Working Hard Debt Diary - Here goes

Compingirl

Wowee! Someones been a busy bunny lol! Loving the sound of a ski fund, well done on the bag and just check out that signature!

great news all round ps I agree get yourself out with OH and enjoy a child free weekend!

WorkingHardDFW

Lovely weekend had in the WH Household: DD at sleepover at friends last night, DS1 on cub camp, DS2 at g/parents for night. Joy such peace and quiet. OH and I went out for a meal and a couple of beers - LOVELY a real real treat. We spent the last of the £200 win on the night out and although I felt a tad guilty not too bad.

Anyway we had a chance to have a real chat last night. Usual topics, kids, finances, work, life, etc etc. It was lovely to really have the opportunity to have a free and frank in a positive way. I eventually got OH to put a figure on his summer cricket spending. Last year he drove me slightly barmey by taking money out of the joint account when he needed it. He couldn't seem to understand why this wasn't a good idea on so many levels. Anyway we've agreed how much he needs each month when he plays cricket and that is how much he will get.

We also agreed to push up the entertainment budget to £100 per month. It was £30 for most of last year and I put it upto £50 in Jan but this has been used pretty much to pay for the trips to London. Hopefully with £100 from March's payday we may get the chance to go out maybe once per month and do something nicer every so often with the kids. I guess for us now we are so so nearly at the end its about ensuring we are living how we want too but within our means.

Sorted out the mortgage paperwork to knock 1 year off the mortgage term. This has the effect of us overpaying an extra £80 pm. We're already overing £500 pm which is the max we can until our fix finishes.

I've made the CC payments for this month however I still need to process all the spending diary payments for this month. This is all the stuff which gets highlighted on the SD which have to be paid off from various budgets. It will be done on Tuesday night.

Decided that this is a very broing post for which I apologise.

beanielou

Not boring at all.
Glad you had such a good night out
Not long to go now

WorkingHardDFW

It was lovely thanks BL. It made us realise how much we've missed time out together, just on our own. OMG We even took the dog for a walk together this am before the first of the children returned- LOL.

Happytogetdebtfree

Glad you had a nice weekend, i had a steady weekend i was in bed at 20.30 i was so tired lol xx tonight i am doing some serious debt workings out and plans etc etc ive been inspired x

In_my_dreams

I think it is a fantastic idea to have some time for you both away from the house. It's easier to talk things through when things are calm. Sounds like you made some nice plans and it is necessary to include money for nice things as well.

Compingirl

Sounds like someone's getting a life! All good stuff

hope its the 1st good night out of many cgx

WorkingHardDFW

Thanks IMD it was do lovely we both really appreciated it

It only as the debt burden lifts that you appreciate what a burden it's been all this time. Roll on being DF for us all.

Happytogetdebtfree

I know i am so looking forward =to that day xx

WorkingHardDFW

Nothing much to report this week. Its been fairly full on work/home wise and I'm busy getting DD ready for her ski trip on Sunday. All is very quiet of the DFW front in fact the only things of any note are:

• Got a cashback claim with Quidco declined :eek:. I've launched into battle since I've provided all the necessary details and it was a £50c claim for our holiday flights so not an insignificant spend. I wouldn't mind but Quidco came back saying retailer can't trace it end of. Sounds very much like a con to me since if there is no customer challenege its not in the retailers favour to look very hard is it.
• Had to buy DD some clothes bits pre holiday. She suddenly announced ABC didn't fit or work therefore I did a dash to Mr T last night. There was just about enough in the clothes budget to cover.
• OH's main car had to have the recovery out to it ref non starting. It seems to have cured itself but we'll see. Which reminds me that mine needs its MOT later in the month.:p
• Cleared most of the o/s items on my speadsheet so they've been paid. There are a few still o/s but they will be paid when our winnings hit the account and clear. Massive overspend on petrol last month and less than expected expenses this month means there is a slight shortfall. Next month should (fingers crossed) be the oppositve which will cover the shortfall.
• Bill in from Scottish Power for £35 . We've changed over to EDF so its the outstanding bill as I cancelled the DD asap since I didn't want them to owe me. I'll pay this from a small expenses claim I've got o/s since its a nice even amount - sad I know.
• Got paid for a MS which is heading into the Ski fund for next year plus I've just picked up another for the weekend. Whilst I am studying (this is my studying now :rotfl:) I've not been doing them but I'm intending to pick up the pace over the summer with MS,MB,ebaying etc to pay for the ski trip and other nice things.
• Finally I updated my MFiT Challenge with an extra reduction of £500 per month since Jan so that was nice and positive. We've decided to knock a year off the term (increasing monthly payments by £80pm) to allow us to effectively overpay extra. We're limited to £500 pm extra until Jan 2011. However on checking the online statement tonight the overpayments to date have already knocked 4 months :T off the term already. Result!!
• Managed to work mine and OH's time off over Easter to mean that no paid childcare required. This really is a result since although budgeted for its not cheap and I'd rather spend the saved money on 'nice' days out

Anyway enough PCing another glass of wine poured, OU study day tomorrow and Late night/early morning departure of DD on Sat/Sun so no wine tomorrow night.