BB's back........and the debt is higher than ever!! :-0

brummiebabe

Well that's Monday out of the way:j - I classed this as a NSD today as I only put petrol in (using a £3 off voucher:money:) and this was budgeted for and planned.

Have arranged my minimum payments on 2 credit cards for later in the month - am hoping to do a 0% balance transfer onto my Natwest card but managed to lock myself out of my online banking:eek: - I now have to wait for an activation code to be sent in the post:(

Have been busy at work today.....but at least the day's gone quickly.

We're really trying to stick to our budget this month and are doing okay - but don't have much cash left for incidental spending. DH seems to be more on board - we've talked about his petrol consumption, as he's started going on the motorway and this has really started to cost!!! He's now emptied his car boot and has begun driving at 60 mph. We've checked my tyre pressures (which were quite low) and I'm trying to drive smoothly. I'm also going to monitor my consumption and to see how many miles I'm getting to the Gallon. It all sounds boring - but with petrol coming in at between £280-340 a month for us - if we can cut down a little it can only help!;)

Am off to bed in a bit....work again tomorrow.......

brummiebabe

Sneaks back in........haven't actually been away but just not been postingI'm still struggling on, debt hasn't gone up and is at 0% currently, but these deals all end mid 2003 and I'm not going to have paid them off by then:(

Good news is that DH is on board...I told him that I was finding it stressful having total responsibility for the finances and then him asking me why we have less money than he thought. So we now sit down regularly and are keeping a better eye on our spending. Payday is on Friday (for me anyhow) and we are only £25 overdrawn - which is an achievement for us! We had a tough month as we've changed energy suppliers and had to pay both companies last month (£200!!!!) We will get £115 back in the next few weeks - and are going to use this to pay for my new contact lenses (much needed.....glasses cost me around £450!!)

I've managed to cut down our mobile bill by around £15 p/m and got DH a new phone into the bargain! We plan to cash in the old iphone....probably get between £30-40 from what I've seen (it's only a 3G)

So I'm back...will update properly tomorrow when I've got all my figures together!

brummiebabe

Good morning. It's grey and miserable here today....yet again - it's been that way all week, which is typical as the children are off for half term. I've also got no money let, so the children are having to amuse themselves.....they're not fighting.....yet;)

So I've updated the debt totals within my signature...and they stand at:

Natwest (0%) £1440.17
Barclaycard (0%) £2193.21
M&S £119.41 (Christmas spending - to be paid off in full on Payday:T)
Halifax (0%) £1821.93
Mom £100 (but she has said I can pay her back when I can)

So that means we've paid off £923.15 since August! A large chunk of that was down to a PPI payout....but at least by the end of the year it should have reduced by around £1000. We're having to pay mostly minimum payments until after Christmas, as I'm determined not to accrue any extra debt over the festive season....but then we'll attack it properly!

Meanwhile I suppose I'd better get on with the housework and ironing...at least that's free to do:rotfl:- if only I could get the children to take an interest, it would keep them occupied!!

brummiebabe

Managed to get through to payday only being £25 overdrawn - which is an achievement for us. In recent months it's been closer to £100-150!! Have done my budget for this month and have set it as a 5 week month - it's actually 4 1/2 weeks, but am hoping that if we overbudget slightly, then we will potentially have something left at the end of the month! Have realised how importabt an accurate budget is....it was always the odd extra petrol needed, or food to last us the few days until payday, that has sent our budget out the window.

Yesterday I took the kids bowling (using a voucher from Vouchercloud to get a 2nd game free!) They've been really good all week and not moaned about not going out much. I took drinks and snacks with us and so spent £15. We really enjoyed ourselves too - helped by the fact that the kids beat me!!

Have sorted out party bags for DD's party nextweek - thanks to Poundland and Wilkinson:j- managed to do this within budget. Have also had my grocery shopping delivered - have started ordering from Tesco again as it allows me to keep track of my spending, and I've realised that I have no willpower when faced with a supermarket full of attractive offers!:rotfl:I was sent a £20 voucher for money off my Tesco shop, as I'd ordered 2 deliveries in the time frame required - so this shop came in at £65 - and I got lots!!!:T

Have also applied, and been accepted for, a Tesco credit card - this will allow me to build up more reward points as I will use it for my grocery shoppping and then pay it off every month. I have applied to save all my vouchers for Christmas next year - apparently you get sent your vouchers in November, so that will be a help towards next Christmas, with very little effort.

