Fat, Forty and fedup - drastic action required!

SailorSam

Things could be a lot worse, cuddly women are nice.
You wouldn't want to look like whatshername ... Victoria Beckham would you,
Has anyone ever seen a photo of her smiling ?

beanielou

Im with you on weight loss too.
I was just thinking about this very thing.
I sooo grudge paying to get weighed but like you struggle to do it on my own.
Pop over to the loose weight thread on the I wanna board for lots of support.

judi24

Thanks Sam - but I will never be a Victoria Beckham look-a-like I like wine and chocolate too much! I just want to be a little less cudly! My OH is a fantastic cook - but refuses to do low fat! so it's not easy! I think excersise might be the key (RUNS to the kitchen to pour the wine! see I have started my exersise regimn already!)

penguin83

HI Judi, happy new diary and happy new year. I am on a weight loss mission for this year too, lost 49lbs last year and wanting to do the same again this year.

Spending diary definitely a good idea and then you can see how accurate your SOA is xxxxx

Primula

judi24 wrote: »

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 4 (18, 16, 7 and 5)
Number of cars owned.................... 1 (OH has a car but finances are separate)

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 2600
Partners monthly income after tax....... 200 (he earns more - but this is his contribution)
Benefits................................ 238 - family allowance
Other income............................ 546 - child maintenance
Total monthly income.................... 3584

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 730
HP for car and sofa.............. 281
Council tax............................. 266 (High as there is arrears due to ex husband not paying - will go down to £144 in April)
Electricity............................. 59
Gas..................................... 70
Water rates............................. 56
Telephone (land line, internet and TV)................... 37.5
Mobile phone............................ 90 (contracts for 2 older kids and mine - tied in til June) def look to reduce or go PAYG - I with O2 who do a family thing on PAYG - £7.50 p.m taken from my phone which gives unlimited texts and calls between 4 other O2 numbers - all calls and texts between the 5 people are included for the month for the £7.50. Great for having for you and the girls and no excuse for them not calling or texting!
TV Licence.............................. 12
Groceries etc. ......................... 400 Not good at this one myself but you possibly could get this down with careful planning, shopping and cooking. Check out the OS board for loads of inspiration
Clothing................................ 30
Petrol/diesel........................... 60
Road tax................................ 0
Insurance........................... 56 Is this car insurance? Seems high?
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 30
Other child related expenses............ 40 (school lunch for son)
Buildings insurance..................... 10
Contents insurance...................... 10
Life assurance ......................... 15
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 100 This is high when trying to clear debts - I'd really try and cut down a bit here.
Haircuts................................ 10
Entertainment........................... 30
Holiday................................. 150 Could you not forego this for a year or two?
Emergency fund.......................... 0 (should have one but don't!)
Gym........................................127 (tied in til June) OMG!
Total monthly expenses.................. 2669.5

Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 230000
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 11000
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 241000]

Secured & HP Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 173000...(730)......1.5
Hire Purchase (HP) debt ...... 10000....(225)......6.9
DFS............................1700.....(56).......0
Total secured & HP debts...... 18500

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
MBNA 1.........................896.......25........16.9
MBNA 2.........................5800......35........6.9
Barclaycard....................1550......25........0
Solicitor......................800.......100.......0
OD 2...........................500.......0.........0
OD 1...........................1500......0.........0
DFS............................1300....(56).......0

Total unsecured debts..........12146.....241

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 3,584
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 2,613.5
Available for debt repayments........... 970.5
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 241
Amount left after debt repayments....... 729.5
Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 241,000
Total HP & Secured debt................. -184,700
Total Unsecured debt.................... -11,046
Net Assets.............................. 45,254

This looks like I should have no problem paying off the unsecured debt within the year - But realistically there is never this much left! Actually there is rarely anything left! A spending dairy is needed I think!

Hello and welcome to a lovely shiny new diary! I just love reading how everyone is getting on so am gonna subscribe. Hope you don't mind have put a few wee suggestions for some savings in red. Also, I know you said your OH helps out in other ways, but really £200 per month is not enough IMHO!

Oh, and definitely keep a spending diary - that is the one thing which is a real eye opener, but you have to be strict with yourself and write every single thing down.

Good luck. This is a great site, you'll get loads of encouragement on here.

P

judi24

Thanks Primula for your coments- the mobile phone thing is high! Last year I agreed to do this for thier Christmas presents and was part of thier pocket money too - I don't give them any pocket money now as they both have part time jobs (both in shops with good discount!) - shame child labour is banned or th other 2 would be working too! lol :DI have tried to get out of the contract but t-mobile says I need to pay til the end of the contract period which is May - but then they can both take on thier own phone costs.
The car insurance is high - but it is over 10 months and I have speeding points on my licence!:mad:
I will try to cut presents down - this is a realistic estimate though for 4 birthdays and Christmas.
I have decided to do a camping holiday this summer - much to the older girls disgust - they don't want to come! But I am also planning to go to centre parcs in the spring - it is £249 for a mid week break - but we have such busy lives and all the kids love it -it is great to chill together and there is something for all ages - My OH will pay alot of the camping trip so this is probably an over estimate.

As for the Gym - yes OMG!!!!!! I was having a melt down last summer and decided we needed to spend more time having fun together and being active - we used to be in that gym when I was with my ex-OH and was feeling guilty! There is loads for the lids to do and the pool is great - I tried to take my older daughters off the membership yesterday cos they are too busy working to use it! But they said I couldn't within the first year! There is not alot i can do about this - except make sure i use it! and cancel it in June when the year is up.

I am definately going to do a spending diary - probably using this thread - Today is a NSD - i haven't been out all day! My freind wanted to go out for lunch but I suggested she come here instead - we had a lovely lunch of leftover cheese and biscuits before we both start trying to loose weight.

judi24

My OH should pay more - I know this! our finances are totally separate - the house is mine and at the moment this suits me! He has no debt except a mortgage with his ex which should be resolved in the next few months - but he still pays alot to his ex for his 3 kids. He does pay for other things - but it is difficult to quantify as it is sort of ad hoc. I know this needs to be sorted!

rupe34

Hi Judi24 - looking forward to reading your diary dude;)

paybacktime2008

Hi Judi have subscribed to your diary. Very similar goals. Good luck.

Lewby

Hi Judy,

I agree with the whole weight loss thing and paying to be weighed! I follow the Slimming World model by myself as I like the fact I can eat lots of fruit, salad, veg, pasta and rice - it suits me as I don't like meat anyway.

I want to lose my 40 lbs slowly across the year - just under 1lb per week which may be more achievable as I love wine and puddings. I try to limit the wine to weekends and puddings are always low fat versions a couple of times a week - I know that if I try to lose it too quickly and cut everything out I'll be as miserable as sin! I am also cutting bread out as it really bloats me.

Well done Penguin on your weightloss! 49lbs loss is great. :T

When are you starting your diet Judy? Monday? I tried to start yesterday on 1st Jan but it is soooo difficult with left over mince pies etc in the house. I keep reasoning with myself that it's better to freeze it or throw it away than add it to my waistline .... but I find it so hard waste food .... or am I just kidding myself and making excuses for a final pig out!!

Lewby xx