Struggling but determined... Mostly!

Skint_yet_Again

Sorry to hear that, but am glad yr ok.
I just find it all so tedious, not having any money, filling in the spreadsheet, checking online banking every day, I hate having no money I think I'm going to look into doing some voluntary work, take my mind off things...
Mind you the money from the council hasnt gone far, sadly my gran passed away last week so I am traveling up north this weekend for funeral on monday and money will go on petrol, flowers etc rather than paying off credit card. But it will be nice to see my family again even if it is for such a sad occasion.

Keep your chin up - we all slip up at times x

Wellyboots6

Sooo,

Sitting here surrounded by a months worth of receipts and putting off getting stuck in and sorting it.

Need motivation big time!

Skint_yet_Again

Hi Katy, how did you get on with the receipts?

Have put my back out and done nothing but eat and pop painkillers today, so am not able to offer any words of wisdom or inspiration at the moment Plus I am going through a bit of a binge comfort eating phase at the moment, will need to buy new clothes if I carry on because trousers getting tight :eek:

Wellyboots6

I maybe put off getting stuck in to them until about an hour ago!

Finally got started though, although too tired now so need to make sure I finish it off tomorrow. I MUST do it!!

How did you manage that with your back? that must be awful, back pain is so sore but also so inconvenient as it prevents you doing so much. I hope you feel better soon!

So sorry to hear about your nan, hugs!

Wellyboots6

And... I'm back!!

Finally been kicked in to getting back on track by a letter from the bank saying my rent had bounced due to no money in my account.

Have spent the evening sorting out my finances, and luckily due to the couple of weeks where I actually kept on top of things I had put some money to one side for emergencies, so my rent can be paid

All other important bills this month have been paid, so now I just have to make my cash stretch to cover my petrol (yeah, right!) and my gas.

It should be doable, hopefully!

Phew!

Wellyboots6

Slipped again over the past couple of days and stopped keeping track of my spending AGAIN but have been through it today and got back on track again. At least this time it was only a little slip.

Dogs vets bills have been crippling me financially. Need to get my insurance form sent off, but am waiting for another couple of appointments next week so I can add those receipts to the list. I am hoping it all goes through OK.

On the plus side, his treatment seems to be working although now he is more mobile he is back to being a pain in the bum!

Wellyboots6

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 1
Number of children in household.........
Number of cars owned.................... 1

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1500
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 1500

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 579
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 105
Electricity............................. 43
Gas..................................... 40
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 32
Telephone (land line)................... 33
Mobile phone............................ 56
TV Licence.............................. 12.18
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ......................... 180
Clothing................................ 0
Petrol/diesel........................... 200
Road tax................................ 15
Car Insurance........................... 87.95
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 20
Car parking............................. 20
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 7.4
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 13.37
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 0
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 0
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 1443.9


Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 50
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 50

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Parents loan...................10536.8...100.......0
Overdraft......................726.8.....50........0
HMRC...........................1764......180.......0
Total unsecured debts..........13027.6...330.......-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,500
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,443.9
Available for debt repayments........... 56.1
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 330
Amount short for making debt repayments. -273.9

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 50
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -13,027.6
Net Assets.............................. -12,977.6

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My most recent statement of affairs, which isn't very accurate. I haven't included entertainment etc as there obviously isn't any money spare for entertainment!

I am also paying out £200 a month in vets bills at the moment but should be claiming that back on insurance and so that is not listed either.

With my debts, the minimum monthly repayment is the amount I am paying back to them by standing order each month. The HMRC debt is non-negotiable. Parents would also not accept any less. Overdraft is gradually reducing as my repayment is covering the interest and chipping away at the balance.

Mobile phone contract is up in October so can change that then, it is already reduced from what is was!

I rent and so cannot change utilities.

Anywhere else I can make any reductions?! So stuck now!!

Since posting my very first SOA my debts have not increased, other than getting a massive HMRC bill which was due to a mistake on my self-assessment but is taking forever to sort out. Therefore I have to pay the debt until it is resolved. I see this as a positive!

