Time to be completely honest

Sea78

Hi all,

I've decided to stop posting on my other thread as it's not really debt related and I understand that it might be more appropriate to continue it on the mse relationships forum.

I have also had what i think it yet ANOTHER lb moment as I have realised that while I've been going throug the motions of the DMP I'm on, and meeting the needs of saving etc., I've also managed to waste a lot of money that could also be used to save towards debt/spending on IMPORTANT things rather than frivilous(sp?) things. I feel a bit rubbish about myself generally and think that a clean slate would be good - so I'm posting my SOA, but please note that this is based ont he CCCS budget given to me so I don't debt anymore, but am frustrated with myself that certain things are happening that I could stop and so raise my DMP payment! For example, one thing that's happened recently is that (and I'm really ashamed of this) with the stress of the poss divorce with OH, I have started smoking more regularly again - fortunately this is cut down as I only smoke once kids are in bed and then outside and as this is lancs it's often foul weather!! This is going to STOP and I am giving up as of right now!! OH is also giving up too. (which is a nice surprise )

This will mean that we'll have an extra £75 :eek: a month to go to the DMP - which will cut TWO AND A HALF YEARS off our dfd!! WOW!

So SOA:

Mortgage: £556
Water: £39
Council Tax: 108
Gas: £60 - this and electric is savings as I'm currently waiting for our first bill - we moved in last August!!!
Electric - £60
House ins - £25 - a lot, but need to save for August, will look around now to get an idea for how much I need to save.
BT line - £12.50 - am ringing to cancel the stupid number viewing thing I got charged for this month so this will be going down to just line rental.
Vodaphone - Oh's mobile - £25.
T-Mobile - my mobile - £35.00 - will be cut down, but have another 6 months before i can downgrade and 12 before I can cancel
TV License - 11.37
Broadband - my wonderful mum bought me this for my bday!
British Gas Cover - £16
LIfe ins - £14.60 (joint)
Childcare -
DD - £150 - ends in July
DS - was 220, but now through childcare vouchers - 160 - need to update CCCS about this I think tomorrow.
Servicing/spares - car - £20 (savings)
Road tax - £11
Car ins - £50
Fuel - £80 - average but will fall once DD starts school as nursery 13 mile round trip.
Food - for 4 & nappies etc - £315 - I do it for less than this but CCCS allow this amount and I'm happy as it means i can do little things with the kids etc as well as getting beer (won't start that one again) etc.
Meals at work - £42 - for me & OH but we don't use this - we've been using it as a dip fund to cover ourselves. Should stop really as this would cut 15 months off DFD :eek:
Clothes - £60
Hair savings - £8
Prescription savings - 11 - save for the prepay thingy.
NUT - £9.10
Dentists saving- £5
Christmas savings - £20
Birthdays/cards/gifts etc savings - £20
Reapayments to CCCS - £292 (to be slightly altered because of sorting out other things)

TOTAL outgoings:
2415.57
Incomings: CB./TC/My salary/Ohs salary:
2416
Will go up due to more tax credits as my salary has reduced massively. Will contact CCCS accordingly.


Basically, I wanted to just get it all down and then examine what exactly I need to do tomorrow to make things better and bring my dfd closer. Whether my circumstances change further down the line is another matter, what is important is right now and whether I can begin to take control. Since starting on the antid's I just feel a little numb and not really bothered about things so I want to grasp it all and pull it all together!!

Thanks for reading this essay - sorry for the ramblings!

Sea xxx

jo1972

Hey Sea,

Just wanted to say, join my giving up smoking thread, we need all the support we can get!!

Good luck!

Jo.x

sammy115

Sea, sorry I am too tired to read your SOA, really really sorry, but wanted to give you a !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!{HUG}}}}}}}}}}}}and say not to worry about the smoking. You have been through a lot lately.

I promise I will look at your SOA tomorrow, although why I think I'll be of any use I will never know!

taxi73

Hi Sea well done on posting your Soa...I don't know anything about DMPS but the budget seems quite generous....I would save whatever I could of this budget in an isa and I think maybe a spending diary would help too.You will probably have money left over from your gas and electric if they allow you £60 p/m for each one.Giving up smoking also makes a big difference so well done on that as well...some more knowledgeable people will be along shortly or in the morning..good luck

hypno06

Hi Hunny, great idea to put up a new SOA (although I can't talk as I have never posted one yet!! - what's that about "do as I say, not as I do"!!!!!)

Anyway, it all looks pretty good to me, and the positive thing is that there are ways you have highlighted which will shave a significant amount off your DFD. Eg 15 months off by not having the meals at work budget - wow!! I would set up a standing order to a savings account (opened through quidco of course) for £42 which is there for a real emergency fund but if left untouched can be used for a lump sum debt payment when it reaches an appropriate amount. Think of the buzz it would give you to make a lump payment!

