Budget Planner Discussion Area

kazd · 31 December 2005 at 12:37PM

Also I have just completed the planner and it says I am overspending by £760 odd per month which is approx £9k. Yet when I do a complete income v expenditure for the whole of this year it shows a total overspend of just over £2k. This has all my accounts, I buy everything on Amex first followed by capital one and have limited cash withdrawal. All holiday spending is done on Nationwide cc and flex account for withdrawal. Not sure where I am going wrong.

Life_On_Mars · 2 January 2006 at 10:40PM

I use the wonderful Open Office as a free alternative to Microsoft Office. Although it converts Microsoft file formats quite happily most of the time as others have pointed out it can't cope with the Budget Planner spreadsheet

I tried using the online version, but got stuck when I wanted to print - it only printed the first couple of sections. I couldn't save the web page either - not without losing my data :rolleyes:

So, I copied it into Open Office - if anyone wants a copy contact me and I'll let you have it :snow_grin

horridhenry · 6 January 2006 at 1:17AM

Treid Debt free board and was ignored

Need help as DH vanished for 6 mths, leaving me alone with 2 kids under 5, actually under 18 ths! and then he emptied the bank account, about £750 more than was in there without an authorised overdraft, i phoned barclays and explained the problem and they where totally unsymapthetic

They said they would accept no less than £70 a month, now considering i am reliant on income support, i didnt work after 1st child born as dh wanted me at home, and i was happy to stay with child, i have to have benifit, i only get £56 a week income support, which just about covers the bills, then £42 a week ctc which we have to live on. I cannot get a dmp until i am earning and youngest child is only 18 weeks old, so not for a few mths yet.

The bank are threatening to close the account and then we are stuck.

Can anyone suggest a way around this? We have other debts but they have been really sympathetic and are allowing me to pay whatever i can each month for next 6 mths.

Wouls love help and suggestions.

wilhum · 9 January 2006 at 3:27PM

appologies if this question has been answered before.
Down load does not open after unzippng.

I have newish Evsham Quest A610 with MS office 95 including Excel

Please advise
Thanks wilhum :j

JayneS_3 · 9 January 2006 at 6:08PM

In reply to HorridHenry, I don't know if you would be able to do it, but my son go into a bit of bother with spending more than he earned, so he got a lodger. It seems that you can do it without tax implications, but it's worth asking the benefits people if you would be able to do it. Maybe a student, or someone you know, for security reasons. Citizens Advise might help. Have you been to see the Bank Manager face to face? I fail to see why they would not understand. Have you thought about what you can sell to get you out of this spot, then start again. Sell DH's things first!!!

mrsbez_2 · 13 January 2006 at 4:05PM

HORRIDHENRY reply

I'm sorry, sounds like he has left you in a right mess! You say if they close the account you would be in a mess?Why is that? Does your husbands income go into the joint a/c???

1:-open a new a/c at a different bank in your sole name that will allow you to pay in your income support/tax credits and pay out d/debits. If there are bills that come out of the Barclays joint a/c in his sole name then you are not responsible for those, so just concentrate on paying the main household bills. You may only be able to open a basic bank account but this will do.(Try Natwest 'Step' Account). Then once you have transferred your income and d/debits to new account, contact Barclays - send them a letter explaining what has happened and tell them your new income/expenditure without hubby. Tell them you are willing to repay the amount but that you can only afford minimum amount.If they still threaten to close the account, then let them. They will probably pass it to a collection agency who will probably be willing to accept reduced payments for the time being.

Obviously this will affect your credit rating but i cannot see much else you can do.

2:- Meanwhile, if dh does not come back, then contact benefits agency/child tax credits and advise them of your new situation. You should get some extra help if he has left you with no income etc?

By the way- do you have a mortgage? Have you heard from him? Does he give you any income at all?

Hope this helps, am not an expert but am a mom and have helped my sis (lone parent through a similar thing!)

Hope things get better for you!

danbhardy · 11 February 2006 at 4:30PM

Well a nice lighter note, i just did my budget on the online one and found i am well off to the tune of £400 a month! And thats on being on benefits!

With regards to the suggestion of the Step Account, its not all that good, they credit check you in order to get it, this i know from experience. Nationwide are pretty good, they just open a very basic flexaccount with cashcard and direct debits, but has internet banking and all the normal access to the account!

Basically when my wife lost her job we ended up going deeper and deeper into debt, so we "started again". We just got rid of the old accounts, changed all bills over, so whatever was in her name went in my name and vice versa (we werent married at the point so still had our own surnames) and thus temporarily getting rid of the debt. You will find that most debt collection agencies will pressure you, but they wont go to the county court immediately as they know that any county court will only make an order to pay £2.85 a week for someone who is on benefits, and they dont make them all payable at the same time, they queue them so you are only paying 1 off at a time! The debt collectors will keep chasing cos they think if they hassle enough they will get either a lump sum from you or will get a payment scheme that is suitable for them and not for you.

Anyhow this is just my observations!

Dan

Redbrass · 13 February 2006 at 11:17PM

Thanks
I have just started useing OpenOffice, can you email me a copy of the Budget Planner in OpenOffice format.

Thanks
Redbrass

sistersis · 17 February 2006 at 11:49AM

HI Can I have your monthly food planner too!
HAving just had baby 3 find it very hard to plan!!!!!!!!!!!
Thankyou

dentaldave · 21 February 2006 at 10:48AM

MSE_Andrea wrote:

Click reply to discuss the Budget Planner

Can the budget planner be extended to cover 12 months.
Dave Allen

Budget Planner Discussion Area

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