Single Mum Losing the Debt!

chocolatelover93

ImpulseSpender wrote: »

Good luck! I'll be following along on your journey. Looks like you're already taking positive steps this year and got a plan in place.

Thank you! Am getting there just need to stick to my plan and it'll all work out:D

chocolatelover93

Hello everyone,

Not updated for a while, my son has been ill again. Ear and chest infection this time. I feel so sorry for him, poor little boy. The quicker we get a letter for his grommit/adanoids op the better!!

Had a few NSD's. Been sticking to the no cards and cash only pretty well. I used CC the other day to buy my son a stroller so I can have more room in the car when we go out. It was meant to be over £100 in MC but our local one is closing so I got it for £45 it's a really nice one. That did go on CC but whatever money I get for his current pram (hoping for £50) I will pay that off the CC.

Since paying only cash I have realized how much I have actually been overspending using my card :eek::eek: But I am hoping that this week keep me on track.

Lost 5.5lb at SW this week so that's one step closer to my target so thats means I have 43.5lb to go until I get to my target aiming for a 1.5lb loss this week to get my half a stone award.

C xx

beanielou

Great loss at SW :j :j

chocolatelover93

Hello everyone,

So gone onto NW today to check what my CC balance is and there is a note saying my credit limit could be upped to £8k it's so stupid that I am tempted by it but was good and scrolled past!

Current CC debts are:
£294.85 NW CC
£3082.57 Halifax CC


So since using cash only the spends I have had on my card are:
£3.60 Tesco
£0.90 Tesco
£45.25 - MC Stroller
£13.22 - Thermometer (mine wasn't very good and DS is always ill so needed)
£13.15 - Clearance shop (this could have been avoided)
£6.57 - Morisons Cafe
£10.35 - Morisons shop

So that's £79.82 more than what I should have spent! The thermometer and stoller I am not going to take out of next months spends but the others I am!

chocolatelover93

Hello everyone!

Pay day on Monday and can't wait!! Have spent a bit more on CC but I will be hiding it somewhere or giving it back to my dad!! I clearly cannot control myself and this makes me really sad so if it is locked away I won't have the temptation to use it!!

Am off work next week so I am going to try and do some tidying and decluttering. Have been reading the Marie Kondo book and have already got rid of lots of clothes. I have sold them on FB and dropping them off to a lady tomorrow for £30 delivered. I have a few dresses that I am going to sell separate because they cost a lot and want to try and get a bit more for them.

Tesc0 have started selling the fruit and veggie seeds so going to have a look at them on Monday when I get paid and see which ones I fancy growing then I suppose I better get into the garden and start doing some gardening!!

Got my CMS paperwork through yesterday and it is saying that DS's dad should only be paying me £40 a week (currently paying £216 a month so £50 a week) he said he's gonna drop it down to £200 a month which I'm grateful for as he could have been horrible and put it down to £160 and I would really be in the carp hole.

Just looking over my DD each month:
Water - £23
Breakdown - £6.66 (pay £79 for the year)
Car Insurance - £45 (atm going up to around £50 in March but going to start searching for a cheaper deal before that)
Car Tax - £1.66 (paid yearly £20)
Council Tax - Waiting for the letter
Internet/Phone - £38 (this is good because I have fibre)
Childminder - £130
Nursery - £315
Netflix - £8 (mum pays £24 a year to have the password)
Home Ins. - £5.88 (renewal come through same price and is cheapest I've found)
Mobile - £64 (yes this is very steep I am going to cancel the insurance I have saving £14 a month and see if there is anything I can do about my package, it is due for upgrade in Dec)
Rent - £675 (nothing can be done about this)
Energy - £56 (runs out in March I think so will be checking prices nearer the time)
Sofa - £24 (finishes in July)
TV Licence - £12.12 (can't change this)

C xx

chocolatelover93

Hello everyone,

Payday for me was yesterday so got a bit of shopping yesterday and total - hoping the staples (Lidl shop and Butchers) will last me the month (28th is pay day) and will just need to grab some fresh bits from greengrocers every week or so and keep fuel topped up.

Put my 1p a day savings into my bank today £59.39

So spends the last 2 days:
£24.98 Icyland
£27.50 Butchers
£15.00 Greengrocers
£45.34 L!dl
£10.37 BK
£8.98 QD
£46.96 Fuel

Compared to budgets:
£259.39/£217 CC and OD
121.80/£175 - Food Shopping
£46.96/£130 - Fuel/Car
£0/£20 - Presents/Birthday
£0/£10 - Hair cuts
£0/£10 - Days out
£10.37£10 - Takeaway
£0£20 - SW
£0£10 - Clothes

Total debt:
£0 OD
£2991.83 Halifax
£235.46 NW
Total: £3227.29

C xx

chocolatelover93

Hello everyone,

Yes it has been a while again, my MH hasn't been great the last few months and DS has his op just over a month ago. Made yet another spreadsheet for my bills etc (better one this time) and worked out that the only way I am going to get my CC debt down and stop spending is to have my dad take ALL my cards and only give me a set amount each week. That was just over a month ago.

Since then I have managed to pay off almost £1400 of my debt! (£1000 of that was from house deposit back) I am aiming to pay off £300 a month.

My dad had a great idea and said years ago when he found himself in the same position as me he got all his receipts and every time he paid something off the card he would get rid of each receipt so he could see what he paid off. Doing this has been a real eye opener! This month some of the things I have paid off include a few mcdonalds, takeaways, shopping, fuel, clothes that I probably don't have anymore, toys that are already broken etc. All of these things I still could have had (ok not so much of it or brand new) if I had stuck to a budget.

I think because now I have the support from my parents and on here I will do it this time. It has been hard and I did start off with £80 a week and upped it to £100 but seeing my account healthy and my debt going down is really helping and making me feel so much better.

Once all the debt is gone I am going to get rid of one card and keep the other but let dad keep it for me. We also have a £100 emergency fund that dad keeps so if I need anything I need to get it from him first but the agreement is that I will need to pay the £100 back out of my weekly money.

C xx

DD265

That sounds like a good plan, and great to have your father's support

chocolatelover93

DD265 thank you

Still going along with my £100 a week. Have dipped into emergency fund by £10 this week to re join SW but I see this as an investment into my health. Although angry at my self because I bought a Chinese for my last little treat and used £15 that I had made from selling stuff on FB. But it is done now and can't change it will just learn from it!

C xx

chocolatelover93

So had £90 this week instead of my usual £100 to pay back the SW money.

Went to a freezer shop and spent £70 in there on filling up my freezer and almost £20 on other bits and bobs like salad and nappies and things. It means this week my food shopping will be low but I don't now have any money for fuel so hoping it'll last me if not I will need to borrow some out of the emergency money.

Did make sure to eat all the fresh fruit and veg first before buying more (I usually buy more and the others go off) so now have a full fruit bowl. Have meals planned out until Thursday. Am going to a friends on Tuesday and need to take a dessert. Will have to get creative and see what I can rustle up!

C xx