Let's make merrily with August austerity!

[CremeEggThief]

Hello All,
I've taken the liberty (again!) of starting our new thread for August. The merrily sort of ties in with Christmas and keeping an eye on any bargains out there, if you're super organised and like planning ahead.

Today's spends were £5.10 on travel, £1.20 on 2 bottles of water, £4.20 on 2 hot chocolates and £17.25 on a meal out (long story!).

Not me with the cauliflower cheese.

NSD.

We should start a trend :)

It was me we had our chicken with rice and peas and stuffing balls dd has cauliflower with hers. I'm currently enjoying a glass of cheap wine.

Spotty, ohhelp, adora & co..not sure if you remember me from way back in the spring i came on here really frightened about my debts & you lovely ladies really helped, gave me some really sound advice about cutting spending/ transferring debt etc.

However there was another question hanging over all of this which is how I could be in so much debt (12k on a credit card used for food shopping, household items, odd items my dd might need like clothes, entry to soft play) when my DH earns a v good salary but was/ is being financially controlling. We jested about LTB & talking to go to get all money moved to joint acc but he refused.
Fast forward a few months I've realised I do need to LTB (for others reasons too) but I still have this debt hanging over me. We have discussed adding it to mortgage to then be divided up if/ when we split from house equity. I tried to take out a loan but was refused

So now I need to consult solicitor ASAP, find out what my rights etc are but wondered if you lovely people or anyone else had advice on what I can do until this is resolved? If I call credit card company & ask
If they will freeze interest will this negatively impact on my credit rating? Thinking of the future & that I may want to apply for another mortgage alone.

Struggled this month to get him tipsy part of the nursery fees- they were higher as no 15 hours funding. There has been no final straw just a series of things that have now come together. Thanks in advance for any advice& apologies as I know this isn't usually the tone of this thread

I remember you lizard, sorry it's come to this

Are you both on the mortgage? Will you sell? I don't really know the answers I'm afraid.

I remember you Lizard. Oddly I wondered how you'd got on the other day.

I think asking for a freeze could adversely affect a mortgage with some lenders, but, there are others that look at affordability not adverse credit.

You'd need to use a broker to get a good deal though, they don't all charge the client though. Ours charged the lender instead.

If you do ltb you need to get your ducks in a row first. The legal board will tell you what you need.

I was refused a consolidation loan as well & it seemed a disaster at the time but I got though it.

Have you done a benefits calculator to see how much you'd be entitled to as a lp?. You might be better off than you'd think.

I'm really sorry it's come to this for you though.

lizard I remember you too and am very sorry you are going through this I don't know the answers either I'm afraid but hope someone else will be able to help you

Still catching up after our lovely few days away but just wanted to say thanks for the recommendation about Tesco Orchard - I'd never heard of it. Have signed myself up and linked the clubcard to it. Glad I had the chance to describe other family members' diets too, as DH is now hoping he will get to try some gluten free stuff (coeliac).

Holiday was fab. Not actually sure how much we spent overall - will review the damage when I look at my online banking! I know we saved a lot though. The Fayre and Square meal was actually pretty nice and ended up really cheap combining various offers, and DSDs were amazed we got £100 worth of food in Zizzi for £30 thanks to the clubcard vouchers. We saved the Bella Italia ones - going to use them on DS' birthday at the end of the month.

Tomorrow I've got to email travelodge though. The hotel was nice but there was a major noise problem at night - not other guests but the kitchen staff of the attached carvery! When DH complained they offered him an evoucher which was genuinely unexpected (all we wanted was to get them to turn the music off) and they took his email address, but nothing's come through. I feel rather cheeky asking but since they offered it, they should make good on that right?

Also going to email the carvery I think as it was totally ridiculous that the manager seemed to have no control over the staff (when the travelodge people tried to get them to turn it down... they turned it up DD was crying by this point).

Sorry having glimpsed the latest posts my own post looks rather petty. Sorry lizard

Fuzzpig definitely email them that's awful! Glad you had a good time otherwise

NSD.
Lizard, book yourself a free half hour with a few different solicitors and also contact the CAB. Think about your questions in advance, so you can make the most of your time there. Sorry it's come to this.

I'd chase it up personally.

Hi lizard
I remember you too but I have no advice to give beyond much luck and courage.

Yesterday £10 for a wide carpet strip to go across our bedroom doorway. The kitten got shut in and has damaged the carpet.

£17 for dog meal, cat biscuits and cat litter to cover our holiday. £2.10 for sweets for the kids.

