One debt Vs 100 days ~ Take Three

skaps

£5 to savings - £691.99 remaining (38%)

sockdrawer

bigbeff wrote: »

Can I ask a really cheeky question?! How do you manage to pay so much each day? I am just trying to sort out my finances, and on top of the £300 I pay a month anyway, I would be struggling to pay an extra £5 a day!!

Not cheeky at all....
Well, we're mostly existing on the store cupboard and freezer right now. Don't smoke, don't really drink that much, and rather than saying yes all the time when I want something, or the children decide they need things, I've sort of programmed myself to think 39% interest... Thankfully I'm a good cook so we eat stuff like meatloaf made with pig kidney (less than £1 and feeds the six of us) or pilaff, (lots of rice and veg) or noodles/stir fry. Also soups, pate (made with an onion and chicken livers (49p) etc etc. We live near a chicken factory (they're probably not happy chickens but they are co-op chickens) which is in Coupar Angus where you can get chicken breast boxes for £21 for several kilos for example. Sacks of farmer's potatoes, sacks of carrots, etc.
We don't take newspapers/have sky/that type of thing, and use things like 18185 to minimise the telephone etc.

We both work and I put £200 aside to make minimum cc payments, tv licence, car insurance/tax/aa relay etc, the balance goes on the highest rate card (I'm snowballing) currently the evil capital one cc at horrendous interest rate. (39%- in what world did I ever think that was a good deal, I think I was just so chuffed at being offered a card)

I do one online shop every week at Asda, but I have my spreadsheets to make sure I only order what we need rather than doing my usual and bimbling round the store filling my basket, which I am horribly apt to do. I do a once a month shop at either or both of the Chinese supermarket (for rice, noodles etc, much cheaper than elsewhere) or our local Pakistani/Halal supermarket (good for spices etc which makes things much more versatile)

I also have debt spreadsheets so I can total up what I've paid when and give myself a pat on the back when I'm feeling sorry for myself.

I have an amazon book problem, which I'm trying to tackle (I have eight huge bookcases full of books many of which were bought on a whim) and started selling my old books on Amazon which brings in something. (sometimes a lot more than I thought) Previously they would have just lain there doing nothing, or I would have had a scadge and sent them to the charity shop. I've started car booting, I do online surveys, pick up money in the street, save my change. Hubby and I are on less than minimum wage, but because we're in a tied house, we are in the position of getting our council tax and electricity paid for us by his employer. I have a freezer full of game which I use if we feel meaty, and thankfully, children who are not demanding- well, not much!

A lot of our cc debt comes from last year when we married. Had a small wedding, but a long honeymoon. Also we were stuck in Italy during the dust cloud fiasco so are awaiting Ryanair payments for (frugal) living expenses during that time. Meanwhile we pay the interest.

We get tax credit and child benefit in proportion to what we earn/have as work benefits, and any extra determinedly gets put to the credit cards because I am so cross at myself for getting into this position. Actually strike that, I'm furious at myself. Hense the obsessive determination of putting every penny I have to this. If my dh gives me any extra, there it goes on the cc. My dad gave me £50 (!!!) to get my hair done, off it went on the cc. My birthday money, the same. You get the idea.

I also do some web design and cleaning, and also care home work when available. I've registered self employed (for the web design and cleaning) and employed (for my main job and the care home work) with the tax office so I don't get into trouble with them too, and found them incredibly helpful.

Also I hang arond MSE a lot trying not to be a newbie and picking up tips. I've been money poor several times in my life, and I'm using those skills a lot. Porridge and raisins for brekky, sardines on toast for lunch, stovies for tea, everyone fed for a few quid. Telling myself to hold off a few days before buying something instead of talking myself into it. Living in the same jeans with the zip that's determined to fall down instead of getting new ones. Oh, and I can do basic dressmaking- shorts for DD2 for gym, or a school skirt that looks as if it was bought (sigh) a ball gown for dd1 t-shirts for ds1 that are "cool" at 17 years old, because he draws them himself, and camo gear for ds 2.

So that's how really. There are definitely going to be days very soon where I will be raking down the sofa again to make some sort of payment but rake I will. I will not be owned by these cards. It's not fair to the kids or ourselves.
(rant over)
edit: PS, thank you for asking, it really clarified my thoughts putting it all down on "paper" as it were.

positivelypurple

£10 for me today please pap, £160 remaining.

I was 'cleaning up' my bank account this morning and found a spare tenner I've had some more good news about a refund I've been trying to get from a local company. They've finally seen sense and will be refunding this week. I should be able to make a nice dent in what I've got remaining with that :j

bigbeff

Wow, thanks sockdrawer...some really good ideas there I am going to be focussing every spare penny on debt too and hopefully it will go down. I like you are furious at myself for getting in this situation which is a result of a combination of factors, I can't believe it got this bad!! Right...I am going to plan menu's for this week, unlike you, I am feeding just myself, which in a way is harder because I can never be bothered to spend time cooking!!

beanielou

Thank you sock so much for sharing part pf your journey.

Broken_hearted

bearacus wrote: »

hey eveyone,
a quick query about interest charges!

