Nagme's Diary - getting it under control in 2013

Nagme

Seasons Greetings everyone, I've been a long time lurker and even had a mortgage free wannabe diary, but there's no point in overpaying the mortgage when there's a balance to be cleared on the credit cards!

Just worked out we have £8,000 balance on the cards. Plus we have a loan from the in-laws for DH's car. Plus we're not really reducing the offset morgage quick enough.

The offset mortgage is currently about £203k (house value approx £275k)
The problems are with the cards although the mortgage is needing to be attacked too. The plan was to use the cards (which are cashback) for every day spending, thus leaving wages in the offset account for as long as possible to reduce the interest each month. It seems we have had to fork out for too many big things, so a balance has had to be left on the cards, and then more and more is left on the cards until we have over £4k on Barclaycard and over £3500 on Capital One. We also have an Amex card but I manage to pay this off each month.

My part-time job starts next month (been training up to now) so I want to use that to clear the cards. Got paid today, so sent £250 to Cap1 - a good start!

PS I also suffer with depression and anxiety, so I would tend to go out to occupy my mind, and this involved spending money on the house refurbishment, but my new p/t job is giving me the time out of the house instead so I'm seeing less transactions on the credit card statements

Thanks for reading x

Nagme

Friday

Joined the Pay off All Your Debt off by Xmas 2013 challenge.
Seems a big challenge to clear £8,000 in 12 paychecks but let's see how we do! I'm looking forward to getting tips from the other diary writers.

Did a Valued Opinions survey for £1. It involved asking DS questions, so awarded him 50p for concentrating for so long

Dowloaded the Ebay app to my phone to make selling quicker.
Moved £50 to the offset account from my personal account, leaving just enough to cover the monthly SO to DS's child trust fund. I won't transfer this money to a CC as I'm sure DH's car insurance is up for renewal in Jan :think:
M&S parcel arrived with my goodies I used my giftcard to buy on Xmas day (that was fast!) I bought a new pair of jeggings (old ones had developed the Nora Batty look) and a reduced Kirsty Allsopp stamps set to make cards etc. Mum got me lots of crafty stuff for Xmas, so I will use that to make a birthday card for her in January instead of spending money on a shop one.
Another parcel arrived, this time for the cat litter, so much cheaper online (and through Topcashback!). Also for a new cat scratcher, but I will not be buying her another one this year. The last one was made with old carpet offcuts, so perhaps this one is a bit of an extravagance....

next step, do a SOA

Nagme

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Monthly Income Details
Income from Employment (after tax). . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 3,351.40
Income from Self Employment (before tax). . . . . .. . . . . . . 75.00
Benefits (Inc. Child Benefit/Tax Credits & Income Support). . . . 81.20

Monthly Expense Details

In Your Home

Mobile Phone(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . 55.00 - 2 contracts. 1 iphone for DH, one cheap contract for me, but from June will be looking to change mine to PAYG.
TV Licence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.12
Internet and home phone ............... 30.00 just changed - can't get cheap deals in our semi rural area.
electricity. . . . . . .......... 46.50
Gas . . . . . . ................ 46.50
Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36.00
Council Tax . . . . . . . . . . 115.53
Home Insurance. . . . . . . . ... 19.44
Mortgage/Rent . . . . . . .... 1,300.00 interest is taken out of the account and it's up to us to reduce the mortgage balance
Food and Household Shopping ....300.00 trying to get this down by online food shopping
Drinks for Home . . . . . . . . 0.00

Motoring & Public Transport

Petrol/Diesel . . . . . . . . 346.67 DH's commuting and the odd tank for me
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . 2.00
Car Tax . . . . . . . . . . . 33.08 we have 4 vehicles to tax but don't tax all year round.
Car Insurance . . . . . . . . .70.83 4 policies
Car Maintenance . . . . . . . .83.33 lots of tyres
Breakdown Cover . . . . . ......3.17 autoaid

Debt Repayments

Credit Card Repayments. . . . . 250.00 minimum for B'card and Cap 1
Personal Loan Repayments. . . . 215.00 loan from inlaws to buy DH's car, ends 2015

Savings & Investments

Regular Saving. . . . . . .. 25.00 DS's trust fund

Family

Pet Food. . . . . . . . . . . 15.00special diet for nervous cat who gets lots of urinary infections.
School Trips. . . . . . . . . 5.00

Entertainment

Satellite/Digital TV. . . . 0.00
Family Days Out . . . . . . 20.00
Shopping for Fun. . . . . . . 20.00
Pet Costs . . . . . . . . . .15.00
Hobbies . . . . . . . . . . 5.00
DVD Rental. . . . . . . . . 11.99
Eating Out. . . . . . . . . 45.00

