Debt busting into 2015, but not beyond!

PiggyBankShaker

I have tallied up all the spending for December as follows:

£58.11 - Fruit and veg
£133.84 - groceries
£7.81 - bread
£18.05 - cereal
£39.96 - toiletries
£17.22 - cleaning
£136.28 - diesel
£18.50 - clothes
£10 - kids activities
£5.20 - train
£32.72 - misc
£59.85 - luxuries
£35.90 - alcohol
£31.58 - energy drinks, crisps, biscuits and snacks
£388.42 - christmas

Total = £933.44

...which feels like an eye-watering amount! The good news is that we didn't use any credit / increase debt at all. It is the first month that I have logged each spend, and it was certainly useful. I'll repeat in January as Christmas skewed our spending in most categories.

Unsurprisingly only achieved 9 NSD's and will need to get milk, bread and fruit again before 1st Jan.

In other news, cashed out another £5 from Swagbucks taking the extra money made in December total to £309.91. Still need to add the interest on too but I won't know that until Jan 1st. Set up my new 2015 tab on my 'extra money' spreadsheet, and it is a testament to what a saddo that I am that I'm really excited about it!

Going to eBaying over the next few days so hope to be able to pay off some extra £££ from the mortgage in January

PiggyBankShaker

Last shop of 2014 done today

£12.88 fruit and veg
£41.80 groceries
60p bread
£1.50 cereal
£18.27 toiletries
£3.14 misc
£7.84 biscuits, ice cream, crisps, energy drink

Total = £86.03

PiggyBankShaker

Debts as of 31/12/2014

BarclayCard £2114 at 0%
Virgin £1820 at 0%
HMRC £1680 at 0%
Loan £6720 at 0%

Total unsecured debt = £12,334

Mortgage = £75,575 @ 2.5%

PiggyBankShaker

DH has been paid and has done the money hokey-cokey. He has transferred money across to cover all the joint bills, paid off the balance on his day-to-day credit card and set aside the % necessary to cover his tax bill.

He now has £110 left for the next two weeks and I have £140 left until the 25th.

I need £104 for my travel card for the month and that should have been all, except VodaFone has not sorted out my bill yet so I will likely be overcharged AGAIN! :mad:

We did a medium sized shop today so shouldn't need anything other than fresh fruit, veg and bread for the rest of the month.

PiggyBankShaker

The last few years I've done a 'review' of the year just gone, DH does the same and then we compare.

Money = FAIR to GOOD
On paper 2014 looks like a bad year money-wise. We increased our debts by a staggering 344%, from £2778 to £12,334. HOWEVER, all debts were for a specific thing, like the new kitchen, essential but unexpected bathroom repairs and debt carried over from 2012 which was for out new car. Previously I would have had a similar amount of debt and not known what it was for.
All the debts are at 0% and I have £5000 in savings which is earmarked to pay of the largest debt (loan) in February.
I have incurred a few bank charges for exceeding my overdraft limit, and that has been entirely down to silly behaviour on my part. I know if I keep a closer eye on my finances in 2015 and budget better that I can avoid any charges in the future.
We made and extra £1202 from selling old stuff, mystery shopping swagbucks etc and I put this all towards the mortgage. Overpayments in total came to £1387.

Work = FAIR to GOOD
Been a year of up and down's in work, but the down's have mainly been linked to my health. I get on well with my team, I enjoy and am good at the work and it pays okay too. I was shortlisted for an award for a project I managed, but I didn't win.

Home = GOOD
Made some GOOD progress. Finally 'gutted' and replaced the kitchen. And, the new one is FAB! Also had to carry out repairs to the bathroom, which whilst frustrating and costly should mean that we don't have to worry about that room again.

Health = FAIR
I have had bouts of anxiety again this year, the first meant I was off work for about a month and the second I was off work for about two weeks. However, I have overcome it both times and managed to keep functioning far better than I have done previous years. I had some counselling at the beginning of the year and I found it really useful. I think I'll start it again in 2015. I also had a very nasty accident and the injury I received had mean that I have been unable to do my running. I find this helps a lot with my anxiety so I have found the injury doubly frustrating.

Family = GOOD
Apart from the odd 'moment' DH and I have been really good this year I think. He row far less than we used to and we are getting better at accommodating each other idiosyncrasies. Things have been good with the kids. They continue to be normal, happy kids, progressing well. My Mam had the all clear for her cancer too.

Other = GOOD
We managed two family holidays this year, is kind of a first for us. They were both excellent and didn't get us into debt either.

So I'd give 2014 a score of 7.5 out of 10.

Dobbibill

I love the way you have broken down 2014. Glad to see it has come out as a pretty ok kind of year at 7/10.

Happy New Year and may you get an even better result when you reflect on 2015 this time next year.

DB

PiggyBankShaker

Dobbibill wrote: »

I love the way you have broken down 2014. Glad to see it has come out as a pretty ok kind of year at 7/10.

Happy New Year and may you get an even better result when you reflect on 2015 this time next year.

DB

Thanks DB! And happy new year to you! May all your financial ambitions come to fruition!

PiggyBankShaker

NSD today

DH has been very busy. He had taken down all the Christmas decorations before I had even gotten out of bed! He's walked the hound and feed us all. He's chopped a load of wood too, so we've got the heating off and the woodburner on. He's also listed 5 things on eBay (and I've done 3)

The kids have played nicely together all day and it's just been quite chilled and relaxed.

Checked all the accounts earlier and there were no surprises. December's interest has been added - a grand total of £1.35... The mortgage's daily interest has dropped from £5.35 average in 2014 to £5.18 today.

Other than struggling to reach my SwagBucks target and getting 11p on qmee I have nothing else to report!

Vodafone

PiggyBankShaker wrote: »

... except VodaFone has not sorted out my bill yet so I will likely be overcharged AGAIN! :mad:

Hi PiggyBankShaker,

If you still need help with this, email me with your details via the link in our profile here.

All you need to do is copy and paste the link into your web browser and it'll take you to the Contact us form on our website. To make sure it reaches me, quote the code WRT135 - MSE in the subject line.

Once sent, you'll receive an automated reply with a reference number. Post back with this and I’ll check I've received it.

Kind regards,

Lee

Social Media Comms

Vodafone UK

PiggyBankShaker

Vodafone_company_representative wrote: »

Hi PiggyBankShaker,


Once sent, you'll receive an automated reply with a reference number. Post back with this and I’ll check I've received it.

Kind regards,

Lee

Social Media Comms

Vodafone UK

Hi Lee,

I have emailed you. Here is the reference. WRT135 - MSE [#9328344]

Thank you for your kind offer of assistance. I hope you can help me resolve it.

PBS