Bluekaw Guide to getting a life

bluekaw

Hi Guy's

serial lucker poking his head above the sand, been on the DFW trial for a year now, thought i would start a diary as i need to keep up with where im at, i have a super duper spreadsheet that calcualte all i owe, when i owe it and to be frank its pretty spot on,

We (Darling Wife, Darling Daughter's x 3) have been chipping away at debts since July last year, we finally drew a line under our overspend (wedding and buying a House (that we own), (big enough for 3 Kids), when we married last year, we we're aware of the cost and we're prepared to pay for some off it on Credit card to get the day we wanted, but believe me we did not pay a penny more that we had to on the items we wanted, and after been together 10 year's and believing this will be a one time only deal, why compromise completely.

We're both in good secure good jobs and are making ends meat every month, Now for the Big Figure's

We Owe

Natwest CC £6,200.00 (£215.00pm) 23.9% (robbing people) won't budge
Natwest Loan £6,592.00 (£175.31pm) 11.9%
Philips Coll Ser £877.11 (£31.09pm) over paid C T Benefit
Natwest O/D £3985 (£215.00 pm)
Tax Credit Overpayment (£75 pm)

Now we still live a fairly decent life style, a cheap holiday a year for the kids, mainly raised from Carboot sales etc, so not from our main income, in recent months its just been harder and harder to realise that although we have been through and cut things to a minimum, we are still making head way in the above,

So if it ok withyou guys i was going to just keep a Diary here to give me a lift oin those low day's, to help me realise we are making head way, and its a slow and steady race to the finish line,

boredofbeingathome

Good luck with it all bluekaw and welcome to diary land.

Bob

bluekaw

Well made it to the weekend after a hectic week at work, money getting very tight an still got the chrildrens school shoes to buy and jumper's think we'd be skint already, if it hadn't been for Mr T's clubcard double up,

now all i gotta do if find something to do today that entertians the children and cost no money, well looking at the weather it should be nice, so a trip to the local park may be in order,

WelshWoofer

Hi Bluekaw!
Good luck with your efforts.
I live in Manchester too and went to the Manchester Museum on Oxford Road (part of the uni) the other day. Its fab for kids and completely free - was impressed, thought it was only a tiny little thing but I was wrong! They even have an indoor "picnic" area that you can eat your own packed lunches in saving you the money tortures of the cafe!
Worth a look if you're looking for something to do that's cheap/free for the kids.

Anyway, at least the sun's out for now!

bluekaw

Hi Rachelmk, and welcome

Thanks for the advise i may try that next bank holiday weekend, in the end we put a picnic together and headed to formby point so had a lovely walk round the squirrel forrest, and then onto the beach for a paddle and a bit of rested sun bathing, well for the 1/2 hour the sun was out, so all in a nice rested day and only cost the petrol,

Yesterday we just stayed at home, did some shopping for Baby Food at MR T's, still spent over £45 on a couple of treat's and allot of baby food, we preffer to be stocked up then my wife isn't panicing we have enough in, but it did allow us to use our £6 of £40 spend voucher we had got in store, and get all the multibuy deals, on the baby food,

Well monday and back to work rested, and ready to fight another working day, well at least it payday of thurs (26th) so will have to update spreadsheet with what we can overpay, well off to do some work will report back later

bluekaw

Well, im Back small update, putting my car up for sale in a week's time, just waiting for my number plate to be transfered, i know people will say what you got that for, but was bought ten years ago, and something i like, so although a cost to change to my bike which i use to comute daily, ill mean another 800 of the debt when the car sell, and not to mention the monthly saving on car tax and insurance, still in shock how much they wanted this year £600 +, si just set a STO to the overdraft each month for that, every little help's,

Well had a disaster over the week, managed to break my glass so that another £50 i hadn't planned on spending, so my have to raid the birthday account to cover this, and try and put it back when i can, must keep that o/d balance heading in a southernly direction.

KosmicPink225

Hi Bluekaw
Another serial lurker here to wish you luck and congrats on the nice new diary which I am sure will help not only yourself but also all my fellow lurkers. Sorry to hear that you had a couple of setbacks but I'm sure that you will get past them and continue on your debt-free journey. Will follow your progress with interest and send positive vibes your way!

bluekaw

Thanks kosmicpink,

We'll looks like it may be a expensive day, the wife has gone off to get the last bits of uniform for 2 DD's, and shoes', still amaze's me how it mount's up (make note need to make budget pot to cover school uniform, but can hardly send them to school in there old knackerd uniform ,

well hopefully we had a little positive news yesterday, we will have to see how it unfold's but it may be possible for my wife to go back to work in the new year after her maternity, it wasn't worth it with the child care cost's, but it my be a case of Nanna to the rescue, if so that would really help to make a good in road into the debt,

Well got to post my DVLA letter today to change my reg number over, wrote the advert for the car, so once thats done, it'll be on ebay or autotrader (will have to figure that on out closer to the time) there's always gumtree had forgot about that, but in the last 2 days with the rain it does make it difficult to going back to been a full time commuter on the Bike, i think ill have to take a little money from the car Sale to get some new all weather Bike Gear, well the current stuff of over ten years old, and leaks like a collinder, in all the wrong place's, LOL

bluekaw

Well, all in not an expensive day, just a birthday card for the wife, small expense compared to the other option,

yesterday was a huge shock, 115 spend on the C Card for the School uniform's, Baby clothes (she growing real fast,) and a couple of cheap christmas present's :eek:, i know its early but you have to be prepared. i must admit it was fun winding the wife up all night, she felt so guilty, it's un true, but uniforms and clothes are a must, ok so the C Card Balance will stay the same balance this month after repayment and interest, but im must keep sight of the other debts, we may have spent more than planned but we still owe less that last month, so a victory all the same,

Well been asked to collect a motorbike her uncle has bought from skegness on sunday, hoping this weather will clear up don't fancy a 3 hour ride back to manchester in the pouring rain on a bike i don't know. he won't ride it coz he not ridden for year's, and is unsure a 3 hour ride is the best step back into biking, :mad:

Least it Pay Day tomorrow so i can look forward to paying all those payments and seeing those balances come down, 1 milestone is the overdraft coming down below 4K for the first time in 12 months:rotfl:,

Target for September get CC below 6K for by next pay day,

bluekaw

Well Payday today :j:j:j

So done all the number crunching and all the payments i can, so for a few moments there i felt like i had money, paying for things, shame its debts, but progress is been made and payday always give's me a boost,

updated sig - personnel debt below 16,500

Aim for End of sept - Get C Card Below 6K mark,

boredofbeingathome

I know the feeling re just spending on debts,but you will get there. That is a good aim to get the credit card out of the way.

Have you looked at Martins guides for cutting back all your bills? May be worth a look to see if you can get the household bills down and it will create more money to chuck at the debt.
It does become addictive.