Have reduced the credit limit on my Barclaycard, and will continue to do this as I pay more off it - it was at something ridiculous like £7000 originally and is now at £2500. I only used it for a 0% balance transfer, and have never/and don't intend to, spend on it! I'm trying to reduce the amount of availiable credit I have, so that I'll be able to apply for a 0% balance transfer card in June 2013 - will reducing the amount of credit I have available be helpful in this??

Right, DD is nagging for breakfast.....be back later.

brummiebabe

I am hoping today will be a relatively Low Spending Day. Am going to my friends for a catch up, coffee & lunch. Our DD's will keep each other amused & we can have a relatively chilled day! Both DSs will go to football training this morning & there is the possibility of us taking them to a Halloween party to tonight, although we're not 100% sure whether we will be going yet. I only have £9 in my purse until Wednesday, and am not sure this will be enough to include a party (where we think we'd have to buy drinks)

Obviously have the usual housework, ironing to do - but that'll have to wait! Kids are back at school next week so just need to make sure all their uniform & stuff is sorted - plus I need to get them to finish their homework!!

Have a fun weekend everyone......

brummiebabe

had a nice day yesterday catching up with my friend. Our daughters played really nicely, all day, and we got to chill out. DS1 has not been too well though, with a cough & a cold, and he went to bed for a couple of hours in the afternoon..........so he must have felt really rough! This meant I had to get some Calpol so spent £3.92. Also owe my sister some money as she got me some wrapping paper for DD - think I owe her £2.

We didn't end up at the Halloween party (phew;)) due to DS1 feeling rough. I did get them to do their Christmas lists & have done a little Internet shopping.....so the children are mostly sorted except for a few stocking fillers:T

Today's plan:

DS2 has 2 football matches
DS1 may/may not go to football, depending on how he is.
Ironing
Vacuuming
Take DSs to my parents so they can have a haircut (Mom is a hairdresser:money:)
Pick up a delivery that's gone to local Tesco store for DD's Christmas pressie

Will hopefully be a no spends day (although I have got to give my sister the money I owe her - does that count???)

Hope you've all enjoyed your extra hour......it's typical that it's my turn to have a lie in & I'm wide awake & can't get back to sleep:mad:

wannabee_in_credit

Hi there :waves:

Just stumbled on your diary... I have way more debt than you, but our situations sound fairly similar so I will be reading your diary with interest...
*subscribe*

brummiebabe

Hi Wannabe......thanks for posting.....have you got a diary I can check out? Always nice to catch up with people in similar situations;)

brummiebabe

Well went back to work today after being off with the children during half term.......bit of a shock to the system!

Not much to report on the money front.....DH gets paid tomorrow and debt payments go out shortly so can adjust my signature then. Unfortunately, with Christmas round the corner, I'm mostly having to stick with minimum payments for now - which is frustrating, but necessary for now.

Bit of a dilemma coming up....the work Christmas do!! I'm being nagged to go by work colleagues (who are good friends too..) I've said I can't go - it's £32 for the night, plus drinks, and then I'll have to get something to wear (I have no 'going out' clothes!) I really can't justify it, but know that the pressure is going to be heaped on me over the next couple of weeks. How else do people deal with this?

I've said I'm not going and have told my friend that I can't afford it.....she, of course, says "oh come on, you've got to go" - but she is someone who's overdrawn almost after pay day and is always out for meals/coffee..so doesn't understand why I don't just do the same. I suppose I just need to stick to my guns....;)

wannabee_in_credit

It's hard isn't it? Just stick to your guns with it... that's quite an expensive do really, and Christmas is such an expensive time anyway. I'm quite lucky with my work in that our Christmas do is straight to the pub after work last day of term and then a curry. So it costs very little and is quite informal.
Is it worth saying that you already have plans for that night? Or that you can't get childcare sorted? (I've used that excuse loads).