dark clouds and silver linings.

Merlin_and_Me

Well, Good evening one and all and here we are again!!

Many of you will know me from my previous use of the site, however for a number of reasons i have decided to leave the past behind and return with a new identity which, i have to say is very refreshing!! Before i slipped off the rails, and off the site, i made some very good friends here, many of whom i am still in touch with, both virtual and in real life, today. I have made best friends from this site and feel confident that in returning i will get the butt kicking that i so clearly need!! Having a browse of the forums i am sad to see some of my old friends still struggling yet so pleased for the people that continue to do well.

You see, I decided in a bit of an LBM to add up my current debt total which, in true “head-in-the-sand style” has been increasing gradually. This has lead to a wee !!!*@?@!! Moment at the total! This has increased massively recently for reasons briefly explained below but most certainly not through spending on frivolities...:o

My life has changed, almost beyond identity since my last post here. My road to where i am now has been pitted with potholes and getting where I am has been an adventure to say the least.
I am settled, living with my other half, in a location i would NEVER have thought i would find myself living in, surrounded by gorgeous hills, countryside and trees (and a little country pub just down the lane!) The other half is amazingly supportive of me and to be honest, I couldn’t have got through the last 3 years financially without him. Like many men he can be my best most absolute friend one day and a horrible nag the next but, for now, i wouldn’t be without him ;-) I work in a job I love, and am in the process of trying to get back to my previous career. Keeping fingers crossed as I am on the last hurdle!!

The majority of my debt increase has been due to a nightmare situation with an ex landlady, I can’t say much about it as we are still in the court process, however all I can say is that at 8k and counting to get her to court, it has been a very costly lesson in trust...

So, I am going to post an SOA... However, to silence the critics who may not know me of old...

1) I am saving each week...I know this isn’t MSE advice when in debt however, I have an old car, who has done 160k miles and isn’t going to last forever. She is soon going to need a new exhaust and I need some money in place in contingency should she fail on me.

2) There is no rent. I do not pay my OH rent at his (very strongly expressed) wish. My responsibility within the household is food and bills which are mainly paid quarterly.

3) I currently get paid weekly, but my bills are paid monthly. This HOPEFULLY is shortly to change as it is a b*gger to budget on weekly pay!!


So, all I can say is... It is lovely to be back, and watch out for the SOA!!!

hypno06

**digs out butt kicking boots**

pixiechick99

Happy new diary and new identity:beer:

Merlin_and_Me

EEP!! I forgot about you and your boots hypno!! aargh! dont kick too hard! lol

So, here is the SOA. not pretty, but balanced.


Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Monthly Income Details
Income from Employment (after tax). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,603.33

Monthly Expense Details

In Your Home

Mobile Phone(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24.00
Cleaning Products/Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.00
Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.00
Electricity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.00
Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.00
Council Tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35.00
Life Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.00
Food and Household Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130.00
Drinks for Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.67

Motoring & Public Transport

Petrol/Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120.00
Car Tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17.00
Car Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23.36


Debt Repayments

Credit Card Repayments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200.00
Personal Loan Repayments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 700.00

Savings & Investments

Mini Cash ISAs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151.67

Entertainment

Drinking Out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30.00
Eating Out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30.00

Clothes, Health & Beauty

Fitness/Sports/Gym. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24.00
New Clothes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.00



Big One Offs

Birthdays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00
Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00

Odds & Sods

Newspapers & Magazines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.25
Meals at work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00


Total monthly income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,603.33


Total monthly expenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,588.94




We do not have gas in the village so therefore there is no budget for gas.

My savings cover car maintenance and unexpected bills.

OH is responsible for the maintenance of the house:T and currently holidays are out of the question on both sides!!:eek:

And... my mother treats me to my hair doos.....:cool:

Ellidee

Good luck with it all hun - you can do it ! xx

Merlin_and_Me

Thanks Pixie chick!! thought I'd got it sorted but think I have slipped for a number of reasons.. Off to buy a shiney new spending diary with a waterstones voucher a lovely person bought for me!!

Merlin_and_Me

Ellidee wrote: »

Good luck with it all hun - you can do it ! xx

Thanks ellidee! Hope you are doing ok hon, feels weird seeing loads of old faces again, bit like a school reunion!! he he

elantan

Hypno doesnt wear boots now ... It's jimmy choos ... The lady has style

Nice to see u back ... I have ammassed a serious amount of debt recently due to this bloody holiday ... But as soon as i come home i will be doing exactly what u have and sorting it all out ... Still not giving up my 100 month plan though

Good luck merlin and me

evab_2

:wave:Hello my lovely

Merlin_and_Me

Yay El, you found me

SO, total debt, as it stands... was.... £17432.44...

Until yesterday, when a solicitor bill came through...its now.. *Drum roll please*

£19472.44 :eek:

Merlin_and_Me

Hiya honey!!!! hope you're doing ok!! :wave: