Bang...and the debt is gone! (Hopefully!)

MissShoes

Here's the update on what I've been doing recently.

Food shopping for this month so far:

£51.11- approved foods
£105.02- asda big shop
£8.86- morrisons for basic top up (milk, onions, bread, potatoes, ham, garlic etc)

Total: £164.99.

Available to spend on food until 24th September: £35.01. We have lots of basic ingredients in, we just will need milk/bread/sandwich stuff/fruit/veg/whoopsied stuff. Will try to get to aldi for some veg maybe. I've got lots of cous cous for my lunches and OH will have sandwiches. We really need fruit. In the freezer I have a gammon joint, a whole chicken, lots of peppered steak, 4 meals worth of sausages, 2 meals worth of chicken breast, 2 big packs of mince, 2 portions of salmon, a big pack of frying steak, 2 portions chip shop fish, chips, veg, lots of WW meals and crumpets/pancakes/teacakes/scones.

Bills

All household bills paid. In credit on gas and electricity accounts. Council tax has annoyed me. Took them 3 attempts to send a correct bill removing my single person allowance and adding OH name to bill. This meant our 10 payments were running from May-February instead of April-January. This was fine by us. Randomly, they have sent a revised bill adjusting the payments so they finish by January which ups our monthly payment by £19.

None of my debts are on standing order or direct debit as the amounts are getting lower and what I can pay/overpay varies month to month. This month I experimented by setting up each payment on my online banking as a one-off payment. I received my storecard bill, inputted how much I wanted to pay and arranged it to come out on payday. Totally works for me so will do this. Overpaying my high-interest card.

Have not paid my mobile phone bills. I owe £300- yikes. This is for 4 months of one bill and one month of another. I am selling one phone for £113 on MFYP so waiting to send this off. Then I will reduce that contract down and pay it off.

Have 2 other debts (asides from phone bills and 5 store/credit cards). These are £130ish left to pay BCW and £200 to pay another DCA. I hope to be able to pay these next month. This month I've had extra expenses- repaying £300 holiday spends to OH, £102 holiday spends to friend, all of OH birthday presents- I have got him 7 presents for my £100 budget- went over by £4.

SO no spare cash whatsoever this month. My bank account is empty! Have had a refund from ebay and have emptied my savings account of £35 so will have just under £40 in bank account.

OH is paying for the cleaner this week. We're going to reduce her down to 2 hours after this week from 2.5 to save £20pcm. I know this is an extravagance but it really is worth it for us. So I have no outgoings this week.

My work wardrobe is all ready. Have stocked up on bras, pants, tights, vest tops, dresses, a pair of work trousers, a few tops etc. Spent £65 in primark (thanks OH) and around £65 on ebay.

Have listed 25 items today on ebay to try and offset the cost and the wardrobe space. A few items with tags so hoping to make back what I've spent but anymore than that would be ace.

Enrolled on one tutoring website but nothing yet. For another one I need to send off references etc which is time-consuming so haven't done this yet.

Have set myself a challenge of not spending any money at work in the canteen for this year (starts tomorrow). Short term challenge is 5 NSDs for OH and I this week (not counting him buying travel card or paying cleaner).

I also want to list more items on ebay. I'm sure I can rustle some things up.

Have organised OH's on line banking. From next month, his rent/bills will be paid to me by standing order. Up until now it's been ad-hoc each month, either having to call or take out cash. He's happy for me to organise so that's good! So on the 1st each month I get £350 which is around 44% of bills, rent and cleaner costs.

I have to pay £4250 for a new car (worth £6000- friend helping me out) by January 31st. 5 paydays= £850 a month.

I paid my last £250 a month loan direct debit in August so that will help but it'll be a squeeze. Also, my wage increase comes in September's pay BUT my wage garnish doesn't finish until October. November pay should be sweet!

That's a long post.

