I'm tackling my debts in 2010

InaPickle

emmie26 wrote: »

That is what is good about the forums we are all like-minded (or eqully sad) I feel quite normal on here and then I go to work and mention my excitement at council tax and everybody looks at me with such pity, never mind lesson learnt I'll just have to sensor my MSE views at work from now on.;)

:rotfl:I find myself doing the same thing: nobody else seemed quite as excited as I was about the Boots 70% off sale, or Christmas bargain hunting. I just like to think that I'm ahead of the game. :cool:

emmie26

Well I have been off work today and had a really lovely day, I have been desperate for make-up so went to boots and brought a foundation, concealer and a face scrub and didn't spend a penny just used my advantage card for the lot :T
I did a little bit of tidying and cooking but then spent a good hour and a half reading which was a lovely treat, when I picked children up from school they were absolutely good as gold, my gorgeous son spent an hour drawing and colouring a picture for his teacher and then we all played together with no arguing (or in my daughters case screaching). I don't know if it was because I was so chilled out after my day that everyone else followed suit or if it was a miracle but either way I was chuffed!

As my son had been so good I gave him £1 to put in his money box, previous to the MSE way of life we would think nothing of nipping to toys r us at the weekend and buying the children some new toys, however, this obviously will have to stop so I thought that I would start rewarding my son (daughter is too young to understand) with small amounts of money when he helps or does something well, he can then save this and look forward to a trip to toys r us where he can then buy something with his hard earned cash. I'm hoping this will then teach him the value of money - (I realise that I sound like a pensioner, but they speak sense)

Spent today

£1 - Pocket money
£4.38 - reduced toy from tesco for childrens party next month

Radish72

I'm so jealous, you have had such a lovely day, although saying that I've not had a bad day at work

My mum and dad never had much money when I was growing up so I had to save for nearly everything that I wanted, by saving pocket money, doing jobs etc. My dad did give me £10 towards my colour TV when I was 10 but that was 4 weeks hire money due to the World Cup being on and we only has 1 TV :rotfl:

But I'm sure that this has helped me be sensible with money, I was always encouraged to save some pocket money each week, so I think you are doing the right thing with your son and I think if you save up for something you appreciate what you have bought

emmie26

Well radish if it makes my son anywhere near as good as you with money then I think it will be a good thing. You seem to be doing really well with paying off your mortgage, I can only dream about a day when we can afford to make overpayments on our mortgage.

Yesterday I made a startling discovery, quite a while ago I did a balance transfer on a credit card at the same time as the direct debit came out for that credit card which means there has been £25 sitting on a credit card that I no longer use, so I phoned up to transfer it back to my current account which I know isn't a lot but I paid £4.32 yesterday on a toy for a birthday party and as it was an online purchase it came out of my current account that I am trying not to use so that will cover that and a bit beside - all of last night I was really excited about it and then I realised that it was just £25 :rotfl:

Today I have had a NSD, no pocket money for my son as he went on the grey cloud at school for opening somebody else's lunchbox and looking like he was about to eat the contents - anyone would think i don't feed him

I have got no overtime shifts booked for feb yet so tomorrow I really need to speak to the lady who allocates them, I think its because I told her that I wanted a weekend of because it was my birthday

:o:o I've invited some friends around for a takeaway tomorrow night - I know this is bad but we haven't seen them for a bit and I'm craving chinese, so I'm going to get a set meal for 2 which is more than ample for 4 which is about £16, it will have to come out of my treats budget for feb even though we aren't in feb but never mind :o:o Please go easy on me :o:o

Radish72

emmie26 wrote: »

Well radish if it makes my son anywhere near as good as you with money then I think it will be a good thing. You seem to be doing really well with paying off your mortgage, I can only dream about a day when we can afford to make overpayments on our mortgage.

