Not sure what I'm doing but here goes!

Shower-of-roses

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chevalier

Hi there welcome to the boards. You seems to have a small surplus each month after all of your payments. Do you really have this? If not then I suggest you both do a spending diary for a month to see where that money is going. Or else have a look at the credit and debit card statement for the last 3 months to see where this money is going.

It can be an eye opener. I remember one person being horrified when they realised they were spending £100 a month on coffees on the way to work.....!

Good luck with working through it
chev

justjohn

How old is your endowment ???
Can it be sold??

I am a bit out of touch on endowments.....However sometimes its worth selling them.(too pay some of the mortgage that is)

Beencounting

Hi Shower-of-Roses

Congrats on the NSDs (you're right, they are no spend days!) and on keeping under your spends budget these last two weeks. It sounds like you're beginning to get your head around what needs doing, although you seem overwhelmed. Just take it one step at a time and it will all come together . The important thing is that you keep going, not that you hit it at 100mph and then give up (which I'm sure you won't ).

I'll pop in from time to time to see how you're doing...good luck .

Been

silkglade

HI S-O-R

Welcome and well done in making the 1st and hardest steps.

The kids will get used to the home cooked meals and especially once you start to get organised with your shopping and are getting in tasty and filling dinners for them. Some of the cheapest meals are my favourite ones.

Just wanted to say good luck too.

JustinCredibleGillespie

Well done SOR. Loving your progress and will be following your diary

JCG

xx

mummytogirls

Hi Shower of Roses, just catching up with your diary for the first time.

Wow arent school dinners expensive! Im sure you may have already thought of this but some people who receive working tax or childrens tax credit (cant remember which) receive free school dinners. Maybe worth investigating. We get a menu home from school and it tells you in the back the criteria.
My DD is currently making the most of 20 school free meals in her first term so luckily ive not had to shell out yet. She does like packed lunches so I will be encouraging her to have these once the freebies are up.

I dont really understand endowments etc but is your mortgage really £40pm?!

Stick to your guns with the kids, once they smell that you may give in they wont give up :rotfl: xx

Stan_Dup

Thanks Shower, your post really cheered me up, glad to see you seizing the bull by the horns.

And how you magic meals out of nothing, inspirational!

Keep at it!

Lemon_Tree

hi and welcome to the boards. Love the name.
i agree with those folk before me that you probably need to keep a spending diary. also for cheap aka free 'entertainment' how about going though your statements etc to find out what you actually spend each month, it will really help. I know you feel you have a pretty good handle on things but it's amazing the little things we all forget. Any chance you could tone down the holidays? or start saving vouchers towards them? Have you had a look at the old style boards? there's loads of recipies on there and it' amazing what you can do with nothing.

other things you could try and implement which will help in the long run, but not straightaway (if you don't already) - turn into the electricty police this will reduce monthly amounts eventually, hold out turning on heating for as long as possible, jumpers/ blankets etc are your friend.

it's there anything you have which you could sell? do you have any little hoards? i for one (and there's many of us!) hoard toiletries, cleaning products, food in the freezer etc, there's loads of different challenges on these boards which challenge you to use these things up before you buy more which helps in the short term which would help cover your car repairs. Just random throughts realy which you can feel free to ignore

ebayqueen_2

Found you shower

Will catch up now on your diary

E

Lemon_Tree

lol you can't hide Shower

don't ever feel the need to appologise for getting into the position that you're in, we're all there/been there/ almost went there that's why we're on these boards. what yo've done it take the positive steps that you need to start taking to clear your debt. You should feel proud of yourself