Today about £9 buying garlic bread for lunch, some popcorn and some scotch eggs for DD1 (who gates the mince the rest of us were having)

Hi all, bless you all& thanks for your kind words & advice.

Yes plan this week is to get ducks in a Rossi to speak. We have a session with relate on tue & I have also been having some 1:1 counselling which is paid for by work. On the sane day I'm hoping to get an appointment to see the CAB & again via work we get an hours free legal consultation.

He knows things are not good- we had a weeks separation a little while ago & only agreed to give things a go he finally agreed to counselling but since organising that ive come to the inclusion that actually this isn't what I want anymore.

So he doesn't actually know but he does if that makes sense. We have some equity in the house to the debt could go into the mortgage& then be shared when the house is sold. I don't think I would be able to remain living here- 4 bed house mortgage is currently more than my monthly take home so doesn't make sense. Butto complicate things further need to apply for schools for dd in jan 2015 so need to keep this in mind with any renting/ moving somewhere new.

I don't think he will argue the custody, divorce stuff but I know he will argue the money. Going to get everything in place so she the split does happen I have child benefit/ tax credit forms all ready to along with paperwork. It's nightmare getting money from him now let alone even we split. A few months berating space from the cc repayments will also mean i can put some money aside. Thanks all once again, I'm ok, swinging between shock& upset but have some great RL support too

lizard so sorry to hear you're going through this. I know it probably doesn't feel like it now but you're going to look back in a year or 18 months and you'll be so much happier and financially better off, or at least more secure as you'll know where the money is coming from and you'll not recognise yourself. Much and for you.
What an ass that he is willing to lose you rather than share his money with his family.

Hi all,

Can I join in again? Sorry for not being on for the last couple of months, but life has been like a rollercoaster (dont worry, wont bother you guys with the story) but short cut, my wonderful dd was born 29.05 and is luckily perfect and in good health.
We are/were living in NL, but long story short, I am terrible homesick and my PIL are not very kean on being there for us as a family, so we have choosen to go home to my home country, where my family is close and cant wait for us to be back. My parents are over the moon and is prepared to help us settle with all they can..
So this Saturday they are coming down to pick us and all our stuff up and then we will be staying a bit at their place.
Hopefully soon my partner will have a job and then when he has that, the bank has agreed on lending us money for a house. (we have actually already made an offer on one, that the bank has acc.) My parents are so kind to be on the mortgage as cautionist for a period, so our interest rate will be low :)
I will prob not be able to track my spendings before we are settled back home, so will most likely first be back one from September again. And then its all about saving for the house/furniture ect.
Have a great week all

lizardqueenie no advice, just wanted to send a virtual hug....

Italian I was wondering how you were getting on! Hope the birth went ok as I know you were worried about it

spotty how sweet of you to think about me. The birth went fine, thank you. The team, that took care of me was wonderful and very professional and I had a midwife who knew a lot about my condition.
Unfortunately I was sent home to soon and ended up fainting and loosing quite some blood, so we were admitted again 2 days later. My parents were luckily here, so they were with us all the time and that also made us be even more sure, that we wanted to be closer to my family.

Italian welcome back, I was thinking about you the other day and wondering how you were getting on. Congratulations on your new DD, that is lovely news and I am happy for you that you have decided to move back to be near your family. It sounds a bit soppy to say, but my DD is 18yo now and has always been close to my mother and they have a really special relationship which is lovely to see

I have also joined Tesco Orchard today - thank you everyone for pointing me in the right direction, I had never heard of it! I have registered and linked in my clubcard and done all the introductory surveys. I have a starting score of 3 out of 10 . What have other people been sent to try? I am not a big fan of FB or the other social media but I did declare on my survey that I spent several hours a day on discussion boards

I've had £5 off homeware, two loaves of hovis seeded bread & I'm waiting for ice cream vouchers.

£10 petrol.

Hello all,

Sorry I've been AWOL for a bit.

I've just taken all of dhs cards off of him and left him with £5 (is that enough?), I've said if he needs more he needs to ask for it. In the last 10 days he has withdrawn £300, I've an idea what he has spent it on and I'm peed off, today's he got the dog a new ball...

NSD

Its going to be a hard week I thought dd had 3 weeks until she goes back to school but it's 2 ! Stil got bits to get and ive got my phone bill due on Thursday.

Going to live of whats in freezer/cupboards I think this week just need a few frozen bits will pop to lidl.

I don't blame you Karbea. How tempted were you to cut them up?.