MissShoes

September budget (September 25th- October 24th) to be amended and reviewed as bills come in:

Incoming: £2275 (estimated) and £350 from OH= £2625

Outgoing:

Bills/rent/cleaner- £800
Food- £200
Petrol- £50
Car Ins- £48
Debt repayment- £200 approx
Car repayment- £850 (might have to reduce this this month and make it up with December's payment which will hopefully have Xmas bonus)
Phones- £90
Owe OH- £140

Provisional total: £2378

Extras- OHs birthday meal
Want to pay off BCW and other DCA

MissShoes

Pay off Friend- 4x£625 payments from February-May 2012
Pay off car- 5x£850 payments from September-January 2012
Pay off BCW- £130 balance- clear September-October 2011
Pay off DCA- £200 balance- clear September-October 2011

Pay off Ikea card- balance £418ish 4
Pay off Dorothy Perkins card- balance £228ish 2
Pay off Vanquis card- balance £270ish 1
Pay off barclaycard- balance £556ish 5
Pay off LPF card- balance £268ish 3
Pay off OD- balance £2000 6
Pay off Next- balance £774 (0%) 7

My aim is to clear Vanquis, LPF and Dorothy Perkins by December 31st 2011 alongside clearing BCW, DCA and making 4 car payments to my savings account ready for purchase day.

I want to be debt free by my birthday/the Olympics- summer 2012.

MissShoes

Just remembered I still haven't received my £60 refund- will chase that tomorrow. If I can get that, plus the £113 for my phone, that's £173 towards my phone bill debt, over half way. Should be able to make up some of the rest with ebay sales. I really hope I can make £300!

MissShoes

Things to do tomorrow- Monday 5th September

Chase up £60 refund
Find 5 things around flat to ebay
Find 5 pairs of boots to ebay
Wrap OHs birthday presents
Arrange Thursday's appointment for landlord to see bathroom (tiles coming off)

MissShoes

Haven't managed anything on my to do list today. Oops. Will try to catch up tomorrow. However I did:

NSD
Lunch from storecupboard
Made 15p on onepoll
Made 32p on crowdology
Paid £30 off phone bill. £100 to go before I tackle phone bill number 2 (which isn't overdue- £128.82)
Got £20 from OH for groceries, we have £35.01 left to spend until September 24th- 19 days to go.
£20 from OH for cleaner on Friday.
Set 4 of my 5 payments for next month up on automated payments:
Vanquis- £82.23 Balance will be down to £200
LPF Visa- £67.27 Balance will be down to £200
Barclaycard £56.74 Balance will be down to £500
Ikea £18.83 Balance will be down to £400

Technically I shouldn't have to spend any money this week (of my limited funds) and out of the grocery money I need to get fruit, veg and will need to top up milk and stuff for lunches.

Things to do tomorrow
Up early to post office to collect packages before work
Call about landlord appointment
Call for £60 refund
Call for DVLA check for van hire
Wrap OHs presents
5 things from flat to ebay
5 pairs of boots to ebay
Pop to supermarket- mushrooms, cheap fruit, cheap veg and milk
Cook spag bol for dinner and OHs lunch on Wednesday
NSD (from my money, not grocery budget)

MissShoes

MissShoes wrote: »

ey I need to get fruit, veg and will need to top up milk and stuff for lunches.

Things to do tomorrow
[STRIKE]Up early to post office to collect packages before work[/STRIKE]
Call about landlord appointment
[STRIKE]Call for £60 refund[/STRIKE] will take at least another fortnight
[STRIKE]Call for DVLA check for van hire[/STRIKE]
Wrap OHs presents
5 things from flat to ebay
5 pairs of boots to ebay
[STRIKE]Pop to supermarket- mushrooms, cheap fruit, cheap veg and milk[/STRIKE]
Cook spag bol for dinner and OHs lunch on Wednesday
[STRIKE]NSD (from my money, not grocery budget)[/STRIKE]

Not done too badly. Will wrap presents and ebay tonight whilst catching up on my sky plus (extreme couponing- very MSE).

Have 25 items on ebay currently. So far 6 will sell, 9 with watchers and 10 nothing yet. All finish on Friday so a busy few days of posting and processing. About to cook dinner with OH.

Went to Mr A earlier. Spent £20.05 so £14.96 left to last 18 days. Eek. Hope we can stick to it.

I bought:

3 packs of 2 chicken breasts with ham + leek in a cheese sauce £3.63
1 foil tray of potatoes, onion and chorizo, £0.48
1 foil tray of cheese and tomato dough balls £0.64
3 packs microwave rice £3.00
1 pack value sultanas £0.84
leeks £1.00
medicine £3.88
mushrooms £0.83
coconut milk £0.67
bag of sp peppers £1.58
bananas £1.00
cucumber £0.12
spring onion £0.60
2 pasta bake sauces £1.77

some things not very MSE (microwave rice/pasta bake sauces) but they will come in handy. Love the chicken dishes that you just bung in the oven but way overpriced. Best part of £4 for 2 chicken breasts so was happy I got 6 chicken breasts for £3.63. Dinner tomorrow sorted and 2 more dinners in freezer.