For example today i paid £50 of total o/d but on the 1st of june i know £16 will be added in interest.

so do i post that ive paid £50 or take into account the interest so £34 paid.

random i know! but i just want to get it right so not to confuse PAP!

thanx
bearacus

I take the interest off the payment I have made which means my account stays true to the balance.

sockdrawer

It was funny thinking it all through when Bigbeff asked me. But good, because it helped focus me on what I really wanted to do, (be debt free, holidays in sun with kids and dh) so thank you Bigbeff for asking.

£20 ~ £5219.77 today. DH paid the random tesco shop yesterday so I had that extra. (we don't do paying each other back- what's mine's his etc etc ad nauseum )

think I'll be struggling tomorrow though. I "found" my cc's in a coat pocket- had lost them for a wee while. Knowing where they are doesn't help me maintain a money saving focus

Hope everyone's had a lovely sunny day.

beanielou

You are doing really well Brooken hearted

kathy40uk

sockdrawer wrote: »

Not cheeky at all....
Well, we're mostly existing on the store cupboard and freezer right now. Don't smoke, don't really drink that much, and rather than saying yes all the time when I want something, or the children decide they need things, I've sort of programmed myself to think 39% interest... Thankfully I'm a good cook so we eat stuff like meatloaf made with pig kidney (less than £1 and feeds the six of us) or pilaff, (lots of rice and veg) or noodles/stir fry. Also soups, pate (made with an onion and chicken livers (49p) etc etc. We live near a chicken factory (they're probably not happy chickens but they are co-op chickens) which is in Coupar Angus where you can get chicken breast boxes for £21 for several kilos for example. Sacks of farmer's potatoes, sacks of carrots, etc.
We don't take newspapers/have sky/that type of thing, and use things like 18185 to minimise the telephone etc.

We both work and I put £200 aside to make minimum cc payments, tv licence, car insurance/tax/aa relay etc, the balance goes on the highest rate card (I'm snowballing) currently the evil capital one cc at horrendous interest rate. (39%- in what world did I ever think that was a good deal, I think I was just so chuffed at being offered a card)

I do one online shop every week at Asda, but I have my spreadsheets to make sure I only order what we need rather than doing my usual and bimbling round the store filling my basket, which I am horribly apt to do. I do a once a month shop at either or both of the Chinese supermarket (for rice, noodles etc, much cheaper than elsewhere) or our local Pakistani/Halal supermarket (good for spices etc which makes things much more versatile)

I also have debt spreadsheets so I can total up what I've paid when and give myself a pat on the back when I'm feeling sorry for myself.

I have an amazon book problem, which I'm trying to tackle (I have eight huge bookcases full of books many of which were bought on a whim) and started selling my old books on Amazon which brings in something. (sometimes a lot more than I thought) Previously they would have just lain there doing nothing, or I would have had a scadge and sent them to the charity shop. I've started car booting, I do online surveys, pick up money in the street, save my change. Hubby and I are on less than minimum wage, but because we're in a tied house, we are in the position of getting our council tax and electricity paid for us by his employer. I have a freezer full of game which I use if we feel meaty, and thankfully, children who are not demanding- well, not much!

A lot of our cc debt comes from last year when we married. Had a small wedding, but a long honeymoon. Also we were stuck in Italy during the dust cloud fiasco so are awaiting Ryanair payments for (frugal) living expenses during that time. Meanwhile we pay the interest.

We get tax credit and child benefit in proportion to what we earn/have as work benefits, and any extra determinedly gets put to the credit cards because I am so cross at myself for getting into this position. Actually strike that, I'm furious at myself. Hense the obsessive determination of putting every penny I have to this. If my dh gives me any extra, there it goes on the cc. My dad gave me £50 (!!!) to get my hair done, off it went on the cc. My birthday money, the same. You get the idea.

I also do some web design and cleaning, and also care home work when available. I've registered self employed (for the web design and cleaning) and employed (for my main job and the care home work) with the tax office so I don't get into trouble with them too, and found them incredibly helpful.

Also I hang arond MSE a lot trying not to be a newbie and picking up tips. I've been money poor several times in my life, and I'm using those skills a lot. Porridge and raisins for brekky, sardines on toast for lunch, stovies for tea, everyone fed for a few quid. Telling myself to hold off a few days before buying something instead of talking myself into it. Living in the same jeans with the zip that's determined to fall down instead of getting new ones. Oh, and I can do basic dressmaking- shorts for DD2 for gym, or a school skirt that looks as if it was bought (sigh) a ball gown for dd1 t-shirts for ds1 that are "cool" at 17 years old, because he draws them himself, and camo gear for ds 2.

So that's how really. There are definitely going to be days very soon where I will be raking down the sofa again to make some sort of payment but rake I will. I will not be owned by these cards. It's not fair to the kids or ourselves.
(rant over)
edit: PS, thank you for asking, it really clarified my thoughts putting it all down on "paper" as it were.

Inspirational post thank you x

kathy40uk

positivelypurple wrote: »

£10 for me today please pap, £160 remaining.

I was 'cleaning up' my bank account this morning and found a spare tenner I've had some more good news about a refund I've been trying to get from a local company. They've finally seen sense and will be refunding this week. I should be able to make a nice dent in what I've got remaining with that :j

Well done hun xxx :T