Here Goes - Kindofagilr's Debt Free Diary

twinklie

No, but check your contract. I'm on a fixed rate deal and I have a fee to pay if I want to leave. But up until I signed on for what I'm on now I've never had a fee to leave! I HATE NPower....they were very rude to us and everytime we called we were on hold for 30 plus mins! Awful people and the man on the phone (a manager called DH an IDIOT!!!).

Anyway we are with the lovely Scottish Power now who I've never been kept on hold with - always answer 1st minute of ringing. Defo worth checking into...we made a massive saving using Martins tips, and switching.

Lemon_Tree

hi, welcome to the boards and congratulations on your baby bean news.

Just a couple of comments - often if you deal with your elec/gas online you can get a better tarrif or money off your bill.
sounds like you need to do a spending diary (well if you don't actually see the spare money at the end of the month) it's a real eye opener and will help you curb your takeaway habit as you'll have to declaire it to your spending diary if you see what i mean.
Just to make your life easier, what i do for any annual bills is pay a monthly amount into a savings account so i can pay it off in full when it's due.
Also what's really helped me save some pennies, is on the bottom of any receipt if it says you've save x or the deals saved x i put that money into a savings pot and then i can use it to pay debt or for a bit of luxury in life. I've been doing it since the new year and have saved £200 - £300 which i find quite amazing.

kindofagilr

Wow LemonTree that last comment is a really good idea I will start doing that!!!

I have signed up for Npower online now so I will look into that more at home

I think we need to do a spending diary cos we never have money left lol

gallygirl

:j welcome :j

Check out the tax credits website - I would have thought you would be entitled to WFTC when babybean arrives?

Also check out www.whatsthecost.com - you can input your mortgage details on a 'snowball' then up your payment and see what different it makes. V inspirational

Stuart will be along in a minute offering/suggesting spreadsheets :eek:. Resistance is futile, learn to love them as we all do

Good luck!

gg

Edit: sorry, I see from Twinks thread you've already discovered teh joys of snowballing

kindofagilr

Yes I LOVE the thought of snowballing I have it printed off infront of me

Thanks for your reply

I looked at the tax credit website and we will get £20 a week till baby is 1 then £10 a week, and Child Benefit of £20 a week, I did a second SOA to show the WTC

kindofagilr

Oh I just had a though as well, I think we have a shot at getting some PPI back from OH's loan he had a few years ago, I need to read up on that.

kindofagilr

Ok Overdraft at end of august is £865.03 (we get paid tomorrow and friday)

The aim this month is to get that down, and to cut shopping bill from £300 to £200 and the take away bill from £124 to £60

kindofagilr

I have decided to start a spending diary as well from today (OH's pay went int bank today) I need to get OH to remember to write down everything he spends

twinklie

Yey for you and thanks for sharing the scan pics.

kindofagilr

Your welcome

Ok Spending for 27/08/09
£0.35p - Crisps
£2.26 - Tuna sandwich and Rolo's
£4.00 - Scan photos at hospital
£1.80 - Parking at hospital
£13.40 - McDonalds
£20.00 - Petrol
£41.81