My all new debt diary

Cleosmum

Dont feel scared to just take the plunge, you can only be better off by the sounds of it.

dancingfairy

Just wanted to say hi. Have subscribed to your diary (hope you don't mind!). Good Luck with it all. It is good to read and I'm sure you will do well - you seem to be very determined.

4littleone

I am really cross, this is the third time i've tried to post on my thread today!:mad:

Anyhoo, i have been on holiday for the last week with my lovely daughter. I feel incredibly guilty as i work such long hours so i try to take my holidays around her school breaks to make sure we spend as much time together as possible.
For example, today is my first day back so i started at 8am in the office, I'm having a break now (lunch!) hence the quick browse and post, then i'll probably be here until about 7pm tonight.
So, we have spent the last week, not driving, not flying and not being generally rushed and stressed!:j

So here we are on the last week before pay day... and how have i done? (drum rolls please).

I have £68 in my bank account, i have to pay £47 tomorrow night to swimming lessons for daughter and that leaves me £21 for food shopping. That's plenty as i have quite a few bits in the freezer and cupboards.
I had to transfer £70 out of my isa last week to cover D/D's as my expenses weren't paid ( £140) but when they do go in I can put the £70 straight back and i can also put the other £70 left over towards my debts.

Speaking of which, i have cleared ALL the arrears on the gas and electricity. There is an extra £71 to pay the solicitor that wasn't previously billed :mad: but this is fine as the expenses payment will cover that.
This leaves me with only 2 debts.
I plan to save over the next two months to make a full and final settlement on the overdraft, if they accept 40p in every pound i will need £336. This is do-able in 2 months. I then want to keep saving each month and use my June bonus payment to (hopefully!) pay off the loan.

If i work really hard i could be debt free by the end of June!!!:T


Hi dancing fairy, lovely to see you here, hope you enjoy my ramblings!

moanymoany

It sounds as if you are on top of things 4littleone. It's a nice feeling - being in control.

Sadly my mum died yesterday. She had had dementia and it was getting worse. The hospital made her very comfortable and pain free, she simply slipped away. She was 83 and had been in poor health for many years.

The official stuff is overwhelming, but I'm getting there. I am blessed with a wonderful dh who is a huge support.

Tell you what though, it's a very expensive thing to do - dying!

Cleosmum

Im so sorry to hear about your mums passing Moany (((hugs)))

chevalier

4little one, sorry to hear that your OH is not supportive about paying off the debt. I take it that talking to him about it, just gets the glazed eye syndrome?

Moany moany sorry about your mum. No matter how prepared you are, it is still tough. How did it go with your sister? I hope she was glad to be able to see your mum before she passed away.
chev

4littleone

Hi everyone,

moanymoany i'm so sorry to hear about your mother. Deepest sympathies to you and your family.
The practical part afterwards is an absolute bind isn't it. I often think it can be a help though in a way, it gives people something to focus on and get "busy" with if you see what i mean.
I'm glad to hear your mum was comfortable. 83 is a grand old age isn't it! She was a very lucky lady to have a daughter who was there for her.
It's lovely that you husband is being so supportive. That must be a huge comfort to you. Do let us know how you are, i was thinking of you the last few days as you had said she was so ill.

Hi chevalier, yes the glazed look seems to be de rigeur for any conversations involving money in my house!
It is quite difficult to be the boring one all the time, but i do feel really positive these days simply because i am so much more in control of my finances. It has removed alot of the stress.
Roll on my debt free date!:rotfl:

dancingfairy

moanymonay I am sorry to hear about your mum. It sounds like you are taking comfort in the fact that the hospital made her comfortable. Good luck sorting through all the paperwork - have you tried the which book 'what to do when someone dies' I think it is meant to be quite helpful. I'm gad to hear you have other family around to help you through this.

4littleone you sound like you are on a roll there. June is not that long at all really and it sounds like you are feeling really confident which no doubt will help you in tackling the situation with your husband one way or the other. Good luck.

4littleone

Hi there ladies,

well here i am at the start of a new paymonth and with a new challenge set.
I want to pay off the overdraft in 2 months by offering (and hopefully have accepted) a full and final offer starting at 30p in every pound.

So here is my budget for the next month. My income has dropped slightly as it's the start of a new tax year and my tax code has gone up again. :rolleyes:

Income;

Wages £2126.76
C/B £75.20
Expenses £142.27

Outgoings;

Mortgage £500
Childcare £500
Water £68 ( the start of a new billing period. They have asked for 68 first month and then 29 a month thereafter.)
C/Tax £50
Telephone £89 :mad: Don't even ask!
Gas £59
Eledctricity £60
Insurance £17.89
Food and cleaning £130
ISA £30
Christmas £5
Violin £72 Daughters lessons. This is the annual fee.
TV Licence £35

Debts;

Loan £50
O/Draft £20
Solicitors £70 (this is the extra billing they sent me. I had a case going through with Australian and UK family courts. This will be the last bill)

So total income = £2344.23
total out = £1755.89

Total disp = £588.34

I have paid the expenses straight into my ISA today to put towards my debt.
That leaves £446.07.
I'm going to buy a little notebook to keep in my bag to write down all sundries over the month. ( I have a notebook at home but this is a huge thing and not practical day to day. I keep forgetting to update when i get home.)
I want to have saved around £200 of the above towards my debt by the end of this month, so i should be looking at £246.07 for entertainment and sundry spends for this month. Easily do-able

So lets see how this month pans out and see if i can get a debt paid off by May 22nd. (day after may payday)

4littleone

Well yesterday was a no spend day :T and today i have spent £4.53 on washing powder, bread, butter and cereal.
We have enough food to last until Monday when my wages hit my account so I have ended up spending £18 on food and cleaning this week out of my budget of £21.
I've set aside the remaining £3 to go into daughters savings account.
Today will be fairly rubbish unfortunately. Partner is not speaking to me and the weather is awful so can't even take to little one to the park for a while to get out of the crap atmosphere. Never mind, roll on Monday, i just love seeing those debt signatures going down!:T