Here I go again :-)

millionaire_in_training

The title says it all. I am back yet again. I didn't win the lottery or inherit a fortune and become debt free ( unfortunately lol) Been slogging away paying the debts but not making much head way as I keep adding to them too. One good thing though is that my mortgage, secure loan, car loan and bank loan are all going down steadily so in real terms I am probably not as bad as I was last year at this time. I am about £700 more on my credit cards mind you :doh:. Will hopefully get rid of that ASAP.

My debts are as follows and scary they are too:

Mortgage- £28,705.35
Secured Loan - £19,008.96
Bank Loan - £3,462.45
Overdraft - £550
Credit cards £ 16,072.85

TOTAL = £67,799.61.

I also have a car loan but it is due to finish this year and I reckon I have about £1200.00 outstanding on that. Once that is paid I will have an additional £156 per month unless I need to renew car ( essential for work unfortunately)

My goals for 2011 are to pay off Argos before any interest kicks in and to pay off SONY. I would like to get total debts down to £63k in total as well.

My income is still the same.

Wages £1489.44 monthly
Weekly £33.70 child benefit and £63.96 tax credits. Every so often I get some money from my ex but it is not regular and it is not much so really cannot be counted as an income.




I can manage to pay everything at the moment and I always waste some money so my plan of attack is

• No more waste
• Menu plan
• No bought lunches for me
• Buy only what I need at the supermarket and only buy 1 treat of our choice each maximum of £1 ( so £3 added to shopping)
• Set a budget for food each month of £350 ( quite generous but setting myself up to fail if I make it too low. Know this from experience. Will include school lunches in this)
• Spend an hour per day doing surveys etc

I will add to this as I come across further things I can do.Am all motivated again but then I always am when I come on here . Going to catch up on some old faces now xxx

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1380875


Previous diary. This is version 3

millionaire_in_training

We had a final wee treat today. Took the kids out for lunch. Was only £20 but was really nice to treat them. Spent about £20 on shopping at ASDA as well but will start my menu planning on the 1st and also my £350 budget. I get paid on the last day so not much more in the coffers for spending anyway.

Keeping_Positive

Good to see you back MIT

Heres to a great debt busting or at least reducing year!!

millionaire_in_training

Aye. You and I yet again lol.

Seaxwyn

Hi MIT! Good to see you back. Very best of luck with paying those d*mned debts down.

millionaire_in_training

Hi Sea. Ty for good luck wishes. You are doing really well. I joined ages ago and could have got rid of this lot by now if I'd been sensible but hey ho I haven't.

Day 1 of my life lol. Spent £10 on petrol. Really needing to fill up but knew I was close to the wire in my account. Turns out £65 went in today. Tax credits paid early so I could have filled up. Never mind I will get it on Friday. First garage I went to today had none anyway :eek:. Should maybe get it tomorrow just incase they all run out. No other spends today so am pleased with that. Took food with me to work and will do the same tomorrow. Kids were at home so no spends there. Starting my £350 budget from today. Will make it a long month but I have less lunch expenses as kids not back at school until next week.
Was going to iron tonight but am knackered as was busy in work today. Will just chill and iron something in the morning.
Pork burgers, chips and beans for dinner. Was yummy yummy. Will take stuff out for tomorrow night and make a fry up. Need to use up all the unhealthy stuff lol before I start healthy eating for new year resolution. xx

Keeping_Positive

Good going on the spending front. Almost class as a no spend day as Petrol an essential.

millionaire_in_training

I know it is almost a NSD. I actually hardly ever spend any money believe it or not. I rarely have more than a couple of pounds in my purse. If I am off the rails then I spend cash in the canteen but when being good all I usually spend during the week is lunch money for the kids. £6 a day for that though :eek:.I did work out that I would spend that anyway in my weekly shop for lunches so that's why I just dont even try to make them take something in. THey would hate it anyway so the extra couple of pounds it costs me is worth the peace and quiet . If I go to canteen I can easily spend a fiver a day on top of the £6 I give them so it becomes mega expensive then. I can take some sarnies or soup with me quite easily and it costs me pennies.

Anyways to today. Went for this week's shopping and spent * drum roll * £37.20 . Least amount I have spent in months and tbh I wasn't overly organised and bought some things that were not really needed. I also bought some wkd and Miller for dd and her bf for tomorrow night and some irn bru for ds's kerry oot as we are all going to a party after the bells. I have some vodka and some wine here already so just got a mixer for that. So all in all I am chuffed with my spend this week.

I have menu planned from my freezer up until next FRiday and have promised the kids a chinese tomorrow night as I have warned them that we will be tightening up our belts from then on until we get some debts paid off. They are quite happy to go along with it as they know it needs to happen. Good kids ( sometimes ) :rotfl:.

Aww Boney M singer dead. Used to love them in my younger days .

Pay day tomorrow so that's good as I can start getting some things paid. Totally going to focus on Argos as that is 0% and I dont want to pay its stupid percentages. I need to pay > £100 per month to manage to reach my goal on this so I better get started

hope everyone is well xx

millionaire_in_training

hi diary. I reckon you and I are going to become bessie mates and I am going to seem like a nutter cos I'll talk to you like you're real lol. Joking aside there is no way I would tell my mates or my family the trouble I am in money wise. THey all think I am doing great as a lone parent working away to bring up 2 kids and tbh if my ex husband had played the game with maintenance over the years then I would be doing great. And I am doing great as I have 2 amazing kids who accept everything as it is and dont constantly harp on for things BUT I'm bloody skint lol.

It is Hogmanay today and I have worked all day and managed a manically busy section of telephony staff, I am knackered but I am going to kick my own backside and get ready and go and see in the new year. I am feeling quite optimistic about 2011 and I am really looking forward to it's challenges. I am bringing the bells in with my mum and then head out with my kids to some friends. We will have a ball .

To spends today. I bought chips and juice in work which totalled £1.45. I paid for petrol @ £46.01 and a chinese for 3 @ £17 . THe petrol is part of my grand plan. I am going to try and fill up my car each week so that if there is a particularly poor week then I can just leave it and it will be an expense I can skip. My fuel tank will be wondering what's going on as it is never full . I will need to pay out for a taxi later tonight but that's fine too as we will have a lovely evening. Paid £20 to Argos so that's a start. To reach my goal with that I need to payy another £155 this month :rotfl:. Oh well I can but hope. I am due at least £100 in arrears of maintenance so fingers crossed that comes through and then I just need to find £55. I CAN DO THIS xx

millionaire_in_training

Well happy new year to anyone who is reading. 1.1.11 huh!! THat must be a sign of some sort. Well I am going to take it as one anyway and treat 2011 as a new beginning in many ways.

My kids are older now so I do not have the same constrictions on me so I am going to enjoy as good a social life as finances will allow. I am going to attack my debts head on and get to the end of this year owing less than I did at the start. I am going to tackle my weight once and for all and I am not going to take any sh*t from anyone lol. I am looking forward to this year as I have a funny feeling it will be a good one for me.

Ended up not drinking last night so didn't have to pay stupid money for a taxi which was good. Going to mum's with dinner today and I will drive so no cost there and I have a party tonight. I'll get a taxi home from that so will spend some money today but I don't care as that is part of the new social butterfly that is me lol. Have a smashing first day of the year because I intend to xx

Seaxwyn

Good on you, MIT! I am too hungover to compose a proper reply but I will be cheering you on this year, I'm hoping it's a good year for me too.