My own diary to keep me on track

angie_baby

Have decided to do the 4k challenge for next year, it will included all, food, going out, clothes, gas, elec, water and money for xmas 09. So really its £333.33 a month on those. I really hope to be debt free by Jan 2010.

After my rent and council tax it leaves £469 to pay debts. This is all based on my take home pay of £1300. So doesnt inc any overtime a min of £200 a month.

Looking forward to this new challenge in a way. Lots of little bugets in a sense.

Better get off soon, out tomorrow to see santa at harrods.

angie_baby

Hope everyone had a good xmas. Looking forward to the New Year and getting on with paying my debts off.

Anyway, have been playing around with figures for the 4k challenge.

Food 100
Living / Clothes 59
Gas 30
Electric 30
Water 27
Travel 50
BT 37
TOTAL 333

Off now to find recipes for leftover turkey.

angie_baby

As always my budgets are messed up, so this is my plan of attack for January.

£333.33 in savers for 4k challenge

Balance is at £445.50 o/d
But these have been paid
Rent £450
Vanquis £100
Capital One £5

Still to clear

1st
TV Licence £12.02
Books £4.99
2nd - TC £95.38 in
H Ins £10.39
4th
DWP £10
5th
C Tax £8
15th - TC £101.29 in
C Ins £10.79
Books £7.89

then pay
15th
Next £40
HSBC £60
16th
Bank Charges £4.56
Cap One £60
25th
Argos £20
Vanquis £25
30th
Vanquis £45

Balance at the end of Jan will be £500.53 o/d but i will stay within my limits and not get any more huge bank charges. Its only a total of £367.88 but its a resonable start me thinks.

It also means i can keep to the 4k challenge, which for a strange reason im looking forward to it. Lots of little challenges all together.

angie_baby

I am really enjoying having all this time off. Not really done too much since boxing day.

Went to Mr T's today, needed milk and it made sense to get a few bits for Jan. Going to try and hold off on another big shop for as long and poss.

Loads of soup, pea and ham (leftover gammon) and now have brocolli and silton on the cooker. Should see us through for lunches in Jan, half the frezzer is soup!

So it looks like my 4k challenge has started £14.59 from my food budget.

Had a surprise gas bill arrived £227.26 just as well i was £127.14 in credit but its still an extra £110.93 to find. As this bill is for up to the 14th Dec im not going to include this in my challenge. But I am going to check to see if i can get it any cheaper, as the thing that worries me is that this doesnt inc xmas and the heating has been on quite a bit. I will really need to watch how we use the gas and elec over the rest of winter. Looks like we will be wearing a few jumpers in the evenings over the next few months. Doing loads of washing today so im going to have to put it back on later today to try and get some of it dry.

Off to check if i have any money from quidco and transfer the shopping money into my main account.

angie_baby

Well after thinking about my gas bill last night i have been investigating my gas meter. I have never even checked my gas meter, but wanted to check how much i was using a day, but it also turns out that the meter they are billing me for isnt mine.

My meter reads at

03542341

While the other reads

05408473

Am on the phone to british gas, hopefully they will owe me some money!

angie_baby

whooo hooooooo!

British Gas have been charging me for a meter thats not mine since i moved in! There should be a cheque on its way once they have sorted the bill. I didnt ask for how much but the last time they estimated my bill it was at 04809 and i was in £127.14 credit but actual reading today is 03542 so quite a big difference.

So glad i went to check. Am going to put the heating on now with no major worries and get some more washing done Will check my reading again later, Also going to sign up online the bloke on the phone said it was cheaper.

Also need to start thinking about DS birthday on the 22nd Jan. I know there is a couple of books he wants that he didnt get for xmas. Need to start thinking about that and where to sleep 4 kids in a tiny 2 bed flat!

Edited : PS Also means that my gas estimate for the 4k challenge was really good budgeted £30! But have set the DD for £25 will put the extra £5 aside in case i need to up it at any point, but hope not to, really want to see how low i can get it without frezzing too much.

And i dont have to find the extra money for the bill!

Will start on the electric next!

angie_baby

Oh my god,

have just logged into my british gas account, its £460.53 in credit, the cheque should be here within 12 days. This means i could pay most of my argos account off and have a little extra for a treat with DS. Also have about £14 from quidco on its way, so not such a bad start to the year afterall.
:j :j :j :j :j

gollygosh

That's fantastic news! I love those sort of surprises. £460.53 woohoo!!

angie_baby

Happy New Year!

Havent got a great start need to get on with some work later. But the extra couple of hours will be handy, going in tomorrow for a while as well. It all adds up!

Spent last night at my dads and found some reduced bits id bought last month in his freezer so i can add those into my meal plans maybe knock something on toast off. Or could do an extra couple of days and do the shop on the weekend.
Also got a loaf of bread on will probily slice and freeze half for DS lunches next week. Will need to do another tomorrow though.

My grocery challenge will be hit a bit hard this weekend though as i really need washing powder and frabric conditioner i dont know why i still have all this washing, theres loads. Going to sort through all of them. Need a bit of a clear out.

Lots to do, really need to get off of here. I really think im a addict to MSE

angie_baby

Ok, some figures for 09

Income - not including Tax Credits / CB / or any overtime

Nett 15,600

Rent.................450......5400
C Tax...............78........936
C Ins................10.39....129.48
H Ins................10.79....124.68
4K Challenge......333.33...3999.96

Totals £10590.12

£5009.88 to clear debts of £6145.46 so £1155.58 to find to be DF by the end of 2009. I know i have a cheque from BG on its way for £460 so am hoping i can pay all my debts by the end of September. Would be lovely to be Debt Free before next xmas.