debt free with a large family.

chevalier

i am in awe thast younhave managed that congrats

apple_muncher

Sorry you've had a rotten time, but it's good to see you back and hear your lovely news re the baby + your exam x

The_fog_has_lifted

Im all ready for back to school next week, both the wee ones are in nursery on monday and im back to uni/work the following week, its all very very exciting.
Baby is doing well, im 26 weeks pregnant now- yikes!!!
im feeling mahoosive and rather frumpy but I don't care as all my money is snowballing debt and saving at the moment, true Dave Ramsey style.
I have my emergency fund complete ( for the 2nd time as getting divorced kind of got in the way a wee bit) and the snowball just began this month!!!!
Im seeing solicitor next week as divorce proceeding have started and I have had to apply for harassment and occupation orders as the husband has been rather persistant in his unreasonable behaviour.
Ive had a fantastic 6 weeks off with the kids, we have done so much ( and mostly all freee too!!!!!!). regular visits to the moors and beach has filled our summer and this week we have had a 'calming down' week at home and have gotten back into our regular bedtime routine and prep for school.
I hope everyone has had a great summer.
foggy. xx

The_fog_has_lifted

36 weeks pregnant now and i started maternity leave yesterday (my last day was on friday), im super tired and my hips are really achey and painful sciatica has kicked in now but- emergency fund is saved (All £1000 of it) and i am ready to throw all my excess money at daves baby step no 2, offering f&f's for each of the debts till they are gone.
sadly my ExH has left a few debts to crawl out of the woodwork so i am going to need to clear these also as he will never get round to doing it.
I applied to CSA but they said as he has now registered for further education at college they cant take any maintenance for the kids- 7 kids and he doest have to pay a penny- not to mention the ones with his ex that he has never paid for.
Feeeling happier now that life is moving on without a meglomaniac in my life.
hope everyone is well and are getting ready for christmas, ill ahve more time to diary blog now im off work- christmas shopping is almost finished, i have all the kids stocking bits so just need to buy for mum/ day/ my siblings- arent school photos brilliant for that??!!!!
I have budgeted for christmas dinner etc in my usual shopping budget- 4 bird roast from aldi (lush)!!!
i found all the left over paint for this house in a cupboard so i treated myself to a roller pad and extention pole so i can put a lick of paint over the walls to make the haouse look nice for christmas- something to do when the kids are at school lol.

chevalier

Hi Foggy I understand that the number of adults has changed. That must be hard, but I thought I would still comment on this, if only for you to think about whether you can rejig anything

The_fog_has_lifted wrote: »

Household Information[/b]
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 6
Number of cars owned.................... 2
Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1363.01
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 1574 will this change now? Ie more tax credits or anything?
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 2937.01
Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 390.52 Do you qualify for housing benefit now you are on your own?
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 0 Is this zero because you are a student? If so currently then please check what you would be paying when (note I say when lol) you pass your course and start work.
Electricity............................. 80 Are you on the best tariff for this and the gas?
Gas..................................... 80
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 51 I appreciate that with a large family saving here is difficult, but can you eg use the bath water, to water the garden? Get a water butt off freecycle (or even your local council maybe) and use the rain water to wash the car etc
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 15
TV Licence.............................. 0
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 34.75 this seems pretty high have you checked to see you are on the best deal?
Groceries etc. ......................... 580 I am guessing that this will be a bit less with one less adult in the household. And that you are an old hand at buying wipes (if you use them) etc, as you have gone along. Do you have time to bulk cook to save money that way?
Clothing................................ 0 You perhaps should save something against this, unless you are making the kids purchase money neutral by selling stuff on ebay.
Petrol/diesel........................... 200
Road tax................................ 40
Car Insurance........................... 74.71 Ouch that is very high, do you have points? Have you taken you OH off the insurance if he was on it? Check for a cheaper deal via a cash back site, like quidco at renewal.
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 90
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 180.56 I am guessing that this won't change much?
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 10 Are there any things you can 'stock up' on whilst you are getting free prescriptions whilst preganant. Also don't forget you can get a free eyetest also whilst pregnant, and dental. So might be worth trying to fit those in if you haven't been for a while.
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 12.5
Life assurance ......................... 0 Usually I wouldn't advise to bother with this, but with the number of children you have under 18 you might want to reconsider this. Does the nursing union do cheap life insurance?
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 45
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 65
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 1949.04

Assets
Cash.................................... 500
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 1500
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 2000

Monthly Budget Summary[/b]
Total monthly income.................... 2,937.01
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,949.04
Available for debt repayments........... 987.97
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 0
Amount left after debt repayments....... 987.97

debts.
MK REcoveries: £6,315.40
Nursery Bill: £1,869.07
Tax credits: £1,234.90
Mackenzie Hall: £1,157.98
Vodaphone: £718.54
Uni Loan: £600
SWW: £521.23
DCH: £409.08
Council Tax: £174.84
NHS overpayment: £34.06

So how are you doing with these debts. Which ones of them are YOURS ONLY. Now you are no longer a couple, any debts HE has in HIS NAME only, are for HIM to deal with. You can't afford to support him. Just make sure that any joint accounts are either closed, have no overdraft, or have your name taken off, so that he can't run up debt without you knowing. Also he had a card on your credit card then that needs to be cancelled.

