Debt Dropping the Elfen way!

whatatwit

Good luck Elfen, it sounds as though you deciding what you want out of life and working out ways for it to happen.

elfen

Not been a good day. Went to the GP, got my pills but also got referral back to psych services....not much help right now though is it? Have been very bad with bingeing and purging so I will not chronicle it as it makes me ashamed to even say it.

Not hungry just feeling very sick....so I'll not be even trying to eat until later...and it'll be bacon and egg as that's in my fridge. Tesco shop due to be delivered later...MM cheque turned up so that's another £15 in my bank

elfen

Food diary..
B - felt sick so had grape juice
S - still felt ill
L - rice cake with peanut butter, 1/2 bag crisps
S - celery sitck x 2
D - sweet and sour chicken (small portion) Possibly a jelly later on...

Ok, time for Elfen's end of month wrap - up
Done:
- Checked quidco - £3.23 coming with £28 left to be validated and sent
- Checked onepoll - now up to £13.60
- Done some comps
- Got freebies - PETA stickers and a free latte at Starbucks
- NSD - Target HIT! Might get more before Monday, possibly two
- Sorted out LHA and IS top-up claims - waiting for letters back
- Done SmartCities card and pic - gets me free local bus travel and reduced leisure costs - I might be able to go swimming - or learn anyway
- No choc days - 12...Not too bad to be honest
- Got stop smoking stuff and set a date to quit. My quit day is going to be Sunday 30th May - so before then I'll cut down and use inhalator
- Joined GP - saw nurse and GP, got ball rolling on psych referral
- Online shopping
- Set budget for groceries each month - for now it's £90 and will drop by a £5-£10 each month
- Boots card - £11 in points so far, wil use the prescription service they offer and get another £5 of points
- Cross stitich has been restarted, as has knitting - trying to entertain at home
- Flat has been de-cluttered - without it I'd be between £300-400 in the red instead of £134
- Have got halfway through my weight loss target - just the last 27lb to lose!
- Have started my "Moving to Finland" AKA MooseFund account - currently has £22 whilst other savings has £19
- Done exam and finished uni.

OK, tasks for next month
* Sort bills
* Sort LHA and IS claims
* Re-do SOA if anything changes
* Get further on cross stitch - at least 3 colours done on one side
* Get sleeve finished knitting - done! Just need a big needle and help on the neck
* Explore with free bus pass
* Do more exercise
* Start couch to 5k program and KEEP IT UP
* Stop smoking - by end of month I want to be smoke-free for all of it
* Save money
* Lose 7lb
*15 NSDS minimum
*15 NoChoc minimum
* Don't buy clothes
* No buying CD/DVDs
* FILL IN BUDGET SHEET!

redsquirrel80

Quick hello.. hugs.. hope things work out with your second time round with Pint.. have a good weekend x

elfen

Newly updated SOA, with what I think is my LHA - 60 a week, so the rent has dropped accordingly. Bills are estimates right now...

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 1
Number of children in household.........
Number of cars owned....................

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 0
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 700
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 700

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 225
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 0
Electricity............................. 30
Gas..................................... 0
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 20
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 25
TV Licence.............................. 30 - am paying for the current one
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. .......................... 100 - hope to drop this
Clothing................................ 0
Petrol/diesel........................... 0
Road tax................................ 0
Car Insurance........................... 0
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 6
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 2.99
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 5
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 5
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 448.99


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

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Lowell 1 ......................120.......10........0
Lowell 2 ......................180.......10........0
BCW ...........................219.......5.........0
HBOS c/c.......................1200......9.........0
T mobile ......................415.......5.........0
Vanquis.........................220.......7........34.9%
Total unsecured debts..........2254......46........-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 700
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 448.99
Available for debt repayments........... 281.01
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 46
Amount left after debt repayments....... 205.01

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 0
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -2, 254
Net Assets.............................. -2,254

Ok, the Vanquis I usually pay more on (usually about 20-30 extra a month) I'll be clearing this when my student loan comes in and it'll then be emergencies only (or shopping, as I can pay that off monthly)
Right now it looks like I have 200 extra, but in reality 150 of that is going on cigarettes, which as of tomorrow I will be stopping. So 100 of that will be split between both my savings accounts.
This would leave me with £100 extra, which I'll keep in as a buffer to allow for emergencies/breakages/anything that could go wrong/going to see parents.
Looks a bit better now!

elfen

Ok, mealplans for this week....
Saturday - gammon and veg
Sunday - meatballs
Monday - chicken korma
Tuesday - chilli con carne
Wednesday - sausage and veg
Thursday - pork chop and salad
Friday - takeaway night
Saturday - chicken legs and salad


Food diary for today
B - cereal
S - none
L - 2 sticks of celery, apple
S - jelly with fruit in
D - gammon with carrots...nomnom

elfen

Yaay! Have found free games to keep me occupied over the first few days of nicotine-less life!

elfen

Food diary for today....
B - bacon sarnie ( been so long since I had one!)
L - tomato soup
D - gammon salad

I'll put snacks in later, as and when. Had a good day yesterday, didn't throw up and only had two slip-ups (if I have more, two max) Second day, back on the pacth, think it's now breaking the habit more really. Also, have done....
Today I have/will:
* Tidied my bedroom
* Sorted the crap and put most under the bed
* Sorted medication out
* Cleaned kitchen
* Cleaned bathroom
* Bleached lav
* Cleaned front room
* Put washing up away
* Sorted washing to go on later
* Bought groceries to get me through the week - nice things for brekkie and such
* Sorted paperwork into three files
* Sort books
* Sort DVDs
* have a 2nd nosmoke day - had 2 slip-ups yesterday...hoping not to have one today
* Do exercise
* Have a no choc day
* Sorted out piles of crap
* Sorted out coffee table
* Binned recycling
* Binned rubbish

Didn't manage an NSD as had to get bits in, and pay for brekkie, but it's under a tenner so I'm chuffed

elfen

Ok, today.....
Managed an NSD as all I needed was wool needles and they were 45p, so it's all looking good! Have also managed to pick up the stitches on the knitted bit to start on the cowl neck of my jumper, so all I need to do is finish that and sew it up, and I'll be done!
Went to the council and took exemption certificate in, need to go to uni and then council tomorrow afternoon to pick up the other letter, and that should be my LHA claim sorted! Waiting to hear from IS, once I have all financial matters should be sorted.

Also, the no-smoking is doing good, one slip up today but there's no baccy or anything in my house - it's all had water added to it so I can't slip again, I'm not buying fags just to smoke one and bin the rest! Also had £2 in my change so that's in the MooseFund. Also put little bits and bobs of change in, and 2p I found on the floor

Food diary:
B - orange and apple
L - popcorn and banana
D - chicken korma with raisins and apple in (and veg...sweetcorn and cabbage I think)

elfen

Day 4 and I'm going slowly crazy. It's so hard getting through the first bit in the mornig between waking up, putting the patch on and it starting to work. Just had a severe craving but have been fighting it and didn't give in No slip ups yesterday, no slip ups today, I know I can do this

Tomorrow, Day 5, I'll transfer £10 to the MooseFund, to celebrate 5 days no smoking