No idea how I got here but need to get out of this place!

missrlr

Nothing to report today other than sat down and split all outgoings into vital, nice and luxury.
We can cope just but before any changes in the income we need to dump this debt. So having shared this with hubby we are focussed on the reduce the groceries to £50 a week for thE both of us. We have also agreed the things we will get rid of if the worst happens like selling his car and downgrading mine, which will clear the Santander loan and give a bit towards the BArclays which means we can cope - just.
We have agreed I Will open an ISA in his name and keep the access info secret for it so he can't spend the money in it, and he will scrape all the money left each month from his account to this one.
We have a joint account for the household bils to be paid from each month and a loans payments accounts but the isa means we may just save a bit on interest and hopefully it wil be a good habit forming exercise too! need to be disciplined with the Santander one as there is no option to overpay each month just the all or nothing full and final settlement.
So frightening news in that our outgoing cant be met from just my salary and good news in the DH is on board.
Just need to convince him he won't win the bloody lottery so its pointless paying it (my opinion and that's £25 a week to us so the statistics don't add up unless of course he does win!)

DawnW

£25 a week on the lottery? That's £1300 a year :eek:

Is that convincing enough?

missrlr

You do not have to convince me, you have to convince him - or rather more accurately he has to convince himself.

I have done the maths, very simply, added it to the snowball calculator and everything. His argument is he doesn't drink (odd can of cider, as in one or less a week) doesn't smoke and this is his only vice. I also say he has the modified car and so this is a choice, car or lottery.

I have left the maths on the side with the snowball calculators again and will broach the subject next weekend when he mentions going off to buy the lottery.

In the meantime I will sit firmly on my hands to prevent me from physically stopping him from leaving the house remind myself that spousal abuse verbal or physical is not nice and to stop it.

missrlr

£300 this month to the Santander fund from me
Possibly more only proviso is that the rented house had to have some work done so expecting the bill for that sometime soon so if it is less than expected this will give a bit more money
DH is doing his finances this weekend so will get the money from him to put in the Anti-Santander account also.
Also good news from tenant that will get enough money from HB to continue to live there. Still no news on the acceptance / rejection of the rent increase though so pretty much wait and see on that score.

Worst case scenario situation finalised, it shows the income DH is potentially going to get if the changes occur will be pretty much exactly his share of the house bills, loan repayments and food bill. Not great and no leeway, but I can cope with the unexpected to a certain extent with my buffer.

Heart races just thinking about it. He keeps telling me I am worrying about something that may not happen. This is true, but the outcome of this occurring and not being prepared could be financially fatal. Not to mention stressful and unnecessary.

There is a part of me that thinks "it's not my debt that is causing this so why am I dealing with it?" Must be supportive wife

missrlr

Right the done list for the weekends tasks:
Set up DH ISA for his savings
Set up ISA sweep from DH current account to new ISA
Check DH PAYE info and make sure he is not paying too much
Set up new savings account linked to current account
Check the new current account SO and DD forms to make sure they haven't made a mistake
Get DH to phone and confirm the cards are cancelled as they sent him a new one for the account he allegedly cancelled!
Get DH to submit meter readings for gas and electric as can't fid the logon info

I will also check the status of all winter coats etc and start making a list of items that will not survive past this winter so when the sales / visit to Boundary Mills / see one in a charity shop / see bargain on Evilbay comes round I can obtain new ones to replace. Sadly this may include the long wool coat I have.

If the temperature permits get in loft and sort some EvilBay items out with DH to generate some more funds, but given the forecast I think this may be wishful thinking

I will also watch the rugby (very important, also MSE as at home with squash not in the pub with beer!)

GreenSaints

Hi,

Just found your diary. There's nothing like being optimistic

I hope you succeed and can't wait to see your progress

Good Luck

missrlr

Damn and blast. Grr to daft tenants who leave a boiler leaking for 6 weeks not bothering to call the boiler service peeps or me and ruin worktops and cupboards and the carpet. All the money I have just saved is going to be used to pay for this damage as I am pretty sure she is going to do a runner sometime soon, so getting the money out of her has a very limited chance of success. Will wait to see final bill but quote is £525 :eek: perhaps good human nature is going to rise to the fore, and there again there is a porking 747 flying past my window.
So back to zero for this month, but plus £10 from DH. so +£10 total.
And DH did shopping £87 .... Last time he gets to go shopping with a list on his own.
Ho hum

missrlr

Just assessed the monthly spend (bit cockeyed timing I know but as we pay for everything on a credit card it relates to the card statement date and which month it is paid from) - we have managed to get the food / toiletries etc spend down to £260 for the month. In context this is the lowest we have spent on food in a month for over 2.5 years!

