Getting clarity on my finances

fantastiyk

Am going to change my signature, so first am going to post it all on here:

LBM May 2012 Total Owing: £3559
Balance: £3200

CC 1 £[STRIKE]2500[/STRIKE] £2400
CC 2 £[STRIKE]669[/STRIKE] £[STRIKE]460[/STRIKE] £425
Overdraft £300
Family £20/ £90

Extra payment a week challenge: this week £10 Total so far: £131
1 debt vs 100 days chapter 9 £48.85/ £460


I've decided that I'm just putting the challenges on my signature so I keep focused on those debts. Every time I look at my signature I get sidetracked thinking I should pay something else instead. I think I'd get more done if I cut it down.

mamato3

Hi there just caught up on your diary your doing great:) My spending diary seems to have gone by the wayside at the minute need to get it back on track! It seems to be harder work when the kids are all off school a pound for this a pound for that then I forget to write them down!

You really should give ebay a go it's not as scarey as it looks - just list a few small items to get you started then you'll be hooked in no time!

fantastiyk

Thanks Mamato3,
yeah holidays and entertainment are a bit of a drip on the finances.
Will get started on ebay.

debtfreewannabe321

good luck with ebay, it's my nemesis but needs, must....and all that! You're doing really well tackling those debts you'll get there in no time at all and kids don't really care about 'things' as much as you think...i worried about ds1 mostly as he's at that age (was 12 at the time) where they want everything. But i explained we can't afford it and if he really wants something now he saves up for it or asks nicely if i will go halves

fantastiyk

Am on day 24 of the " 1 debt vs 100 days chapter 9 challenge" so far have scraped together £60 of the £460 I had targeted.

Where do those darned money slugs come out of!! they manage to eat through it before my eyes.
Had longed to get through this by paying off £4.60 a day - oops just worked out that would mean £110.40 paid off by today.

I haven't been on here for most of the week and notice if I did log on and read the challenges I'm in I would squeeze money out of somewhere, so will get onto that again.

Kids all at home this week - they have appetites like elephants and love showers!! they have to be the cleanest, and most fed people on the planet :rotfl:

It has been a lot harder to stick to budget as the cupboards were bare at the start of the month, and I had to restock.

Having no luck with the "extra payment a week" challenge. YET

Car up for MOT at end of week so its proving costly and have been at home a lot but dd1 managed to go to the shop for me so no NSDs.

At least when the MOT is sorted I can focus on the uniforms - dd3 needs new everything except PE kit. dd2 is going to keep her last years blazer as this will hopefully be her last year.

DD2 got a part time job :T it's her first and she has been applying for things since she hit 16 last year so that is a bonus for her! They haven't given her a starting date.

Have done loads of housework to occupy my mind (just punished my body instead) and keep me from wanting to spend.
Would love a holiday or a day to beach. Haven't even the money for the cinema at the minute and would love to take the youngest two to see Ice Age 4.

fantastiyk

Thanks DFW,
Our kids are quite good actually. They don't ask for anything since their dad lost his job. And they make cards instead of buying, and for fathers and mothers day they made dinner and give us vouchers for washing the car, and doing things for us, as they don't get much pocket money. Sometimes they get no pocket money especially when we have to pay for something at school.
It's more that I get pppppd off at having them make do a bit.

You seem to be quite busy with ebay and fb selling - thats great.

Is that your cute little puppy in the pic? AAAAAAAAAAaadorable.
Our next door neighbours labrador had pups a month ago. We called in to see them yesterday, 7 of them. 4 of them fell asleep on dd3, all snuggled up to her, we had to lift them off her when it was time to come home.:D
I think (know) she would rather have stayed.

debtfreewannabe321

yes he's our little 4th baby! And costs as much as another child too lol! He also seems to have as many baths as them, he must be the best smelling dog on the whole estate lol- but then that's what you get for rolling in your own poop!!!

My ds1 has no pocket money either, but recently he's had a growth spurt so i told him to bring me all his unwanted clothes that no longer fit, i sorted them and cleaned them and put them all on fb or ebay and whatever sells he gets the money as his pocket money for summer, he's up to £9 lol not much but better than nothing and i told him if he wants new clothes he can get them out of that money (because i know he has enough to see him through and he only asks for more if i pay for it........he has trouble parting with his own money )

mamato3

Just wanted to say that the Odyssey Cinema in Belfast do a £1.50 kids club at the weekends I think the showing time is 11:30 or I think its £3.00 for ticket & a kids popcorn box, it mightn't be the most up to date film but they're usually pretty new releases that they show. I think they do it during the week at holiday times as well, just thought it might be worth you checking out - we do it quite a bit at the weekends as it works out a pretty cheap morning out! Hope thats of some help x

fantastiyk

Our local cinema has reduced rates on Tuesdays. Our kids bring a bottle of water filled from the tap at home, sometimes go to @sda for sweets or if there's not enough time to get there and back to the cinema they buy a popcorn. They usually buy a popcorn even if they've saved money on the sweets at @sda

The good thing is now they're older they go with friends or each other so I can save by not having to buy a ticket for me or DH if he was taking them. While we're trying to reduce debt I'd rather spend my entertainment money on a bottle of wine or save for a massage or clothes.

mamato3

I'm with you on the bottle of wine especially after my rubbish back to work week I can hear it calling:)