Polesalot's Climb to Debt Freedom

pixiechick99

polesalot wrote: »

I am anticipating teething problems here especially on the ASC fees but I am going to give it my best shot. I think it will probably take 3 months for me to settle into the system.

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Took me a couple of months to get it all sorted the way I liked it;) Actually I added a couple more accounts as time went on. It's working now for me though and feel pretty on top of it all.

Boooo to maintenance:( My ex had no job for a while, or on and off work, so my money was really sporadic for a few months, more probably. Luckily he seems to have a settled job now and my money goes in each month - not enough, but just happy to get something:rotfl:

vasseur

Have had a bit of a quiet afternoon here (and anyway the forums were closed ) so I have been working out my money for next month.

:eek::eek::eek: It's bad. I might not be making too many PADs (at least not the amount I'd like to). Worked out the ASC fees and they come to £190 :eek: they've gone up 50p a session so it works out at £10 more than I thought it would I almost paid for them there and then but I was thinking if they came out of my account before payday I would get hit with an o/d charge and I don't want that. Might pay for them tomorrow and hope that paypal don't debit my account til Tuesday - is that how it works does anyone know? Or does it come out same day or next day?

On the plus side if the missing CSA money goes in and my tax credits and child benefit plus the money for the Muse tickets (will definitely get £55 from my friend just hoping the other 2 sell for at least what I paid for them) then everything looks quite healthy.

I have already transferred over £200 to my grocery account for value 24th. Then I had a look on the calendar and there are only 4 Fridays until September's payday. I always do my shopping on a Friday so i am going to transfer back the £40 difference. For this month things will be tight but on the plus side it means I won't have to pay ASC fees for Term 2 until end of October

I've transferred money over to my mortgage/bills account (also value 24th)

It means that more than ever I need my OnePoll balance to hit £40.



It's also highlighted a real need to get cracking on the Ebay selling. i'm just a bit nervous.

Having said all this, knowing exactly what the financial situation is makes me feel more in control of things than I have felt for ages. I usually don't have a clue how the grocery bills are going to pan out but now they are all taken care of. I haven't gone over £40 for weeks so hopefully there will be some left over to put in the other pots.

I've printed off some vouchers for various theme parks zoos so we can make use of them while I'm off. Also we have our free tickets for Leeds Castle so all that will cost us is a packed lunch and an icecream

Pole class tonight. My bruises from last week haven't faded yet.... :eek:

pixiechick99

Fingers crossed your CSA money will appear:p
You sound like you're really getting on top of everything - it's lovely being all organised and knowing what's what.
Don't be nervous about ebay - it's really quite easy and straightforward. Don't let my [EMAIL="stupid-@rse"]stupid-@rse[/EMAIL] phone buyer (or non buyer as it turned out!) put you off:D I hardly ever have any problems and I've bought and sold a fair bit (my feedback is 1303 now:T)
If I can help with any ebay stuff just ask.
Wish my Onepoll balance would hit £40 too - think I'm on £28ish...seems to go up very, very slowly!
Nearly your holidays:beer:

Mags30

I posted a thread asking about the envelope system recently. It has lots of great replies, here's the link in case you didn't see it. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2657343

Have you seen the new Secret book? It's called "The Power". Amazon very kindly (not) sent an email to inform me about it so I checked it out in local bookshop today. Didn't buy it but I probably will. The money chapter was suggesting that we don't stress and moan about bills, instead we have to view them in a positive way and express gratitude for the gas/electricity that kept the house warm/powered the laptop and kettle or pretend the money is a donation to the electricity company:rotfl:I'd love to have read more but I don't want to risk being barred from the bookshop!

Enjoy the poledancing tonight

pixiechick99

Oooooh *shuffles off to read about the new book*:rotfl:

MrsMoo2U

Hi Poles, I am with you on the envelope system. I didnt do so well this month but it is a new system to me and I forgot to allow for the times that I have to pay for things with work up front and then claim it back. I will get ahead of myself next month because Moo2Moo made a very good suggestion with regards to my working away expenses. I love that we can come on here and just "talk" our thoughts through and people come up with suggestions. Sometimes we are too close to the problem to see the solution. Do the CSA only pay you if they receive the money in? I thought that if you were with the CSA that they paid regardless and then they claimed back the money. I thought that was the whole point of it. I think that I need to open some more bank accounts. Who are you banking with and can you recommend them? I just tried to open an online ISA account for saving for my landrover deposit. They wrote to me and wanted all kinds of id proof and I needed to get somebody to sign stuff. Where I live nobody knows me so I couldnt get them signed in time so they have declined me from opening:(
Enjoy pole class tonight.

