A Ditherer's Diary (again)

Naomim · 6 January 2017 at 3:18PM

I'm baaaack.

When I started my original diary "A Ditherer's Diary" My kids were littlie's aged 5 and 15 months. Nothing except their age and the amount of debt has changed, it's all got higher! They are now 11 & 7.

Having had a quick read through, a lot of it was me coming and going with a few months/years in between.

I recently came back to MSE and went straight onto the Debt Free Wannabe board. I posted an SOA . The debts are dire.

We've recently had an extension and a lot of work done to the house. It was awful, we've had to sack the builder and he owe us a lot of money. The roof is leaking, the house needs re-wiring. The dog is poorly and needs a £4k operation... .

I know this is all going to take a very long time to sort out. Little by little, step by step I can hopefully creep us out of the overdraft, melt the credit card debts and maybe even have some spare money one day!

My plans for the following week are:

Find the new credit card I got for 0% interest balance transfer - activate it and set-up direct debit
Use the snowball calculator again to see how this has changed.
Get car insurance quotes
Make packed lunches every day
DO NOT buy coffee out.

I've joined the £2 savers club. I was a member a few years ago and have always saved them. It physically hurts to spend one.

I hope you'll come and help me along the long and winding path.

Naomi x

Bobarella · 6 January 2017 at 5:18PM

Gosh I'm really sorry to hear things are so stressful. It sounds like lots of things going on.

Naomim · 6 January 2017 at 9:59PM

It is and I've certainly shed more than a few tears this past few months. BUT I know I need to be positive.

As long as I keep my eye on the ball and keep my head up it'll start shifting.

It's a bit like dieting. Keep a diary and it's easier to stay focused.

mrshubbard · 6 January 2017 at 10:23PM

Good luck. Your builder sounds horrendous! Hope your doggy is on the mend soon x

EssexHebridean · 6 January 2017 at 11:19PM

Welcome (back) to diaryland!

That's a good set of aims to start off with. Especially the coffee one! Have you run the figures on that through Martin's disincentivisor tool on the main site? Or would that be too scary!

Good luck with getting things sorted - you know what needs to be done so that's a head start at least.

Naomim · 9 January 2017 at 3:40PM

Hello Monday!

Today I'm working from home. I've been having some pains in my hands so I have the Doctors. By the time I get to work and back it's almost not worth me being there. Luckily I can log on from home and do some work.

Today I have activated the new credit card and set up the direct debit for the minimum payment. I've also searched around for car insurance quotes. My renewal quote was £328 yet all the comparison sites seem to be around the £205 mark... a huge difference. Tesco Bank seem to come out on top for all the comparison sites. Just need to check Quidco to see if I can get some cashback.

I just remembered I got £20 Amazon gift card when I applied for the new 0% interest credit card. I must get that added to my account.

I've eaten home made sandwiches and making pasta bake with left overs tonight. :j

Hope you all had a good weekend.

Naomi x

Naomim · 10 January 2017 at 2:58PM

Naomim wrote: »

I'm baaaack.
My plans for the following week are:

Find the new credit card I got for 0% interest balance transfer - activate it and set-up direct debit
Use the snowball calculator again to see how this has changed.
Get car insurance quotes
Make packed lunches every day
DO NOT buy coffee out.

So far I have:
Activated the new credit card which I'd transferred £3k debt onto and set up the direct debit.
Got car insurance quotes. A big savings of over £100 can be had here!
Made packed lunch Monday & Tues
NOT bought coffee out.

I have however had to buy both the kids new school shirts. 7yo has grown out of hers and 11yo are covered in pen splat's, paint, permanent marker (and gone grey where MiL was doing the washing

)

I feel on track so far.

This Friday we have a meeting with our mortgage advisor as we need to borrow more to finish the work the dodgy builder has left us with. The house re-wiring has started so everything is covered in dust .

On Friday DH and I are also having a night away. It's my Aunt's 90th birthday party and we're off there and staying overnight in a Premier Inn. I can't wait.

N x

EssexHebridean · 10 January 2017 at 3:39PM

Remember before going through the cashback site for the insurance you need to either delete cookies or even better use a difference computer. Otherwise there's a good chance that the cashback won't track as it'll detect you've been through a comparison site first.

well done for making lunch and not buying coffee!

Naomim · 11 January 2017 at 7:53AM

Ooh yes I forgot about that. I do all of this stuff at work in my lunch hour so will check how to clear cookies. Will that mean I lose passwords?

Naomim · 11 January 2017 at 2:50PM

Another no coffee day! This may seem as trivial to some of you, but as I leap of the train every morning I'm met by a number of coffee shops. I'm usually hungry as I've not had time before leaving the house to have something so the milky coffee would sustain me until I reached the office. Coffee shop coffee however, is an expensive business. 3 days an £6.75 not spent!

I have managed to bring lunch in today again. I've brought in a tin of soup and spent 35p on a roll for dipping.

Payday on Friday. choo choo!

Scott_Weiland_2 · 11 January 2017 at 5:02PM

Haha find the cheapest off all the number of coffee shops and treat yourself once in a while

being frugal is about being sensible not cutting everything, i use a small coffee shop an independant one not a costa or starbucks as they charge £2.25 for a small cafe mocha

that and they pay there taxes lol

A Ditherer's Diary (again)

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