A sorry state of affairs....

beanielou

Keep going

MrsNotAPenny

Happy New Year MSE'ers

So I'm entering my 3rd year of, to be honest, a half hearted attempt at shifting my debt. To be fair, I have had quite a lot on - babies, house moves, separations, (what feels like) 100 weddings/birthdays/new babies and 'unexpected' expences.2012 was a great year for me and I have redcued my debt by quite a bit~(since my diary started) If my calculations are right, I've paid off 38% in 28 months.

No bad for a spendaholic, takeaway addicted, bored, single mother of 2 under 4!So, yeah, overall I'm pretty proud of myself

debt as it stands today:

HBOS Loan = £4,338 (reapid September 2016)
Sofa = £205 (repaid May 2013)
Catalogue = £189 (should be reapid March 2013)
O/D1; £100 (plan to pay this off in Jan 2013)
O/D2: £300 (Needs paying, but it's low priority at the moment
)CC1: £4,609 (0% ends Jan 2014, £600 is on 29.9%)
CC2: £1,837 (0% ends May 2013)
Total: £11,578 and 7 creditors, hoping to have this down to 6 by Feb.

All my payments are up to date, no arrears on Utilities.I have money pots organised for my 50p and 20p's, I've set myself a clothing budget of £200 for myself, £100 each for DS's (doubt I'll spend that on them, DS2 gets a lot of hand-me-downs from his brother and DS1 had-me-downs from his cousin. They don't care and I don't either) My Mum is going to be collecting money from me each week, only £11 but half will be for next Christmas and the other half for our Sun holiday (which I've given myself a budget of £260 for) Which she is putting into her saving account for me, I'll have the card (so she can't get to it) but she'll have the PIN! We are smart! Lol!

My next hair cut is on my parents (xmas voucher) just stocked up on my make up (I like the expensive stuff, should do me until birthday in June. Again Xmas vouchers) Bought a gorgeous new leather handbag with Christmas money (1/2 price in the Clarks sale, it is the light of my life! Xmas money, again) DS1's 'football' classes are all paid up for until April, DS2 will be going to free bookbug until he's old enough (2) to stat classes. Thankfully on the same day, so I only 'need' one £3.50 bus ticket. (budgeted for two, just in case I need anything)

My Healthy Start Vouchers will be getting reduced (by £3.10 a week) when DS1 turns 4, but I have 5 months left before that happens. Got some voluntary work lined up starting in Janurary, which I'm really really looking forward to! Still doing courses at the local centre, which I love and got a wee qualification for last month

Weight wise, I've gained about 13lbs in the last 7 months. Meaning I do HAVE to go back to my classes at £4.95 per week, then another 50p on top for raffle ticket and tea. One of my weekly highlights and something I can't bring myself to cut out (I'd just spend the money on fatty food instead!)

So, budget wise I have all my monthly DD set up (utilities/loan/sofa/council tax/sky/phone) They total £330 (rounded up)

Weekly standing orders to: CC1, CC2 and Littlewoods (£68 from tax credits)

Weekly withdrawls going to my Mum for savings, £11 (from tax credits)

Food/grocery/cleaning/nappies budget of £180, which will be made up of £100 for child benefit and £80 from maintainace (simply because these come in two weeks apart, making my budget easier)

Cancelled my phone contract this month, saving me (if I can stick to £10 top up per month) £20 pm and ex's £50 extra for marital debt.

I will have £30 per week for 'luxuries' (bus travel, coffee's out, soft play, magazines, the odd takeaway/lunch at a cafe) I think this is more than reasonable for the three of us.

I *should* have a 'spare' £100 each month to pay to debts (in addition to minimum payments. i think Jan's 'spare' money will go to OD1. Any other month will go towards barclayc*rd.

All my white goods are in good working order, all fairly new. No car to worry about. We have enough sweeties/chocolate to last us until 2015. I'm feeling really positive about this year. If nothing get's in my way I should be able to half my debt.

I'm not promising to be perfect but I am promising myself I will consider purchases and that any extra money I happen to come by this year will go towards my debts.

My main goal is to have my debt significantly reduced and be back on the road before DS1 starts school in August 2014. This is for practical reasons, I want to go back to work next year (desperate in fact) and it's going to be much easier - time wise, to have a car for pick ups/drop offs - be it to their Dad's/Grandparents/After School clubs etc (I also do not want to have to pay for DS1 to use the bus, it's expensive enought paying just for me!)Yeah, so that's my plan.

I have been working with my budget since late November and it seems to be working ok - there has been a few tweaks along the way, just to get it to work 4 weekly for me. Starting my spending diary again and NSD (No 1 NSD today!)

That was a pretty full on post huh?</p>

MrsNotAPenny

Sorry there's no paragraphs in that last message, MSE hate sme tonight - I've been back in to edit it twice and it's not working. Annoying!

MrsNotAPenny

Happy New Year MSE'ers

So I'm entering my 3rd year of, to be honest, a half hearted attempt at shifting my debt. To be fair, I have had quite a lot on - babies, house moves, separations, (what feels like) 100 weddings/birthdays/new babies and 'unexpected' expences.

