The "I WILL be debt free" diary...

ladymay

So, this is my new SOA. The first figure is March (my first SOA), then I've put an updated figure:

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 1
Number of children in household......... 0
Number of cars owned.................... 0
Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1167/1395
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0/20
Total monthly income.................... 1167/1415

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 400/400
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 0
Electricity............................. 0
Gas..................................... 0
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 0
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 25/23
TV Licence.............................. 0
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries ......................... .... 50/105
Clothing................................ 10/26
Petrol/diesel........................... 0
Road tax................................ 0
Car Insurance........................... 0
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 171/131
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 17/92
Haircuts................................ 6/0
Entertainment - nights and meals out.... 115/100
Eating on the hop....................... 31/14
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Child Trust Fund........................ 0
RAC..................................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 825/891

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

Unsecured Debts
Description.................... Debt...... Monthly.. . APR
O/D ........................... 1436/1393...... 17/21...... . 19.9
Barclaycard CC................. 1734/1732..... 1/1 ........ 0
MBNA CC ..................... 3540/3406...... 88/95........ 19.9
HSBC CC ................ 2541/2645...... 67/70........ 27.9
Owed to Ex’s parents........... 6000...... 0/0......... 0
[STRIKE]Halifax CC .................. 50 ....... 10/0........ 16.9 [/STRIKE]CLEARED
[STRIKE]Owed to friend................ 30 ...... 0/0 ........ 0[/STRIKE] CLEARED
[STRIKE]Joint Account ............... 342 ...... 342/0....... 19.9 [/STRIKE]CLEARED
Total unsecured debts.......... 15673/15176..... 187....... -

Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1167/1395
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 825/891
Available for debt repayments........... 342/504
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 525/187
Amount short for making debt repayments. 183/-317

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 0
Total HP & Secured debt................. 0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -15673/-15176
Net Assets.............................. -15673/-15176

ladymay

OK, so positives from my new SOA:

• I'm earning more :j not sure how long that'll last though, summer's coming up which might be a bit quiet
• I've cut down on my travel costs, mostly because all my work recently has been more in Central London
• I've learnt how to cut my own hair, so no more salon costs!
• I've cut down on my night's out a little bit, which is better than nothing, and I've cut my 'eating-on-the-hop' a lot bu being more organised
• Halifax CC is cleared! I complained to them about some shoddy customer service (the people on the phone are always lovely, but I've tried changing my address three times with them, and they keep claiming to have not received the forms) and they informed me they would close the account and clear the final balance as an apology :eek::eek::eek: I was utterly astounded!! It was only £24 by the time it got to this, but it was a lovely little bonus I wasn't expecting!
• Paid my friend back her £30 so that's done and dusted
• Cleared the joint account overdraft.

And the negatives:

• Grocery shopping has DOUBLED!!!? Not sure what's happened there, I'm definitely eating and using twice as much!
• May is an expensive month for birthdays, and I've definitely been buying people more expensive things and little treats. This should even out through the summer though, so not overly worried.
• Nights out and eating out can definitely go down some more, I'm gradually getting better, but it's so hard to say no to fun Again, this will get better over the summer because of the weather - I also spend much less when it's nice out!!
• My overall spending has gone up

Plan of action:

• Join the June Grocery Spend Challenge
• Stick £200 per month in savings
• Use extra to pay extra on debts (HSBC CC first)
• BREATHE!!!

It's nice to know I'm making progress, and I can clearly see where I can cut back. Overall a happy bunny!!!

ladymay

I called my Dad today. One of the most difficult phone calls of my life. I basically just ranted and told him how I felt about his treatment of Mum, and how I've felt non-existant for six years, which was exemplified when I asked him why he hadn't called me back when I'd asked him to three weeks ago: he'd forgotten, apparently.

He said he'd forgotten because work was busy (he's a binman, work is pretty much constant throughout the year) and because of the problems he and Mum were having. I told him I didn't know who he was anymore and that he hadn't shown he'd cared for years, to which he said he never knew when I was working so didn't call me. Ever. Or text me.

He apologised for a lot - to get me off the phone, I suspect - and the conversation ended with me warning him I wasn't going to chase after him any more. If he wants to have a relationship with me, it's his turn to put the effort in.

I'm really scared he's not going to do that, but I'm not prepared to keep it together by myself any more.

He's also started seeing this other woman properly - he and Mum have been apart a month. A MONTH...

Aside from the Daddy issues, today has been quite nice signed up to lots of mystery shopping websites, and I've got my first assignment already. Booked in a really great job on Saturday, and I've got a meeting with one of my bosses on Friday. I'm running the business for a couple of weeks while she's away, and I'm really nervous! It'll be great experience though, and it's great to know I'm trusted. But still... :eek::eek::eek:

I've got a friend coming round tomorrow night, so I'm going to give her a sushi-making lesson and cook a yummy stir-fry - rock and roll!! Need to be healthy, because I know I'm going to eat my own body weight in sweet stuff over the weekend.

Right, I have to be up in 7 hours for work, so I'll just brush my teeth, clean my face, do my invoices, tidy up, sort out the washing and put the dry stuff away... and I'll be ready for bed

Night x

ladymay

Evening!

So I decided to take this weekend off (pretty much) which has been really nice, batteries have been recharged, but I've been soooooo lazy and eaten so much! Time to get the running shoes back on.

It's a fairly light week work-wise - might try and get a few hours in tomorrow and Thursday, and I'm back to refereeing tomorrow night which will be some welcome money. I've got my first mystery shopping assignment Thursday evening - is it normal to be nervous before the first one??

