oh my life...... Light Bulb moment.

MiMi66

Oh if only I had a granny to sell!! Ha! I do so know what you mean about being the poor friend and relative - I too avoid social events if it may lead to unexpected spending, haven't even been to the movies much which is something I adore, and not a pub clubby drinker smoker person so none of that features in my life. But I do like films and books....(Amazon have so helped me contribute to my debt accumulation!).

You are in Devon too? At least we have beautiful contryside around us - I went to Killerton yesterday - second hand book stall there - deep joy.

I wish my signature looked like your signature :-) One day.... I have too many zero's.

sistafromanothermista

Hey Mimi, just wanted to say well done on getting the debt down . X

blossom36

MiMi66 wrote: »

Oh if only I had a granny to sell!! Ha! I do so know what you mean about being the poor friend and relative - I too avoid social events if it may lead to unexpected spending, haven't even been to the movies much which is something I adore, and not a pub clubby drinker smoker person so none of that features in my life. But I do like films and books....(Amazon have so helped me contribute to my debt accumulation!).

You are in Devon too? At least we have beautiful contryside around us - I went to Killerton yesterday - second hand book stall there - deep joy.

I wish my signature looked like your signature :-) One day.... I have too many zero's.

Hi MiMi66 & Sellurgranny - just thought I would say hello! From another single mum with teens here in lovely east Devon!
Well done MiMi for tackling your debts - I have had a DMP for over 2 years and at least 5 to go unless I get a windfall!
Sending support and a hug!

MiMi66

sistafromanothermista wrote: »

Hey Mimi, just wanted to say well done on getting the debt down . X

Thanks for checking back in with me! Howis your debt repayment going? (would you like some of mine?:o:rotfl:) Happy to share..... Sadly this month I have gone backwards - first time in the 6 months of the debt repayment task - I feel gutted and so cross with myself - just was so hoping to get below the magic £20000 - sadly it will take another 2 months. Tomorrow I will be paying off one 0% balance - but I built the same plus more up on my using card and have just now balance transfered it. Thenice girl onthephone asked if I wanted to have a cash balance transfer - I just about snorted, passed out, resisted saying 'yes give me the money', and politely explained my situation (trying to be up front).

All I can say is thank god I am on antidepressants and my emotions are buffered! I'd be howling in the corner if not for those magic serotonin pills. Just wish I could get free prescriptions!

MiMi66

blossom36 wrote: »

Hi MiMi66 & Sellurgranny - just thought I would say hello! From another single mum with teens here in lovely east Devon!
Well done MiMi for tackling your debts - I have had a DMP for over 2 years and at least 5 to go unless I get a windfall!
Sending support and a hug!

Hi There Blossom 36 - Devon Debtors aren't we . I'm doing the 5-7 year haul as well! So grim to think I will be in my 53 ish before i am debt free - But I will do it. So you are two years in - well done, and a single parent too - makes it a lonely journey doesn't it.

I did cave in and buy some lottery tickets in the last two big Euromillions - waste of money for me - should have paid it back onto the credit card. Didn't win anything..... my wise 14 year said, is the lottery gambling Mum?, in that 'should you really be doing that Mum?' tone he has.....

Bah.

I am going to try really tight budgeting this month - do the note book thing and jot down everythng I spend. The using CC has gone away in the cupboard and I will be a cash person this month and try to manage things tightly. I have two weeks were on or other of the children will be away and I will try hard to be very frugal at home - that way I can maybe give them both some spending money for their trips.

I wonder how much other people budget for food and household each week for a family of three (I guess my girl is an adult now so that is me at 46, and an 18 and a 14 year old.)

I get so tempted to go for an IVA but it just sounds so scary....

Sellurgranny

Hi mimi & blossom, yes Im in Devon too. Mimi I havent been to Killerton before - is it nice? I managed to find a really good deal on National Trust membership before xmas last year so we've been using that alot to visit all the NT places in Devon & Cornwall. Desperate to get to St Michaels Mount this summer but everytime we think about going, either the castle or garden isnt open

Re. my sig, mimi, like I said, once I've done the unsecured debt I've got to start on the secured debt which consists of a mortgage reserve account which is HUMUNGUS and a HUGE legal aid bill... the joys of getting divorced eh?

Have photographed some stuff to go on fleabay tonight, been a bit lax with all that lately, just selling a few bits when I need to. I also have a garage full of stuff I dont need which I really really need to do a car boot sale with. Not sure how I'll fit it all in a fiesta though! Maybe have to do two.

Last day at work today before the weekend, its been a difficult week so I'll be glad to see the back of it.

Good luck mimi, blossom, sista, hope you and everyone else is having a good debt busting week!

