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MoneySaving Newbie Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 6 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post |
Hi, I'm new here, a bit desperate and don't know where else to begin. We have a HUGE overdraft and visa card balance and a few store cards, a loan and the usual bills. We've recently had another baby and I've dropped some hours at work, my husband works all hours god sends and i think financially we're starting to spiral and I'm scared. My husbands ex wife has just had her maintenance payments increased from us also. I've completed a SOA and I can see where we need to cut back on a few things. The problem is with one or two of them is that we're tied into contracts. I don't know whether to (or even if we can) consolidate so we have fewer payments going out. The hardest thing is getting our finances prioritized and or bank accounts straight. My husband gets paid weekly into our joint account, from here we pay all out bills. The only problem is we have a ?3,900 overdraft which we're up to the limit on. Because he gets paid weekly and bills are coming out all over the place, sometimes we go over our limit and some direct debits get returned. I cant figure out how to start from scratch and straighten this account out . I get paid monthly into an account with no overdraft. We live off my monthly pay, pay for food, petrol, treats, clothes etc. I don't earn enough to pay all the bills. We still seem to have no money at the end of the month in this account either According to my SOA we have over ?200 disposable income but I cant tell you we don't see this, I've no idea where is goes but it goes. My husbands weekly pay varies depending on whether he takes holiday/sick or does any over time. He has a really crappy hard job and we would love him to spend more time with us as a family but at the moment he works about 60-70 hours a week just to keep us afloat. The overdraft and visa are like a giant millstone around my neck. My husband doesn't deal with the finances at all. It's all left to me and I can't do it anymore without some help. I'm sorry to pour my heart out but I don't know what else to do. xx Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet Monthly Income Details Monthly Expense Details In Your Home Mobile phones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113.00 Motoring & Public Transport Petrol/Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50.00 Debt Repayments Credit card repayments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196.81 Savings & Investments Pension payments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 Family Pet food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 Entertainment Satellite/Digital TV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30.00 Clothes, Health & Beauty Complimentary therapies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 Education & Courses University tuition fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 Big One-Offs Funeral expenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 Odds & Sods Newspapers and magazines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.00 Total monthly income. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,934.80 Total monthly expenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,719.17 |
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The Following User Says Thank You to clothbum-mum For This Useful Post: Show me >> | |
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? Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Glasgow Posts: 2,112 Thanked 1,400 Times in 892 Posts |
Going out is costing your ?260 and holidays ?60 a month - if you cut down on going out by ?200 a month and cancel your holiday plans, things should look brighter. Keep a spending diary to see where the other money is going and phone your mobile phone providers to see if you can change tariff befiore your contract ends. |
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MoneySaving Newbie Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 6 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post |
We don't always have a holiday to be honest and this year its looking unlikely I just thought I ought to put it in there in case we did have one. We don't always go out either, I've used that as any wine/beer we have in the house or if we have friends over and the odd night out but yes, I see we can make a difference here. I'm going to call Vodafone this afternoon, out mobile phone tariff is rediculous but I've called them before and they can't do anything about it. I can't afford to pay my way out of the contract either. Thank you |
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? Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: In my wee bit of Bonnie Scotland Posts: 10,106 Thanked 51,174 Times in 8,249 Posts |
Hi, well done for getting it down - if possible could you put it into the "usual MSE SOA" - http://www.stoozing.com/msoc/soacalc.php Some of the categories are different / lumped together - and there is a lot of missing info from this one (number of people / cars in house etc) It also requires you to list the debts, payments / month & APRs which we really need to offer advice on the debts.... Is the salary both your wages together?
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The Following User Says Thank You to rising from the ashes For This Useful Post: Show me >> | |
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MoneySaving Newbie Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 6 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post |
Hi, thank you. I'll do that later today. Yes, I thought of a third account for the bills but because we're up to eyes in it I don't know how to sort one out so that the bills are paid on time while my husbands contribution builds up, if you get what I mean? |
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? Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,367 Thanked 2,070 Times in 804 Posts |
I definitely second the idea of you starting a spending journal to find out where the surplus money is going. It's an absolute eye opener. I thought I spent nothing last Saturday, for example, yet when I got the reciepts out of my purse & wrote it all down in my new 2013 spending journal, I found I'd spent ?15-99. Not a huge sum, but it all adds up, & I find I have a bit of a selective memory where my spending is concerned. |
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MoneySaving Newbie Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 6 Thanked 14 Times in 5 Posts |
Firstly no problem is unsolvable. Remember that! Just a few things that I would have a closer look into and see if you can cut/stop or even manage a small trim. Mobile phones ? it might be worth stressing you are financially distressed and won?t be able to afford them. A spending diary is a total must if you can?t work out where the cash is going? Don?t worry I imagine this problem is experienced by everyone (me included!) After those steps its worth seeing about getting high cost debt moved to cheaper rates (if possible). Lost of options are shown on the MSE site but I would stress, be sensible about what is achievable. I?ve found the more involved you get in sorting out your financial problems the easier it gets and the more of a mind set it becomes. You might even surprise yourself and enjoy it (maybe). I hope that helps a bit and isn?t too repetitive |
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? Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1,661 Thanked 1,464 Times in 751 Posts |
Is the car really necessary? you only spend ?50 on petrol so you dont go very far in it. Tallyhoh!Stopped Smoking October 2000. Saved ?14,040 so far! |
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MoneySaving Newbie Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 6 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post |
Thanks all! The TV is stuck with us for a year I'm afraid. That's one of the contracts we're tied into. Along with the mobiles and Gas & Electric. Oh the monthly wage was joint by the way. I earn ?1000 and my husband anything between 1600 and 1800 pm. I'll start a diary, I did this once before but used to keep forgetting :s No, we don't need drinking/eating out etc but I just see it as a little pleasure as we don't do much else to be honest. Maybe I'll change my mind about that though when I've got the real figures down on paper rather than an estimate. |
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MoneySaving Newbie Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 6 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post |
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MoneySaving Newbie Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 6 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post |
Here's the proper SOA. I think it's correct. I've had to group a few things together and put them under entertainment. I've also taken off the holiday. [font=courier new]Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet Household Information Monthly Income Details Monthly Expense Details Assets Secured & HP Debts Unsecured Debts
Personal Balance Sheet Summary |
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? Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 307 Thanked 183 Times in 117 Posts |
Hi, Just a few small ideas... More people will have better ideas too Debt paid off ?0/?5500 MFW #42 OP ?0/?2000 Save ?12k in 2013 #079 ?0/?3000 |
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? Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 65 Thanked 94 Times in 22 Posts |
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