2012 was a great year for me and I have redcued my debt by quite a bit~(since my diary started) If my calculations are right, I've paid off 38% in 28 months. Not bad for a spendaholic, takeaway addicted, bored, single mother of 2 under 4!So, yeah, overall I'm pretty proud of myself!

debt as it stands today:

HBOS Loan = £4,338 (reapid September 2016)
Sofa = £205 (repaid May 2013)
Catalogue = £189 (should be reapid March 2013)
O/D1; £100 (plan to pay this off in Jan 2013)
O/D2: £300 (Needs paying, but it's low priority at the moment)
CC1: £4,609 (0% ends Jan 2014, £600 is on 29.9%)
CC2: £1,837 (0% ends May 2013)

Total: £11,578 and 7 creditors, hoping to have this down to 6 by Feb.

All my payments are up to date, no arrears on Utilities.I have money pots organised for my 50p and 20p's, I've set myself a clothing budget of £200 for myself, £100 each for DS's (doubt I'll spend that on them, DS2 gets a lot of hand-me-downs from his brother and DS1 had-me-downs from his cousin. They don't care and I don't either)

My Mum is going to be collecting money from me each week, only £11 but half will be for next Christmas and the other half for our Sun holiday (which I've given myself a budget of £260 for) Which she is putting into her saving account for me, I'll have the card (so she can't get to it) but she'll have the PIN! We are smart! Lol!My next hair cut is on my parents (xmas voucher) just stocked up on my make up (I like the expensive stuff, should do me until birthday in June. Again Xmas vouchers)

Bought a gorgeous new leather handbag with Christmas money (1/2 price in the Clarks sale, it is the light of my life! Xmas money, again)DS1's 'football' classes are all paid up for until April, DS2 will be going to free bookbug until he's old enough (2) to stat classes. Thankfully on the same day, so I only 'need' one £3.50 bus ticket. (budgeted for two, just in case I need anything)

My Healthy Start Vouchers will be getting reduced (by £3.10 a week) when DS1 turns 4, but I have 5 months left before that happens. Got some voluntary work lined up starting in Janurary, which I'm really really looking forward to! Still doing courses at the local centre, which I love and got a wee qualification for last month

Weight wise, I've gained about 13lbs in the last 7 months. Meaning I do HAVE to go back to my classes at £4.95 per week, then another 50p on top for raffle ticket and tea. One of my weekly highlights and something I can't bring myself to cut out (I'd just spend the money on fatty food instead!)

So, budget wise I have all my monthly DD set up (utilities/loan/sofa/council tax/sky/phone) They total £330 (rounded up)

Weekly standing orders to: CC1, CC2 and Littlewoods (£68 from tax credits)

Weekly withdrawls going to my Mum for savings, £11 (from tax credits)

Food/grocery/cleaning/nappies budget of £180, which will be made up of £100 for child benefit and £80 from maintainace (simply because these come in two weeks apart, making my budget easier)

Cancelled my phone contract this month, saving me (if I can stick to £10 top up per month) £20 pm and ex's £50 extra for marital debt.

I will have £30 per week for 'luxuries' (bus travel, coffee out, soft play, magazines, the odd takeaway/lunch at a cafe) I think this is more than reasonable for the three of us.

I *should* have a 'spare' £100 each month to pay to debts (in addition to minimum payments. i think Jan's 'spare' money will go to OD1. Any other month will go towards barclayc*rd.

All my white goods are in good working order, all fairly new. No car to worry about. We have enough sweeties/chocolate to last us until 2015. I'm feeling really positive about this year. If nothing get's in my way I should be able to half my debt.I'm not promising to be perfect but I am promising myself I will consider purchases and that any extra money I happen to come by this year will go towards my debts.

My main goal is to have my debt significantly reduced and be back on the road before DS1 starts school in August 2014. This is for practical reasons, I want to go back to work next year (desperate in fact) and it's going to be much easier - time wise, to have a car for pick ups/drop offs - be it to their Dad's/Grandparents/After School clubs etc (I also do not want to have to pay for DS1 to use the bus, it's expensive enought paying just for me!)Yeah, so that's my plan.

I have been working with my budget since late November and it seems to be working ok - there has been a few tweaks along the way, just to get it to work 4 weekly for me. Starting my spending diary again and NSD (No 1 NSD today!)

That was a pretty full on post huh?

MrsNotAPenny

meh, not trying again!!

MrsNotAPenny

Basically (cause noone's going to be !!!! reading that above without paragraphing)

I've paid 38% off in the last two years
Got monthly DD for bills
Weekly SO for CC's and catalogues
£180 food/grocery budget
£30 'luxuries' money (buses, takeaways, coffee. magazines)

Debt is about £11,580aim to half it

beanielou

What amazing progress you have made :j
Hope all goes well & you get to your next target really soon.

MrsNotAPenny

Hmmm, curious. Someone is cyber space is stealing my paragraphs....

MrsNotAPenny

Thank you beanie!

Can you read that ok? The paragraphs seems to have disappeared for me

beanielou

It was quite hard to read but I managed!
No paragraphs!