Spag bol tonight with leftovers for OH lunches. The sultanas are for my breakfast- a small handful in some porridge with a little honey and cinnamon= cheap, warming and filling.

Made nearly £1 on onepoll today which makes a nice change. Halfway towards payout- it takes ages.

MissShoes

Made more money on onepoll today. Up to £20 something now. Another NSD for me, not for OH although I dont mind as he bought me an icecream...in September...random craving!

9 things selling on ebay out of 25 so far. Making £20 not including postage so far. Excited for them to end on Friday.

Had some ebay purchases arrive today- like them but can't love anything- must lose some weight in order to be happy with the way I look. I've been doing well until the point when I get home...nightmare.

MissShoes

Been a busy few days, not much to report.

Have taken lunches to work for 2 whole weeks. Will continue to do this as it's working for me. Sticking to toast or cereal with added sultanas for brekkies.

Budget for September 25th to October 25th:

Income

Wages: £2267.19
OH contribution to bills/rent: £350
MFYP cheque: £113
Refund: £58

TOTAL INCOME: £2788.19

Essentials
Rent and household bills: £768.96
Groceries: £125 (OH will also pay this amount, we will both take out in cash at start of month- first month of trying this method)
Car Ins: £47.93
Owe OH: £140

Total: £1081.89

Debt Repayments
Barclaycard £56.74 (balance down to £500)
LPF Visa £67.27 (balance down to £200)
Dorothy Perkins £24.80 (balance down to £200)
Vanquis £82.23 (balance down to £200)
Ikea £18.83 (balance down to £400)
Gallagher Heath £62.03 (final/one off payment- old insurance policy)
BCW £123.96 (final payment- old broadband contract)
??? £200 (final payment- old loan- can't remember DCA name)
Overdue phone bills £328.95

Total: £964.81

Other expenses
Petrol: £55
Clothes: £150
Meal for OH birthday: £250
Beauty: £40
Gym: £60 (estimated, joining this month due to physio/rehab needs)

Total: £555

TOTAL EXPENDITURE: £2601.70

TOTAL INCOMINGS MINUS TOTAL OUTGOINGS: £186.49

Potential areas to save:

Meal for OH birthday- this is a posh restaurant with 4 courses. I estimated for OH wanting 4 courses, to go for the wine tasting menu where they give you a different glass for each course and including the service charge. I think it'll come under but I'd rather play it safe.

Gym- last time I was a member of this gym it was around £50- this is for central London and includes a pool. Might be less.

Clothes- I recognise £150 is a hefty chunk of my monthly budget on clothes so I'm hoping to come under but my size has changed and I need to look professional at work. I have a H and M basket standing at £75 so may be able to find other bits in primark/new look/ebay.

Petrol- usually fill my tank for £55 (I remember when I could do this for £35!) but my tank is still around half full so I'm hoping this will come under.

If I actually have £186.49 left at end of month, I will pay it all off my Vanquis card and then on October payday pay the remaining £38 plus interest and close the account.

Will see if writing this all down and doing a daily post on my spends/moneysaving will help me stick to it and help me keep on budget. I'm pleased there's some wiggle room. Next month should be easier and from November onwards my £250ish a month increase in my take home wages will be phenomenal.

Shoes

MissShoes

Meal plan

Breakfasts- tea/coffee, toast, porridge, cereal, crumpets
Lunches- leftovers for dinners, sandwiches, cous cous or pasta salads (plus biscuits for OH), fruit

Mon dinner: Salmon with rice and veg
Tue dinner: chicken breasts with mozzarella and pesto, cous cous and veg
Wed dinner: beef stirfry
Thu dinner: freezer jackpot- fish and chips or pizza and chips
Fri dinner: pork and apple burgers with jacket potatoes and salad

Shopping list
toilet roll
kitchen towel
tissues
salad stuff
veg
fruit
sugar
shower gel
toothpaste

I have £20 to get this lot. I got £20 from OH as it's his turn so technically will be a NSD for me tomorrow when I do the shopping.

I also have £19.68 coming from paypal so will pay this towards something- not sure what.

Now for some housework and a final load of laundry ready for the working week.

Shoes x