Reeling from the Reality Check

Historybuff

Yes, INOD. I'm aiming to save up £3000 in the buffer fund. A long way to go yet!

Historybuff

First review of payment plan done. Payments staying the same with interest and charges still frozen. Relieved about that.
Loving the clean and tidy house. Quick wipe over and Hoover downstairs, then going to tackle two boxes of rubbish upstairs. Another carboot tomorrow with daughter this time, who is also trying to shed some clutter.
Sun's out, so going to have a couple of hours outside with book today. Only me in at the mo. Enjoying the peace and quiet!

grannyx2

Great news re your review.

Hope the car boot goes well x

sugarbaby125

Historybuff you have done a great job with the decluttering and cleaning of your house. It is really motivating you to raise money through the carboots and your home is cleaner, tidier and getting less and less cluttered. I think you will find that having a tidy, streamlined home, makes life a lot easier to deal with overall, as once the big cleaning jobs are done, it is just a case of keeping on top of it

Historybuff

Thanks granny and sugar. I feel so much better now that at least the downstairs is sorted. Well really there are only two rooms upstairs and the garage to organise now. I'm determined to stay on top of it when I go back to work next week. I'm always tired in the evenings, but am going to give myself a few jobs to do each day to stay on top of things. Say an hour and a half per day, that should do it.
Carboot was ok. £40 and daughter £45, so we were both pleased. Money we wouldn't have had otherwise and more stuff gone!
I've checked the bank and can only take £40 out. The rest has to stay in to pay the DDs. That means I have the grand total of £140 to last another 22 days. That's only £6.36 per day. I was in this predicament last month. I know we have been out and about a bit more, but we have been careful to do things that don't cost much money. We have a weekend away next weekend...cottage still to pay for and food and drink to pay for when there. OH is going to have to pay and I will pay my half out of next months pay.
Looking around now for what else I can sell!
I'm going to have to try to pace the money out more evenly when I get back to work. Anyone got any bright ideas?

Historybuff

I'm really worrying about how I'm going to manage for the rest of this month...

giblet1979

Really sorry it's stressful.

What do you have covered already i.e. can you meal plan from freezer / cupboards on a very 'back to basics' programme?
What do you predict you'll need for accommodation / spends on each of your occasions?
What, realistically, could you make from selling?
Can you cut back on other expenditure e.g. planned activities that can be rearranged, fuel etc? x

Pooky

I think I'd be telling my husband I was a bit short this month and could he cover the food shops. I appreciate you don't want him to know about the debt but he should at least have an inkling that you're struggling.

Historybuff

Thanks for reading and posting guys, I really appreciate it. I think we need another £350 to get though the month at least. OH is going to have to pay and I will repay half next month. Not happy, though that I'm getting in a cycle of borrowing and paying back each month. The buffer fund is a non starter too as it has gone again
Re food...we are already working our way though the food cupboard and freezer and I am shopping day to day rather than doing a big shop.
I have got an exercise bike I could get £50 for and a clarinet that I will try to sell for £120 on local selling sites. Fact is, I need to get more money coming in. Either that or even further reduce the outgoings and have as many NSD as possible.
NSD count from yesterday...1

in_need_of_direction

If you have a local music school, try advertising the clarinet on one of their boards. I wish there was something more I could add apart from a second job as a declutterer. I do however have faith in what you can achieve based on progress to date.