We are about to pull the purse strings soooo tight!

Alice_in_Poorland

Baileys_Babe wrote: »

We still have our heating off, we were planning to keep it off until November but as that is only a week away I'm not sure if it will be going on then as it is so mild still. The children haven't started using hot water bottles yet or wrapping up in a blanket to watch tv or any of the other bits and pieces we usually do to put off having the heating on.

Where possible we are still pegging out, managed to dry 3 loads on Thursday, on the days when we do need to dry the laundry inside we hang it out in a small room and put the dehumidifier on, to prevent damp problems in this old house.

Our kids haven't said anything about the temperature in the house.....it's just OH.:)

We have trouble with condensation on the windows. It can be quite bad at times. I wonder if a dehumifier would work or should I just put the heating on??

mummytogirls wrote: »

EE I'm sat laughing at your feeling hotter and hotter yesterday :rotfl:. I swear candles help with the thought of heat!!! Well I was boiling last night, got a hot bath but felt too hot!! Still without any heating today xx

Totally agree with the candles make it seem warmer theory mummy.:)

thegreenone wrote: »

Dh gets up at 5am every weekday morning so our heating has been going on for an hour and a half at 4am in the bathroom and our eldest son's room which DH uses as a dressing room. DS is away at uni. It then does a short blast at midday to make sure towels are dry. I've been lighting the fire almost every day for a few weeks to take the edge of the chill. It doesn't go on anywhere else.


AliceInP, my DH used to manage DS2s footie team and I would frequently take flasks of coffee and hot chocolate and bacon rolls for us on the touchline.

Hi thegreenone, I do try and always take 'supplies' with us and usually do ok until we go into the club house.:o.

How lovely to have a fire, I know they can be hard work but you can't been real flames.

Xx

Alice_in_Poorland

I don't feel too mean now that I know other folk have still got their heating off too. Although it is chilly in the house tonight. Wasn't too bad earlier when the stove was on and I did the ironing but even the end of my nose is cold now........not mentioning it to OH though.;)

Did some batch cooking this afternoon. Had a lovely Sunday roast. All the ironing done, house all clean and tidy. OH went to supermarket armed with a list £39, he also got cash for holiday club £75.

Can't remember if I mentioned it in my diary but we are having trouble with the ceiling lights upstairs. A bulb literally blew out of its holder a few weeks ago (thankfully it didn't smash but it had gone), then another bulb went in another fitting and tripped the fuse box and tonight the shower room bulb has gone but that didn't trip the fuse box.....coincidence or ??

Xx

Alice_in_Poorland

Paid childcare today. Need petrol, should be able to hold out until Wednesday....pay day!

EE took DD today, I had asked for it to come out of the bank on the 28th, bank have withdrawn it or there wouldn't be enough money for other bills. Will call EE tomorrow. Luckily I checked account, wasn't going to as I was running a bit late this morning. I was late by the time I'd call the bank to sort it out.:eek:

Still no heating on, got candles going, fleeces off and throws over us.:) Have done a load of washing to...hopefully...peg out tomorrow.

Xx

brizzledfw

Keep on truckin'..you're a marvel as always

Alice_in_Poorland

Got petrol today £30. Sorted EE out, paid bill over the phone and set DD to come put on payday.

Have checked our DMP, we have paid £17,450 but still owe £17,656, so next month we will just be over half way, phew!! We have one debt which has £73 outstanding, we pay £53 a month off this one so that should be paid off before the end of the year. Must call and get an update on balances.....hope there isn't too much of a change.

Also need to call Bcard. Kids need haircuts. I've got a dentist appointment tomorrow.

Xx

Eager_Elephant

Alice_in_Poorland wrote: »

Got petrol today £30. Sorted EE out, paid bill over the phone and set DD to come put on payday.

Have checked our DMP, we have paid £17,450 but still owe £17,656, so next month we will just be over half way, phew!! We have one debt which has £73 outstanding, we pay £53 a month off this one so that should be paid off before the end of the year. Must call and get an update on balances.....hope there isn't too much of a change.

Also need to call Bcard. Kids need haircuts. I've got a dentist appointment tomorrow.

Xx

Well done on the half way mark!!


Just a quick note to say do not update your balances with Stepchange until this small debt has gone. Ellieseleven made this mistake and now that small debt has not been paid off yet.


(example) This creditor was receiving payments of say £70pm and the balance was £73 but Ellie rung the creditor and they told her the balance was only £43 so she rung Stepchange to tell them to send a smaller payment and they said they could not do that and they would have to pro-rata her payments to all creditors so this creditor now gets a few £'s a month and won't be cleared until the end of the DMP:(


She is now thinking of self-managing to the end of her DMP.


Sorry if you already know this.

mummytogirls

Alice I know it probably doesnt feel like this for you, but the halfway mark seems to have come round soooo fast! £34k is pretty scary, I don't think £17k seems as scary considering some people buy cars at this amount! I once bought a car at £12.5k and never again is all I'm saying!!!

Keep going, you're doing so well xx

Alice_in_Poorland

Eager_Elephant wrote: »

Well done on the half way mark!!


Just a quick note to say do not update your balances with Stepchange until this small debt has gone. Ellieseleven made this mistake and now that small debt has not been paid off yet.


(example) This creditor was receiving payments of say £70pm and the balance was £73 but Ellie rung the creditor and they told her the balance was only £43 so she rung Stepchange to tell them to send a smaller payment and they said they could not do that and they would have to pro-rata her payments to all creditors so this creditor now gets a few £'s a month and won't be cleared until the end of the DMP:(


She is now thinking of self-managing to the end of her DMP.


Sorry if you already know this.

Thanks EE I didn't know this and I did go in and change the amounts....aaarrrgghhhh, before I read your post. There are 3 accounts with the same debt collection agency, on 2 the amounts were spot on (these are the 2 smallest accounts), the other one was £3.76 lower than the amount stepchange had. Hope this doesn't change things. I will remember this in the future.

Xx

mummytogirls wrote: »

Alice I know it probably doesnt feel like this for you, but the halfway mark seems to have come round soooo fast! £34k is pretty scary, I don't think £17k seems as scary considering some people buy cars at this amount! I once bought a car at £12.5k and never again is all I'm saying!!!

Keep going, you're doing so well xx

Thanks mummy, I know, today I'm thinking I can't believe how fast time has gone, you know me tomorrow I'll have my head in hands wishing my life away.:o :rotfl:

17k does seem a more manageable figure, still scary though.

Xx

Alice_in_Poorland

Spoken to Bcard, they haven't heard from stepchange......apparently. Asked if they would refund interest charged last month said they would look into it. Probably won't but worth a try. Last time I called and asked them it was a flat no! I'll call again next week. I have until the 11th November to sort it out.

Also called sky, now we have swapped to EE our sky account was £20.73 in credit. The lady at sky asked 'would you like that credited back into you account'....I certainly would thank you.:)

Kids had hair cut £13, then we had lunch out at the lovely cafe in town £11 (Not very MSE but I don't think that's too bad for lunch for 3 of us.) Dentist cost £25, need some work doing £85 plus a scale & polish £23.:eek:

Picked some bits up for the Christmas gift hampers I'm doing, £6 in poundshop.

Going to update spending diary and do meal plan.

Still no heating on, even though weather is pants.
Xx

Verbatim

well done Alice ! Good luck with getting the interest and any fees refunded. Can you quote them the relevant rule about not doing this to those with debt? I think there is such a ruling?? EE will know??
As it's November next week will you be putting the heating on then?
£17k odd does sound so much better than £34k and so much nearer £10k! And then it'll fly by and you'll be debt free before you know it.