:o:o I've invited some friends around for a takeaway tomorrow night - I know this is bad but we haven't seen them for a bit and I'm craving chinese, so I'm going to get a set meal for 2 which is more than ample for 4 which is about £16, it will have to come out of my treats budget for feb even though we aren't in feb but never mind :o:o Please go easy on me :o:o

I have just beamed with pride reading you're lovely comment (strange looks from people at work :rotfl:)

I had 13K of debt when I left uni in 1999 so I suffered for a few years to pay it all back, luckily I found what I consider a very well paid job and I got promoted twice in 2007 which is when I have started to OP mortgage

Hoping to buy a house with BF this year (it ours both sell) only after 7 years of being together, so the mortgage will be bigger :eek: but affordable :T

I found this site late 2008 and just read diaries for a while, nicking peoples ideas (council tax) but I love that whatever stage you're at, people take time to read and more importantly take time to give you support (even if it just something to make you giggle)

So chin up and keep digging away at it, every baby step develops into leaps and bounds

On the Chinese meal front - I'm reading it as, you're so super organised, you're celebrating the Chinese New Year early

emmie26

Radish72 wrote: »

On the Chinese meal front - I'm reading it as, you're so super organised, you're celebrating the Chinese New Year early

:rotfl:maybe I can go along with this idea!

Actually hubby paid for the chinese out of his treats budget so I haven't had to dip into feb budget yet.:T

Yesterday had a moment of weakness, had a really busy day at work and hadn't had chance to stop for a break so I nipped in the shop for a packed of cookies - they were £1 - this is the first time that I have brought food other than at the weekly shop so was not happy with myself.

I have my work cut out today - I need to help hubby to apply for the alliance and leicester premier current account because on quidco they are giving £50 cashback and alliance and leicester are giving £100 cashback plus a free overdfraft for the first 12 months, that should be plently of time to pay it off. I changed mine over last time they had a similar offer, and its not too much hard work but just a faf.

I have got a shift booked for feb - only one at the moment but at least that is 6 hours of the planned 24 hours overtime.

Just had a phonecall from one of my friends asking me to go out next saturday night, I think I may do what I did last time and just drive because I will not pay for taxi's and drinks.

Right I'm off to swimming lessons now!:(

emmie26

Oh no I did januarys update too soon, OH's credit card bill came through today and there is £200 gone onto it this month £50 interest about £100 spent before xmas that had not been credited to his account on time, and also £50 he had spent on games for his new ps3, cannot be mad at that because he did pay £300 of his birthday money of the said card.

In better news he has just been accepted for the alliance and leicester account so that will be £150 in cashback coming our way, also he has earned £150 in overtime and should be debited with £172 from the health insurance he knew nothing about so hopefully he will put some of this towards cc debt.

We have just sat down for about an hour going through this months budget, I think OH is really getting into budgeting he is asking for a print out of the spreadsheet that I have created so that he can keep it in his file and then we have decided to do a review in three months when we will have a good idea if we have set realistic amounts for everything.

Have decided to do a an internet shop this week as we had a £10 off voucher for tesco to lure us back, so we have done things a little differently and brought in bulk so we have a months supply of most things and will just have to go and get perishables and also a few things for the freezer as our freezer is tiny so cannot get a months supply of frozen food. Due to such a massive shop we will then only have about £100 left for the rest of the month which is a little scary, but it is a one off really because of the voucher.

InaPickle

emmie26 wrote: »

I have my work cut out today - I need to help hubby to apply for the alliance and leicester premier current account because on quidco they are giving £50 cashback and alliance and leicester are giving £100 cashback plus a free overdfraft for the first 12 months, that should be plently of time to pay it off. I changed mine over last time they had a similar offer, and its not too much hard work but just a faf.

Oh, I'm thinking of doing this, but cos I've got an overdraft on my account, I'm not sure if I would be accepted or not. Would it be rude to ask whether or not you transferred an OD over as well, or not, as the case may be? (I'm trying to figure out what are my chances of being accepted, that's all.) Thanks! :T

Radish72

Well done on husband being accepted for his new account, but "finger wagging" please don't allow this to become OVERDRAFT NO 3 in you signature. I'm positive you won't but I will be watching

Have you used the snowball calculator (there is a link somewhere on here, a quick search should find it) I've not used it but many people have mentioned it, think you add in the amounts you owe, and the interest rates and it shows you the future and maybe which debt to hit first by calculating the interest over the time period. I think thats how its works.

I'm watching the tennis at the minute - well it is the weekend

emmie26

InaPickle wrote: »

Oh, I'm thinking of doing this, but cos I've got an overdraft on my account, I'm not sure if I would be accepted or not. Would it be rude to ask whether or not you transferred an OD over as well, or not, as the case may be? (I'm trying to figure out what are my chances of being accepted, that's all.) Thanks! :T

Of course its not rude I post all my financial information on here each and every day:rotfl:.
We have asked for the over draft as its 0% but I'm not sure how much this will be yet, I suppose it depends on his credit rating, I'll keep you posted!