Toms DFW Diary!

Nuclear_Tom

Cheers! :beer:

MORE GOOD NEWS!

Signed up to be a mystery shopper! I am being paid by my employer to do a evening course - so all expenses paid. One assignment is in a Green King pub, simply buy a pint of stella and answer a few questions for a fiver and a free pint! As it fits in well with todays timetable this really is easy money, and a well deserved pint!!! :beer:

Dead impressed! Just have to get myself registered self employed now! :rolleyes:

whatatwit

Have you signed up for pigsback? You click on the links and earn points, these can be redeemed for Boots vouchers.

Could work for future presents for Mum etc.

https://www.pigsback.com

There is a thread about it on the grabbit now board.

Nuclear_Tom

whatatwit wrote:

Have you signed up for pigsback? You click on the links and earn points, these can be redeemed for Boots vouchers.

Could work for future presents for Mum etc.

https://www.pigsback.com

There is a thread about it on the grabbit now board.

Yep! Got £3.20 just from clicks! :T

Also on Quidco, made a few pennies there too!

HAIL MSE :money:

moozie_2

Nuclear_Tom wrote:

Cheers! :beer:

MORE GOOD NEWS!

Signed up to be a mystery shopper! I am being paid by my employer to do a evening course - so all expenses paid. One assignment is in a Green King pub, simply buy a pint of stella and answer a few questions for a fiver and a free pint! As it fits in well with todays timetable this really is easy money, and a well deserved pint!!! :beer:

Dead impressed! Just have to get myself registered self employed now! :rolleyes:

That is a really nice earner Tom. I have made over £160 in the last 5 months with mystery shops.

Setting up as self employed is really easy - I did it over the phone. I am a bit concerned about the tax return but will tackle that later

Enjoy the pint!

Nuclear_Tom

moozie wrote:

That is a really nice earner Tom. I have made over £160 in the last 5 months with mystery shops.

Setting up as self employed is really easy - I did it over the phone. I am a bit concerned about the tax return but will tackle that later

Enjoy the pint!

The only problem is that I live 30 miles from the nearest city, so to be profitable I can only do them when in a city anyway, or if 4 or 5 come up in the same place on the same day... either way, should be nice and easy! :beer:

Nuclear_Tom

Well, the mystery shop was a doddle.

My total for the month on Amazon was £96 - I've just transferred the balance across!!! Now thats pretty good for old tat imho!

Nuclear_Tom

A bit of a spanner in the works... lloyds want £247 for charges for poor bank conduct back in November prior to my lightbulb moment...

I'm at wits end as this will mean I have just £80 to live on after bills - simply not doable. I will claim the charges back but this takes time.

Going to be a month of struggling so much, not looking forward to it in the slightest.

Nuclear_Tom

http://www.freefileupload.net/file.php?file=files/111206/1165861007/Budgetting+Spreadsheet.xls

Theres my spreadsheet for those that are interested.

lynzpower

Tom

With the best will in the world, Im struggling to see how to square this circle you find yourself in. With a disposable income of only 9.00 a month, you simply cannot afford any charges, as if you do, alas everything else will bounce. I hate to be the bearer here but something simpoly has to give. If you want to survive without going for a DMP then youll have to cut right back to the bone. Additionally, there are things missing be it clothes, shoes, dental optical or prescriptions, anything that falls outside of these few categories.

Full time job - £920
Part time job - £175
TOTAL INCOME - £1095

Expenditure
Food and toilettries - £70 ( you will have to stop this. I wonder if you could ask for a flask for Xmas/charity shop/ beg & borrow, then take pasta or soup etc from home)
Fuel - £140 ( must you drive?)
Car Maintenance, tax etc - £50 ( again must you drive, can a bus or bike do the journey)
Gifts, Xmas etc - £30 ( too high Im afraid- youll simply have to cut this back)
Car Insurance - £102 ( again must you drive)
Mobile and Broadband - £35 ( could you use dial up and go PAYG?)

Credit
these are all v high APRs. How shot is your credit rating? So shot you cant transfer your debt anywhere? Did you look at seeing if it might be possible to move some debt onto the lloyds card? Instead of these hefty interest cards?)
Barclaycard - £615 - £27 - 24.9%
Lloyds Card - £960 - £20 - 5.5%
Halifax Card - £780 - £16 - 24.9%
Aqua Card - £250 - £25 - 39.9%
Vanquis Card - £450 - £25 - 24.9%
Capital One Card - £340 - £17 - 24.9%
HSBC Card - £510 - £15 - 18.9%
Next Account - £760 - £50 - 26.9%
Lloyds Loan - £3920 - £114
Halifax Loan - £8545 - £155.02
HFC Finance - £845 - £57.30
First National - £604 - £20.91
Tesco Loan - £343.76 - £85.94
Halifax O/D - £150 - £10
Parents - £1100 - £20

Bills & repayments total = £1085.17
Disposable income = £9.83!!!

If you got rid of your car and used a bike instead then you can be looking at a saving of 292.00 per month, plus what the car would fetch.

Other than that, I cant see any other option aside from a DMP, uinless you are looking at getting another better paid job?

Sorry to be the bearer
Lynz
xxx

Nuclear_Tom

Lynz, thanks for that.

Driving is a must unfortunately. I work for highways and contractually I have to have a car for work. I can cut down on work mileage, but I make profit from expenses so its a bit of a catch 22.

I realise I'm going to have to have a month of only doing absolutely essential journeys, and ask the gf if she can come to mine rather than drive to hers every night, use her car if we go somewhere etc. I'm sure she will be totally supportive.

As for the phone, not long been on the contract, I think I'm committed for another 15 months or so, so I cant see any saving there unfortunately. Plus, it is a very good deal indeed.

I've pretty much run out of things to sell, but I've still got a few bits on Amazon (circa £100 worth), and I am hopeful these will sell fairly soon - although not banking on it.

I will have to go to Tesco and scrounge for overtime... I'm sure there must be as yet uncovered shifts over crimbo that I can do. It will mean next to no time with the family, but need must.

Also - just remembered something that might just save me here short term - Capital One offered partial settlement of £168 for charges, may accept this. and also my local independant petrol station offered me an account. No discount, but interest free and you have to pay by the end of the following month - so effectively 2 months without cash for fuel leaving my pocket... I would of course pay this off in the new year and go back to using cash...

Just typing this makes me think of new things and pick-me-up because maybe things arent as bad as they initially seem... was just raging at the huge charges bill! All my bills were paid on time this month though so I know there is no more of them to come!

*breathes a sigh of relief*