Shuffling My Feet

Take_a_hike_Elon_and_Jeff

You are absolutely welcome wow I've incredible admiration for you re your monthly food budget that must take some calculation but you doing it! I think what I'm personally learning each month is one can save further without too much compromise, so seeing how you budget on the food makes me realise I can reduce it further. Just yesterday I did my weekly shop and I came in under and so immediately I overpaid on one of my debts. Have you got a Chase card no credit checks and there is 1% and they pay it quickly. They are cutting the number of places where one can get cash back but not on groceries and public transport and a few other places.
It's not a ton on my budget but the pence do add up and I chuck it straight into my debt worth getting for a bit of free money in my opinion.

Debt_Overload

Hi @Take_a_hike_Elon_and_Jeff the food budget is a combo of cashing out on surveys (earning supermarket vouchers now and then) and using my local Food Club. It's subsidised by my local council using the Household Support Fund, which we used to get paid directly as low income earners, remember people talking about the £300 payments? Those. Since the government redirected it to various charities instead I try to take advantage of them when I can for staples. The food allowance is actually one of the items which needs to rise in my budget though as Small Person is really beginning to eat proper meals and £70 seems a bit too tight for comfort. I suspect most of our savings is that I rarely buy meat "as is". Food Club sells us chicken in white sauce, minced beef & onion, tinned curry etc and I like working with these or with frozen mince or frozen cooked chicken. We also get £17 in the Healthy Start scheme to buy milk, fruit and vegetables. This shop I was pleasantly surprised to find it worked on tinned chick peas and white beans.

Chase knocked me back! I wasn't too upset but it's life. In the meantime I have the stash in savings and today I cracked the four figures.

Debt_Overload

Hello, dear Internet. Today I am sipping coffee with proper sugar in it. ☕ The warmer weather is welcome but outside drying is still a big fat fail. After two days in my dark and shady courtyard, the damp clothes needed re-washing. Come on sunshine 🌞 my budget is depending on you!

Stepsister sent us money during the week, to (and I quote) "buy some toy cars" 🚙 🚕 🚑 because she found out that Small Person has shown an interest. 😁 What a lovely surprise.

New work rota is a changing one, which means long days in care for Small Person, paying for two entire days but only working 8 hours. 💩 I'm almost ready to leave the job and flex more on side hustles, the issue is my lack of self-discipline  😁

SC has correctly fixed my broken account number. Everything is go now to DIY as soon as I pull the plug, which I plan to do with 11 days to go. It's now 5 days until pay day. 💷 It's my favourite part, moving money around, allocating, paying for things and nodding my head in satisfaction. 👍 And right now I am feeling a bit miffed that my mailbox has been empty two days in a row. I want to be doing things.

Speak soon, Detty

Debt_Overload

Hello, dear Internet. I am raising one eyebrow right now as Local Preschool may potentially have space for Small Person. They won't say, but told me to come and have a tour next week. This would be ideal as they are non-profit, and being a shorter care day, much closer to my job hours, so I could afford it. It would cost me £7 a week instead of the crazy long day care prices. I am inviting the universe to send all kinds of good juju and luck.

I had been intending to make one last top up shop before pay day, but since I've got milk and bread, I'm trying to eke other things out. I've also remembered £7 on my work perks card, so I may visit Miceland or Morks & Spinster and buy some nice ready meals. I get 7% off - and I am amazed how many of my own colleagues don't know this or use it. My previous employer even had a similar scheme which again, people didn't know about or bother. This is the universe poking you to actually look at that big stupid website your company says is awesome but you never bothered to look closely at. Not your regular staff discount. You know that silly website giving you 5% off the local restaurant nobody can afford? Yeah, look closer and see if it's got any of those multi-gift cards which can be used in lots of different places. Food shopping with them might get you a good discount, or on Glamourzon, Piemark, Kurrys, BeefEaster, Breezyjet etc.

Today I cashed my TopCashBack out via their Rewards Wallet and was pleased that doing it that way gets more bang for buck. A £10 supermarket voucher is now in my hands for redeeming £9.62. That means I can spend a tenner less on food, so more cash will stay in my Everything Fund. I also just remembered that I used to buy gift vouchers for my shopping each month and I think I will go back to that, because I'd be getting those Everup rewards. I had been withdrawing the cash to keep myself accountable, but twice now I haven't spent the lot so it seems I can trust myself!

Good: recieved my Council Tax bill for the year and it is very affordable.

Debt: All is quiet...

Talk soon. Love, Detty

Cara_

Hello Detty,

It sounds like you have a plan to pay off your debt which puts you in control. Good luck with going self-managed.

Cara

1stTimer

Hi Detty

i will be following and cheering you on, wishing you all the best 

Debt_Overload

Hello Internet, and hello lovely visitors! Thank you @Cara_ and @1stTimer for your kind words.

Things seem to whoosh by sometimes. The local preschool is full, but a second one definitely has space. We'll go and have a look and see what the prices and hours are next week. "Not leaving work" would benefit me in the long run so fingers crossed.

Tonight I have a recipe for you: One tin of fava beans, one tin of white beans, one tin of spaghetti hoops, one tin of mushrooms and one tin of tuna. Mix well. Taste it before probably putting it into the bin. This is what I ate for dinner tonight 😂 it was definitely not a taste sensation.

Pay day arrived and I bought enough extra supermarket vouchers to last me the month. Everup had enough credit in there to make it "free"! I have paid the mobile bill early, then there are two DDs in the next few days (car repayment and home insurance) and that's pretty much it. The Everything Fund is at £1400 now, and I think I owe about £1,500 to the management company. Once the new yearly invoice arrives, I expect it'll be £140/month to keep up and I'll need to add something towards the arrears. And soon they'll ask for more money, for repair work (new stairs, new retaining wall, car park repair). Booo.

I had a bit of a moment today. The list of my big upcoming expenses is a bit overwhelming at £18k. (NI top up, car repair fund, maintenance arrears, stairs etc, new car fund, fix my house fund). 4-5 years, and that's without even thinking about the debt management items of another £33k. This is definitely a long game!

Have a good day tomorrow, dear Internet.
- Detty xx

Debt_Overload

Hello, Internet. Today I Did The Thing, that is, I told StepChange via email that I will be going it alone. I've cancelled the direct debit in plenty of time. I fully expect them to say it's not possible to cancel this way and I have to call them 😂 but without any money from me, best of luck going ahead 👌

Markers are gradually appearing on my credit files, three are now showing as "late". Eight more to go. And they need to hurry up and default me. 

I had a decent win this week by selling a long-forgotten item on BookFace for £20.

I'm still procrastinating on the grocery shopping! 🛒

See you next time, 
Detty

in_need_of_direction

Well done on taking control. What’s the plan now.

Baldybear

Hello and sounds like you have a great plan in place.  Am just about to start dmp but self managed, do you need to get a default first before you set up a payment plan with the creditors?  Stepchange havent been helpful here either so trying it diy.