hayley_jayne's diary to get out of debt in two years!

hayley_jayne

I have been a lurker on this board for quite a few months now and have slowly been trying to change my ways. After a lot of mistakes, set backs etc I am now living within my means (and not on credit!). I am also on the pathway to paying back my debts albeit slow to this point.

I live with my partner and we are expecting our first child in October. The aim is to clear all our unsecured debt so when our fixed rate mortgage expires in May 2010 we can move house.

I'd like to use this diary as a place to vent and get advice from you money saving experts out there.

Hayley

LilacPixie

Welcome to the board. You appear to have similar aoms to us. Our fixed rate mortgage also ends in summer 2010 and we want to clear all debt and then move. We are expecting our 2nd baby next month :eek:

What I would say is keep a spending diary to see exactly where your money goes. The £1.50 a day on coffee and a cake at work doesn't seem much but over the year its a scary figure. ditto the £4 on newspapers a week then end up in the recycling.

It is soso tempting to be convinced that the latest gadget/item in a baby shop is an essential for baby especially when the advertising seems to imply that by not having it you are risking the health of the baby. seriously don't fall for it, we did with our 1st and of course it went on the c/card and 90% were either never used or rarley used.

Good Luck

hayley_jayne

Thanks LilacPixie and congrats on the baby. Do you know whether you are having a boy or girl? I think the idea of keeping a spending diary is an excellent one as am terrible at keeping tabs on the little things (which add up very quickly!).

I haven't really bought anything for the baby yet. We are having a new kitchen fitted this weekend and next and I also am redoing the box room as it is to be my new office (for home working). Then we will need to set up a nursery. I did however get some beautiful 'next' clothes off ebay in 0-3 months and picked them up locally for a total cost of £30 so with all the gifts I think we will receive I doubt I'll need much more clothing for the first couple of months.

What would you say are the essentials for a baby? We thought we would borrow quite a few things off my partners sister but she has just found she is pregnant so will need them.

I am frightened if I start looking too much I'll go on a spending spree and as you say buy loads of stuff we will never use!

LilacPixie

Leave clothes for gifts. you will get lots.

Baby will need something to sleep in ideally a full size cot if you have the room. Moses baskets look pretty but in reality the baby may only fit in it a few weeks depending on its size. If you want one try and borrow one.

Car seat. Consider if you want an infant carrier that is rear- facing for birth to around 1 year cost approx £100 but a little more if you chose a car seat base for ease of getting it in and out, or a combi car seat for birth to 4 years these seats are rearfacing from birth but can then be switched to forward facing once baby is 9kg in weight which is around 9-12 months. These seats also cost around £100 but can rise to £200 depending on brand. Its personal preferance.

Pram/Pushchair. once again personal preference. we chose a bugaboo at £500+ for little pixie and after 6 months i detested it I ended up with a quinny zapp stroller. The bugaboo was just too bulky for lifting in and out of the boot of my car. Try various brands and makes instore, ask for demonstrations in folding and lifting, ask then to let you try them out in your car etc and when you have chosen what you want.... buy it online!!!! its often cheaper and even if its a mothercare own brand pram you like buy it online going via quidco for cashback. This time we will just be using a sling for the baby. Our first is nearly 2 and wants to walk everywhere.

It really depends how you choce to feed you baby, if you choose bottles you will need a steriliser or at the very least a large tub for cold water sterilising bottles, teats, bottle brush etc. Breastfeeding minimum you need is breasts but a pump, bottles and steriliser may also be needed if you hope to help OH feel involved. Leave the buying of these until after baby arrives if you can. I learnt to my peril that breastfeeding is not suited to all mums and babies, I had a pump with bottles and a steriliser prior to birth then little pixie decided breastfeeding was far too much effort for her so was given expressed milk, the pump we had chosen was a manual and rubbish and the bottles we chose especially because they fitted on the pump she hated. We therefor had to ditch the pump and bottles and buy new bottles she liked. overall that was around £100 wasted that wouldn't of been if we had waited until she arrived.

