I refuse to be skint forever!!

menina

Flat is sparkling Five bin bags of rubbish plus some broken furniture to go out tomorrow with OH's help. I feel like I can't move on with my life if I'm disorganised at home (and I need to move on with my life, but more on that another time).

Another item listed on ebay so 12 in total

The only things left to do are to put the hammocks up in the garden now the sun has finally arrived and to update my professional portfolio so that I can think about getting my self another job. Might help me to get my head straight and move forward in my current job too. I'm feeling a bit demotivated and in a rut at the mo. So hammocks tomorrow and portfolio tonight. Oh, and the food. I will also get onto the food forums and see what the devil I'm supposed to be doing about that tonight too.

menina

Thought I'd do a bit of an SOA, more of an incoming/outgoings really. Things have changed a little since the last one. OH is somewhat unreliable on the job front. He has one 90% of the time, but is prone to quit when the going gets tough, without finding another first. Means I don't like to have to rely on his salary to pay any bills. If I know I can cover them out of mine, then I can relax. My strategy is to use my salary to pay everything and have a little left over too and then save what he would pay for his half of the outgoings (when he has a job).

My income= £2462.70

Our outgoings:
Rent 980
Unsecured loan 375.60
Contribution to mortgage on owned property 125
Gas/electric 31
TV license 12.12
RCN 16.24
Gym 54.95
Gym (OH) 54.95
Sofa (0%) will finish in December this year 60.80
Dental insurance 9.29
Dog insurance 5.93
Sky 60
O2 16
Orange 40
Virgin minimum repayment (0% until Aug 2015) 30
Water 25
Bank fees (covers travel insurance and phone insurance for both) 15
My travel card 88.40

=462.42 left over =106.71 per week left over.

At the moment, I don't find that I can save any of that. Surely I should be able to though, at least some of the time? Guess I'm not as good as the money saving expert thing as I thought I was.... I think that getting on top of the food expenditure would be a good start.

menina

Made a list of what's in the kitchen cupboards (not that much actually) However, there probably is enough of the basics for around 2-3 weeks food (with minimal spends on other ingredients) so I'm pretty chuffed. Have put the list and the menu ideas in my purse, so when I'm in the post work 'what to have for dinner' frame of mind, I don't go and spend the usual £'s on random items.

I updated my portfolio last night, just need to print off a couple of bits from my work email tomorrow and pinch some plastic pockets from somewhere and I'm done. It's focused my mind on areas to learn a bit more about at work, which is good as I was feeling a bit in a rut and I like to have my goals... Work will pay for me to do my masters (although I hope to leave soon really) so this week I will focus on applying for that and learning about the things that I thought of. This should fill in any quiet periods and stop my mind from wandering in the wrong direction, getting fed up with things.

Now, to get the hammocks up and my weekend jobs list will be complete. Then to enjoy the afternoon, hope the sun keeps shining

menina

Hello everyone! Haven't been on here for blumming ages! Well by point of fact that I am now SKINT I thought I'd better come back!
Savings = £0
Extra money needed for bills this month =£200
Money left to last me till payday (in 2 1/2 weeks!)= £34
Hmmmmm

Going to try to return a dress tomorrow which would add £79 to my pocket.

Hubby needs to contribute £180 a week towards rent/bills so that would normally take care of things. BUT he has changed his job and barely done any work this week so won't get paid much more than nothing this week.

Determined NOT to get into (more!) debt. Going to have to trust that he will be able to contribute £200 over the next 2 1/2 weeks to pay the bills that will be coming out. And apart from that live very quietly indeed.

Off to put my tail between my legs and slink off to update my signature!

Hope everyone elses debt busting is going better!!

HOK3Y

Hello Menina, I think you have done amazingly well looking at the numbers in your signature - bravo! I agree, trust that the pennies are coming your way and the most likely will. Just keep yourself on the straight and narrow with your spending. All the very best of luck to you.

menina

Thanks hok3y, just been over to your diary, you are doing great too

Managed to take the dress back and get a full refund.

Phoned sky, managed to reduce my bill by £15 for 2 months, £7.50 after that.

Then to phone BG and try to haggle the insurance down a bit too....

Every little helps

Then to plan some meals for next week so as not to waste MORE money!!

Xx

Indebted2U

Hi Menina. just read through your diary and you've done fantastically well. The amount you have paid off is inspiring. I know you had an inheritance that helped but pre LBM might you have just spent it?

I also have the occasional wobble and haven't been debt busting as long as you, only since March but I really do find updating my own and reading others diaries really helps

I also noticed you said you used a uniform at work. Have you claimed the tax relief from the Inland Revenue? Dependent on your job you can also claim various other things, membership of a professional body, shoes etc. You can also back date claims by 4 years. I got a lovely little rebate and a better tax code :j

menina

Hi Indebted2u... I will be getting over to your diary for a nosey if that's ok, your signature shows fantastic progress each month
Good point re: the uniform tax relief. I have done it for myself already but you got me thinking of my husband who is a chef so I'll do it for him (since he'd never get round to doing it for himself lol!) I'll make that my moneysaving project for the week actually as he's been in the game a few years, it could be a reasonable amount of money

menina

It's been a quiet day at work today, always tends to be good for the moneysaving/debt busting as I get to spend time on MSE which usually gives me food for thought!!

I typed a letter to the tax office (pretending to be OH!) requesting tax relief on his uniforms. I think it works out around £12 a year so maybe around £40. I've also applied to switch my bank account to first direct in order to take advantage of their £125 switching incentive. It'd be nice if those things both happened....

As predicted OH got paid peanuts this week so can't give me any contribution toward the rent/bills. Boo! He has promised to try to contribute generously next week though, so fingers crossed on that one.

In the mean time I'm desparately scratching my head wondering if I have anything left to ebay (the only way I can think of to get any extra cash at the moment!) I was really strict with myself a few months ago and got rid of everything that I no longer wear/use so I doubt it There is always my bike which I think would fetch around £40 so I'll stick that on gumtree later. I would like to get to next Wednesday (when OH gets paid again) without being much further into my overdraft so I need to try to get my hands on around £50 really. Need to pay for transport and a Portuguese lesson which I don't want to have to cancel. Well the bike would pretty much sort that out...

As for food, I'm determined to just use what's already in the cupboard which should only require very minimal and cheap extras to be purchased. I've been wanting to get those cupboards empty for ages after all....

I've just got £2.50 left to go before I can claim a voucher from valued opinions so I'll get on that every day and try to do that (and then close my account as it's taken my years to get to £7.50!!
I suppose DVDs are always an option, I think I've got some at home that I could try putting on music magpie and see what they offer me...

menina

After my quiet day yesterday I didn't post my letter, or put my bike on gumtree- rubbish! Will do both after work today, OH is working till late so I won't have any distractions...

I'm up to £9 already on valued opinions, it seems that if you go to do the survey immediately that they email you that one is available then it all works out. I'm still reserving judgement until I get to my £10 and get a voucher, but maybe they aren't so bad after all?!

I've started doing the 'free cashback' offers with topcashback and about £4 of that has tracked already, I'm hoping to get £50 by February then I can transform it into £200 Tesco vouchers. That and valued opinions have made me feel less skint over the last couple of days

I'm idling the time away a bit at work, so maybe I'll get over to topcashback and see what else is available...

Happy debt busting everyone x