Blooming marvellous #diary

hydrangea_2

Hi all! I've decided to keep a DFW diary to keep myself on track.

I live in London with my partner, and we share a 2br flat with a roomate and dog. I also have a flat in my home country, which is why there is a mortgage. I have 10 years left on this mortgage, but also owe my parents for the initial deposit.

My partner owned a bar, which shut its doors this weekend, hence 0 income right now. I have offered to pay rent/expenses until he gets a new job... So there's a few more expenses, but also I want want want to be free so desperately! I've actually been chipping away for the last few years, closing a credit card (£2.5k) and a personal loan (£2.5k), and the student loan was about £5k higher... eep.

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2 (+ roomate)
Number of children in household.........
Number of cars owned....................

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 2055.68
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 700
Total monthly income.................... 2755.68

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 170
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 1400 (household total)
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 101 (household total)
Electricity............................. 35 (household total)
Gas..................................... 35 (household total)
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 33.21 (household total)
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 12 (for me)
TV Licence.............................. 0
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 21 (household total)
Groceries etc. ......................... 151.55 (for two)
Clothing................................ 5 (for me)
Petrol/diesel........................... 0
Road tax................................ 0
Car Insurance........................... 0
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 40
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 10
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 55
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 10
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 40 (for me & partner)
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 50
Pet food................................ 18
Rates-Management for property........... 150
Total monthly expenses.................. 2336.76


Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 106000
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 0
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 106000


Secured & HP Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly.. .APR
Mortgage...................... 76125....(170)......4.95
Total secured & HP debts...... 76125.....-.........-

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly.. .APR
Student loan...................2500......30........5.6
Parents........................13702.....0........ .0
Total unsecured debts..........16202.....30........-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,755.68
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 2,220.21
Available for debt repayments........... 535.47
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 30
Amount left after debt repayments....... 388.92

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 106,000
Total HP & Secured debt................. -76,125
Total Unsecured debt.................... -16,202
Net Assets.............................. 13,673

hydrangea_2

So, on the advice of others in the forum, yesterday I put my council tax on to a 12 month payment plan, and from June onwards it'll be £81 for the entire flat, or £54 for me per month. Yay!

I've also decided (thank you tube strike for the inspiration) to start cycling to work, which will bring down my transport costs quite a bit. Only cycling to work 3 x a week will save £9 - amazing. It's only 40 mins roundtrip, so quicker than the bus, and saves me going to the gym.

hydrangea_2

Yesterday was my bright and new shiny day... but I failed miserably on the no spending front - bills bills bills!

There was good however: cycling to work in the sunshine, a much needed Tesco delivery for groceries - the basics I can't carry (we now have more beans and rice in the cupboard than I can count!). I mentioned council tax earlier, glad to have that sorted, and other bills like water were paid.

I also decided if I'm going to be bringing my lunch to work every day, that I needed a new lunchbox - I now have a cute tiffin style lunch pot set from Black & Blum, bought on sale from Amazon, with left over gift card money. Feel quite chuffed about that.

Other than that I had a very lazy evening, it was warm enough to sit outside on the new benches we have in our garden - furniture I saved from the bar!

hydrangea_2

Yesterday was ok, a few tears at work. I find my job extremely stressful and it doesn't always play to my strengths. However it was wonderful to come home and cuddle my little dog. We only adopted her two months ago, and she's been fantastic company.

In terms of DFW I bought a block of cheese yesterday on my OHs request, and my goodness, £2.5 for a little square from Tesco express. Shocking. I'm dairy (and gluten free) so I don't really buy things like that often... But I did treat myself to a GF bar for £1.1.

My real effort was using up all the slightly old veg in our fridge and batch making and freezing some veggie GF DF burritos, for those nights when I come home exhausted, so I'm not tempted to buy something, or eat a pizza!

Paid off some more of my student loan yesterday too. New total is: £2314.26!

hydrangea_2

Happy bank holiday! I've made the most of the weather by going to a flea market (resisted the French copper saucepans), then a walk in a cemetery, then a romp in the park with the pup. Cost: £5 for coffees for me and the OH for hours of fun. I know the next MSE move would be bringing a flask, will aim for that next time! Truth is we'd run out of coffee at home, so I have ordered 1kg of beans off Amazon prime to grind and keep us happy for the next little while.

Other fun today included napping, playing scrabble and making homemade GF pizza for lunch

supersaver1000

Happy Bank Holiday to you too Hydrangea sorry you had tears yesterday - I can truly sympathise as I am in the same place with my job. However you sound like you have had a great day today, have a lovely weekend off.

Ps would love to hear what goes in those burritos. I finally got around to making one of Greying Pilgrim's recipes last night - lentil burgers and I love burritos.

DH is now making a lovely dinner for DD and me, lots of relaxing going on this weekend.

hydrangea_2

Thank you SS1000! Some time away from the grindstone did me well. I'll post the burrito recipe when I get home - I am quite the keen cook, and well, if I have a willing audience I am more than happy to share!

This weekend I did quite well - £6.18 for eggs and emergency coffee - coffee is my one vice, seeing as I don't drink, eat meat, wheat or dairy anymore. A girl's gotta have something!

I also went to the garden centre and sorted out some herbs and veg for the summer: dwarf beans, tomatoes, basil, mint, watercress. Looking forward to getting home tonight and planting them out.

Also looking forward to getting home and sorting out more things to put on ebay. I have so much crap around the house I just don't need/use, and can be put towards my debts (or, shock horror, a break away).

Chipped away at the student loan a little bit too, new total: £2288.91 on track to be paid off by the end of the year.

However, I have had an interesting opportunity to do a post-grad diploma, and fast track it so I'd be done by the end of the year. I am sorely tempted as I don't love my job, but if I had another focus I'm sure I could stick it out here until December... Decisions, decisions.

Have a good evening folks.