Coolmum's contribution...

Coolmum66

Hi everyone

Aww - thanks for your replies. Will start spending diary TOMORROW!!

Spirit - good idea to make puddings. I always have loads of fruit in the house, as sure my son was a fruit bat in a previous life. He eats LOADS of the stuff - which I buy cheap from our local market.

Tealady - my son is 13. I will look into a paper round. Thanks for that idea.

Floss2 - I will phone the council (from work!) and talk to them about a permit. Did not realise he needed one - so thanks for that.

I usually manage to pay around £200 per month off my credit card. Once I get the bills I will sort my sig out.

I guess I just really need some support, as both my parents are spirit side, I have 2 older siblings who both live about 2 hours away. I don't really tell anyone about my debt, but sometimes it just weighs so heavy.

As I said before, I'm not in massive amounts of debt and manage to run a car and smoke (I know, I know). Just need to sort myself out really - so keep the advice coming.

Thanks

Coolmum xx

Coolmum66

Hi All

Not been on for a couple of weeks but am back now. Not the best start to dfw as my son needed new glasses. On the plus side my car insurance has paid out following non-fault shunt so YAY!!

From my cheque (£1,500) I need to repay my friend £750 for my new cheap and cheerfull (like me!) car. £400 to clear flex rate and £250 for Barclaycard. This leaves enough money to have a couple of days out with my son over half term, anything left after this will be paid off the Barclaycard.

Ok - got my signature sorted, will amend c/c totals to exact amount when next statements received. Will ask SS for my ndfw nerd number.

Also on the plus side I still have over £30 from the weekends shopping budget - I know it's only Tuesday, but am hoping to have enough left at weekend for few bits I'll need.

Think I should join a couple of challenges - am fairly good at no spend days so that might be a good one!!

Anyway - take care all and will update again soon.

Coolmum xx

mumoftwins

Welcome back coolmum :T I can't offer much help as in a 'bit of a pickle' myself, but just wanted to say that you will get LOADS of support on this board and some lovely caring posts so you will not be alone. Talk through everything with us and we'll help you through it :grouphug:

Coolmum66

Hi everyone

Not the best of months since my original post - but ho hum - that's life!!

Just updated my sig as my credit card statements have arrived.
Barclaycard flex rate WILL be paid in full on Saturday.
Other Barclaycard will have at leat £400 paid off before due payment date (13th Nov) - am waiting till nearer the time to see how much extra I can scrape up!!

Am doing better with shopping budget - buying what we "need" not what we "want". Also, am off to a Lidl or Aldi (can't remember which!) next week - so will have a bit of a stock up as cupboards are fairly bare!!

Coolmum x

carrliadiere

Coolmum66 wrote: »

How's this for motivation?!?!

Here's my (almost complete) SOA

Monthly Incomings:

My salary - £951.67
Housing Benefit - £160.98 (£148.60 Paid 4 weekly)

Total £1112.65

Working Tax Credit £12.85
Child Tax Credit £45.49
Child Benefit £18.10

Total - £76.44

Monthly Outgoings:

Mortgage/Rent - £600
Council Tax - £78
Gas & Electric - £32
TV License - £11.37
Sky £18
Phone & Internet - £50
Car Insurance - £16.44
Life Insurance & Critical Illness £20.30
Water £19
Contents Insurance £8.59

Total: £853.70

WTC, CTC & CB - I get these from the post office weekly and spend them as follows:

Food and other shopping (inc petrol) £62.50
Car tax savings £2.50
Cabot Financial £5
My spends £5

Total: £75

Barclaycard £2,900 (?) outstanding, credit limit £3,600 17.9% interest
B/C Flex Rate £375 (?) outstanding, credit limit £500 ? interest
Cabot £3,965 outstanding no interest

Right: Answers to what I think may be your comments!!

Housing - the house I'm in is actually one of the cheapest where we live. This is on an assured shorthold tenancy agreement. I am on the list for every HA but don't have many points!!

2nd job - this is the first time that HB and Tax Credits are running smoothly. If I got a 2nd job it would mess them both up and as this is the 1st year EVER that Tax Credits have not said they've overpaid me - well - let sleeping dogs lie hey?

Food - This may be a bit high for two of us (mind you my son could eat for Britain!). Am a lazy cook and having had "issues" with food for a very long time - may need help with cutting this budget!!

Anyway - please, have a look and let me know what you think!

Phone, internet and Sky could be brought down to 30 pounds if you switched to Virgin. Free installation, too, I would highly recommend it!

Coolmum66

Yay, yay, yay!!!! - I've just paid IN FULL my Barclaycard Flex Rate

That leaves 1 Barclaycard and Cabot (boo!!!!)

Have looked at snowaball and without taking into account any payment to Barclaycard in November - my dfd will be NOV 2011. I will be debt free sooner than that!!

The plan is to pay as much off Barclaycard each month. When that's cleared I will ring Cabot and ask what they will knock off my outstanding due if I change over to direct debit (thanks to somone's thread on here ages ago I learnt this helpful info!!). Then I will pay direct debit and anything else I can to clear this as soon as possible.

Hope you all have good weekends!

Coolmum x

dsljfreeman

You've done really well CoolMum, give yourself a well earned pat on the back.

One of the biggest regrets I have is not discovering this website when it first come about, if I had I wouldn't be in the amount of debt that I'm in, but I'm determined I will be debt free in 10 years.

xx