DFW diary 2.0

System

Waving hello.
I set up a DMP about 2 months ago - and it took ages and ages to get sorted - was so frustrating - but now it's all set up and gone quiet and it's really frustrating in another way as a month is a long time to wait to see the numbers go down.
Good luck with your DRO - we're saving for an EF too.
Ramble x

Pinkwhisk

Hi,
I'm glad I'm not the only one who seems to take ages to get paperwork sorted!

Yes, without a EF its back to debt!

PW x

Pinkwhisk

No updates, still plodding along. Worrying about saving our change as we have such a tight budget but we shall have to live! We need to cut down on the presents section of our budget but I don't think OH will be keen - although I am! I think £10 each person (all over 18) is ok? Rather than £20 each. We shall see what the master says!

PW X

Pinkwhisk

If we budget £10 (not including baby in this) that makes it £130 per year = £10.83 per month. Which is doable I think. Hopefully OH agrees!

PW x

System

Hiya,
I just did our Christmas budget and it's a nightmare £500 quid - includes 6 birthdays in December as well. I usually go off £30 for adults, £15 for kids - but that's top budget and I try to spend less. It's scary how much it all costs. I'm doing a load of surveys which I hope will bring in a bit of cash by Christmas. i think i still need to drop these amounts though, but it's not easy!

Pinkwhisk

Glad I'm not the only one thinking about Christmas already! We need to try and get a budget ASAP and decide what we are doing!

PW x

Pinkwhisk

Had a look at Christmas this year. Will try and do homemade stuff as I hate buying crap just because it's christmas. I love Christmas though.

Am thinking we go to London again if OH agrees. Will open up our silver jar then too!

Baby won't need much again. Others will have to live with homemade stuff!

PW x

Pinkwhisk

Stressed. We didn't pay any of our bills this month other than rent as our HB was cut to nothing.

I've just realised we will have to pay this back out of September wages. Arrrrggghhhhh I don't know how this will work :-( . Why can't life be easy for people?! Gah.

PW x

Buffythedebtslayer

So is it a case of having to pay two months bills out of one month's wages? (will the housing benefit be back?)

If so, well. It won't be easy at all I am afraid but it is perfectly doable. Honestly, I know you OH won't like it but he will just have to suck it up for a month? Will he?

In your position this is what I would do.

1. Do a freezer inventory, meal plan at least 5 meals from here.
2. Check levels of pasta, rice, flour (do you bake?) plan meals from here.
3. Look round for anything to sell. Sell it (preloved, gumtree, e bay, car boot FB selling pages)
4. Switch everything you aren't using off(it feels like you are making a difference)
5. See if you can baby sit? dog walk or pet sit for extra cash.
6. Only leave the house with ten or twenty pound note to do your shopping

Sorry if all this is old news, I only just found your diary You can get out of debt tho.

XXX

Pinkwhisk

Hi, thank you for your ideas! He'll have to suck it up!

We are hoping it will be - it's being re assed! Am having a clear out and eBay session this week! Xx