woah... are those MY finances??

stewby

Morning everyone. Thank you for your replies and for the advice as I am still very new to this money-saving adventure and am keen to know everything. (I like to know what I am dealing with and all the options I have).


Is there a way i can ask ninja-saving kat on here (i don't want to use the step up thread as it is specifically for september and is already very busy). Would a pm be best??


The plan is to give my dad the £100 to hold on to. He is brilliant as he will give it to me if we need food or petrol but not if it is "junk spends" but we are determined to succeed at this. (well... I am, I don't know if OH has realised the extent of the money saving yet).


Just like you Alex, I am also not a morning person although I like to blame the nightshifts (even though I only do two a week). This is why I am never on here in the mornings.


I have just received my first statement from my loan. Is there any way to overpay this?? They are charging me £70 a month interest. I have been paying £240.86 a month and only paid off £1000 in a year. That is just plain crazy!! I have this loan for another four years and I don't want to keep paying them all that money.


Oh... I have just read the accompanying letter and it says that I repaying a larger amount or repaying it early won't change how much I owe. Well, that just sucks.


So... the focus is on next. I need to get it paid off as soon as I can and then start on the credit card. Just need to keep repeating this to myself so I remember my goals.


I know this sounds like I am stupid but I had a loan from Mr S before and never realised that there was so much interest despite having that for three years (due to a car not because of my credit card).
On the plus side, it means that my brain is obviously switching to money-saving mode (hooray), however, it looks like I can't change my past actions (boo).

I am getting quite impatient now as I just want to get started but the 1st October is still six days away. Normally I am impatient for payday as I want to go shopping and spend all my money but this time it's so I can start saving. Must be because I am turning 30 next year and I'm getting old.


Hope everyone has a lovely day. I will be back later but for now, I am away to take my nephew to kindergym which involves me acting like a big kid. (some things never change).

jennikitten

chevalier wrote: »

nb there were 1000+ jobs advertised on monster for scotland.

I know that some will be unsuitable, but I am sure there is something out there for him even if it 'isn't' what he wants to do long term

http://jobsearch.monster.co.uk/jobs/?cy=uk&where=Scotland

Scotland is a big place!

stewby

It's all good. I am an optimist and as an optimist, I am convinced that a job for my OH is just around the corner. Especially now he ha actually applied for jobs rather than waiting for the companies to find him. (yes, I applied the same beliefs to my finances and I know it wasn't the best plan).


kindergym was a nightmare... although it was entertaining, trying to get a two year old to do anything is just impossible. Good job I get to hand him back afterwards.


I have been thinking for a while and I want an incentive to save (as well as paying off the debts obviously) so I was trying to think of something and then I looked at my floor. I have a "horrible" green carpet. I will be honest, it isn't that horrible I am just not a fan of green. It is in the living room, dining area, both hallways and the staircase. My Dad reckons it will cost about £1000 to get it all redone.
Part of me thinks that I should just "man up" and learn to like the green carpet but the other part of me thinks that, not only would I like a new carpet, the house will eventually sell better. (the carpet looks old and worn and has a big hole in it from where the old boiler used to sit. the hole is covered by our corner sofa at the moment).


Would it be fair to have this as a goal?? Not for now but as a reward for becoming debt free?? (personally I would love a holiday to new york as a reward but I feel a carpet would be money better spent).


Wow... another long diary post. This is beginning to look a lot like "war and peace" and I haven't even officially started yet.

Fmess

Hi stewby

I definitely think getting near the big 3 0 has an effect. I'm less than 18 months away now and feel I'll be a proper grown up when I turn 30 and should be more responsible and in control with my money.

That sounds a lot of interest for a loan. Do you mind if I ask who it is with? At least you now know it's worth paying the Next and cc first

I think a goal like a new carpet is a great idea! I'd love to renovate my house, so may aim for a new bathroom. Mine is very compact but has a stupid layout and the flooring and ceiling are peeling

I'm so focused on 1st October for the challenge that I'd nearly forgotten tomorrow is payday!! That's a first!!

stewby

Hi everybody.

