Keeping track in 2008

Mupeteer

Hi everyone. As we’re nearly at the New Year I’ve decided tostart a diary charting my DFW progress (or lack of).

I had my LBM in September 2007 and, although I thought I was getting there with my debts, it seems they were only getting worse so I will be starting 2008 with a total of £23,800.33. :eek: These are broken down as follows:

£ 4,007.79 Barclaycard CC
£ 1,959.71 Cahoot o/d
£10,628.10 Lloyds TSB CC
£ 234.22 Egg CC
£ 6,970.51 Virgin CC

As I’m still going to be at uni all through the year and have had to give up my part-time work I know I’m not going to make a huge dent in the problem but I at least want to be steadily chipping away at it so I’ll be paying as much as possible to my highest interest cards and minimum payments on everything else. I’m also hoping to do a bit of a CC shuffle soon but I’m not sure how successful I’ll be.

In January I’ll get my travel expenses from SAAS and, after setting aside the money for the travel cards I still have to buy, I’ll pay the rest to my TSB card. I’m also getting £500 from my gran soon and that’s going to TSB as well although I’m tempted to put aside £100 for emergencies.

As I think of other stuff I’ll update to keep me right.

Hopefully, by keeping this diary I’ll keep on the DFW wagon. Any words of encouragement or advice along the way would be more than welcome.

chevalier

hi hope that it keeps you on track muppeteer. if you can't do part time work, can you do surveys to help out?
chev

lunar

Hi Mupeteer.

Hope you find your diary as useful as i do, it really keeps me on track you just have to remember to keep posting on it. Good luck for reducing your debt in 2008.

Lunar

Mupeteer

I already do some mystery shopping and use Quidco and the likes but I haven't really got into surveys. Do they pay well and can anyone recommend some good sites? If there is anything to be made out of referrals pm me and I'll let you know my email address.

I've joined the £10 extra a day challenge and anything I make from that will be going straight towards my debts.

I was taking part in Moozies challenge for a while and found that it really helped but I stopped after a really appalling week of spending. I think I need to get started with that again too.

Mupeteer

Confession time: It's just as well the new year hasn't started yet as I've been spending a bit much. Inescapable stuff unfortunately. Finally got the car back after BFs crash in November and had to get in MOTd. It only needed a bulb to pass but I didn't have any cash so I had to put it on my CC. Also bought myself a new top for wearing on School Experience in January.

It looks like the next few weeks might be a bit expensive too. BFs sister is due her baby in 3 weeks but has been taken into hospital today so we're looking after her son. Already had to buy him lunch and will have to go an buy food and try to keep him entertained. Any suggestions for cheap entertainment for an 8 year old in the Fife/Edinburgh area?

I know he's going to cost me a fortune but I'd feel really bad asking for money towards it. Oh well, I'll just have to see what happens.

beanielou

Dont go ice skating in Princess Street as I hear its about £16 for i adult & 1 child!!
Play planet at Donnibristle nr Dalgety Bay is good & fairly cheap
There are a couple of converted churches in Kirkcaldy with play thingies
Beveridge Park is fine to use up a couple of hours as is Pittencrieff Park in Dunfermline
If you go off peak ten pin bowling in Dunfermline is fairly cheap(Sneak in ure own snacks & drinks though)
Borrow DVD's or/and games console
Try posting on the Scotland board for other suggestions as well
Hope it goes well!!

Mupeteer

Just had some awful news. BFs sister was only supposed to be in hospital for observation for the next 2 weeks as she has placenta previa. They were then going to give her a ceasarean. She only went in today and is nearly 37 weeks.

Had a phonecall about an hour ago to say that the baby wasn't moving and they were preparing her for a section. 2 women needed sections at the same time and the doctor decided the other one was more urgent.

When the got round to doing section on BFs sister there were some complications and baby stopped breathing. She was without oxygen for a few minutes, isn't crying or moving. His sister doesn't know yet as she's just coming round from anaesthetic. According to the doctors the next 24 hours are critical but what the hell does that mean?

This is so horrible. She had a miscarriage earlier this year and I don't know how she's going to deal with this.

locutus2003

So sorry to hear that - I hope everything is OK for her. There are wonderful things they can do these days - and I believe (having read up a lot on it - I had a section in September!) that it is actually quite common for that to happen - followed by everything being OK.

Your BF's sister and her baby are in the best possible place. I hope it is all OK and you get some good news soon - let us know won't you.

My thoughts are with you and your BF's family. Babies are little fighters and I'm sure this one will be the same.

knithappens

I just read your post, my thoughts and prayers are with your family.
A like Loctus2003 they are in the best place.

Mupeteer

Her son has just asked if the baby has been born yet. What on earth do we say to him? We've been told not to say anything yet but I know he'll ask again. All we've told him so far is that we're waiting to hear.

Mupeteer

Just a quick update - things aren't looking good for mother or baby. Baby was starvedof oxygen for 13 minutes (due to a decision made by the doctor) and is in critical condition. She can't breathe by herself and still hasn't passed urine 16 hours after her birth. Even if she pulls through she'll have a long stay in hospital and an uphill struggle after that.

Mother has not even seen her baby but has problems of her own. She was in a lot of pain after surgery and even themorphine wasn't doing much. She has worsened overnight and they've discovered her potassium levels are high so they think her kidneys are failing. The maternity hospital and general hospital are separate so she is being moved to the general hospital.

I just feel so useless. I would do anything to help them but I know there isn't much I can do at the moment.