My Debt-Free-Wannabe Diary

DontDoDebtKids

Tenant wants to stay a few more days so notice will be served for tenant leaving on 30 April as she's been nice and said she's happy to show estate agents around.

So I've arranged for three estate agents to give it the once over and report back on what they think it's worth.

There is, however, a problem: the boiler is now on its last legs and is making clunking noises - the letting agency's engineer went to have a look and, typically, came back with "you need a new boiler, hot water tank, radiator valves, etc, etc" :mad: Cost: £2000-£2500 + VAT... _pale_

Urrrr...

DontDoDebtKids

Rather exciting news: I've drawn up a budget!!!

For the first time ever!!!

I've set up a spreadsheet for this year with various categories, how much money is coming in to the spending account and then a big "spending diary" grid for each category per day. It all automatically adds up in boxes at the top of the spreadsheet so I can figure out how much of my budget in any area I have spent.

So here it is:

Budget................ Estimate.............. Times a year........ Total
Petrol................. £40.00................ 47...................... £1,880.00
Car Servicing........ £400.00.............. 3....................... £1,200.00
Car Insurance....... £347.41.............. 1....................... £347.41
Club Membership... £435.00.............. 1....................... £435.00
Dining Out........... £50.00................ 12...................... £600.00
Food at work........ £2.00.................. 52...................... £104.00
Booze................. £200.00.............. 2....................... £400.00
Drinking Out......... £15.00................ 12...................... £180.00
Gifts................... £40.00................ 12...................... £480.00
Lottery............... £1.50.................. 9....................... £13.50
Books................. £5.00.................. 24...................... £120.00
Train Tickets........ £10.00................ 12...................... £120.00
DVDs.................. £5.00.................. 20...................... £100.00
Dentist................ £400.00.............. 2....................... £800.00
Gadgets.............. £100.00.............. 6....................... £600.00
Domain Renewals.. £14.98................ 1....................... £14.98
Clothes............... £20.00................ 6....................... £120.00
Holidays.............. £500.00.............. 3....................... £1,500.00
Mobile................. £17.00................ 12...................... £204.00
Total.................. £2,602.89......................................£9,218.89

Now I know I've missed some stuff so let me know what you spot. Here's some I just realised: MOT, Car Tax.

I allow myself £9,300 a year to spend (£775 a month) and currently (with the above budget) I have a surplus of £81.11.

bananakinz

Get a second opinion on the boiler!

DontDoDebtKids

bananakinz wrote:

Get a second opinion on the boiler!

I know - I have asked...!

But I have a funny feeling I know what the second opinion will be!

I may get a third opinion from a chap who runs a building firm that I know personally (he won't do small jobs anyway so his opinion should be unbiased).

DontDoDebtKids

DontDoDebtKids wrote:

Rather exciting news: I've drawn up a budget!!!

For the first time ever!!!

I've set up a spreadsheet for this year with various categories, how much money is coming in to the spending account and then a big "spending diary" grid for each category per day. It all automatically adds up in boxes at the top of the spreadsheet so I can figure out how much of my budget in any area I have spent.

So here it is:

Budget................ Estimate.............. Times a year........ Total
Petrol................. £40.00................ 47...................... £1,880.00
Car Servicing........ £400.00.............. 3....................... £1,200.00
Car Insurance....... £347.41.............. 1....................... £347.41
Club Membership... £435.00.............. 1....................... £435.00
Dining Out........... £50.00................ 12...................... £600.00
Food at work........ £2.00.................. 52...................... £104.00
Booze................. £200.00.............. 2....................... £400.00
Drinking Out......... £15.00................ 12...................... £180.00
Gifts................... £40.00................ 12...................... £480.00
Lottery............... £1.50.................. 9....................... £13.50
Books................. £5.00.................. 24...................... £120.00
Train Tickets........ £10.00................ 12...................... £120.00
DVDs.................. £5.00.................. 20...................... £100.00
Dentist................ £400.00.............. 2....................... £800.00
Gadgets.............. £100.00.............. 6....................... £600.00
Domain Renewals.. £14.98................ 1....................... £14.98
Clothes............... £20.00................ 6....................... £120.00
Holidays.............. £500.00.............. 3....................... £1,500.00
Mobile................. £17.00................ 12...................... £204.00
Total.................. £2,602.89......................................£9,218.89

Now I know I've missed some stuff so let me know what you spot. Here's some I just realised: MOT, Car Tax.

I allow myself £9,300 a year to spend (£775 a month) and currently (with the above budget) I have a surplus of £81.11.

OK, I had a look at the budget planner spreadsheet on the main site and found three more: parking, haircuts & cinema trips.

DontDoDebtKids

Hi all,

Just been checking out the https://www.goingreen.co.uk website to see how much these G-Wiz electric cars I see around the place are: answer £7000 to £10000! :eek:

Pros: no road tax (save £175), no petrol costs (save £1880), Group 1 insurance, no congestion charge and free parking in central london.

Cons: 40 to 45 mile range, so would have to charge it every day (I drive 40 miles a day to and from work), quite expensive as can't really get them second hand

I'd love one but it would have to be a bit cheaper and either the range would have to be better or work would have to put in a charging point for me (might be cheeky and ask...)

DDDK

DontDoDebtKids

Just checked my bank account to see how much I had left having been paid today and all my standing orders to my spending and bills accounts having left my account today.

And I found £261.80 from Egg.

I can only assume that this is my PPI back!?! :j :j :j

Wow! That was easy. They didn't even send me a proper letter!

Also, my Amex payment went out for £135 so debt totals update is:

Debt Totals:

M&S: £6,450.81
Lloyds:£2,151.41
Amex:£5,248.81

Total: £13,851.03

DontDoDebtKids

Did some calculations based on my last student loan statement and my payslips for the past year and I reckon, assuming about £120 in interest for the past year (guess based on last year), that I have got £3,170.00 left of my student loan to pay.

That's not too bad!

DontDoDebtKids

Got home to a letter from Egg yesterday explaining how they calculated the refund of PPI, which they didn't even blink an eyelid over.

They just went, OK, here you are!

I'd encourage anyone who thinks they were mis-sold PPI to claim it all back!

DDDK

DontDoDebtKids

More costs!

They just had the common electrics checked and it's going to cost £120 get get it fixed.

Grrr.

DDDK