I am being upgraded from Mum to Nan - I need a plan!

enthusiasticsaver

Fantastic news re the Halifax outcome. It is always worth asking. All they can say is no so you lose nothing and in your case you now have some breathing space on the BT expiry dates. Bear in mind that paying off debt gets to be a drag after a while so keep thinking of your motivation to get debt free. In your case more time to spend with your baby grandson. Your dad was right. Grand babies are so much fun.

Your daughter sounds like she has her head screwed on in not rushing out to buy all the latest must haves. Babies don't need much to start with. I would start a baby savings pot. We have one for our grandchildren and dip into it now and again to help our DD out. Maternity leave is expensive in terms of lost income.

Mum2Nan

It's been a lovely day and the weather makes everything so much brighter.

I was up at 9am made a brew and took it back to bed and had a read of other people's diaries. Up again at 10.30 am to make sandwiches for work this week. I got a bit carried away and made for the whole week but I am only in for 4 days this week so will save the extra for next week. If I had made 2 more next week would have been covered!

Meal plan is now complete:

Monday - HM shepherd's pie (3 portions left)
Tuesday - smoked haddock, poached egg and steamed asparagus
Wednesday - HM gammon ready meal (1 portion left)
Thursday - prawn linguine (still have almost 2 large bags)
Friday - HM pea & gammon ham soup with ciabatta (1 portion left)
Saturday - sausages, mash, peas, tomatoes, onions and mushrooms

Apart from the mushrooms, everything will be from what I already have in. If I repeat this next week, I won't have to go shopping other than for milk and mushrooms and if I can stop off at Sainsbury's near work, I can pay for these items with my Nectar points!! Something to ponder.

I've been over to my parents and returned 3 pallets of plants / seedlings as I just don't have anywhere else to plant them. Whilst there had a lovely roast chicken dinner. It always tastes much nicer when you don't have to cook it yourself

I think I may set a record this month for the least amount of spending on my grocery shopping ever. Of course it won't always be like this as I will start running out of things but I intend for it to come in at no more than £100 this month!

Enthusiastic, I am trying very hard to keep motivated. Barclaycard payment comes out tomorrow. With June's payments towards the debt I should come in at under £21,000 and if it doesn't I shall make an overpayment to Halifax 2 to ensure it does.

Mum2Nan

Enthusiastic, I forgot to say, that's a really good idea about the baby savings pot. I am going to see if I can work this into my SoA once I have a better idea of my grocery shopping, another incentive to get it down.

beanielou

Being under 21,000 sounds good to me

beanielou

P.s. Your meal planning is fab.

Rachel24

Hi I've loved reading your diary so far! I'm totally stealing your idea of freezing sandwiches! I didn't know you could do such a thing!

JoJoC

Hi there, just stopping by to wish you well! Caught up on your diary and you seem really focussed about changing your habits. Good luck!

enthusiasticsaver

Seriously impressed at the freezing of sandwiches for work and that you are now meal planning. Being under £21k in June will be great. By 1st August one of those 6 debts will be gone

Mum2Nan

Thanks Beanie, I could double up and have the same again next week. I will see how I get on this week first!

Thanks for stopping by Rachel24. I can't take the credit for the freezing of sandwiches as I read about this on someone else's diary but it's definitely a fab idea. I wrap them in foil to keep them super fresh and it has the added benefit of a small element of surprise when I open it. I mean, I know it can only be one of two fillings but which one? It's the small things you know!!

Hi JoJoC, thanks for your good wishes.

So today has been largely uneventful and I'm not quite sure whether this is a good or bad thing. I thought it was going to be a no spend day but the window cleaner text me this afternoon to say he was coming round this evening to collect his money so had to withdraw £10. From now on I shall be having my windows cleaned every 2 months, saving me £60 over the year. He didn't seem too bothered. He does lots of the windows around here so I imagine it's a drop in the ocean for him unless he's in debt like me in which case he is probably cursing me right now for messing up his budget! :eek:

I have rejigged my SoA again to change the payments back with the Halifax 0% 1 and 2 deals. Honestly, it's been changed and updated more times in the last 2 weeks than my wardrobe has over the past year. I have shaved £25 off my still high grocery budget (baby steps) and £5 off the cats' budget and reduced the window cleaning. I've also taken off the payment made to Barclaycard today so it's looking much improved tonight. It's still over £21,600 more than I would like though but it's going in the right direction at least.

Enthusiastic, I can wait for August, I don't want to wish my life away however indebted it is and am looking forward to a long hot summer but it will feel good to get rid of one more debt (2 to date back in December) without having to balance transfer again and I am looking forward to that when the time arrives. I am already in June mentally (next pay day and debt reductions coming in at less than £21,000)

Mum2Nan

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 1
Number of children in household.........
Number of cars owned.................... 1

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 2548.81
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 6.5
Total monthly income.................... 2555.31

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 806.5
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 0
Management charge (leasehold property).. 98
Council tax............................. 124
Electricity............................. 34
Gas..................................... 14.5
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 15
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 10
TV Licence.............................. 0
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 7.99
Internet Services....................... 31.5
Groceries etc. ......................... 225
Clothing................................ 15
Petrol/diesel........................... 50
Road tax................................ 16.25
Car Insurance........................... 37.25
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 30
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 207
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 5
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 20
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 7.5
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 60
Haircuts................................ 8
Entertainment........................... 35
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Ground Rent............................. 10.42
Vaping.................................. 25
Charity Donation........................ 5
Window Cleaner.......................... 5
Boiler Servicing........................ 5
Chiropodist............................. 15.83
Cat Food, Fish Food & Litter............ 45
Total monthly expenses.................. 1968.74


Assets
Cash.................................... 3778.63
House value (Gross)..................... 225000
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 1000
Other assets............................ 4000
Total Assets............................ 233778.63


Secured & HP Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 133456...(806.5)....3.19
Total secured & HP debts...... 133456....-.........-

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Barclaycard 1..................969.15....21.81.....0 (ends 01/08/2018)
Barclaycard 2..................3087......69.48.....0 (ends 01/01/2019)
Barclaycard 3..................3087......69.48.....0 (ends 01/03/2019)
Halifax 3......................2472......24.72.....0 (ends 24/07/2019)
Halifax 2......................1128.5....11.29.....0 (ends 26/11/2018)
Halifax 1......................2570.75...25.71.....0 (ends 23/02/2019)
TSB Loan (ends 2021)...........8299.4....187.9.....2.89
Total unsecured debts..........21613.8...410.39....-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,555.31
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,968.74
Available for debt repayments........... 586.57
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 410.39
Amount left after debt repayments....... 176.18

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 233,778.63
Total HP & Secured debt................. -133,456
Total Unsecured debt.................... -21,613.8
Net Assets.............................. 78,708.83


I need to work out how to add the debts to my signature. With the changes made so far, I have moved further away from negative territory. :j