I'm in debt, but it's a bit of a secret...

puddingpops

Have totally been neglecting my diary recently. Work has been ever consuming, which has all come to a head as have really bad chesty cough and cold so have been sent home.

I know I should be resting but as its been payday recently I've been staring at my account quite a lot. I also need to tackle the monthly food shop (online) today. This is a task I used to enjoy but ever since I've been watching my spending its become a chore.

Heres an update of debts / money making:

Tesco: [STRIKE]£2301.99[/STRIKE] £2277.00
Natwest OD: [STRIKE]£463.32[/STRIKE] £404.44
Overdraft: £1950 - the same.
Holiday fund: £237.41 / £1000
50p Challenge: £24.50 / £100
Selling / Earning Spree: £56.67 / £400 (although £10 due from *bay)

Feb and March should be easier on the bank account as its council tax free months.

Have also managed to reduce Electricity bill by £40 a month (we were paying off annoying debt that wasn't our fault previously).

These 2 savings will go straight into the holiday savings as will start to hunt for holiday flights end of Feb and hopefully book in March.

Now to battle with food shopping!

Last months food shopping went pretty well, although both myself and OH tend to lose interest towards the end of the month and little luxuries start sneaking in. Still need MUCH better than normally, and we are hardly wasting anything either.

Am all over this Ad Points thing too.. already have just over £5 saved!

Better get battling with the food shop Ocado are offering me 15% off so might see what I can get with that..

puddingpops

Just done the food shopping. Used 15% Ocado voucher they emailed me, and managed to get 2 weeks worth of food (including all the meat) for under £60!

I know Ocado isn't the cheapest option overall but I've studied food prices so much the past few months I've only bought what is the same price / cheaper than other supermarkets I use.

Still have to get the final few bits at A*di this week but that shouldn't be much. So as of the end of today..

Food budget: £58.18 / £160

OH is away for over a week in Feb and as much as I am going to miss him, at least the food shopping will last a bit longer

HeadAboveWater

Hello puddingpops (love the username btw!!)

Sounds like you've really got a grip on the whole debt busting thing - well done so far! And even better that your OH is on board without even realising :rotfl:

Food shopping can be difficult sometimes. We're forever raiding the reduced section in Tescos and Asda, and then laugh because we're eating like royalty for peanuts!! :D

*subscribing* to follow how you're doing!

Good luck

puddingpops

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 0
Number of cars owned.................... 0

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1086.56
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 168.5 (money from OH for bills)
Total monthly income.................... 1255.06

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 247.5 (my half which I pay to OH)
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 143
Electricity............................. 50
Gas..................................... 0
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 44.53
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 22.5 (I pay this)
TV Licence.............................. 12.12
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 33.9
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ......................... 85 (My contribution)
Clothing................................ 10 (not always spent)
Petrol/diesel........................... 0
Road tax................................ 0
Car Insurance........................... 0
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 25 (monthly trip to see my mum - coach or train)
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 20 (not always spent)
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 75 (has to stay at this level for a few months due to hen parties, birthday outings etc)
Holiday................................. 200 (will only be this much for the next 5 months, then will go to bills)
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Gym Membership.......................... 50 (For me and OH.. essential and very used!)
monthly expenses.................. 1018.55


Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 0
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 0

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
CC 1...........................2277......33.9......18.9
OD 1...........................405.12....0.........0
OD2............................1950......28........18.4
Total unsecured debts..........4632.12...61.9......-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,255.06
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,018.55
Available for debt repayments........... 236.51
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 61.9
Amount left after debt repayments....... 174.61

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 0
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -4,632.12
Net Assets.............................. -4,632.12

Created using the SOA calculator at https://www.stoozing.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using other browser.

As mentioned previously Feb and March will be council tax free so that will be an extra £286 to the holiday fund. In addition the electricity has been reduced from £90 to £50 so thats another £40 a month extra.

I am also selling on ebay & earning from surveys so have decided half of all these earnings will go on CC1 as I had a huge minimum payment this month (charges!!) so am determined to not get in that mess again!

puddingpops

So am still poorly!

Went into work but was sent home at lunchtime.. been moping around ever since. Ha.

I've even missed afterwork drinks, which is a good thing with money saving.. but bad because we don't do it too often and would have been fun!

At least today has been a no spend day. OH even asked if I wanted any treats as I'm not well but I declined! Go me!

Going to go and stare at my bank account in the hope that more will appear :rotfl:

datlex

puddingpops wrote: »

Have also managed to reduce Electricity bill by £40 a month (we were paying off annoying debt that wasn't our fault previously).
/QUOTE]

If the debt wasn't your fault, how did it arise? You shouldn't pay someone else's debt!!

puddingpops

It wasn't technically someone elses debt. It just wasn't our fault. Our monthly DD was set really low and I naively didn't think anything of it as never lived with just one other person before so thought electricity was just that cheap! This went on for about 2 years with no contact from them so didn't think anything of it. Then one month they suddenly took like £120 one month (previous DD was £20) so I freaked out, called them and they explained that although our DD was £20 our charges were about double that each month and we need to pay it back. I asked why no one had contacted me in the 2 years previous, to which they told me I must have slipped through the net.

It's taken about a year of big payments but its sorted now.

It was a nightmare at the time but I'm glad its over now!

puddingpops

Am off work again today - being poorly is getting very boring as there is only so much TV watching one can cope with.

Have already logged into work emails but have refrained from dealing with anything!

Not exactly a NSD today. OH went out and got some vegetables for dinner and also got me a loaf of fruit bread, which is pretty much all I can eat these days.

Need to ask him how much he spent actually.

On another note, I've only smoked 3 cigarettes since Saturday night. 2 on Tuesday night, one yesterday afternoon. This for me, is good. I normally smoke around 6 - 10 a day.

OH has gone to get me the replacement chewing gum stuff.

If I can kick this habit I will be saving at least another £25 a month!

puddingpops

Feeling pretty miserable today.

On the smoking front - had 3 cigarettes last night. Did really well the whole day at work as only needed 2 chewing gums and barely craved one at all.

Then came Friday night drinks! This has always been my weakness in bank balance and smoking. Managed not to spend any money last night though, as OH was out and is always at the bar.

So today I'm feeling pretty demotivated and gross. OH is at work so only have myself and my diary to moan too.

Need to perk up, so heres my list:

Tidy kitchen
Start & complete job app
Cook chicken for dinner
Have lunch
Write shopping list
AAT study! At least one mock exam

Hmm.. think I'll start with lunch!

tattycath

Tiglath wrote: »

Good luck - I'd be lost without my spending diary. I record every can of Coke, every pint of milk ... most of my spends were going on buying lunch at work so I knocked that on the head and freed up cash to pay extra off the debts.

What format is your spending diary pls? is it a small notepad? I so need to do this.