diary of a spendaholic (reforming!)

Iriahm

thats a really good idea. I've got my £2 piggy (now with £8 in it!), my 20p piggy, my 50p piggy so I'll now add my Australia piggy to my growing family! I've also started moving the spare pennies from my bank account into the savings and so far got £10.67 (thanks for the idea MSE!)

I am really looking forward to Oz but I could have cleared one of my larger debts with what its costing. It is important that we visit OH's family and who knows we may get carried away and get married on a beach with no fuss or expense but tons of romance!!

just had good lunch with work folk. cost £13 but was lovely so worth it. let the skrimping for the rest of the money commence!

cmjohnson_86

Yeah maybe a nice holiday will do you and your OH good, A time to rest, think and be together stress free. I hope it all goes well

Iriahm

had an ok day today but spent about £5 and piggy was raided this weekend for a treat. £2 piggy now at £10 (yey!)

I will make lunch tomorrow and not spend anything. Going to a car boot sale when i get home from camp and very excited, OH better watch out, if its not essential its going!! cost is £12 and hope to make £100 profit for the weekend.

totally skint this month after having to pay the money to welcome for 3 months missed payments, paid £230 for hostel in Sydney at Christmas (OH and I are proud that we've only spent £550 in total for a month's accomodation in Oz in December).

still waiting for DVLA to sort out car issue before I can sell it (dealership registered car to my mum in error...muppets)

Almost ready for camp next week - does anyone know where I can get cheap empty minature bottles? boots have them but they are £1.65 each!

anyways, night night xXx

scottishspendaholic

Hey iriahm!

Hope you are looking forward to our boot sale trip! I will aim for £80 profit since I'll just be there for the one day!

I'm not sure about minature bottles - but I hope you find some!

Love

scottishspendaholic x

patwa_2

Hi. congrats on your new resolve and keeping to your target.

I used to be a spendoholic, my room is still littered with boxes of stuff I bought and haven't used.

Really sad thing is that most of the stuff was bought on the recommendation of a really good friend, good quality stuff with lots of features (i'm a PC and gadgets junkie) but then when I got them I just didn't need them anymore. Temptation is truly maddening.

Amazon, here I come!

Cheers and take care.

Hussein.

Iriahm

Income
salary 1513.73
OH 361.00
DS 100.00
total 1974.73

Expenditure
rent 135.00
Pension 30.00
Payplan 157.00
Welcome 137.85
Abbey (car) 186.00
mortgage 224.92
Cat Insurance 7.14
Council Tax 160.00
gym 105.00
Life Assurance 8.83
TV Licence 10.50
House Insurance 9.50
Car Insurance 63.00
Electricity 81.00
Mobile 50.00
Total 1365.74

SURPLUS 608.99

Notes:

* the order I have listed them, is the order in which the payments are made to keep me organised!

* Gym: is for 2 of us and we are locked into contract for at least 3 months.

* Mobile: currently fighing with Orange about high tariff. Tried to change tariff 3 times and they didn't action it. Complained so fingers x it can come down to about £30 max per month or PAYG.

* Council Tax: this is the real amount and no arrears! its a very expensive city to live....festivals....grrrr!

* Electricity: currently £294 owed to them and they have upped my monthly payment. Current usage about £32/month. Can't change supplier as I have 2 meters and only Scottish Power can do this...apparantly. No Gas

* Car Insurance: this will come down dramatically after 1 September! quotes so far about £35/month

* Cat Insurance: for 2 cats

* OH pays me 50% of household bills like mortgage/rent/gym etc minus £15 for BT phone and Internet. currently locked into contract for internet and phone at £30/month until January 2007.

* Darling Sister (DS) still owes me £160 and will get another £100 next month.

SURPLUS of £608.99 left to cover:

* one off payment to Welcome Finance £413.55 (3 missed payments)
* £230 for accomodation in Sydney for December hols (thats holiday paid for, all we need is spending money now...)
* £60 budget for food (£120 in total for household). spent £57.20 already :-(
* Already spent £378.27 since getting paid. £170 for factors bill way overdue, £30 parking fine (grrr), £14.20 paid into ISA from odds and sods from bank a/c, £57.20 in supermarkets :-(, eBay postage £16.89.

total of £1021.82 already spent :-(

money still to come in: £45.38 (Paypal)

Odds and Sods: £14.20
£2 piggy: £10.00
cookie jar: £2.32
Boots Advantage card: £11.80
Nectar Points: 4912

What i've got to do:
* raise £412.83 through eBay selling and car boots asap
* get on top of business accounts and refund business purchases
* chase DVLA so I can sell car
* start 2nd stage of claiming back charges on all accounts
* not spend any more money!

I think thats all the backlog of bills paid now so hopefully next month I will have some breathing space. Please let me know if you spot anything that i can change quickly!

thanks, xXx

patwa_2

Depending on your insurance providers, and if you have not made a claim since your contract started (usually 12 months) you can cancel and get your money for the unused months refunded. then maybe look for cheaper home/car insurance? Just a thought.

Lots of help available on this board re: your mobile issue. If you don't use much mobile per month, maybe go PAYG and cancel your cntract is possible. Definitely chase up refunds for the unactioned tariff change requests.

Check out council tax benefits and reductions. Disabled resident in the household qualify for 25% or more off. single parents may also qualify for this. Same with TV license (50% off) if applicable residents in household.

Check your credit files. with your situation, it's important to check you've not got outstanding defaults/closed relationships, or other inaccuracies on your files. All the major credit reference agencies other than Experian will let you view your file free of charge (information gathered from Nationwide FlexAccount User Guide).

Definitely look at eBay, and Amazon too for those items that are on their database.

Regards.

Cheers and take care.

Hussein.

scottishspendaholic

Hey iriahm,

Just checking in to see how you are. Keep updating this diary! I noticed on another thread that you said your diary is boring - its not - its great! You are a great writer, silly!

I noticed you didn't get many posts about your updated SOA - maybe post it in a new thread in the morning - things tend to get lost in the diary threads as people can't be bothered wading through all the posts.

Its also a little complicated - are you looking for help in cutting back generally or specifically for this/next month as payments are behind? Sorry if that's obvious - its late and I'm confused - ha ha!

I agree that Edinburgh is v. expensive to live in - but would you credit it E/L is even pricier and no festivals! Grrrr....

Looking forward to seeing you.

scottishspendaholic x