Wendy's "To get it out of my head" Diary

Keeping_Positive

Well for the first time is ages I am into my overdraft by £169 I have also added £180 to that to clear one ofthe ccs as I have decided to put anything extra that has built up onto the od. I have been paying both ccs in full it was one up until recentely which helped me by about £500 a month. By using the od though Ill know from the screen each day how much I owe so new challenge will be to clear it asap. It may take a few months but technically I will have been clearing the £500 I was borrowing monthly from my cc as well.

5/8/07 od c£349

monies due in
expenses £192
dental £155 - when I claim
child benefit £174
tax credit £36 x 2=72
OH £100
OHs mate £50
TOTAL - 743

Due out
mechanic £88.00
brownies / guides £10
cc2 £166 - need to reclaim £50 of this from automatic renewal of mccaffe
dds £68
grocery budget £86
Diesel for work £65 - £100 guestimate
TOTAL 518

Amended bank balance = -124

Other things to thing about /add - other silly spends and holiday budget

GirlRacer_2

Hi Wendy, not caught up in a few days but well done on the car boot and Quidco. Every little helps doesn't it. I wish I could be as focused as you with regards to the budget. My money ges in at the end of the month, my DD's come out on the first and I'm left with whatever's left over. I tend to live off my CSA, Tax credits and Child benefit so my wage just pays my bills. Every month I look at what I have for the month which is £945 and I wonder where is all goes. Once this difficult month is out of the way I'm going to take your advice and budget.

Keeping_Positive

If I dont budget I overspend simple as that really! Every few months I think Im ok and take my eye off the ball. This leads to overspending and taking two steps back. This has been going on for years. According to my official monthly budget I should be able to overpay my loan a bit and still have the £500 for the holiday saved but silly and a few unplanned spends have occured putting me back a few months :mad:.

When I get back off hols I will do a proper well thought out budget and a new diary to see if I can last into the new year.

Hope you do a budget, it might help build up that ISA a bit more for a family holiday next year. Mind you with the Aug balance almost at £100 for August I think you are doing just fine.

Keeping_Positive

Bother.... just about to get through a no spend day when OH needs patrol and kids want a treat for sleepover. £20 to come out of my account which should be £10 petrol £4 pizza (tesco basic 2 for £2 :money: ) and rest to me.

I could say no to pizza but £4 not a terrible amount for a treat I guess. Should get the £100 from OH on friday wonder if I can get £110?:D

dizzy_lizzie

Hi Wendy. I sympathise with you re: the overdraft. It's like 3 steps forward and 2 back. But you keep going don't you, well done on keeping it up. The best thing will be how you're going to feel when it's all cleared. Amazing
May have to do a strict budget like you Wendy. I'm still taking the £10 out of the bank to pay for ebay postage then spending what's left and because things go daily I'm taking £10 out a day and the rest!!!
Hope you have a 'low spend day' tomorrow.
Luvz Dizzy x

Keeping_Positive

Thanks Dizzy, hope so. Im in the office so need to take something in for lunch or I might just come home for a bit. Bonus that Im only 5 mns away. Still go 4 packs of rolos left so thats helping me not use the vending machine or stop enroute.

Ref ebay: I would give the online postage a go I found it really easy to use and I just weighed things on my kitchen scales.

Keeping_Positive

6/8/07 od c£356

monies due in
expenses £192
dental £155 - £154 claim in post today
child benefit £174
tax credit £36 x 2=72
OH £100
OHs mate £50
TOTAL - 743

Due out
mechanic £88.00
brownies / guides [strike]£10[/strike] £5 left
cc2 £166 - need to reclaim £50 of this from automatic renewal of mccaffe - refund due
dds £[strike]68[/strike] £66 left
grocery budget £86
Diesel for work £65 - £100 guestimate
TOTAL [strike]518[/strike] £511

£20 cash withdrawal yesterday

Amended bank balance = [strike]-124[/strike] -£144

Keeping_Positive

A couple of updates above and todays spends so far are £2.16 stamps and £1.80 lunch.

Keeping_Positive

Spent £18.50 on a pool ladder in the sale and £2 on lunch today. Annoyingly I had to pay for OHs birthday present £104 for a trip to MPH motorshow in novemeber. Hoping the chq doesnt go through till payday to limit overdraft charges. Theres not much we both enjoy doing so I hope the money is worth the time spent together. I did manage to not hit the vending machine so a whole 45p saved!

Oh and a forgotten £40 dd went out ...bother.

dizzy_lizzie

Hi Wendy. Sounds like you're going to have a great day together.
Well done on not being tempted by those vending machines
Luvz Dizzy x