We also bought various little bits and pieces, a bath themometer in the shape os a rubber duck, cute but not needed. I was more likely to test water manually anyway than trust it. Room themometer DH bought purely because the advertising bumpf focuses on how a baby overheating can be dangerous and then it gives all these scary cot death statistics. In reality you can tell yourself is a room is too warm and take appropriate action.

There is no harm in looking just don't make any impulse buys and consider various things. A baby needs someplace warm to sleep, food, dry bum and love.

hayley_jayne

Thanks LilacPixie that is so helpful.

I am going to go looking at equipment this weekend so have printed off your post as a reference! I am going to try and breastfeed but as suggested will wait until she is born before we buy much equipment of that nature.

Had a good weekend, I went to see Boyzone Saturday night, which was nice. I went with some girls that are really into them so it was quite sweet seeing how carried away they got LOL.

Not entirely money saving, I paid for the ticket in December but spent £9 on car parking. I wanted to pack on site though as was meeting them there and not staying out afterwards and wanted to feel safe getting back to my car. Didn't buy anything there though

Yesterday was a cheap day (for the most part) as OH was at work and I was in revising and seeing my new kitchen being fitted. They have to come back next weekend to do the rest of it but I am really excited about it now. Did have to buy fuel for work though £50.45 for a tank *ouch*, also had to use the joint contingency CC too as very little money until payday. Also had nowhere to make some lunch because of the kitchen so my step dad picked me up a McDonalds; bad for the waist line and money! OK, so scrap it was a cheap day I think I have changed my mind.

hayley_jayne

Yay, back from the exam and it went really well

I am so glad for it being over with, feel on a real high. Have a scary amount of work (for work) to get on with now though.

Still a bit of an expensive trip, fuel for 35 mile round journey, £5 for parking and £7.43 for a sandwich, and a few groceries.

hayley_jayne

Yesterday was a fairly cheap day. I spent £2.69 on lunch (bad I know) and gave £5 to a colleagues leaving collection. It was a long day as in meetings but productive.

Feeling a bit grumpy this morning as haven't been able to think of anything else I can do to tackle the debt apart from wait until I get paid tommorrow.

I am meant to be at a uni tutorial tonight and don't have any cash for parking and neither does my OH! I get paid tommorrow and he gets paid Friday. Bit peeved that I will miss it because of my inability to budget properly.

OK, large whinge over. I am going to write a list of things I need to do and try and get something positive out the day!

x

embarrassed_about_my_debt

Hi Hayley,

Been reading your diary but im more of a lurker than a poster.

Might not be feasible but could OH drop you off and pick you up meaning you dont have to pay parking? Or could you raid a change jar? Or nip round and visit parents on the way then drop the i havent got any change can i borrow it till next time i see you. I'm guessing its only a couple of £?

hayley_jayne

Yay, have saved the day. I had forgot about my moneypig. Although I have just killed him getting in as the lock has been broke for ages and I have just broke the pig *whoops*. Still I got a Penguin moneybox last christmas I have never used so will have to have a money penguin now LOL.

So now, thanks to that great idea I have money for parking

That has really cheered me up, also have done something money saving today after all. I opened an Halifax regular saver that pays 10% before tax. I am going to pay £150 into it every month to pay off the loan my dad is giving me for the new car.

embarrassed_about_my_debt

Glad it helped and cheered you up that now your getting to go now!

hayley_jayne

Very late last night we cleared through our kitchen cupboards / fridge and freezer and binned stuff that was out of date. We have been running our food down for the last month as the new kitchen was planned. I don't think there is going to be much store cupboard living happening this month as we have virtually nothing left! We have decided to do meal plans to create our food shopping list and 'my supermarket' to compare prices as we have set a much tighter food budget for the month. We normally just buy whatever we feel like.

Still we have a treat planned tonight; a trip to Wetherspoons for tea

Sorry for rambling ........................

x