From bad to worse...

RachelS

Oh Helena, it all sounds so familiar! OH had a change of career just before our twins were born a year and four months ago, he's now on a third of the salary. The CAB counsellor told me most debt starts like that, with a big change in circumstances, so you're not alone. The worst bit for me has been learning what really is a need and what's a want...it took me a long time to accept and I'm still not fully there.

I am scared of making the phone calls about the contracted items too...that's why I haven't done it yet! The person on the other end of the phone is someone you're never going to meet and who doesn't care if they get your money at all, really. Don't worry if you cry, lots of people do! Just do it and forget about it...haha, I should take my own advice!

RachelS

Meant to say...I obviously misunderstood some things from your first post so some of the things in my reply didn't really apply. Sorry.

helena83

Thanks for all this help!

I am cancelling the lovefilm (to be honest they payment bounced this month anyway so they have emailed me to say they are cancelling it anyway!)
OH is in construction so has had to take whatever was available when his last job fell through. The company he is with have promised him a promotion and a payrise later this year fingers crossed.
Ex is a pain in the bum, she won't bring the kids even halfway. No way we can negotiate anything with he or she'll just say we can't see them at all.
Will ask OH about lift share, I'm sure someone must live near here.
Can't get any more rent but have offered to sell it to the tenant. He's gonna let up know this week.
I'll pluck up the courage to ring orange. Better run it by OH first though. I know there's no way he'll give up his phone but I could sell mine and get a cheap one.

RachelS

Hehe that's the position we are in too...OH would never be able to do without his phone, says he needs a flashy looking one for work and actually I think he's right!

RachelS

Found this article for you: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/childcare-vouchers

helena83

This is SOA based on me going back to work 3 days per week and using childcare vouchers. OH is checking with his work whether they do them there sonot included that for now.

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 1
Number of cars owned.................... 2
Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 808
Partners monthly income after tax....... 1400
Benefits................................ 180
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 2388
Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 455
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 137
Rent.................................... 700
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 153
Electricity............................. 35
Gas..................................... 55
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 26
Telephone (land line)................... 24
Mobile phone............................ 130
TV Licence.............................. 12
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 24
Internet Services....................... 15
Groceries etc. ......................... 260
Clothing................................ 0
Petrol/diesel........................... 300
Road tax................................ 12
Car Insurance........................... 106
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 20
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 260
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 12
Contents insurance...................... 18
Life assurance ......................... 12
Other insurance......................... 10
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 0
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 0
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
(Unnamed monthly expense)............... 0
Child Maintenance....................... 350
Total monthly expenses.................. 3126

Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 90000
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 3000
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 93000

Secured & HP Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 72000....(455)......4.5
Hire Purchase (HP) debt ...... 4000.....(137)......0
Total secured & HP debts...... 76000.....-.........-
Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
DMP............................15000.....10........0
tax bill.......................210.......20........0
Total unsecured debts..........15210.....30........-

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,388
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 3,126
Available for debt repayments........... -738
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 30
Amount short for making debt repayments. -768
Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 93,000
Total HP & Secured debt................. -76,000
Total Unsecured debt.................... -15,210
Net Assets.............................. 1,790
Created using the SOA calculator at www.makesenseofcards.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using IE browser.

Katie-Kat-Kins

There is a website where you can advertise for people to lift share with. Someone I used to work with used it. It means that you can find people who live and work near you even if they don't work for the same company.

I can't remember the name of the site, it was something obvious though liftshare.com or something.

gravitytolls

helena83 wrote: »

Thanks for all this help!

I am cancelling the lovefilm (to be honest they payment bounced this month anyway so they have emailed me to say they are cancelling it anyway!)
OH is in construction so has had to take whatever was available when his last job fell through. The company he is with have promised him a promotion and a payrise later this year fingers crossed.
Ex is a pain in the bum, she won't bring the kids even halfway. No way we can negotiate anything with he or she'll just say we can't see them at all.
Will ask OH about lift share, I'm sure someone must live near here.
Can't get any more rent but have offered to sell it to the tenant. He's gonna let up know this week.
I'll pluck up the courage to ring orange. Better run it by OH first though. I know there's no way he'll give up his phone but I could sell mine and get a cheap one.

Does OH actually know what the situation is?:eek: Why is it you doing all the worrying and sacraficing?

Call Orange, so what if you cry, make them understand that you will have to cancel the DD if they don't help.

Re. the house, if the rent is £350 and it covers the mortgage, and the rent on your current abode is £700, why are you selling? Living in your own home and paying the mortgage makes you £350 better off..... or have I missed something?

Katie-Kat-Kins

Oh and your combined apend on phone, internet and tv look high. Have a look at bundled packages and see if you can switch to a cheaper deal. Even if you are still locked in with sky/virgin for tv and can't go to freeview you may be able to move your phone and internet to them and save some money that way.

Obviously if you aren't on a contract for the tv switch to freeview.

And as I said earlier, also consider ditching the landline and relying upon the mobiles.

helena83

The other house is 100 miles away!! Should probably have mentioned that. This is why we are renting here!! We have considered moving back there but we'd both have to find work and its only 1 bedroom so not really a possibility.

OH is even worse at putting his head in the sand than I am and whenever I try to explain it to him he has a bit of a strop and comes out with something along the lines of "we earn over £3000 per month, we should be laughing". He keeps wanting to buy stuff and it is always me that has to say no. He doesn't understand that the odd tenner here and there all adds up!

we aren't locked into sky so I would happily cancel it, another one to argue with OH over.

Internet is one I am trying to get out of a contract with. It would be cheaper and more reliable to do it with the bt phoneline really as we can't get free sky broadband in this area.

I'm going to write all the figures down and see what he thinks tonight! Will probably end up in an arguement but hey on the bright side I might be better off as a single mum with the extra benefits?! (only joking)