Laura's turn on top! 2008 DF diary xxx 5 January 2008 at 1:43AM in Debt free diaries 203 replies 8.5K views

lauradora

Ta Unix

Still not sorted, on the phone to them again this morning and they have 'said' that they have made me a 'priority'.....whatever.

Really depressed this week. Totally skint and feel like there's nothing I can do. My house is depressing me cos so much stuff needs doing to it and I* haven't got the money.

when i eventually get this bloody internet problem sorted out I can get on Ebay and get rid of some stuff to clear the clutter and try and re coup some expenses.

goes off to grumble about the fact she is having to use the liorary computers again and the library is full of chavs and hoodies

Uniscots97

Laura, why not check out Freecycle see if there's anything on there that would help you sort your house out? I've given and received loads. I didn't really have the money to do up the kids bedrooms how I wanted but Freecycle was brilliant. I got portable tv, paint, floor lamp, curtain rail in return fellow freecyclers ended up with an Armchair, wheelbarrow, carpet, scales, juicer so I feel like I've given something back too. Even if you're not in a position to give now don't worry.

lauradora

unixgirluk wrote: »

Laura, why not check out Freecycle see if there's anything on there that would help you sort your house out? I've given and received loads. I didn't really have the money to do up the kids bedrooms how I wanted but Freecycle was brilliant. I got portable tv, paint, floor lamp, curtain rail in return fellow freecyclers ended up with an Armchair, wheelbarrow, carpet, scales, juicer so I feel like I've given something back too. Even if you're not in a position to give now don't worry.

I've been thinking about that for a few days now and you've just given me the kick up the bum i needed xx

lauradora

:mad: Right having been back at work for a couple of months now i've finally managed to get my head round a new budget. The figures are still quite sketchy-CSA for example is never stable from one month to the next and my wages can go up and down depending on how many hours I work but i've got a rough one put togehter based on my 16 hours.
I've trawled through it today mainly because i've been moaning on saying that i'm no better of working and i'm seriously shocked at the results! :eek:

It looks like i've really fallen off the mse wagon. I need to start sticking to my budgets again and behaving myself!

Here goes...let me know what you think

Income

Tax Credits £455.80
Wages £370 (ish)
Maintainance £264.97 (ish)
Child benefit £ 80.84


Total £1171.61


Outgoings

Rent £209.32
Council tax £54
Water £31.40
Gas £43
Electricity £30.31
Cleaning stuff £10
Home phone £11
Mobile £45
Food £50-May have to go up due to price increases? not sure yet
Petrol and travel £40
Loan repayment £209.87
Overdrafts £10 (ish)
Childminder £129.90

TV licence £11.61
Bank charges £15-I am in the process of changing banks to A+L who are offering 0% overdrafts

Total £900.41

Should be up by £271.20:eek:

I'm not very happy with all this. I've obviously become too lazy since i've been back at work. I need to go back to the drawing board, get the budgetting jars out again :mad:

lauradora

While i'm here i'm updating my payments too;


Loan £10283.63
forma £899.87
Overdraft £1500
Total debt £12683.50

Paid off so far £1606.29 :rolleyes:

lauradora

HSBC giving me £80 charges early next month. God i'm glad i'm changing banks!:mad:

stacy

Hey laura,
just like to say good work with paying off debts ect i just read through the whole diary! i have about £8000 worth of cc debts (most of them on 0% untill april next year, thank god). But ive just started paying off more and reading through your diary has made me even more determind to get rid of it all as quickly as i possibly can today ive just paid £130 off cc's :rolleyes: , definately not something i make a habit of. And from now on instead of buying lotto every week which soon adds up its going on paying debts instead. so thanks for your inspiration and ill keep reading.

lauradora

ta stacy, you go girl! :j

Uniscots97

lauradora wrote: »

While i'm here i'm updating my payments too;


Loan £10283.63
forma £899.87
Overdraft £1500
Total debt £12683.50

Paid off so far £1606.29 :rolleyes:

Laura, you're doing great! I remember at the start forma was over 1000. You've come a long way.

Uniscots97

lauradora wrote: »

Here goes...let me know what you think

Income

Tax Credits £455.80

Wages £370 (ish)

Maintainance £264.97 (ish)

Child benefit £ 80.84 (are you due any other benefits?, entitledto.com I think it is)

Total £1171.61

Outgoings

Rent £209.32

Council tax £54

Water £31.40

Gas £43 (Is your payment averaged out over the year? This is awfully high for gas and elec. Can you switch providers? Sorry if I've asked this before. Check out the Gas and Electric thread on the OS board its got lots of useful tips)

Electricity £30.31 (see above)

Cleaning stuff £10 (any way you can even cut this down by a pound or two? What cleaning stuff do you buy? OS board has some good tips for cutting down amount of washing powder used)

Home phone £11

Mobile £45 (sorry if I'm moaning, does your mobile need to be this high if you have a landline?)

Food £50-May have to go up due to price increases? not sure yet (Check out OS board)

Petrol and travel £40

Loan repayment £209.87

Overdrafts £10 (ish)

Childminder £129.90

TV licence £11.61

Bank charges £15-I am in the process of changing banks to A+L who are offering 0% overdrafts

Total £900.41

Should be up by £271.20:eek:

I'm not very happy with all this. I've obviously become too lazy since i've been back at work. I need to go back to the drawing board, get the budgetting jars out again :mad:

Laura I've put some comments in red. Sorry if they sound cheeky.