My State of Affairs (eek!)

**Amy**

Monthly Incomings:

My salary - £1,771.98
Pub job (cash) - £240 (£60 a week)

Total - £2,011.98

Monthly Outgoings:

Rent - £250
Council Tax - £80
Gas - £25
Electric - £25
TV License - £11.41
Sky - £20.00 (£17 without any phone calls)
Phone - £40
Car Insurance - £52
Travel (bus) - £80
Cat insurance - £23
Water - £22.30
BT - £11.30
British Gas (in debt!) - £16
HSBC Credit Card - £100 (minimum payment)
HSBC Loan - £230

Total: £986.01

HSBC Credit Card - Balance - £3290.82 APR 15.9%

HSBC Loan - balance - £2732.59 for 12 months not sure of APR (around 16% i think)

Mum - I owe my mum £4250. I try and pay her £500 a month, but never works!!

Help me!!

I have already today got my sky package down to £17 a month which is a £18 saving a month.

xxxx

shopsalot

Your cat insurance looks high? Mine is £15 for two - how many do you have? think you could save something there ?

maxmycardagain

ask mum if she minds you clearing the credit card and loan off cos they have such high interest, thats £7k to clear, give yrself a 12 month span to do it, thats £134 a week, then mums will be easy to clear, you take home £500 a week, it should just be feasible.

your other bills = £226 a week, so could you do that?

**Amy**

I have 2 cats, but they are pedigrees, and one has had around £1500 worth of stuff over the past 2 months, so i think that bumped it up!!

xxx

shopsalot

Car insurance also quite high - though i dont know your circumstances

That said - you do have a reasonable amount of spare cash each month to play with.

I would suggest a budget and setting a weekly allowance for spends.....

**Amy**

maxmycardagain wrote: »

ask mum if she minds you clearing the credit card and loan off cos they have such high interest, thats £7k to clear, give yrself a 12 month span to do it, thats £134 a week, then mums will be easy to clear, you take home £500 a week, it should just be feasible.

your other bills = £226 a week, so could you do that?

Thats a good idea. I do still want to pay mum a little bit each month, as kind of a nice thing if that makes sense?

I wanted to try and do it in 6 months, do you think that is feasible? (i want to move away)

xxx

shopsalot

Oh well, they're worth it!

**Amy**

shopsalot wrote: »

Car insurance also quite high - though i dont know your circumstances

That said - you do have a reasonable amount of spare cash each month to play with.

I would suggest a budget and setting a weekly allowance for spends.....

Unfortunately im a provisional driver!! I have my 3rd test in the next 4 weeks, and like having the practice of my car, as a pose to £20 a lesson in an instructors car... its so much money!! lol

Yep i think i will do a budget as of tonight. I am also going to write down what i spend in a day, so i know where it goes.

shopsalot

I calucate you have £1025 left each month - that £6k over the next 6 months if you dont spend a penny more than your bills.

Its not impossible as you could generate ebay cash etc....

earwig

hi i have noticed that there is no set amount for food birthdays ect have a look at ss sticky as he has loads of adivce on how to buget and have a look at the os board they can do lovely dinners for pennies:D

shopsalot

Good luck with the driving - i take it back - for a provisional thats good!

What about bus money - can you walk/cycle/lift share?