Clothes, Health & Beauty

Haircuts. . . . . . . . . . 20.00
Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . 10.00
Work Clothes. . . . . . . . . 5.83
New Children's Clothes. . . . 50.00
New Clothes . . . . . . . . . .50.00

Education & Courses

Big One Offs

Sofa/Kitchen/TV . . . . . 200.00 had to replace fridge freezer, d/washer and t.dryer last year.
Birthdays . . . . . . . . 25.00
Winter Holiday. . . . . . 0.00
Summer Holiday. . . . . . . 0.00
Christmas . . . . . . . . . 35.00

Odds & Sods

Newspapers & Magazines. . . 5.00
Coffees/Sandwiches/Snacks . 2.00


Total monthly income. . . . . . 3,507.60


Total monthly expenses. . . . . 3,535.49

Nagme

The microwave packed up last night - typical!

Alas we did get 9 years of service out of it, but it was a combi microwave and cost £250, I can't spend that amount again, so today after work I bought a basic one instead, for £67.

Redeemed a Boots voucher for half price Christmas cards and a vanity mirror reduced from £50 to £16. Got the paint for the spare room on offer at Homebase too, so definately not a NSD today!

Came home to HM chilli con carne cooked by DH and DS, and some cat sick on our bed - nice!

Nagme

I'm not sure that I've had my LBM yet.

Just reading throught the posts there's still a lot of spending going on. What do I do - abandon all purchases bar the essentials until debt free? Should I have bought the paint? I can't answer that. I can see how we got here though

This is the problem - in this day and age there is so much out there to do, to spend money on, to buy, we're bombarded everywhere we turn. Let's just back the truck up to yesterday for a moment, diary.

I worked 10-3. I was supposed to work till 4, but it was very quiet so they let me finish an hour early. All giddy for finishing early, I went next door to my favourite gift shop, bought a pack of christmas cards half price for £2, and 3 baubles half price at £1.37 each. Total spend £6.11

I then went to Currys to collect the microwave which I had a reserve and collect for. It was £54.99, and when I looked at it on display, I decided the plate was too small and went for the next model up, at £67.

Then, I went to Pets at Home and bought a cat food plate for £4. Justification: it's a special shape and the cat doesn't push the food off it with her nose when she's eating, like the plastic ones I'm currently using for her food.

Then, I went to Halfords and spent £16.99 on a car stereo faceplate which means I can take the factory fitted cassette player out (which doesn't work) and fit a new stereo.

Then (!) I went to Boots. With my £10 voucher earned through surveying. I picked up some cans of deodorant for DH, 2 for £4, a bottle of coke for me 99p, 2 packs of Xmas cards @ £1.75 each, (I now have a total of 25 cards for next year) and the illuminated vanity mirror, £15.99 (reduced from £49.99), total spent £17.97.

Then (on a roll now) I went to Homebase. Bought the paint for the spare room - buy one get one half price: £37.48. Being as they had 20% off for a £50 spend I could then add a purchase of £13 and pay only £3 more, so back up the aisles I trotted, and added a roller set (£8.99) spare rollers, (£15.99), and a paintbrush (£6.49) Total spent £55.16

So added up, my one hour jolly was

06.11
67.99
04.00
16.99
17.97
55.16
168.22

Each and every purchase I justified in my head. Every purchase will be used. But it came to £168.22.

please-let-me-be-lucky

Wow that's an expensive early finish!!!!

Good on you for noticing what you've done though, it's the next part of your lightbulb moment. Yes, you got some bargains in there in that they weren't full price, but were they really bargains if you could've got them cheaper elsewhere? Just to take your Christmas cards as an example, you paid £5.50 for 25 cards. I got a box of 25 really lovely cards reduced in Asda for £1.00 (Some boxes were 50p for 40 cards but they were naff!). That's £4.50 more in my pocket than yours!

Perhaps you could continue to keep a spending diary and note down all your 'little' spends and assess how much you do spend on things. According to your SOA you spend £5 per month on newspapers & magazines and £2 per month on coffees/sandwiches etc. I stopped buying newspapers when I had my LBM and read stuff online if the fancy takes me. I spend more than £2 a month of coffee though . It will be interesting for you to see if your spend pattern continues.

Do you really spend £50 per month on children's clothes and £50 per month on adult clothes??!! Even if that's an average for the year that's £1200 a year on clothes!!! You can get a heck of a lot of clothes for that in Primarni/Asda/Tesco/ebay!! Do you have old clothes to sell? Or indeed anything to sell? Ebay is free listing until 1st Jan so there's nothing to lose.

I don't mean any of this to sound negative. You are still in a much better position than you were before you decided to tackle your debts etc. Well done for all you have done so far!

