Betti's debt free diary

betti911

Thanks skint spice. You are right. I've just got to make sure I'm very careful for the rest of the month.

I sorted out my contents insurance today with the Halifax. Paid £94.03 over 12 months direct debt interest free and getting £55 back (total price then £39.03) hopefully through Quidco so thats not as bad as I thought. I didn't have contents insurance last year but since I've now got the flat almost fully furnished I thought I'd better err on the side of caution... it would be just my luck to be burgled and have to start all over again!!

betti911

Have finally got a start date for my new job :j 6th Feb. Not going to take a break in between jobs as everyone else seems to be suggesting as would only lose money (and prob go out and spend money while I was off) so going straight into it.

Initially I'm going to be on slightly less money than I am just now however new job includes a final salary pension which is like gold dust for lawyers so effectively my employer with be contributing 16% extra on top of my salary every month which will work out better in the longterm.

Have started the weekly lunchtime challenge and all is going well so far Have also started back at my WW which is very difficult on a tight budget as they recommend you buy all the WW foods which are more expensive than the smart price stuff. I'm going to try to use some of the stuff in my parents fridge to make free soup etc though.

Am getting a bit down with the moneysaving at the moment My debt free date seems so far away

skint_spice

come on Betti it's not that far away, you'll get there. can you skim a wee bit more off your budgets to make it a month or two sooner?

marksandsparksgal

Cheer up poppet, it's next year, you'll make it!

You said you go on mini breaks to cities, so if you ever feel like visiting Berlin, gimme a PM as I know tons of places to stay/things to do/places to eat that are very cheap over here.

xxx

betti911

Thanks for your comment. You are both right. I need to keep positive.

I'd also love to go to Berlin. I will try to sell the idea to my boyfriend as we are both going to take a week off in September and try to get somewhere cheap. He hates flying though and keeps wanting to go places by boat but its too expensive.

For the first time properly on Monday nite my boyfriend and I discussed his finances as we are planning on moving in together to my flat. At the moment I pay everything towards the flat- fair enough cause its mine. But if he moved in my mum said I should ask him to pay decent digs ie half.

At the moment my mortgage is £466 so that would mean him paying me £233 per month plus half of the council tax which would be aprox £70. That would be quite high outgoings for him considering he earns £900 basic plus overtime usually around £1000 sometimes more. He has no other outgoings apart from his phone £35 and gym £35.I don't know how other people would work this.

I feel really awkward talking to him about money as cause he's always lived at home he has no real concept of outgoings. He is careful with his money and I wouldn't want him to suffer cause of my debts. He knows about them and is very supportive He wants us to get engaged but my debts and my reluctance to take help are prob holding me back.

I have also worked out that in my new job cause I am going to start contributing to a final salary occupational pension my income will decrease to £1590 aprox. I will save money in travel costs though which'll mean I'll have an extra £140 per month (60 kept by for my busfares as I won't take the car) So my new SOA's will look like this:

Monthly Incomings:

My salary - £1590 (inc pension contributions and student loan deduction)
Total - £1590

Monthly Outgoings:

Mortgage- £466 (fixed until Dec 08)
Council Tax - £116 (with single person's discount- may go up if start living with my boyfriend)
Phone - £28 Car Insurance - £0 Have arranged to pay this off in one lump payment this year
Food- £0 As before am still eating every night at my Mum and Dad's Again may go up
Electricity- £5 per month- That was how much its been lately not using much at the moment as not in the house much mostly at my parents Again may go up
Transport £60
Petrol £35 Will still have my car
Virgin Credit Card- £25
Barclaycard- £94
Gym membership- £33
Cineworld cinema card- £11.99
Savings ie car insurance, factoring fees, Xmas, b/days - £100
Social (v rarely spend this much usually put money by for Xmas/b/days with this)- £200
ISA for debt payments as debt is at 0%- £400

Total- £1573.99

So will have to have a pretty tight budget!!! Have convinced my boyfriend that its not a good idea to move anywhere till March. At least by that time we'll have had a chance to discuss money.

GavB79

Asking him for £300 is in no way unreasonable. What else is he going to spend it on? Does he not pay his parents housekeeping at all at the moment?

betti911

Yes £200 at present. He said the £50 of this will go on sky for the flat... big waste of money in my view but in the same way its not his responsibility to pay my debts

skint_spice

He won't be expecting to live with you at your expense though - especially seeing he knows about the debts. Have the talk soon and you'll feel much better. Do you only have electric BTW because that could mean very large heating bills over the winter, if you have gas too then that's another expense to add on...

betti911

Only electrics. I'm going to talk with him over the weekend. No point putting it off

skint_spice

betti911 wrote: »

Only electrics. I'm going to talk with him over the weekend. No point putting it off

pricey then! I pay about £40 for both at the minute for a two bed flat but remembering the joys of electric heating in a modern flat about nine years ago it was much higher.

hopefully he'll be mortified that you've been stressing about it! Go girl!