Friday and Saturday are going to be busy with work - my boss is away so I'm in charge of the kids parties for a fortnight and I really want to get everything right and perfect. Saturday night/Sunday I'm really hoping to see my best friend. I haven't seen her yet this year because we're both so busy :eek::eek: and so much has happened...

Things are going to be extremely tight until next Thursday now, between renewing my travelcard, going out yesterday and shelling out for mystery shopping (although I'll get it reimbursed) I have no money apart from my savings, and I don't want to touch them if I can at all help it. Might have to get fruit and veg, but I've got meat in the freezer and things in the cupboard that need using up - time to get creative :rotfl:

Need to tell the Inland Revenue I need to start paying NI contributions again, but I keep putting it off which is silly because the amount's juts going to keep getting bigger and then I'll end up with a massive bill, but I don't know how I go about doing this. Might ask in the Small Biz forum...

scubaangel

Good luck with the mystery shopping, it can be incredibly annoying having to wait to be reimbursed but it feels good when it does arrive! The main down side is always doing the tax return when it's due, although I guess you already get to take part in that fun, if you've not already have a look at the mystery shopping threads on here, they're a great source of advice and the alerts thread is good to follow so you know which sites are best to check when new work is released.

ladymay

Thanks scuba. Yeah, I'm self-employed anyway, which reminds me - I really need to take myself off my NI holiday and pay in contributions.

I did my first mystery shop! It was quite fun, but I was actually quite nervous the BF definitely enjoyed free bowling, and I've got two more coming up this week.

And I ran my first kids' party without my boss being there!! Luckily the parents were lovely and very laid back, and the kids were so funny. I actually had a really good time!

I saw my best friend for the first time this year yesterday after work. So much has happened this year and just to see her and hug her made me feel a million times better about everything. Friends are amazing :j and we both woke up with no hangover :j:j:j

Day off today so just pottering about on the pooter, replying to emails and generally sitting on my backside which is nice. The sitting, not the backside!! :rotfl:

scubaangel

Yeah the first few are nerve wracking, but you soon get used to it.

Sounds like life's generally treating you well at the moment, am sooo looking forward to my next day off, pity I have to spend it studying, doing mystery shops and putting together a new SOA to help me work out exactly what I can or can't afford to spend if I need to move out of this house sooner than I'd planned.

ladymay

Well, life certainly is a rollercoaster - thank you, Ronan, for that AWFUL song - what a week it's been...

• The relationship between Dad and I is hanging by a thread. He told me he's started sleeping with this 'other woman', and he had to tell Mum for honesty's sake. He hasn't taken anybody else's feeling into consideration about anything. I've been angry with him for a long time about how he's omitted himself from my life since I moved to London in 2006, and now he's acting in a way I can't even begin to fathom, and it's like these floodgates have been opened and I've never been so angry in my life. He called me yesterday to apologise for everything over the past few years, so it's time for him to make good on his promises and make an effort with me.
• Mum's been signed off work for a month with stress. She wasn't going to take because of financial issues, but after she confided in a co-worker, that co-worker went straight to their manager to tell her. I hope it's for the best. I think she needs to take time out, but money's so tight and she wants to come up and see me but she can't afford it, and I can't afford to take time off work to go and see her until July. ll a bit of a nightmare really.
• I was verbally abused by two men in a van on my way to work the other day. I have long red hair, and apparently that gives morons the right to shout insults at me from the safety of their moving vehicles. Regardless of what people say should and shouldn't affect me, THAT kind of behaviour makes me really angry and upset. It only happens a couple of times a year, but I fail to see why it's ok.
• On the up side, my spending is in control, my rows of ulcers have left my poor gums, and work is going well without my bosses around. I do now appreciate just how much my bosses do :rotfl: Only three more days until one of them comes back, and Tuesday I have a day off :j I might even try and book in the afternoon tea I bought my grandma and I...

It's been a carp week for the family all in all, but I'm glad the business is doing well with me quasi running the show. I think if it was JUST the family stuff or JUST running the business I would feel so exhausted (lots of sleepless nights atm), but I just need to focus on making Mum happy (albeit from a distance right now) and getting as many hours under my belt as possible before the summer holidays kick in. The BF has taken a back seat for now, we have a pretty laid back relationship anyway, but he knows that if he puts any pressure on me atm I might explode - or just cry a lot...

I feel better for getting a few things off my chest, this diary really has become my confession chamber!

I've just realised it's almost 11pm, and I have to be up in seven hours :eek: think of the money, think of the money.....

scubaangel

Ahh I can identify with the crying alot thing just now.

Sorry that your Dad's being such an *unprintable word*, hope your Mum is ok, and am sure knowing you're there to support her is a big help even if you can't be there physically.

Men are idiots end of, if its not hair colour it clothing choice or body shape etc etc, if they're gonna shout they're gonna shout, I bet you're one of the lucky ones with a gorgeous shade of red that most people are envious of or they'd not have bothered shouting (or like in the playground they just shout coz they liked the look of you) either way it's not ok but not worth getting too upset about given everything else on your plate at the moment.

Sounds like the bf is a good un, want to lend him to me for a bit?

ladymay

Thanks scuba :kisses3:

I'm feeling a lot calmer this morning, I just feel so tired! There has been so much drama in 2012 and I'd really like life to be boring for a while

No NSD today, got to get a few bits and pieces to buy in town, order my contact lenses, and buy the BF a birthday present. No idea what to get him, hoping to get some inspiration online!!