This might seem a bit hard hearted, but you have to make sure that you have enough to pay your bills and debts, and then have savings etc eg for yearly stuff like MOTs etc.

Good luck
chev

The_fog_has_lifted

well ive managed to shave a good £8,000 off the debt this last year- just £16,000 to go.
Its been the $hittest 12 months of my life, but then i look down at my bautiful baby girl sleeping on my lap as i type and i realised how blessed i am.
she was prem and really quite poorly with infection and needing an incubator but now we are so so settled and just thriving as a family.
2015 will be the year I make this family happier, debt free and together!!! I am da momma!!
I have posted up a revised SOA and hopefull can throw a good £300 per month just at debt- ive sold so much stuff the kids are worried im about to sell them!
but....... the debt is going and thats what counts right now.
hope everyone has had a good new year
lots of love and prayers- foggy

tootallulah

Foggy, brilliant to "see" you I have often wondered how you are, and how you are getting on. You have made brilliant progress, are you still on maternity leave? I will definitely follow. Onwards and upwards.

The_fog_has_lifted

tootallulah wrote: »

Foggy, brilliant to "see" you I have often wondered how you are, and how you are getting on. You have made brilliant progress, are you still on maternity leave? I will definitely follow. Onwards and upwards.

hi toots- yup still on mat leave- i am till july so making the most of the time with my babies. I just want out of debt sooooooo bad that im on the verge of selling a kidney to be rid of it! lol.
back into placement in july, then im hoping that by August Ill be moving back to my home town, ill then have help with childcare/babysitting etc and can probably be in a far better position than i am here in a city where i dont really know anyone.
Kids are all doing great, and im back on the forum now baby grl is home and settled.
much love- foggy:rotfl::A

The_fog_has_lifted

AlexK replied on my SOA thred with some good pointers and some of them cover chevaliers points on here so ive re-addressed this and heres what my thoughs are
*since selling the dishwasher and the tumble dryer dying, I have almost halved my electricity usage but the gas remains high, I live in a high ceiling house and it just leaks heat plus I need to dry my washing for 8 of us!!!

* water rates are high as I live in the southwest but I apparently qualify for watersure so have applied for that and just waiting to hear back from them now.

*Ive got the life and contents insurance down following your suggestion to £14.30 and £12.70 retrospectivly per month, I know im just renting but I need contents insurance and the life insurance is there alongside my 'will' to support the kids should anything happen to myself, I need it as there is 7 of them and really if I wast around someone needs to give them a roof over their head etc, I think it would be irresponsible of me to not have it.

*Haircuts only happen once a year for me and twice yearly for the kids.

*entertainment/blow money is drawn out in cash and i am SSOOOOOOOOOO strict that I dont go over.

*I have my £1000 emergency fund so dont need to pay into it anymore until I am debt free.

*school expenses remain low for our family and anything extra comes out of the entertainment fund.

* sadly the divorce costs are high as ex hasnt responded to the court so needs bailifs to serve him etc and their are ongoing child issues due to the nature of the reason for our split.

ill address the debts next entry.

The_fog_has_lifted

chevalier wrote: »

Hi Foggy I understand that the number of adults has changed. That must be hard, but I thought I would still comment on this, if only for you to think about whether you can rejig anything

So how are you doing with these debts. Which ones of them are YOURS ONLY. Now you are no longer a couple, any debts HE has in HIS NAME only, are for HIM to deal with. You can't afford to support him. Just make sure that any joint accounts are either closed, have no overdraft, or have your name taken off, so that he can't run up debt without you knowing. Also he had a card on your credit card then that needs to be cancelled.

This might seem a bit hard hearted, but you have to make sure that you have enough to pay your bills and debts, and then have savings etc eg for yearly stuff like MOTs etc.

Good luck
chev

MK REcoveries: £6,315.40
Student Load overpayment:£6,150
Nursery Bill: £1,869.07
Tax credits: [STRIKE]£1,234.90[/STRIKE] this is joint so negotiating with DWP at moment but I have paid £790.60:)
Mackenzie Hall: £1,157.98Paid
Vodaphone: £718.54Paid
Uni Loan: £600Paid
SWW: £921.23Paid
DCH: £409.08Paid
Council Tax: £174.84PaidPaid
Court fee: £150
NHS overpayment: £34.06 Paid
There were a few other debts like my solicitors bill/divorce petition comes to £740 which I paid this month and this cost will be ongoing till the decree absolute.

Looks like this snowball milarkie really works- any more suggestions will be greatly received Chev. thanks:T