Wellyboots6

I am sure my calculations must be wrong somewhere, according to this I am losing money every month. This month that is about right due to vets bills, but in previous months I have managed to save a little (which is how I am getting through this month).

I really am getting in a total muddle now!!

Skint_yet_Again

Hi Katy, sorry havent replied sooner, have had parents to stay for a week "holiday" but in truth they have been doing my DIY and housework/ironing all week but thankfully my back feeling much beter now. Have had back trouble since age 19 and it comes and goes, this time I just bent down to lift the loo lid . Hope your dog is getting better.
Anyway, I am no expert but a couple of comments below re your Soa that sprung to my mind:

katy721 wrote: »

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 1
Number of children in household.........
Number of cars owned.................... 1

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1500
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 1500

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 579
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 105 is this with single person discount?
Electricity............................. 43 gas and elec are high but see from yr comments cannot change
Gas..................................... 40
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 32
Telephone (land line)................... 33 is this landline/broadband package? I pay £35 pm for landline with free weekend calls, unlimited broadband and basic TV package with tivo and extra V-box upstairs. Are you in contract ? Can you negotiate cheaper ?
Mobile phone............................ 56 You should be able to make saving here and I see you show contract ending soon. I have been with orange for several years and now pay £7 per month sim only for 1000 texts 250 call minutes and 250mb data, so you should hopefully be able to reduce this. What is your usage ?
TV Licence.............................. 12.18
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ......................... 180 Does this include dog food ? Do you think you could reduce it ? I spend £35 a week for me and 16yo DS (who eats like a horse !)includes all meat, veg, fruit, toiletries washing powder dishwasher tablets, loo rolls etc
Clothing................................ 0
Petrol/diesel........................... 200
Road tax................................ 15
Car Insurance........................... 87.95 this is huge ! have you had a lot of claims or are you a new driver ?
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 20
Car parking............................. 20
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 7.4
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 13.37
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 0 is this realistic ?
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 0
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 1443.9


Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 50
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 50

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Parents loan...................10536.8...100.......0
Overdraft......................726.8.....50........0
HMRC...........................1764......180.......0
Total unsecured debts..........13027.6...330.......-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,500
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,443.9
Available for debt repayments........... 56.1
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 330
Amount short for making debt repayments. -273.9

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 50
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -13,027.6
Net Assets.............................. -12,977.6

Wellyboots6

Hi Skint,

I'm sure your parents had a lovely time, even with helping you out Glad your back is feeling a bit better. I guess there is something to be said for leaving the toilet seat up then!
Dog is doing better, which is a good job as he is costing me a fortune!!

Thanks for your comments:

Council tax is with single person discount unfortunately.

Gas and electric are high, but with gas being on a meter I can hopefully cut down my useage a little more. I have now got a collection of blankets I use to wrap myself in to avoid putting heating on. It only really goes on now when I have guests over! Also with summer coming up (fingers crossed) my gas costs should reduce considerably for a while.

Telephone is landline (which I can't use as I live out in the sticks and the line is terrible) and internet. I am tied in to the contract for another 9 months I think, but I will call them to try and haggle a better deal.

Mobile phone contract is up soon so will go for sim only then. I currently have a Blackberry (seemed a good idea at the time) and this is the cheapest tariff I can get it on. Already used my one service plan reduction this year too.

Groceries includes everything really; my food, dog food, cleaning products, clothes, treats, dog training class payments etc etc. I did do well in reducing it last month when I tried really hard, but this month I seem to have given up trying. Must get back on it!

Car insurance is high because I wrote off a car a while back. Although by now I am sure that should not affect it too much. I also only have a tiny car. If I find a better deal, how do you go about changing over? I am paying monthly at the moment, so I guess there will be charges etc if I cancel my policy early?

Presents is not realistic really, it usually comes out of my grocery budget as at the moment everyone is getting home made cakes etc for every present!! I didn't even bother filling those sections in as there was no spare money whatsoever to use for that anyway.

I will get on to negotiating contracts later and update with how I get on. Thanks for the advice

I will just have to send the dog out to work. He would make a wonderful babysitter or landscape gardener....