I've had my LBM and now it's time to sort it out once and for all

Herewego

Great news on the club that would be fantastic.
Good luck with claiming the NI just think if you get it all back you could say goodbye to NEXT

Primrose2004

thanks HWG I'm very exicted about the club, I could do with it being half an hour longer but it will certainly be a fab start. I could probably ask MIL to pick dc up one day and then work longer that day maybe, I don't know but something will sort itself out

Yes, the NI money, if I get it back will go against the Next balance, although I may try to pay that off sooner as I need to finish a job off and I can bill £250ish, then I would pay Next off with that as the balance is not actually £100 now:o

I must update my signature but I think i'll wait til after Feb payday now. and I need to update my spreadsheets too as there's a few changes. I've made spreadsheets for loads of things:rotfl:even childcare vouchers and working out work options combined with childcare costs. Just call me a spreadsheet geek:rotfl:

I haven't really got my debt down but I haven't added to it either, which I think is a good start really:undecided

Primrose2004

Right, well I had yet another childcare bombshell dropped yesterday, CM can't have ds in the holidays which is NEXT WEEK!!! :mad::mad: I have to say I was not very happy, I understand her POV but really a week to sort childcare for a 3yo is just not on and is breaching our contract.

However, after getting upset yesterday and posting on FB about it I have had lots of lovely people offer to have both dc for me next week, which is just lovely and I have now said to CM that I am 'happy' with a term time only deal, which means that my childcare costs are now a lot less for the rest of the year than I had thought! Although I do now have the issue of begging and swapping childcare during all the school hols as ds is too little for all clubs. But dh and I can cover the majority and I will be asking family/friends to help out the odd day. I only work 2 full days a week and I can prob cover one with mine/dh's holiday and hope someone will have dc for the other day each week.

So, moneywise this means that after Febs pay dh can stop childcare vouchers coming out of his wages which means we will be up by £150-£165 a month:T:T:T

I really do need to re-do my SOA and see how it looks as back in July/Aug when I started this thread our income was over £300 less than it will be in March:cool: WOO HOO!

Primrose2004

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 2
Number of cars owned.................... 1
Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 806
Partners monthly income after tax....... 1350
Benefits................................ 176
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 2332
Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 778
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 0
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 134
Electricity............................. 36
Gas..................................... 0
Oil..................................... 40
Water rates............................. 50
Telephone (land line)................... 20
Mobile phone............................ 20
TV Licence.............................. 12
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 20
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ......................... 250
Clothing................................ 25
Petrol/diesel........................... 100
Road tax................................ 10
Car Insurance........................... 42
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 30
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 11
Buildings insurance..................... 28
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 32
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 40
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 30
Holiday................................. 25
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 1733

Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 165000
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 1000
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 166000

Secured & HP Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 100000...(778)......0
Total secured & HP debts...... 100000....-.........-
Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
cc.............................6700......200.......0
o/d 1..........................1950......0.........0
o/d 2..........................460.......0.........0
Work loan......................2083......138.......0
Total unsecured debts..........11193.....338.......-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,332
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,733
Available for debt repayments........... 599
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 338
Amount left after debt repayments....... 261
Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 166,000
Total HP & Secured debt................. -100,000
Total Unsecured debt.................... -11,193
Net Assets.............................. 54,807
Created using the SOA calculator at www.makesenseofcards.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using IE browser.

Primrose2004

ok, so on quick look at just total income and total expenses, they have both gone up but I notice I only budgetted £20 for petrol in my first SOA so that was totally wrong! I have now included it at £100 which is more like it.

But I have reduced other things, not much but the household bills are all up for renewal in March/April so I'll be searching the net for alternatives!

Need to take dd to gymnastics (which isn't on the SOA actually, and neither are dd's school dinners. hmmm) so I will be back later to go through the SOA again and see what might be done!

Primrose2004

I really need to come on here more often, if anyone's reading I bet you're missing my waffling:rotfl:

So, not much has happened, apart from being told there's yet more money to be 'found' to pay out for hen nights and things. The tricky thing is 2 of my oldest friends are getting married this year and next year dh's best friend is getting married(dh best man, dd bridesmaid and ds usher) and my sis called yesterday to say she got engaged whilst on her hols and the wedding will be next year, which is FAB but all needs planning for in my 'budget'.