Yeah, I think turning 30 makes you step back and analyse your life a bit. I know that I am luckier than most as I have managed to get on the property ladder (before it boomed) and my debt is due to my own inability to control myself. But it is still a bit of a wake-up call to how much i take my situation for granted.


My loan is with sainsburys. I spoke with my dad this evening and he has explained that i cannot change my loan as they had increased my initial amount to include the interest so I have actually paid about £3000 in the year and not £1000. (really should have paid more attention to the actual letter and not just look at the last bit). Yet another lesson learned for the future.


My payday isn't until next monday but my £400 goes in on the first of every month. I am feeling strangely positive (I haven't really felt like this in a while to be honest). I think it is because I have something other than work to focus on.


I think it is a good idea to try and make a goal. A new bathroom sounds brilliant Fmess. Ours isn't really needing done but the carpet has been annoying since I moved in (which is about 7 years now I think) but I have never budgetted anything for it. Too busy enjoying spending everything I earned. (I really wish there was an eye-rolling smilie on here for what I used to "know").


Only 6 days to go now. I think I will pm ninja-saving kat and see what she says about October. I might be on nightshifts when she starts the thread and sometimes I don't make it online as I am too busy sleeping. (No internet access at work).

Fmess

From what I've read I think NSK makes concessions for people on nightshifts or without internet, as several people have been on holiday or not been able to login and update everyday. I think it's more to make sure you keep track of your finances so as long as you login when you can and you keep a list of your progress on each challenge, you'll do fine.

Btw I'm an early bird (5.30am this morning without an alarm!) and am really enjoying being able to catch up on everyone's updates before I go to work

stewby

05:30 without an alarm?? That is not possible surely. I had to get up for 08:30, needed 4 alarms and still only just got up and dressed by 08:27.


Today has been a reasonably low spend day. Got a bargain on lasagne white sauce!! Instead of £1.95 for a small jar, it was £1.30 for a family sized jar. OH is heading out to buy an onion later. We also had to buy some milk so not that horrendous on the pennies really, considering that I was unsupervised.


Tonight is lasagne night (my favourite homemade meal). We are going to make enough for three meals each and freeze some which will help save us money in the long run. Our well-stocked freezer is beginning to run down which is a shame as that means we will have to make another "flukey" run to tescimos.


Hope this diary isn't too boring for anyone. I am afraid there is never really much excitement in my life (well, none that isn't bound by a confidentiality clause). I am enjoying reading other people's diaries and find them all fascinating.

cottage_retreatist

Hey stewby!

Lasagne is my favourite food too!!
You could save the 1.30 next time (good buy) and make the white sauce yourself? Just flour and butter mixed in a saucepan (equal quantities) then add milk to it, allow it to thicken and there you go - white sauce!!! Should only cost about 40-80p depending on quantities of sauce and lasagne you are making!

My OH used to buy white sauce but then I told him off and now we make it together!!!

Reading other peoples' diaries is great for motivation and new ideas I think and also lets you know you're not alone cause sometimes this debt-busting thing gets a bit lonely (for me) so it's great to know I can pop in here and have a chat - everyone is so friendly and supportive too!!!

Enjoy your lasagne!
x

[Deleted User]

"Luxuries" add up to £1,024 pa. :eek:

You need to cut that.

stewby

Thanks for your responses. It has been a very productive day.


Unfortunately, I cannot cut any of the luxuries as I am in contracts with each company. I can't cut the t.v licence unless I get a black and white tv.


So... today. Woke up at an unearthly hour to go and babysit my nephew which was fun. After that, I dropped off some cereal to my cousin that I had gotten at half price.


Have just finished the lasagne. It was perfect. Made one portion for tonight (which is eaten), two portions for the freezer and a portion for my mum so I got brownie points as well.


D-day is getting closer now. I am really looking forward to the challenge but am beginning to get more nervous as I realise the enormity of what I am doing. Will remain positive though as it can be done (as the diaries on here prove).