Reeling from the Reality Check

Historybuff

Thanks for your interest guys. I'm sure it will work out. New day today. Lots to do to take my mind off money worries!

in_need_of_direction

Btw, been meaning to ask, how's your daughter's business going?

DippityDooDah

Hi HB,

I have been following your diary with interest, you are doing so well, and I love that you are decluttering your house as well as your finances. Your whole way of facing this has changed from he beginning of your diary until now.

I know that you don't want your OH to know about the amount of debt, but could you ask him to contribute an amount each month to the budget, it would go towards food/mortgage etc, but would maybe give you a bit of leeway in your budget to build your emergency fund or just pay off some of your debt? Just a thought, but you didn't get into debt on your own, you did it by subsidising your family over the years.

keep up the good work,

DDD
x

sugarbaby125

Historybuff wrote: »

Thanks INOD and BB, I'll certainly have a look at those sites. Grocery shop was £13.47. Stuck to necessities. Going to do an hour and a half of tidying and cleaning tonight before having a long soak in a lovely bubble bath. Already helped OH move seven bags of garden waste to the trailer. It's amazing how much bigger the garden looks! Mr next door is helping OH cut down the massively overgrown bushes on his side of the fence tomorrow, so when I get home from work the side of the house will be clear and three new fence panels that we rescued from other neighbour's garden will be up! Things are moving.
I'm psyching myself up to ask OH to borrow £250 till next payday. Before I do that I'm seeing if I can sell the exercise bike and clarinet. I have also sorted out some scrap gold I can take in to the shop in town. Also crossing my mind is that I could pawn my decent jewellery. I'm a bit shocked that I have even thought that!

Hi Historybuff,
with regards your scrap gold, the highest price you could possibly obtain is from hatton garden. Google them. I got this advise from MSE and even though I live in London, Hatton Garden is still too far so I just post the gold to them special delivery. Pre weigh your scrap gold, so you know the exact weight. Good luck!:j

Historybuff

Thanks for the helpful comments everyone. INOD, the daughters business is going OK. This time of year is always hard, but she will be on the run up to Christmas soon. I'm not helping her so much now, she's much more independent and getting other people to stand in on the stall when necessary etc. And sugar, thanks for the advice re Hatton Garden.
Well, I stuck to what I had planned and did a couple of hours of tidying and cleaning last night. Even changed the beds and got the washing done. That was due to not turning the TV on! Maybe I should start to pick programmes I want to watch and only turn it on then. I bet I would gain so much time to do stuff, lol! Got to do a bit of food shopping today, a few more essentials and cheese to take with us to the cottage this weekend. I'm aiming to spend no more than £20, less if I can.
Got to run now, work is calling. I've been decluttering the office there too!

Historybuff

Had to spend a bit more than the planned £20 on four bottles of wine, cheese,grapes and snacks for cottage weekend. No more spending, though, as everything else is covered. Looking forward to a chilled weekend chatting, reading, drinking wine and eating and relaxing...

Historybuff

Great weekend. Came back chilled and relaxed. Didn't spend any additional cash either, so even better.
Getting the stuff to sell up on the websites this week, so should be a bit more solvent at the weekend. Going to see daughter on Sat and got tickets to music gig for Sun. OH paid for them ages ago and is paying for the diesel to get there. 14 days to payday. Got to buy a few groceries today...can't spend any more than £10 on essentials.

Historybuff

I'm confused! I logged into the bank on Friday to work out how much available money I had left for the rest of the month and thought I could only draw out £50, which I did. I've been panicking that I haven't enough to see me through to 23rd, so just checked back in today and have worked out there is £387.56 left available as well as the £37 I have in my purse! I can only think that the bank must have already have committed today's DDs and SOs on Friday. Anyway, it was a great surprise and I might even be able to save a bit in the buffer fund! Yay! Great feeling being more flush than I thought!

Puzzcat

Hi HB,


Glad you had a good weekend and didn't need to spend any extra pennies.. always good...


And good news on the extra available money.. It can be confusing when the banks take dd's etc early when you are not expecting it.. I keep a very old fashioned system of writing it all in a pad, so on payday I add my wages to any leftovers.. very small usually and then write every dd and so that's due to come out and any additional transactions that I may have made and keep a running total, I then divide up the leftovers into my pots and what is left is mine to spend.. very little usually... I assume you have a much more technical version, ynab seems to be very popular but I think i'll stick to my pad and pen...!!


Hope you have a fab week and don't spend all that extra in one go..!!!


Puzz. x

Historybuff

Thanks Puzz, I definitely am not going to spend all the money! In fact, I'm going to try to save as much of it as I can. Been doing the personal admin today and car tax and insurance is due at the end of Sept, so it's needed for that. Five of the eight payment plans have been reviewed, so only two in November, then carry on as per until the end of Feb/March 2015. I'm hoping to have paid off at least 13% of debt by then. Hopefully getting into double figures by the end of December.
I will have to do a small food shop again today for tonight's tea, no more than £10.
Using What's App with a group of friends for moral support with cutting down on the alcohol...no drinking during the week and only one or two glasses at the weekend. Food...eating less red and processed meat, eating more chicken, fish and vegetables. No overeating. Cut down on bread and potatoes. And de cluttering. Getting rid of the superfluous stuff and becoming more streamlined. Sharing books we have read, clearing out the ones we will never read again and not buying anymore until we have read the ones we have got.
Feeling in control...