I am also now thinking the first of these 4 weddings is end of April and I really need to get my butt in gear and lose weight, not that anyone will be looking at me but I'll feel more comfortable if I can lose some weight. So my gym membership should come in handy! I just need to get organised and find enough space in my week to get to the gym.

I'm just watching the tv and they're talking about the Race for Life, perhaps I should sign up for that this year, i've done it a few times before. I do it for my mum who died of cancer 8 years ago in July:( I do miss her so very much. I think i'll go and find the site and see how much it is. I know dd would love to come along with me. I think she's too young to officially join in.

Anyway, I digress from MS. I need to come up with a plan to pay off the cc. I have spoken to one of the 3 bosses at work and again it's looking really positive for my extra hours in October. Roll on my review in March/April when they should tell me a definate yes or no.

I'll be back later (hoepfully) with a plan

Primrose2004

Basic plan;

(a) I still haven't finished the piece of work i've mentioned many times before so that is priority 1 as that will bring in a nice amount of money

(b) chase NI re potential repayment

(c) sell a few things on ebay

(d) when bootfair season arrives do at least 1 to get rid of clutter and raise a few pounds

(e) meal plan to keep food bills down. My plan to lose weight should help as I will try not to by myself treats

(f) Remind dh to stop childcare vouchers from his pay, which should give us £150(ish) more a month

(g) get a pot/tin/something to start a savings pot for our holiday

(h) dc birthdays are coming up-April and June so a while off- but I need to plan cheap parties and presents! I have already bought ds(april bday) his invites, plates etc as he's Ben 10 mad and they had the whole shabang in the 99p shop so didn't cost much. I will just invite a few people over to our house for his bday. DD will be 7 so will try and invite maybe 3/4 friends and maybe go to the kids club at the cinema or something? or a small house party, basically cheap!

I also want to sort the house and get a routine sorted for things like washing/ironing/menu plans/food shopping as if I do get my increase in hours in October I won't have my 2 days in the week at home so will need to be organised. At the moment I feel a bit out of control with these things. Esp the food/shopping issue and ironing. Ironing was up straight but for some reason it is now resembling a mountin again. Perhaps i'll get off the computer and start doing some of it!

Primrose2004

I've just done half an hour of ironing and also sorted a cupboard that was bursting :T only another hours worth of ironing to go:rotfl: but I will do that in a bit to get it over with. Then I want to sort out a few drawers in my bedroom. So much clutter in there!

I have checked Race for Life and every other year they've done it in May and June near me, but oh no this year it's July and on both sat and sun, only problem is that's the weekend of one of the hen nights so I won't be able to do it I am also helping to plan the village fete which I think will be that weekend too, could be interesting:cool: although I suppose I can help plan and set up but not attend the actual fete! Still it means I can't do the Race for Life this year.

Primrose2004

another day, another new positive for my new working hours

I know I keep blitthering on about it, but it will mean so much for us moneywise so it is very important.

I had a text earlier from a colleague and someone has handed their notice in, he's working 6 months notice:eek: but will leave in August and he's a key part of the firm I work for so I would hope this is yet another massive indicator that I will get my increase in hours. Infact when I go into work next week I may well just get it over with and ask my boss if I will get the extra hours!!

Primrose2004

not much to report but I wanted to keep posting so I don't get out of the habit again. I'm thinking of starting a new diary, which I was going to do at the beginning of 2011 but MSE wouldn't let me sign in for some reason.

My MS contribution for the weekend was to go out and buy some radiator airers. THis cost me £4.99 but the idea is to stop using the tumble dryer and dry things on these. It should mean I can spread the wash loads out over the week. Ok my house will look like a laundry but it will be cheaper:D Hopefully! Not long now til I can hang washing outside to dry. I actually did that yesterday but it all ended up in the dryer as it started raining:rotfl:

I haven't got any of my plan from a few posts back done yet, half term = get nothing done!! Back to school/work this week though so onwards with the plan.