New here, feels like confessional :-(

hypno06

Excellent marks for effort this week!

You will soon get into the routine of things and being a DFW becomes a way of life.

No longer will you need nights out, because you will resent every minute that you are not able to log on to MSE and will be staying in with a bottle of wine by your side joining in the Friday night party or whatever!

Shopping will become a doddle, as you hunt the freebies board, and get discount codes for online shopping, managing to buy most of Boots for just 50p!

You will get hooked on cooking Old Style way, and using stardrops and soda crystals and will amaze your friends at how shiny your sink is!

Welcome to the wonderful world of DFW. We have you hooked. Leave at your own risk.....:rotfl:

blackangeluk

:dance: Yay - thank you!!! I may even make myself a badge :rotfl:

hypno06

blackangeluk wrote: »

:dance: Yay - thank you!!! I may even make myself a badge :rotfl:

Now you're just getting ahead of yourself a bit!!

Ytaya

blackangeluk wrote: »

:dance: Yay - thank you!!! I may even make myself a badge :rotfl:

Only if you use cardboard from a cereal packet, freebie pens and the pin from a freebie badge :rotfl:

Bimble_2

aliroo wrote: »

Blackangeluk

can I just say, I think you are amazing. you have sorted all of your money sitch out and can now see light at the end of the tunnel.

Just think...............you could get a career out of sorting out finances, wanna start with me?

Honestly though, well done to you and don't feel down if your DH is having a moan, thats a man thing!!!

keep up the good work.

Crikey! I was just thinking the same thing! haha Way to go Blackangel! Its great to see you so positive, Excellent!
Also i think the baby bonds thing is a good idea, you might feel a little bad about it at the mo.. BUT just think of how much you can bung in there when your debts are under control (or gone)

Well done you! Brilliant start! :T

auntie_brenda

blackangeluk wrote: »

:rotfl:

I have been on the fantastic MSE Budget Planner (did I say I love this site?) and have put everything into the planner, and I mean all the bits I don't normally count, hair cuts, leg wax, school dinners, car tax and have a figure after all those and food and all bills we have £443.70 per month to live on. Considering the amount we earn it isn't huge but considering the amount of debt I can pay off it is fantastic and manageable. Well done! It's not the debts that do us in, it's the leg waxes!!! Seriously, it's these expenses that we forget about that muck up the budgets

Have also checked out our mortgage which has been stressing me. Currently with the Halifax, fixed rate ends in Oct 07. Have decided to change to another deal for a 2 years fixed period but paying interest only and will cost me £280 less than I am paying now. By staying with the Halifax it means no additional fees which is the last thing I need right now. I can then pay my debt off at £780 a month instead, increasing to £1100 in Sept 07 (DS starts school and leave nursery :j ), which means my DFD is even better. By the time debts are paid off we can then reduce our mortgage to 15 years and pay far more than we are now. Crikey, the mortgage free board won't know wthat's hit them!!!

I have totted up we are paying £234 in payment insurance/life insurance etc which is shocking and I have decided to visit the insurance broker instead of e-mailing. Why use a broker? You're so well organised you can do it all yourself - check out Martin's advice.

Also reluctantly decided to stop the £20 per month to the children's baby bond and resume it when we are debt free. I'm sure they will benefit in the long term from us having no debts than us putting £20 a month away and struggling...is this really cruel. No, it's silly to pay out on interest charges and save at the same time. Stop paying and treat this as another debt, except this debt will increase every month. When all the other debts are clear pay this one back.

Best news is we have Sky+ and Sky have announced they are axing the £10 a month charge - so savings made straightaway. Why do you need sky when you have us :rotfl:

I cannot believe it, the relief is immeasurable. Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!

So my May 2007 resolutions are:-

1) Stick to budget
2) Any money left over every week goes in our huge whiskey jar, we have holiday booked and paid for but need spending money, do not intend to get into debt for spending money. last year I took my spending diary on holiday and wrote down a daily budget and everything I spent. DK why but I got a real buzz from it, just sad I guess.
3) Have one social night per month and put away £10 from our weekly budget for this Do you live in/near a city? there's a web site called 5pm or something similar where you can book cheap restaurant deals.
4) STOP living beyond my means
5) Never leave for work without my packed lunch

Off to finish a bottle of wine now, I feel ace.

Cheers to you all, have a fab weekend :beer:

Will try to post quickly before you appear to say you have just sorted out the national debt and the Palestinian crisis before playing in the cup final .

What an incredible amount you have achieved!!!! Well done!!!!!!!!!!!

blackangeluk

Thank you - I feel fab!

Am sat here waiting for my friend to pick me up for the exhibition, flask of tea made, DH is currently making cheese and tuna mayo sandwiches (not together of course!), made some cakes last night and taking the last two yoghurts out of the fridge. My purse contains enough money for the car park! All sorted and intention today to spend car pakr money or less - yay :j

My finger has been hovering over the cancel DD button re Baby Bonds but I have just done it - £20 a month better off, now can pay £520 towards my debts.

Will go check out Martin's advice re insurance policies, that is my task for tonight.

I think my DH thinks I am having an affair on the computer :rotfl:

pink_fairy_7

Hi ba-uk
Just read your whole thread and wanted to say well done. You've really had your lightbulb moment. Welcome to MSE....eek life will never be the same.

pf x

tealady

Having read your thread I am amazed at how much you have achieved in such a short time. Don't forget that moneysaving is so we can treat ourselves occasionally (cheaply of course!!). I have been slipping a bit money saving wise but you have given me the motivation to get back on track. Well done.

blackangeluk

Hello, I'm back after hopefully a successful day advertising our business :-)

I spent a whole £1.60 today and even got a free bacon butty out of my friend. Have stopped automatically offering to pay for things and offer to do 50/50 instead, instead of making me feel pathetic I feel kind of empowered.

DH managed to do the weekly shop in £50 and has entertained the kids relatively cheaply as well. Hopefully money free day tomorrow as well which will mean that this is probably the cheapest weekend I have ever had :beer:

Hope you all had a lovely day today.

p.s. checked out the insurance tips and I am going to set aside Monday night to research the insurance position and hopefully save a considerable amount of money.