Quids in for a Limited Time

Kittenkirst

Hi there, I don't think it matters for your diary to be in here as even if you're only paying small amounts to the mortgage it'll all help

I too, am trying to break out of the habit of overbuying storecupboard food- I think it stems from when I was small and food was more expensive and a luxury, it seems now I can buy it easily I feel worried that I'll run out. Completely irrational of me but I wanted to share with you that you're not alone in this situ!

You can do it, some organisation and time well spent will get you there!

Maiden_Mum

Thank you Kittenkirst, it is a comfort to know that I am not the only one who does it!

Maiden_Mum

I have just added up what I have spent at supermarkets & its still pretty pants tbh! Not sure whether to run my month from the 1st to the last or from the 25th or 26th which is about when OH usually gets paid. From the 1st of January I have spent £320.41 & from Xmas Day I have spent £357.03. As usual some of this was opportune spending due to being near a M & S (which is great for gluten-free food) & also a big Asda. It also includes £20 paid to MIL for a huge turkey butterfly that I had bought for her at her request but which she no longer wants so to help out we bought it and it is now defrosting. I'm going to have to look up lots of turkey recipes to make good use of it!
I bought some knickers & a long black skirt today in the sales so £20 spent there. Stayed in last night & tonight so some savings made there I hope.
My fixed period with NPower also expires next month so I can now look to change it.

Maiden_Mum

Mmm more money spent on food so still looking pretty rubbish! Sort of on stuff I needed, sort of not! The bits that I had bought for New Year's Eve or day that we had last night weren't actually enough to fill us all up so ended up going to the Tesco Express to buy some icecream and cakes.
Just checked my online banking this morning & got a shock when I saw the balance. My husband & I had both tried Friday to use a local cash point and it held the cards for ages but then said unable to process so we both tried elsewhere, me successfully, him not and all the transactions have gone through as debits even though I only managed to actually get some money once and my OH not at all. Hopefully the bank will be believe us or be able to get some proof that we are not lying!

Maiden_Mum

Forgot to say that after we had turkey yesterday I still had 2.2 kgs of it left, most of which I have frozen. No idea what to do with it really!

Maiden_Mum

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 2
Number of cars owned.................... 2

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 983
Partners monthly income after tax....... 1530
Benefits................................ 579
Other income............................ 420
Total monthly income.................... 3512

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 324
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 0
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 158
Electricity............................. 82
Gas..................................... 100
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 74
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 125
TV Licence.............................. 12
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 84
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ......................... 550
Clothing................................ 45
Petrol/diesel........................... 200
Road tax................................ 40
Car Insurance........................... 50
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 50
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 38
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 25
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 10
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 25
Buildings insurance..................... 30
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 30
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 200
Haircuts................................ 20
Entertainment........................... 300
Holiday................................. 300
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Health Ins.............................. 10
Gym..................................... 25
OH's pension............................ 49
Total monthly expenses.................. 2956


Assets
Cash.................................... 1500
House value (Gross)..................... 190000
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 2000
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 193500


Secured & HP Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 57000....(324)......13.68
Total secured & HP debts...... 57000.....-.........-

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Total unsecured debts..........0.........0.........-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 3,512
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 2,956
Available for debt repayments........... 556
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 0
Amount left after debt repayments....... 556

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 193,500
Total HP & Secured debt................. -57,000
Total Unsecured debt.................... -0
Net Assets.............................. 136,500

Created using the SOA calculator at https://www.stoozing.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using other browser.

Maiden_Mum

Well the bank has returned all the error payments so that's good.
Since the completion of my SOA, I have been wondering in an abstract way what we do actually spend our income on as there is an awful lot that we clearly don't! We don't own a tumble drier or a dish washer, we need new carpets, a new kitchen and a new three piece suite and we drive two old bangers. Although we had a holiday abroad last year that was the first time in fie years and prior to that we used to go on the Sun caravan holidays.

Maiden_Mum

I have been keeping a spending diary and that will help with the analysing of expenditure but I think I definitely need to do it longer than a few weeks
Some of our incomings and outgoings are confusing and unknown to an extent. Our gas & electricity payment for example is partly made up of arrears that our supplier said we owed, Our maintenance from my ex OH received also includes a payment for arrears that could take some time to pay back.

Maiden_Mum

Well in money making style I applied for an AA credit card today which if used properly should pay out £35. We have also stayed in Friday & Saturday night this weekend & last weekend but we did pay £8.80 for a doner kebab takeaway last night!
What is not so good though is our utilities company says that we £250 in arrears again with our electricity! I cant understand it. They say that our gas usage is 19% down on last year but our electricity is 206% up!!!

Maiden_Mum

I have asked them to come & read the meters as I am not even sure we have read them properly as we seem to have 3 readings for electricity & 1 for gas. We come out of a fixed period net month & I want to change suppliers. Using MSE's cheap utilities thingy we can get it much cheaper but its with tiny companies that I have never heard of and my OH is not too keen in case they go bust.