Am trying to persuade DH that Lidl's for veggies is a good idea. He is very anti the idea, but perhaps the bill from rented house will focus the mind. Going to try an exploratory session there next week and do a price comparison.

Cashflow crisis about to hit bank account, as spends on company card are about to fly out by DD and expenses not received as yet. Very annoying as now have no cash for weekend unless funds go in before Friday. Don't feel I can really claim for OD fees when it is due to me taking cash out even though the company haven't paid the expenses before the DD for the card goes out - or am I being daft here? Might as accountant about this tomorrow, when I take her a HM muffin (bribery) and check if the payment has gone through from their end.

Other than that, we now have house guests Fri / Sat / Sun (extra night) which is a little bit of a !!!!!!y as now have to re-gig the food plans. Wonder if I can get away with Toad in the Hole, veggies and HM put of some description for the Sunday.

Work frantic here. Tomorrow I have to do the HR bit, nothing I am looking forward to. 2 people in quick succession, typical it never rains but it pours. Best take a muffin in for me also - think I will need it.

Right off to gym whilst I still have the membership (it is on the list of luxuries that will have to be gone if matters go south) - zumba and balance - double dose!

missrlr

Right, decision time we are considering changing the joint account to a Halifax one to get the £5 per month = £60 per year plus will be another £100 on the Anti-Santander fund. We never go OD on this account (famous last words here of course) so don't need OD. DH was making grumbling noises about this, but I said changing would be simple and I would do the paperwork - let's hope the changing service will take care of it and it won't be a hassle.
So off to sort that out now.

Managed to resolve why TW didn't take the DD this month - we have apparently overpaid as they have finally twigged we are on a water meter and so recalculated the bill for the house from 01Apr. We have only been telling them this for 10 months - bless. So credit begin used and new lower payment starting in 2 months - only a few £ but you know the saying from Mr T's.

D&J left us a load of veggies so all good there, although still managed to spend £30 on food for the week. Had the expensive weekend so rest of month is head down and spend nothing time.

Trying to persuade DH to let me loose on his bank account but he is resistant to this idea.

Bad news is tenant provided notice last night - good news is agencies reckon can get even more in rent and they have people on waiting list for this area and type of property - just waiting to get appointment for them to access property to take pics etc and set up viewings. Suspect there will be some costs for the damage repairs and odds and sods to sort when they leave, but should also be part covered from deposit. Let's hope there is someone out there who wants to rent my house!

Also got £20 fuel money for driving friends to weekend away so will be putting that in car later on today.

Onwards and upwards, halfway through month already, so fingers crossed all goes well.

missrlr

Oh well sometimes you need a change to get something better .... All 7 agents have said can get more rent money for house, have confirmed move out date and bestest mate is going to spend that weekend with me cleaning house to limit the amount I have to spend on professional further 2 agents have people on waiting list for just my type of house in the exact area!

So today was a day of treading the turkeys. Sometimes I think it is like herding cats. there are some people who just need to understand there are lots of people out there willing to work and I do NOT need to pander to their stupidity, so this just means I have to work to get rid of them. It is not complex the job requires x amount of output, you have the time to do this, so if you don't there needs to be a reason, not just "meh" and a shrug. If the time was ot sufficient this I can do something about, but t be doing this every day for months then NOT to do it for no reason is just stupid.

So Monday needs to see some vast attitude shifts of my head is going tp hurt even more having to managing them out

So Mr L for veggies tomorrow, have had looks of horror when I mentioned AF and this but he has to learn, money needs to be saved and RIGHT NOW. No more fish, even tho some of the last lot died

Doglet is currently sitting on my feet snoozing, we have the snuggle throw over the pair of us as the heating is off he is a welcome heat source. Goignn to have to look to dog food as he has had bad pancreatitis in the past so need to be very careful with him, but small changes might be OK. Any ideas out there for uber sensitive dog chow?