vasseur

Mags30 wrote: »

I posted a thread asking about the envelope system recently. It has lots of great replies, here's the link in case you didn't see it. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2657343

Have you seen the new Secret book? It's called "The Power". Amazon very kindly (not) sent an email to inform me about it so I checked it out in local bookshop today. Didn't buy it but I probably will. The money chapter was suggesting that we don't stress and moan about bills, instead we have to view them in a positive way and express gratitude for the gas/electricity that kept the house warm/powered the laptop and kettle or pretend the money is a donation to the electricity company:rotfl:I'd love to have read more but I don't want to risk being barred from the bookshop!

Enjoy the poledancing tonight

It was your post that really started me thinking about the envelope system! That and milly who has different accounts and always seems so organised.

I've not heard about that book. It sounds a bit weird to me but I am forever grateful that my boiler is working so maybe there is something in it!

Pole was good - I have added some more bruises to my collection

vasseur

millyscarlett wrote: »

Fingers crossed your CSA money will appear:p
You sound like you're really getting on top of everything - it's lovely being all organised and knowing what's what.
Don't be nervous about ebay - it's really quite easy and straightforward. Don't let my stupid-@rse phone buyer (or non buyer as it turned out!) put you off:D I hardly ever have any problems and I've bought and sold a fair bit (my feedback is 1303 now:T)
If I can help with any ebay stuff just ask.
Wish my Onepoll balance would hit £40 too - think I'm on £28ish...seems to go up very, very slowly!
Nearly your holidays:beer:

I'm hoping the CSA money will appear tomorrow. Even if it doesn't I think I can get through this weekend and Monday on what I have. It will go in eventually.

I will probably be badgering you non-stop about Ebay! I hope it's going to be one of those things where I wonder why I never started it sooner

I think the OnePoll surveys are less frequent the closer you get to £40 - seems that way!

vasseur

cherisong wrote: »

Hi Poles, I am with you on the envelope system. I didnt do so well this month but it is a new system to me and I forgot to allow for the times that I have to pay for things with work up front and then claim it back. I will get ahead of myself next month because Moo2Moo made a very good suggestion with regards to my working away expenses. I love that we can come on here and just "talk" our thoughts through and people come up with suggestions. Sometimes we are too close to the problem to see the solution. Do the CSA only pay you if they receive the money in? I thought that if you were with the CSA that they paid regardless and then they claimed back the money. I thought that was the whole point of it. I think that I need to open some more bank accounts. Who are you banking with and can you recommend them? I just tried to open an online ISA account for saving for my landrover deposit. They wrote to me and wanted all kinds of id proof and I needed to get somebody to sign stuff. Where I live nobody knows me so I couldnt get them signed in time so they have declined me from opening:(
Enjoy pole class tonight.

I think these boards are amazing. I find them so inspiring. If you can't solve your problem on here then there is no problem, that's what it seems like. I want to be the person at work where people think 'Well she's a single parent and she's brilliant with money'. Hehe :rotfl: Unfortunately I'm in an office where people seem to have an unending supply of money and are ordering things online all the time. I do get quite envious sometimes.

The CSA will only pay what money they've received from the NR parent. In our case the money is deducted at source from his salary so if he hasn't earnt it they can only pay what they receive. This annoys me a bit because I want him to actually see that money being taken away! I have tried over the years to fathom out the system but although he has to pay £56 p.w. it doesn't go in weekly (but the right amount is usually made up when it does finally go in). There is no pattern to it (at least not that I can work out )

I bank with NatWest but only really because I used to work for them about 15 years ago and knew how they operated. When I changed jobs I stayed with them - better the devil you know than the devil you don't! I set up my 2 accounts online then last year I opened some more over the phone. They just sent me some stuff to sign and return. I didn't have to get anyone else to sign. It was a bit annoying because I said I don't want any debit cards, cheque books or paying in books I just want to see the accounts online but of course they sent them all and the pins. I just shredded everything.

Ellidee

polesalot have you seen benbenandme's thread ? She is a single Mum struggling with CSA too- she is amazing at making extra money from mystery shopping, matched betting etc. Link http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=34701653&postcount=1