infection so she has been driving me mad all day while I'm trying to work

Keeping_Positive

Glad to hear things going well. Please keep up the diary I llok forward to hearing how you are doing and if needed offer support.

milliemonster

Thanks KP!!

Well was a silly !!!! yesterday, went on my internet banking as usual and planned the payments to the CC's for the end of the month, £600 to the Crapwest card, only I paid immediately instead of setting it for the end of the month.....doh!

so, had to raid the savings today to replace it, alreday had paid £150 off this card this month and couldn't really afford another £600 esp when its xmas in a couple of weeks eek!, but hey, I'm well on the way to hitting that £20k by next xmas now lol!!!

milliemonster

Ok so we went to Lincoln xmas fair today, had a lovely time actually but it was very expensive! really fancied a hot roast pork sarnie but at £4 gave it a miss, so might put that towards my PAD challenge instead, oh had an ostrich burger, couldn't quite stomach the that although I must admit it looked very nice.

Going to put xmas tree up tomorrow although I;m not feeling very festive at the mo, bah humbug!