MiMi66

Hi All! I love your little donkey sellurgranny - is he a Devon Donkey Sanctuary one? Yes indeed divorce costs a bundle - never wise on that front for the average person - I paid my ex out of the house, so my mortgage is a lot larger than it was when we were married. I wonder if I will ever pay the whole thing off or just sellup and buy a cardboard box for retirement....

So I am in payment mode here - salary in - payments out, back to bust all in 12 hours!

Plus trying to fund a few treats for the kids - nothing big at all. My son is off on hhis Duke of Edinburgh walk this weekend, and my daughter is going on a trip with friends. I'll be scrapping the barrel to cover things but will think of cheaper meals to tide us over I think.

I love the National Trust, but the renewal has just come in at full price - ouch!! I think I will cancel it and rejoin at one of the sites for a cheaper price when we are there - take advantage of the deals they offer at the gate. Killertonis so lovely - a really accessible house and nice gardens, second hand book stall and cafe.

Off now to ammend my signature with my new totals - including the nasty new extra balance transfer.

blossom36

Hope all going well Mimi and SellUrGranny. Mimi, I thought about IVA too but I figured I wouldnt be much better off - still takes years!
I find the food planning the worst.... Shopping takes ages because I have to buy what I can afford rather than what I would like. I have tried online food shopping but I,m not much better at that. Need to get more disciplined on the food front.

Keep up the good work! Devon Debt Busters :rotfl:I like that!

Sellurgranny

Hello all, hope the debt busting is going well for everyone.....
including the Devon debtbusters posse :rotfl:

Haven't had much going on with my debt recently, just plod plod plodding. Managed to pay off another CC debt entirely ...which reminds me I must update sig. Did this through extra ebay sales in the last two weeks.

Not much left to sell on ebay now but with school holidays coming up (I work term time so nearly time to hang up my work shoes and don the flip flops :cool:) Im going to write a list of other ways of making money.

• Car boot sale to clear the garage of two years worth of car boot clutter
  
• Sort and take clothes to Cash 4 clothes

• Although not making money, definately saving it.... get to grips with my Kenwood Chef which I bought myself at xmas with money I was given. It sits proudly on the worktop gathering dust atm. Its got so many attachments I dont know quite where to start but Im determined to try out the icecream maker attachment.

List is ongoing ...... so anyone got any other good ideas for money making tasks??

Hope you're all enjoying this lovely weather x

MiMi66

Hi Sellurgranny and Blossum.... Devdebts!

I too am thinking of embracing my Kitchen aid that Ibought last year....gift to self - mad woman really. Was before that infamous light bulb moment - oddly I still can't bring myself to regret this particular purchase :-) I love it - and like your Kenwood my Kitchen Aid sits in proud place - and I do make good use of it normally but have been a bit lax lately. I do recall actually paying for it rather than adding to the debt - however I think every food shop went onmy credit card that month so I was kidding myself. It is a very pretty Cider Apple colour....

My foodshopping has got to be the place I next really try to rein in as well Blossum - I will start next pay day with a monthly budget that I worked out tonight - I am already at broke point this month
:-/ My notion is to spread what is left of my salary post paying CC repayments, over food, clothes, entertainment and petrol. It will breakdown soemthing like this -
Food and household items, and Pet food - 300 a month - 70 a week
Petrol - 120 a month (ouch)
Entertainment - 100 a month - this includes pocket money, movies, and miscellaneous sums that my son eeks out me....
Clothes, haircuts and shoes - 100 a month for the three of us - I thought I would try to focus on one child one month, then the other the next month, and scrimp a bit for me - my clothes are looking tatty....and I've gained weight....so the things that aren't tatty won't go around me....

In terms of making money to pay off debt, ho hum, am struggling on that one - I have put things on ebay to no avail - noone buying any of it. I ahve signed up to do extra shifts - but working fulltime already doesn't give me much spare time to do this.

And a big grump tonight is that I got home from a busy day - pottered in the evening sunshine, lovely lovely lovely - went in to make exotic dinner of beans on toast, and opened the fridge to find it all rancid and horrible - fridge must have died last night, and it appears terminal - heaps of food gone off with the heat..... So fed up with it that I can't even think ... I have spent the evening looking on line for a fridge that will fit the particular space I have - need a fridge only one, larder style, but everything is too big to fit in the gap or too small for purpose!X Except the ones that are nearly £600...of course!

I have been holding back $500 for summer fun money with the kids - guess where that is now going to have to go? - @&%$!***?:P Rude words....

So - apart from selling my organs, I have no other ideas right now! Just joking :-)

Nice to know I am not the only one out here being a broke - ideas for free summer fun welcome here!

Please let the sun keep shining as it does seem to help my mood - smiling in the face of adversity:-)

Bye for now :-)