Drop Debt Diva – ‘Plus-Sized Debts to Plus-Sized Savings’

EssexHebridean

Few comments popped in in red Swinstie xx

Swinstie73 wrote: »

New SOA, what a difference from the last one, where my totals were my outgoings wer £1550 each month, wow sure makes a difference not having debt to pay off.

Monthly Spend:
£195.00 Mortgage

£ 75.00 Council Tax/Rates

I assume you have two months coming up without paying this? Why not throw those two months at the mortgage as a pre-emptive strike at overpaying?! Oh, and remember if you get the single persons discount up there, that figure will be increasing a little when OH moves in.
£ 52.00 Gas/Electricity Water rates?
£ 65.00 House Phone/Line Rental/Broadband/V+
£ 12.50 TV Licence
£ 22.50 Gym
£300.00 Savings (£150 – Wedding Fund/£150 Normal Savings)
£100.00 Food
£ 10.00 House Stuff i.e. window/bin cleaning etc.
£100.00 Petrol
£ 20.00 Clothes
£ 15.00 Hair/Toiletries
£ 10.00 Mobile Top Up
£ 10.00 Road Tax
£ 10.00 Car Maintenance/MOT
£100.00 Entertainment
£ 15.00 Odds & Sods
£ 30.00 Xmas/Birthdays
£ 30.00 Car Insurance
£1172.00

Annual Payments:
£150.00 House Insurance (approx) / 12 = £12.5 per month


Grand Total: £1184.50

Take Home Pay: £1497.56 + Approx £177 4 x a year for expenses

Debt:
None after 28/2/11

Extra money each month = £313.06

Obviously I still have next months payments to make but this is what it should look like from March wage onwards. I do have some future expenditures, mainly dental work which I've only had an estimate for and think I might be getting more work than anticipated, and also Honeymoon/Cruise money so possibly can't make any over-payments until the end of the year. Hopefully we will be in a position to move early next year - argh it's so frustrating not having a proper 'plan'!

Looking excellent! One thing you might think about though is making an extra saving each month towards new car tyres when needed. I worked out approximately what the running costs on each of our cars would be, including absolutely everything I could think of - tax, insurance, servicing, tyres, everything apart from diesel - and that is the amount we save each month - has worked pretty well so far and it comes as such a relief to know that the money is sitting there waiting for us!

romylou_2

Wow

After March that is a really good cash amount to have once everything has been paid.

Well done you, really impressive. Keep up the good work.

Swinstie73

Thanks for the points Essex, ok, water rates are included with my council tax so that's covered. I do have the single person's discount and think it will go up to nearer £100 once OH moves in. He's not moving in til nearer the end of the year so might get away without declaring it til next year - shucks did I just admit to that! Or else, I will call them and declare him once he's actually moved.

I thought about sending those 2 free months to my mortgage, but do you remember the £100 I thought I had paid to my Visa, but hadn't, well guess where that money is now going??

I'm reckoning it's going to be a few months before I can start saving loads as was really naughty today, oops. Took my mum to see my wedding dress as I needed to see it again so I knew what undies to get, and I ended up buying another shrug! I have got a fur shrug incase it's cold (in November) but I also have a tattoo on my shoulder (which I really don't mind, nor mind about covering it up), BUT when I get stressy, I get break-outs on my back and just knowing my luck, I'll get one just before the wedding. Not planning on getting fake-tanned as it's November and I don't think the bronzed look would do me any favours - had it done before and it was a disaster.

So, I got this nice wee shrug (not telling the price, cos I nearly fainted) but my mum didn't flinch and told me just to get it, it goes lovely with my dress and I can wear it all night if I want, it's nice and light. The first one I tried was very frumpy looking but this one is lovely. Anyway, finally told OH I got my dress - got it in November but told him it was just today - but he still doesn't know how much. I have, however decided to now pay for the dry-cleaning and alterations myself as I don't think it's fair of him to pay for stuff like that. He, of course said don't be daft, but still I've chosen a dearer dress so it's the least I can do.

Good news on the rings, found one in the same shop I got my engagement ring, it's on sale and it's not much dearer than the palladium one I was going to get - it's platinum, so OH said to try and get it, need to call the shop though and check they still have it. Won't be too upset if they don't but it would be great to get one to match my ring.

Phew long post, and I'm tired today from having to get up mega early to go dress trying on. Goodness knows how I'll fare on Monday. Have a nice night everyone x

beanielou

All looking good

Swinstie73

Well peeps, is it possible to have had the flu for almost two weeks, start feeling better then feel like tosh again? Since last night I've been feeling really achy, sniffly and got a sore throat again, yuk. Have no option to go back to work on Monday though, so need to try and pull it together. Maybe I should've continued taking my flu remedies last week instead of thinking I was ok and stopping them.

Anyway, good news, ring is available so I'm going today to see it. Hoping it looks ok as that will be one more thing ticked off the list. Got enough money in cash to pay it as well, wondering if they will reduce it further if paying by cash, should I haggle, ha?

Shoe_Gal

Exciting news about the ring :j but :mad: that you feel pants again!

Swinstie73

I got the ring, yeehah! It was a perfect fit and although 0.5mm wider than my engagement ring, it looks fab. OH paid for the engagement ring (but I found it on t'internet), so we got two rings worth £1400 for £700, woo hoo. I did try to haggle on the price but because it was already on sale, they wouldn't take anymore off, but hey ho. Now all we need to do is find one for OH. He will still get a palladium one (apparantly the price on this has gone up, go figure) but we'll keep an eye out for the sales in the summer, although will still get one around the same price as mines.

Just trying to make bean chilli for dinner tonight, have adapted a recipe from edinburgher (of what I can remember) and one from my sister so fingers crossed it works out, or it'll be Chinese for dinner tonight. All I needed to buy was an onion, garlic bread and a wee pack of tortilla chips, garlic bread was only 40p for two baguettes, bargain.

beanielou

Fab news on ring

EssexHebridean

Fab news indeed about the ring!

Maybe feeling rubbish this morning was just the lurgy taking one last shot at you? Hopefully you'll be well and truly on the road to recovery now.

Swinstie73

Morning all,

Feeling better this morning, have come to the realisation that the reason I felt unwell again was the thought of going back to work tomorrow, bleurgh! Must stay positive because at least I have a job that I semi-enjoy and is well-paid and I should not complain about doing something that people have to do everyday i.e. work!

Well, getting hair cut tomorrow night at mum's, going there straight from work so that's dinner sorted as well as my £7 haircut. Think will leave my hair dyeing just now until I get my blood re-tested and have spoke to hairdresser - just incase it's the hair-dye causing my hair to fall out (not in huge clumps I may add).

Bean chilli went down a treat last night, was quite tasty. We only had rice and a small bag of torillas with it so the garlic bread will be stuck in freezer. Think I will split one into 3 bits for myself and keep a full one to use between OH and myself. Have got loads of chilli left so might even have some more tonight for dinner. As going to mum's tomorrow, might not bother going down today, feeling like a lazy day with a book (and no spending). I gave OH some yoghurts to take with him as I had bought two packs of 4 last week with 4/2/11 use by date, I'm not a huge yoghurt fan so would never eat them all. Not sure what I could have for lunch this week at work, I've been spoiled being able to eat whatever I wanted at home.

Really can't be bothered heading to the shop for lunch stuff so need to search cupboards for something I could at least have tomorrow, then I'll get fresh bread for the rest of the week. Sticking to porridge for breakfast so will need some milk as well. So, better go get a move on, been sitting on here for far too long. Have a nice Sunday everyone.