I heart NY - Our journey to and across the Pond

RAS

Good to see things are getting better.

Re the do - could you join the £10 a day challenge?

And try the MOney Saving Old style for ideas on the food, or post a special thread on here?

newyorkcitybride

Hi RAS,

Thanks for your post.
I thought about the £10 a day challenge but I'm a bit scared of failing to be honest....

I've had a good look on the threads here about food, and I think one thing which might help is to limit the amount of varying options.
We're looking at something simple... as OH doesnt each much variety.
So spiced chicken, tortillas/Pitta breads, and plenty of fresh salad items to fill them up, potato salad, coleslaw and then nacho chips and cold rice...maybe a fresh fruit salad?
Its not a great variety of things I know, but it's only meant to be something light as its 7:30 till late....

RAS

Know anyone who has a wholesalers card?

newyorkcitybride

ARGH!

Well after all that... OH has just phoned and told me we might need to re-arrange our dates because one of his work colleagues is getting married on that day...
And he doesnt want his work friends split between deciding what to go to...

OH MY GOD! I am so unbelievably livid...

He's just said we'll have to change it then, to which I replied we could end up losing our deposit, because even though we're just swapping the dates (same venue) the deposit holds the venue for that date... so my poor Mum bless her stands to lose the £150 she's paid out already...

I'm so annoyed I just burst into tears when I hung up.... He played no part in organising any of this, and I picked the day because thats when all of his work lot were off so they could all attend, and then he does this!

newyorkcitybride

OK crisis averted!

Had a long chat about his lack of support and he's promised to play a more active role.

I've also set up a new bank acount for my budget for debt repayments to be paid into and then all my debts are paid out from there. This will mean the acount that my wages go into is my remaining money for food, mobile, sky and food.
I've played around with my budgets and figure I can put £350 a month toward my debts.
I'll be paying off in full my store card on friday (payday), and have a letter to sent to cancel the account and asked for written confirmation that the balance is zero and the acount cancelled. I'm actually sadly excited at the prospect.
OH has given himself £700 a month to go toward paying off the debts which is roughly half his income. So it's all positive steps so far.

I'm also going to try really controlling to food spends this month too. I'm opting to do a weekly shop, and that way I can literally plan for each meal each night.I'd love to get our food shop to £150 this month, does anyone think this is do-able? Bearing in mind OH wont eat pasta or rice!

newyorkcitybride

Had a really good day so far, and didn't spend a penny!

Have also been playing about with the numbers and budgets etc.

I think the Snowball calculator ahs become my new best friend!

We've made the decision to go and live out in New York for a year definite. It was a bit of a pipe dream when I wrote about it before but now its something we both really want to do!
Its scary and exciting and I'm looking forward not only to that year but also the years preceeding it.
I think he and I are both going to learn a lot in the new journey, hence why I've renamed the thread and will be using it almost as a diary.... thought I'd avoid naming it a diary though...

Am so excited about friday, mainly because it's payday but mostly because it will be one card paid off completely! YAY!
So we've got a good amount of money to throw to the debt per month, in total £1050, which I've also now decided to treat it all as joint, I know I didnt spend most of it, but I will benefit in the long term helping get it all paid off, esp now we're married, we're in it all together....

I've also been through the freezer and cupboards and hopefully next week I'll only need to do a minimal shop, of aorund £25 for the week, so a good start to keeping the food spending under control. I should imagine we'll manage that every week, as I'm using quite a bit from the freezer next week, but it all needs eating, and what better, than to start as I mean to go on!

Roll on payday is all I can say

newyorkcitybride

Woohoo!

Payday is here!
I'm just off into town to buy some bits and then pay off my dorothy perkins card!
I cant wait to come home just to update the snowball calculator!

ifonlyitwaseasier

just wanted to say WELL DONE!!!!!!

you are doing so well.

newyorkcitybride

Hello IOIWE,

Nice to have a litte msg from someone so I dont feel like I'm solely talking to myself, not that I mind talking to myself but you know, dont wanna seem like a crazy person!

I'VE DONE IT!
Wooooooooooooooooooooooohooooooooooooo
Paid off my Dorothy Perkins card in full! Just got to put a letter in an envelope to post now, and account cancelled and hopefully credit score improved!

Update my snowball calculator too, so only 27 months to go now!

tootallulah

I am a terrible for reading but not posting, your cry about talkig to yourself got me off my lazy bum! I am enjoying your posts and hope very much that you and your OH make it to live the NY dream.

Good luck you are doing brilliantly so far,