Here we go again

cmcavon

Still in "the zone" with money. Had a random extra payment of £120 this morning from tax credits, can't understand why it's gone in but it has at least prompted me to update my estimated earnings for 2016-17. It's so much easier now you can do it online. We will end up with a big drop in our weekly payment but at least it'll mean we're not ending up with a big overpayment.

I have left the overpayment in the bills account for now but think I will put it in the emergency fund eventually or it may actually go towards my daughter's birthday next month.

Decided to join the £10/day challenge too. I've set myself a target of £200 for June as we're part way through the month already, which I think should be manageable. I've listed something on FB on a sale site, will add a few more bits tonight.

Day off work today so we're off to see Mum shortly. Nice to have the kids off school and not have the chaotic morning rush. At the same time though when I'm not working, we always end up dawdling until the last minute then having a mad panic getting dressed and out the door.

Going to spend half an hour on survey/ptc sites boosting the balances on those before getting the kids sorted.

Feeling positive.

cmcavon

Have had a stinking migraine all day and been working, not good! It's finally eased and I've stopped being sick (nice)!

Joining the £10 a day thread has really spurred me on with the extra earning, I'm over half-way there already!

Have also had a good week spending-wise, we've only got tomorrow left and plenty of money left over from the weekly budget. Trying to stick to it fairly strictly now that I know our tax credits will be dropping.

Going to spend an hour online now before bed boosting my balances in swagbucks etc.

cmcavon

Feel like a different person this morning, great sleep and headache shifted.

I was up early, ironing done (well not the whole basket but a good chunk). Hubby is in a mood over something but I've sent him out with the two boys to get the eldest's hair cut.

Daughter has her friend here for an hour before I take them both to their dancing class.

Managed a survey on swagbucks last night which has taken me closer to 600 points, I'd like to cashout for an amazon voucher by the end of the month if possible.

A little matched betting has banked me another £6.37, I may get time to add to that later on so I haven't added it to my signature yet.

Off to see Mum this afternoon, hopefully she's not feeling too down today, the kids usually perk her up a little.

Only negative today is the car making a noise, hubby was worried it may be the coil spring which is a biggish job, apparently though that looks intact. He thinks it may be link bars, fingers crossed it's not too expensive!

cmcavon

Made a fair bit more through matched betting over the last week, not totted it all up yet but had a fairly big "win" on a risk free offer the other day.

I've bumped my emergency fund back up to £2000 in my signature, in reality it's a little more than that now. But I think hubby is going to need a new car soon so a big chunk will get eaten up by that.

Weekly budget for the next two weeks until pay day is looking fairly healthy too. Huge relief to be honest to realise we've got enough to actually live at the moment.

I was hoping to pay a bit extra off the DMP but it seems stepchange don't advise doing that as it suggests to your creditors that you can actually afford to pay more. Thing is, although we're doing ok at the moment, the extra income isn't guaranteed so I don't want to risk overstretching ourselves, but I am keen to get that DMP paid off! Tricky!

It's been a hectic weekend with visiting family, looking forward to a bit of normality tomorrow to be honest with school runs and work. A little quiet time to focus on organising where the finances are up to, totting up the extra I made this week and working on boosting the income a little more.

Still on track, just need to re-group.

cmcavon

Monday morning, new week, a little extra added to the Christmas fund. I'd really like to have £1,000 for Christmas so need to bump the amount I'm adding to this.

I've also checked the emergency fund and it sits quite healthily at the moment, updated my signature.

I'm working this morning, followed by a bit of food shopping before the school run. We've eaten absolute junk over the weekend so really need to come up with a healthy but budget friendly meal for tonight.

Work will probably be quiet, it usually is on a Monday so I may get some opportunities to add to my extra income today too.

It's miserable weather out there!

Happy Monday folks.

cmcavon

Hmm, just wondering as we've been advised not to overpay the DMP whether to start chucking a little extra at the mortgage instead. Not sure on that one though yet, it's a debt but it's a "good" debt if there was ever such a thing?! DMP is definitely NOT a good debt. Will stew on that!

cmcavon

£45.33 made today matched betting, slashed that target of £200 extra for June. I'm not including last week's large amount in my extra earnings figure, don't know why to be honest but it's going to go on a car I imagine so discounting it.

Made the mistake of going food shopping without a list, big mistake as I usually end up massively overspending and not actually buying much in the way of meals. I really need to stop doing it! But we had some chicken breasts, baked potatoes and salad which was a lovely healthy meal compared to the junk we've had over the weekend. I grated some carrot on the salad and also gave the children carrot sticks, they ate the lot.

It's been a busy day all round really with a split shift at work, food shopping, after school club for the eldest which means two different pick up times. Also took the children to the library after school as my eldest is a real book worm and ran out of books again last night.

Youngest is determined and wants to walk everywhere now he's managed it which can be challenging! The library was so exciting for him which meant me chasing him round, picking him up and him tantruming. It's lovely to see him walking so much now though, it feels as though he's been really lazy up until now.

Going to do some surveys and clicking for half an hour before bed now and try to bump up my balances.

cmcavon

I think I've finally reached a decision about what to overpay. Stuff what Stepchange think, the DMP needs sorting. Currently our debt free date is 2033! That is absolutely ridiculous when I'm making extra each month. There's no point over-paying the mortgage when we've got that hanging over us still.

Somebody in the DMP thread suggested stashing extra cash away and making full and final settlement offers to individual creditors as and when I can. That will gradually clear the debt and inevitably bring the debt free date closer.

So, the smallest debt is going to be tackled first, HSBC at £220. I'm going to offer them 25% full and final settlement figure and see what happens! I just need to figure out how to go about it.

After that debt is cleared, the next smallest is The Post Office at £1,230, that might take some saving before I approach them.

Feel like I've got goals in mind now and hopefully I'll get somewhere with shifting this debt.

cmcavon

I've paid that small debt off in full, my debt, I overspent, I'll pay it back. It's knocked 3 months off my debt-free date which is a baby step but it's a step in the right direction. I'm really not sure whether it was the right thing to do or whether it will get HSBC mithering me for the other debts, they're huge chunks of the remaining debt though so they'll have to just plod on under the DMP. I hope Stepchange won't get too annoyed about me paying it off either. But my debt, my decision I guess!

Next biggest debt is a Post Office credit card at £1,230.79. I'll start to stash up a fund I think for that one I think.

Apologies for the ramblings.

cmcavon

Made another little step towards clearing the DMP debt. I had a savings account with £1 in which I never use. I've named it "DMP Overpayment Fund" and will now start putting extra money in there as I make it. I'll build it up in there until I've got enough to make an offer to the PO for the £1230 debt.

Just completed a survey on Swagbucks too, now have 603 swagbucks.