DFW, Frugal living and general life diary

mummy-of-2-boys

Hi everyone. i've been lurking many of the threads and boards on here for a while now, and decided to join up today so i can finally post as i have finally had my LBM ... im due to give birth to my second child at the end of the year so i need to get on the straight and narrow regarding finances. i live with my partner and our son. with christmas looming im starting to panic im really behind this year and i don't have a penny saved. just a low income with debt and a second baby on the way. im scared im stressed and in starting to panic .... i need to get this sorted for myself and my family. in not sure exactly of our income or our total debt amount ... so this is the first thing i need to sort out. i have joined a few threads to help me on my journey. i have bills that are due to be paid with virtually no money in the bank im not even sure if i will have enough to cover them .... what have i done...... i need to change this before it gets any worse i can't sleep at night ! .... since being pregnant finances have just gone haywire ... i used to keep on top of it all really well ... and then when i fell pregnant purely from not keeping on top of our income and outgoings we ended up in debt through overspending....... its not even on stuff for the baby. it was due to running out of money and needing to buy food or running out of electric. it needs to change and im determined i can and will do it with all of your wonderful guidance and support. im off to bed shortly but will try and work out our income outgoings and total debt amount tomorrow ..

mum2one

youve taken the first step, it sounds like youve got everything on your plate, I would say take one step at a time,
1st step - Do a statement of affairs (incoming and outgoing)
2nd step - look at threads that suit what you need, -

A quick thought off top of my head, if your struggling re xmas shopping, (money tight) just say with the baby due in Jan, that youve got a lot going on, and that your just going to buy the kids - maybe family - say same but if you to want to buy set an amount or look at home made/ hampers / etc
xx

DebtFree2012

I couldn't read and run. As mum2one says, first step done

Welcome to the DF diaries and keep posting and you will get some wonderful advise and support.

Congratulations and please please don't let debt ruin your pregnancy memories. Enjoy it, believe me I know you will regret it otherwise.

Things will come good in the end. Oh and for sure, don't spend at xmas, 1 gift each, limit the amount and tell everyone else baby is more important Frugal xmas' are great fun!

xxx

mummy-of-2-boys

thankyou both. i was about to do a SOA but tbh i dont know what our outgoings are other than the bills so most of it would be a guess. i was going to start with doing a spending diary for the month and go from there.
i took LO blackberry picking and for a walk across the fields today ... think we are going to go to the park tomorrow and grandparents friday so all no spend ...
the debt is made up of catalogues, a provident loan and 1 credit card ,,, compared to many on here its not huge but due to DP recently loosing his job unexpectedly we need to get it sorted as money is about to become even tighter ... things were pretty tight before. i will do it though .... hopefully before baby arrives or not long after....

we have listed some stuff for sale so hopefully that will sell ..... every penny will go towards paying the debt off ....

i've been looking at using cloth nappies for when baby arrives to keep costs down and will be breastfeeding (obv if i cant then i wont) but im determined to try

LO is staying at his nans friday night so think i will look into all the monthly bills and see what i can get rid of .... we also have a large pickle jar full of coppers that needs to be cashed in ....

off to search the forum for any tips and advice off other posters and will see if their is a thread that will help me become more organised again... i used to be so organised before i fell pregnant and then it all went pear shaped.

TIA for all your advice x

mummy-of-2-boys

update.

NSD today ...

my total debt :

Littlewoods : £194.49p (0%)
very : £309.32p (0% untill 18th july 2014)
credit card :£401.84p (0% on julys statement but this is due to end soon think interest is added from august)
provident loan 1 : £173.00 (including interest)
provident loan 2 : £173.00 (including interest)
TOTAL DEBT : £1251.65p

i understand that too many this isn't a huge amount but with DP recently losing his job and a second child on the way it needs to be sorted ASAP ..

chevalier

Try not to panic.
First of all has OH signed on? Have you told anyone you get benefits from that you circumstances have changed? Does it now entitle you to anything else, like sure start grant money and vouchers.

Do you have a credit union near you that you could borrow the money off. Some have specific criteria regarding lending to people to pay of pay day loans.

Well done on sorting out what all your debts are. If you were my daughter I would be very upset with you if you didn't ask for a loan for that much, when it was causing you so much upset when you were pregnant. Is there any chance either of your parents could lend you the money and you pay it back at your pace?

Do you have any old gold you could sell to pay back the money? Even though the gold price has dropped a fair bit this year, it might still bring in a tidy sum.

The next task is to cut your cloth, so that you don't get back into debt. So for clothes eg sign up for freecycle and freegle if you need baby clothes, or other things for the baby. Ebay/ gumtree for cloth nappies second hand. Can save a fortune. Or maybe ask your parents to buy them?

I agree with another poster with regards xmas. Say you are concentrating on being ready for the baby, so just buying for kids this year. Or be even more up front, and say sorry can't afford to buy more than token presents because of OH losing his job. YOu may find sighs of relief all round, at less unnecessary spending.

Good luck
chev

beanielou

Happy shiny new diary.
Keep posting.

beanielou

Yes, agree with other posters.
Do not worry about Christmas.
JUst a lot of commercialised twaddle in my opinion.
Just buy a few bits and bobs for the one wee you have.
Credit union a great idea.

mummy-of-2-boys

Thanks all im very grateful. we have an appointment booked at CAB tomorrow so hopefully they will be able to help. im not sure what we are entitled to. we have no savings. family aren't able to help with the debt and TBH i wouldn't expect them too. we will sort it. im really greatful to this website and forum as there is some great tips and advice. if we knew DP's job was at risk we wouldn't of planned to have another child when we did but its happened and now we are dealing with it best we can. im visiting a relative to today in hospital. my nana she had a stroke earlier in the week so have been spending a lot of time making sure she is ok.

i have all the babies stuff already luckily brought it all before DP lost his job ... this was purely because i like to be organised.

we have been having a clearout and listing stuff for sale so hopefully the items will sell

think thats it for now ...

mummy-of-2-boys

hi everyone. hope you are all well.

i have been slowly chipping away at the debt, think i need to start posting daily with spends or no spends to help me keep track so will do this as of tomorrow.

not a lot to update on, i finally have all of LO's uniform for school

have everything for baby except a cot ... but we have been given a moses basket so can use this to begin with.

on DP's job front he has applied for so many jobs since i last posted that i have lost count but hasn't heard anything back from any of them yet.

i have been paying provident at £10 each a week (just over the amount they ask for) so this is slowly decreasing

littlewoods is £158.34
very is £305.37
provident is £286 for both
credit card is around £350

small dents have been made which is better than nothing although i must try harder ... we are still awaiting to here back to weather we are entitled to any help while DP is unemployed.

beanielou

You are doing well.
Keep plodding