Ј21,000 to pay off -but we will do it this time.

A question about : Ј21,000 to pay off -but we will do it this time.

Having had a few previous diaries I know that when i'm keeping a spending diary it helps me feel more in control and a bit more together, In the short time I've not been posting I've felt that things are slipping and I've dropped the balls i'm juggling.
We are well over budget for the month but I will go into this a bit more shortly.

So a little about me, I live in the north and work part time, i'm married to a lovely man who works full time and have 2 wonderful children both at primary school.
We have sat down and worked out that our debt is just over Ј21,000 mostly on CC and we need/want/have to pay this off, we are too old to be living payday to payday and have no savings.

So this months overspends have come from -
1) expensive family wedding, stayed over at the hotel (to keep face I suppose)
2) more heating oil needed due to this ridiculously long winter, will it ever end.
3) large plumbing bill at house we are renting out.

SO budget has been done and have worked out that after bills have been paid we are short by about Ј60 this month at the minute, I do have Ј8 coming from mysurv3Y and another Ј5 from ebay, I have a couple of items to list on ebay but these are only 99p items. May well end up raiding the kids piggy banks.

Next month should be easier as we will be into our second month of having tenants in our house and have this extra coming in most of this does need to go to the taxman as OH is paying off arrears, I have put together next months budget and we do have a little surplus but as you all know something always crops up and eats it so this will not be thrown at any debt until the end of the month if anything is left.

SO what am I doing about cutting back, well we have been through our budget, car insurance is due to be renewed OH has been checking out comparison sites and should be able to get it cheaper than our current provider , food budget has been checked out this has crept up far too much, I have done a rolling meal plan that although a little mundane will keep costs down. Getting back into home baking as I've been wasting money on shop bought treats. Also no takeaways, meals out.
Will us nectar points to buy any bits I may need between now and payday, also going to have a look at the market at the nearest town to where I live i'm sure I could buy fruit/veg there much cheaper. We are making sure we don't buy anything we don't need and looking into doing cheap/free things with the kids this will be easier if the sun ever starts shining. CH has been turned off all week and have only used it for hot water, keeping the house warm with just the wood burner. Also cancelled 2 charity DD we had one to Nspcc and one to Rspca, felt very guilty about this but at the minute children have to come first and once we are sorted I can go back to giving
charity donations.

I think this is all for now, I'm sure I had more to write down but have forgotten.

Best answers:

• Look forward to following
  *Subscribes*
• Yay Pennywise is back, I've "missed" you xxx
• Choogirl, thankyou for such a lovely welcome back.
  Hiddenidentity thankyou for subscribing.
• You can do it pwps. xx
• Thankyou AIP.
  Have managed to list an item on ebay, will put other 2 items on tomorrow, off to bed shortly i'm shattered.
• Hi PWPS
  I am subscribing again - glad you came back
  I know what you mean about not keeping track - we are spending loads at the moment on things for our house and I just can't keep track properly - I keep thinking I will do a spending diary once all the big spends have gone but lets be realistic it's going to be months.
  DH finishes work tomorrow and we can't manage on one income so not sure what is going to happen
• Hi EE thanks for posting, I know what you mean about big spends it just gets overwhelming doesn't it. Eeek to your OH finishing work, hope you manage to find a way to get through it.
• Hurrah - you're back
  It wouldn't be right, Penny's challenge without Penny!
  How are the tennants? I can't spell that word!
  I was the same last night went to bed reading Dave Ramsey at 9.20pm and slept the best i have for months.
  Well done on ebay, i have a 'lovely' shirt from my Mum for my birthday that simply HAS to be listed.
• Welcome back penny
• Yay youre back with a new diary. We will all with encouragement etc xx
• Welcome back pwps x
• HI PWD, thanks for your kind post, the tenants have settled in and I hope will stay a while.
  JWIL - thankyou and I hope you and baby are well.
  Mummy - Thankyou hopefully this time I will do it.
  Bella- thankyou for your post.
• So as it's last day of the school hols for us I have spent the morning making sure uniforms/pe kits are all ready.
  Had a quick lunch, just soup and a sandwich and then darted into Town to pay in a Cheque for OH, nipped into B&M spent Ј3.80 on coffee and washing up liq.
  Also went into a goldsmiths in town, I have a pair of gold earrings that I received for my 21st, I have never worn them as I always disliked them but kept hold of them because of who they were from and the fact they were a present, I found them the other day and decided it was stupid to have something of small value never worn just sat in a box in a drawer, so I tok them into the goldsmiths and sold them for Ј46 and the sky hasn't fallen down and I don't feel bad about it, in fact I've felt worse when I've sold items on ebay and they have sold for stupidly low amounts. So I need to add that to the challenge amount.
  Tea tonight is a frugal one scrambled eggs on toast.
  Off to finish washing up from lunch and do the ironing.
• Glad you don't to bad pwps, I've weighed in 2 engagement rings when me and OH have been skint lol partly OH idea so didn't feel to awful about it haha needs must, no point keeping something for the sake of it.
  I'm sure you will do it your posts really inspire me and I love reading your diaries so keep it up
  Xx
• Thankyou Bella.
  Kids have been fed, going to go and send them for showers, sort out bags into car and put out uniform.
  Told them tonight its bed at 7 and lights out at 7.30 need to get back into the school routine.
• Back to school and work today , I have really enjoyed the last 2 weeks off just pottering around the house and spending time with the kids.
  Today will be a spend day, I need petrol and school dinners need paying for.
  Packed lunches for today are made and I have everything I need in for tea tonight (cheesy potato bake), most do some baking when I get back from work.
  Better go and get showered and wake the kids up.
• Morning pwps Hope work goes well
  On the plus side if you get petrol from one of the supermarkets they've dropped there prices as of today so that should save you a bit of money, not some good for me as I got petrol yesterday oh well maybe prices will stay lower for a while.
  Your cheesy potato bake sounds yummy.
  Take care have a good day x
• Take care have a good day x
• Evening.
  Had a good couple of days at work, nice to be back and back into a routine.
  Spends over the last couple of days have been Ј25 on car fuel, Ј24.80 on grocery shopping and Ј4 on school dinners.
  Received Ј5 paypa l payment from mysurvЈy.
  Short and sweet but to be honest not much happening.