PLMBL Xx

Nagme

Darned right it was an expensive early finish!

No, it's not negative, it's constructive criticism, which is what I think I need in order to make significant changes. I appreciate the honesty.

We don't buy newspapers, but DH subscribes to 100% Biker, and I subscribe to Which. I have bought a LivingEtc subscription via Tesco clubcard, and BBC Gardener's World via a birthday present from the in-laws. During the month I can't help picking up Prima, and usually another housey mag, like Ideal Home. I tried the library a few times but it's not as appealing reading the summer magazines in the grips of winter. I need to buy less magazines, don't I.

Re clothes for DS, this includes footwear and uniform. I used last year's figures to reach these sums, so I guess the challenge is on to improve. Perhaps the next time clothes are needed I could visit the new Primark that's opened down the road. School shoes are £35 a pair (Startrite/Clarks) and trousers are £8 each from Next. I tried a supermarket school uniform but it didn't last or look as nice. Next stuff lasts until he grows out of it. I think I have spent £50/ month on adult clothes in the past, however I have challenged myself for 2013 to spend only £300 so that's £25/month.

I don't have a great deal left I can sell, but I'm sure I can have a hunt around and get a few things listed whilst it's free, I have snowboots and a winter coat which should go.

Sunday
Today I spent £49.99 on a new car stereo in Halfords, it was like I am looking for reasons to get out of the house.

please-let-me-be-lucky

Glad you took what I said in the way it was meant . Your clothes challenge sounds perfect! Good luck with it.

I know what you mean about needing Clarks shoes. I do the same for my boys, but I'm lucky enough to have an outlet store fairly near and the average price in that Clarks is £18 per pair. Do you have anything like that nearby?

And yes, you buy too many magazines :rotfl:. However, getting subscriptions as gifts is a very good idea.

Perhaps you could have a think about why you feel the need to 'get out'? Xx

Nagme

We're nowhere near a Clarks outlet, so I use an independant shoe shop in our market town (helps the "little" people!). Whenever I need to go shopping it's a good 24 mile round trip.

Okay, I buy too many magazines. I think I knew it deep down

Not sure why I feel the need to get out of the house all the time, but now it's been observed (and DH is reading this diary, too), I will endeavour to stay at home when the urge to escape calls. I think it's linked with the depression, I have done it for a good 20 years. I had a HUGE shoe collection at one point.

Monday
Did an errand for Dad and ended up having to use a car park with no money in purse, took £10 out, and bought a can of coke, Total spent £1.50 plus fuel for 20 miles. (Dad and I have an unnofficial tab going - I run errands for him, he gives me the odd tank of fuel and car parts!)
Looking for a laptop case for mum's birthday online but the only one I like is a leather half price one for £29 from Debenhams. I will hold off for now as it's more than I want to spend. It ideally needs to be a light girly colour to prevent Dad from "borrowing" it and getting it covered in oil.
Received activation code to do my self assessment online, and got sooo confused, where do they find these people who make such a seemingly straightforward job so blinking difficult? I will do it tomorrow after DS has gone to bed and I have more grey cells awake. Looking forward to coming off the basic tax code and getting a nice lump of tax back.
Peeled, sliced and froze a big bag of carrots with the help of DS pushing the scraps off the worktop into the compost bin with his toy motorbike. I will not throw any bendy carrots out from now on.

Goodbye 2012, please can 2013 be a year with less illnesses, less bereavements and more happiness for everyone x

please-let-me-be-lucky

Happy New Year! I hope it is a good one for you Xx

I completely understand the need to get out while feeling down and would encourage it if it helps, however (and I know it's hard while depressed), try to change the shopping habit to a walk round the park or something. You could even look for roadkill (coins on the ground!!) while you walk to put in your change pots.

Alternatively, there are many things on MSE to occupy your time and encourage you to stay indoors. How about entering competitions in the hope of winning some nice things (I've won cash, holidays, jewellery etc) or sign up to more challenges (highly recommend the make £10 a day challenge on the debt free wannabe forum). Do you do surveys in return for vouchers? You could cash these out for a supermarket voucher and use them to buy your magazines at no extra cost to you. I do Toluna, valued opinions, Pinecone and swagbucks. Xx

sammy115

Well done on your LBM...I am on about my 17th!

Determined that this year will be different.

I have to agree that £168 was an expensive early finish....but easy to do. I would look at it this way...ask yourself next time how long it would take you to earn £x to get what you want...IYSWIM...

Having said that I am off to buy a magazine subscription with my tesco vouchers! I forgot about that.

And for me today I have got a quote for my car insurance which is 50% less than my current renewal quote and am about to downgrade my sky package..:T so will have saved myself £780 per year so far.

You could try a spending diary that should help you reign your spending a bit