Buddiebabe begins again

buddiebabe

Hey

Just a quick update before i go to sleep. I've spent the night after work trying to figure out the savings i should have been putting away! Its not good. I've written 2 cheques for what should have been saved and what's due to be saved this week. Am thinking long term this could be the best option to write a cheque every week then at least i would know its gone out.

It's left me in my overdraft for the first time in a while but i get my money from hubby 2moro, my main job and 2nd job wages on Friday so i'll be out it by Friday with any luck. There is no council tax due this month and i was looking forward to having a bit of breathing space and being able to pay off something extra but it doesn't look like its going to be happening.

I have made the payments that i didn't make before the start of the month and am hoping that i wont be in that position again as its meant that things are really bad this month.

Its not been the best of starts to getting back on track with the debt busting. I keep buying things that i don't need right now but that we will use over the year like bin bags, dish cloths and other things that are 20p so its not like im wasting money its just hard to pass up a bargain like that when i see it.

I've also had some bad news about my 2nd job things aren't that great so they are having to reduce the hours that everyone works so no-one will be doing more than their contracted hours. It has its plus points i.e. i'll have more me time my contracts only 12 hours so its not going to be possible for them to have me working 4 nights and all weekend anymore so i will be gaining time but the major part is the loosing money. I never work my contracted hours. It's always at least 16 hours if not 20 or more... this week im on 26.5 hours so its going to really hit me hard as its this money that keeps me going during the week for petrol to get me to and from work and just general living.

Im going to have to completely re-work my budget and see what needs to go i just don't know how im going to manage.

Anyway i think i have managed to sort out the savings and last months bills so will need to concentrate on getting this months paid once my wages go into the bank. I think im going to have to go back to using cash and having a separate purse for shopping money and if its empty i don't buy any shopping! Also having a set amount of money in my purse so i don't use my debit card which should help. Will try this from 2moro onwards and see how it goes.

Going to get some sleep now in the hope that it will be a better day when i wake up

Buddiebabe x

buddiebabe

Hey

Well i've not updated for a while things are still pretty bad at work, things aren't going too well at all. Everyone is struggling with getting our hours reduced and most are worried about what they are going to do.... me included!

I checked back my wage slips for the last 3 years to find one where i had only done my basic hours and guess what??? i haven't worked basic hours in the last 3 years! My wages from my 2nd job are going to be just over or just around £50 per week and from that i pay my petrol which can cost from £30 - £50 a week so there won't be much left over.

I have completed the budget brain calculator on here and before my hours were reduced i was around £20 a week short which was manageable which was about £85 a month short. I have put my basic hours in now and it comes out with a total of £60 a week short and £262 a month short :eek::eek::eek:

I honestly have no idea what im going to do.

I have paid all the bills that i carried forward from last month and i have paid all the bills that are due up to date... i've had to use my birthday money but thats the least of my worries. I've put money away for my santander and debenhams credit card statements that are due later this month which only leaves my RBS M/C 2 that i need to find the money for (around £130) but it has a payment date of 15th of the month which means worse case scenario i can leave it till next month to pay ... which is what i did this month.

I have brought all the savings up to date and also my christmas voucher savings book so its all done now.

I have paid off some of my debt this month so the numbers actually look ok i just need to watch what im doing for the rest of the month or i could end up in a mess again.

Buddiebabe x

buddiebabe

Hey

Update as at 1st March 2012:

LOANS:

RBS LOAN £1757.28 now £1506.24

CREDIT CARDS:

RBS M/C 1 £9305.77 now £9251.39
RBS M/C 2 £5946.39 now £5943.39
DEBENHAMS £1066.62 now £1028.00
MBNA £3388.77 now £3354.89
TESCO £2320.00 now £2310.00
SANTANDER £360.17 now £345.63

OH:

CAR INSURANCE £100.00 now £90.00

WEDDING FUND £285.00 now £258.17

TOTALS:

LOANS £1757.28 now £1506.24
CREDIT CARDS £22387.72 now £22233.30
OH £100.00 now £90.00
WEDDING PRESSIE FUND £285.00 now £258.17

TOTAL DEBT OUTSTANDING £24530.00 now £24212.71

Total paid off in February £317.29

Total paid off since 01.01.12 £673.61 (2.71%)

Well its a reduction not the best one ever as i've had to start using my credit card again but at least its still a reduction!