Stay strong, stay positive, and you will get there. Good luck with the smoking. I hope OH sticks with it too.

x

Sea78

Thanks everyone. I'm going to ring CCCS for a little review of everything - that's a good idea on the £42 as then I do have an emergency fund for whatever might come up, as well as all the other savings pots for when the kids need new shoes, clothes, school uniform etc and the car ins has just been paid for fully so that's good!

The council tax has gone down £4 (due to paying it off over a longer time), water by £16, DS chlidcare £60 and the cigs £75 so can afford to pay £155 more into the DMP each month - WOW! Will just go check on snowball calculator to see when it'll be paid off (ignoring the rising charges and interest still being applied on some!) -
So from the oringial July 2028 when I started the DMP in March, it's now Dec 2017 and now with the extra money it will be April 2014!!!!! Fantastic!!:j That's defintely an incentive to not buy any more cigs I still have some in the cupboard.....can't bring myself to throw them out yet....

As well as the savings for the things we'll need (car tax etc) I also have a little emergency fund already but what I thought I'd do with that is to start saving and try to get as much as possible for a big lump sum, or see if over the next year or so if I could then bring the DFD forward even more. I think when I started the DMP I just relaxed and didn't really concentrate on DFW ways really as it was being paid off, but now I think this isn't the best way to be! I'm going to really tackle this debt and try to sort it asap!

My dad gave me some money(£250- I am v lucky)last week, but has ordered me to only spend it on myself and not on the kids, the hosue, or the debt!! He obviously knows me too well. So I am going to use it to go for a work meal this friday (total costs £30?) and then for a wedding in August as I have to get a hotel room for me and the kids although a friend is sharing with me so that halves the cost and the present, petrol to get there etc. So that's good, as a lot of my old friends are going and I really wanted to go, and now I can!

I also have some money in Paypal so will transfer some over to the special debt account and might add it to my sig so I can see how much I have saved in that...

I did something very naughty last week which was to join Slimming World again and pay for a countdown (£50 :eek: in total). It took some of my olympic challenge money (see what I mean about not being DFW!!). So it's paid for another 11 weeks and I'll see how I'm going then. If I really go for it I could be nearly at target by then and then it's free! Even more incentive to loose the weight.

I was going to buy a new outfit for friday :rolleyes: but actually I've got one in the wardrobe so I'm going to dig it out today and iron it etc all ready now so I won't need to waste money! Silly thinking really! I do need to get my boots reheeled though - will take them into town today when it stops raining. They should be less than a fiver and will last a lot longer. I guess that will come out of the clothes budget for this month.

Anyway, I seem to be on a waffle mission att he moment so I'll stop and try to ring CCCS!

Sea xxx

Sea78

Rang CCCS - they are soooo wonderufl
I have no got a DFD of Jan 2014!!! There were a few areas I could shave little bits off and so now have a monthly debt repayment of £464 - the mobile phones have been reduced, as have the water rates, council tax, ds childcare, cigs and I think I must have made an error in my earlier SOA as have more money than I thought! Will update it once I get the new outlined budget from CCCS.

Come August, I'll be able to up it by another £150 due to dd's childcare finishing

Feeling so much better for starting this thread and getting to grips (again!!) with the debt.

Also chased up OH regarding the free counselling through his work. we now just need to ring and get an appointment. That is good as we get 6 free sessions. Hopefully it will be enough for now!

Got a library letter today and have a horrible feeling I've lost the book (sigh). So will have to pay for that. AND Oh has 'misplaced' one of the dvds from Lovefilm, which has meant i didn't cancel it in time to avoid the fees (three moneths free) so I think I'll have to cancel and pay for the missing DVD grrrrrrrr. So much for trying to save money!

Sea xx

hypno06

That DFD is fantastic! I am so glad that things are looking up for you x

Lucy1982_2

Hi Sea.

Don't worry about spending money joining Slimming World. I'm a member to and while it's not moneysaving there are something you just need to do. And you've done so well spending a little on yourself is ok.

Just remember it will all be worth it in the end.

Good Luck x

Lara44

Hey Sea

Just wanted to say you're doing really well! It takes a lot of energy to be doing 100% DFW all the time, don't worry if you make a few slips here and there. Especially for something like slimming world, that's really going to benefit you hugely.

Good luck

Lara

Sea78

Oh thank you It is going to hopefully make me feel so much better about myself so fingers crossed it does! I am determined to do it this time - I think you have to be in that frame of mind though and it's taken me a while to get here!! Same with the DFW ways as well perhaps?

Off to town soon to post some bit and pieces (cost quite a bit, but I already put the money aside for it as a friend just had her baby ) and get a card and look for a shoe reheelers - what are they called? Cobblers! That's it!


Sea xx