Money isn't looking too great this month but am hoping i can struggle through! I've still got £100 of the minimum payment to pay towards my RBS M/C 2 so will need to do that when i get paid. Things are going to start getting really tough this month as the new hours are going to start in the last week of this month so whilst i should be ok for this month next month is going to be a struggle.

Buddiebabe x

buddiebabe

I have just worked out that based on my wages for the rest of the month i will have enough to pay everything and be able to buy some food and petrol :j

The following month will be where the real struggle starts.... im going to have to try and get back into ebay or find an additional job.

I will also have to try and get a bit more creative with cooking and meal planning so that i can reduce our food spending.

Buddiebabe x

MrsPorridge

Buddiebabe - check out the old style boards again for the meal planning.

buddiebabe

Hey

Well things are ok at the moment. It looks like we will have just enough money to cover everything this month thank goodness! It does help that i've been able to get alot of extra hours in my 2nd job but that will all end soon.

The new hours start next week but i have been given an extra 8 hours that week so the first week will be fine but then it goes back down to 12 hours and am worried about what im going to do when it starts. Everyone has already started fighting over any extra hours so its not making for a very fun place to work at the moment.

I've had to take today off work as a holiday as my car wasn't running right. The garage have confirmed the handbrake was sticking so its nothing too major and only came in at £22.80 which i have enough money in the repair fund to pay for so that's something at least.

I applied for a santander 123 account as it will work out i'll get about £22 a year in my hand just for transferring some of my direct debits and i thought it might be an easier way for me to start sorting out my money by leaving my other account for my mortgage and my debts.

This year really has to be the year things start getting better. I want this debt gone and i want to be able to start enjoying life.

Right now things aren't that great but I've been to the docs and they have given me tablets which i am actually taking this time and although its only been a week im feeling a bit more relaxed about certain things.

Im going to go look at the old style board now MrsP

Buddiebabe x

buddiebabe

Hey

Well i've made lasagne for my OHs dinner for the next few days dinners and or lunches. I've got enough mince left to make bolognese pasta or mince for dinner for next 3 nights. So that's us sorted until Friday when OH can make something from freezer for dinner.

Im hoping that this week im not going to spend too much money on food shopping (may need to nip into sainsburys 2moro night and see if there is any reduced stuff) there usually is and its good quality and i have a bit of room in my freezer so will see if i can get any bargains.

Then all i need to do is get some fresh bread and fruit for OH so fingers crossed it will be a small shop

Buddiebabe x

buddiebabe

Well had an email from british gas wanting a meter reading so have just submitted it and our bill for this quarter is going to be £200+ :eek::eek::eek::eek:
We only have £87.41 put aside for this so have no idea how we are going to pay the rest of it! I've another £20 to put away this month so that will leave us around £100 short.... i suppose its ok that we have that £100 but on the other hand its gonna be hard to find the rest.

I had toyed with the idea of setting up a direct debit from my santander account so i get cash back but they want £66 a month for a direct debit and i honestly don't think we can afford that. We put away £10 every week which is a bit of a struggle so not sure we can spare another £5 but will speak to hubby tonight and see what we can do.

I also had a near miss with gambling last night but with the help of the ex gamblers thread i managed to not gamble so im feeling ok at the moment. Will try and update after i get in from work tonight... better get a move on or i'll be late

Buddiebabe x

MrsPorridge

Buddibabe - well done on resisting the gambling. I am not a gambler myself but know only too well the power of addictions.

All my bills are on DD except for our heating oil - I put aside £50 per month for it which is ample - but if we had it on DD they want £80 per month minimum! I will not pay over the odds just so they can have the interest.

Hope work was OK this evening.

take care xxxx

buddiebabe

Hey Mrs P am feeling better for not gambling but am still fighting the urge.

Work was ok tonight but am feeling really tired just now. Im back on antidepressants and they are really making me feel bad am tired and just don't feel like myself at all

I think after i've paid the gas bill i may phone them and ask if they can bring the direct debit down to £40 and if they can then i would be better off as i'd get cashback from santander and we save £10 a week anyway so it wouldn't be any more than we pay already.

Im off to bed now and am hoping to feel a bit better in the morning

Buddiebabe x