Can we have a nice, kind supportive gowd we are in so much debt type thread?

[grumpypants]

One where we can just be noice and not scathing? I am just always doing little sums in my head, about when things will be cleared, etc. We have sooo much debt. Interest only mortgage, can't afford repayment at the mo. Credit card - bought rubbish house, paid for work with 'real' money, living expenses on cards. Loan, car loan, overdraft etc. It's about £35k unsecured. We pay 1,000 each month in debt. I am so shocked by how this happened, but there are no expensive shoes peeking out the wardrobe; it's a combo of poor choice, me giving up work due to ill child, and the house falling apart just after we moved in...anyone else? I am trying so hard to cut down, and to pay stuff off - one day I really want to enjoy the money dh and I earn.

Oh and to answer earlier question becaroo - I didn't budget for the sick days that DH doesn't get paid for. D'oh!

Lovely that your kids are so good about the holiday.

I have looked into NT membership but I think our DCs (2&4) wouldn't appreciate it. We can still get away with a trip to the park I think.

I might look again though, as I'd enjoy some of their locations so it might keep me sane if nothing else!

smacka I think its def worth it...there are also often free educational stuff on for kids too...craft etc. Trick is not to go to the - very - expensive cafes whilst you are there and eat shedloads of cake (this may just be me though!)

Sorry to hear dh has been off sick.

I think cb will go but I think the way they have done it is ridiculously unfair and IMO is directly attacking sahps like me. With any luck this will be the coalitions poll tax!

We joined our local farm type place with indoor and outdoor parks - well worth it for the parking, lack of dogs, etc

I think it may be shelved (fingers crossed) - we both work, so I don't see it the same way, more a badly thought out token gesture that I think will haunt them. Good.

I hope so gp

Its such a badly thought out policy...one good thing is that the lib dems will never get into power again. That cheers me up a bit

DH just had the stomach bug (as we all did), but as it was back in early Feb I'd forgotten about it.

oh well. dh is going to take back my mothers day gift because i am livid as we don't need it.

ooohhhh...what was it gp ?

ds1 made me a card at school which is lovely.

Dh has just gone off to the co op muttering under his breath so I think he is off to get my present

Need 2 bunches of flowers for our mothers too...I bet he picks the mankiest bunches they have

Am off to church for an hours peace

Oh Grumpy - I hear that! (tis me sm....ca)

I got a CD, DVD, Top, Cardigan and chocolates

Plus 'artwork from the kids', cards etc.

Too much!

Even last night I had to stop him from going out to buy breakfast.

So lovely and thoughtful but I specifically asked for 1 box of chocs only

I feel as if I won't enjoy the CD/DVD as I'll always think how much we could have done with that extra money.

yes same here - tbh i don't mind will young, but i would have been happy with the chocolates. there was a whole exciting huge box moment and its a sodding sandwich maker. FGS. Like we have so much money to burn. And i would have made an exception for perfume.

Well, I got a bunch of daffs and a bar of choc (which ds2 is eating)

I wont have any prob making dh cut down his spending!!

Bit down today as we have realised his bonus (not a massive amount) is basically already gone...with the holiday cancellation fee and paying off a trip he went on with his best friend last month

Its going to take a looonng time to pay the cc off

Hi becca

Can you not sell the holiday on to someone else so you don't have to
completely cancel it, someone might be interested if a deposit paid already?!?

Hi justwishes

Sadly not I tried - the company is English Country Cottages btw - and they just would not budge...I asked if we could transfer the deposit to another holiday cottage - no. I asked if we could go to the same cottage at another date - no, unless we wanted 2nd week in Nov!!! Not really a summer holiday then is it? I will NEVER use this company again and would advise none of you to either!

PILs will be in Bali and my parents are off to lanzarote with my sis so no one to take the booking (and northumbria isnt everyones idea of a holiday destination anyway!)

Learnt a hard lesson at least....will be reading the smallprint from now on!!!

Am also at dh...thought his trip last month was all paid for before he went but no...he still owes £275!!! That means his little trip (4 days) cost over £700. He has got to accept we just cant afford it anymore - not helped by his "friend" keep ringing him and trying to get him to book other trips. Its OK for his friend, he only has 1 dc and earns a lot more than dh. Apparently he wants to go to Brazil next

Hang on Beca, how much of a deposit have you paid? and how much is left? plus what cancellation fee would you need to pay?

We paid a "special" low deposit of £25 each (booked online)

When I rang to cancel last week (dh can now no longer have that week off) they said that as I had "taken advantage" of the special low deposit (which their webiste pushes at every opportunity) I was now liable to pay the normal deposit amount...4 of us = £400.

The woman I spoke to was vile.

All my own fault tbh, I should have checked the T&Cs.

Am really at myself.

Hi again Beca - looking at their terms you should only lose the deposit (assuming it's a summer holiday) and not have to pay a cancellation fee.

Perhaps its because the sun is shining here today but I feel a bit more positive today

Have a plan for the rest of the year wrt finances and am hoping to really cut down on my monthly expenses (car etc)

Baking, eating more veg etc (just fot HFW veg book from amazon and it looks really good!)

just Will double check again.

It did say that in the booking terms if there are more than 70 days to go then you lose the deposit and that's it

It was for mid July.

Sort of written it off now and chalked it up to experience.

Ds1 (8) is busily planning our "victorian xmas" already!!! Its march!!!!

Well poor you becaroo - what a horrible experience. I hate wasting money. Car gone again so written off loads for that - taking it in tomorrow. Really scared the floor money will just vanish.

gp God, its always something isnt it?

Hope the car doesnt cost too much to fix. Frankly, if anything happens to mine I will have to get rid of it...garage bills are something we simply cannot afford atm.

Yay made it thro ttil nearly payday without increasing any overdraft and only putting 90 on cc!!!! Massive result except that george has decided I don't need the cb....

Well done gp I dont lose all my cb, but its only a matter of time IMO...

Had a terrible month so far...am overdrawn Wont be much paid off cc this month

Oh no poor you - that's my dangerpoint - kind of what the hell sets in. Am litetally counting down tthe days til dh gets his bonus -if we pay the car off it will save nearly 300 per month. Shame we got into this state and can't pay for a nice holiday but still.
Am going to try to stash the cb for the next few months - sounds silly but I think if I had some real money I might feel better? No chance of it going straight on the kids this month. Feel so stupid for not having been more middle class and stuck it in school savings plans!

Meh.

Had sort of already written this month off tbh.

Got CC bill this morning I knew it would be bad (new boiler, new oven, F/F etc) and dh had to put some on for his last work trip (which he will get back) BUT we now owe nearly £5k

Am horrified. I know we have to have hot water, hot food and a fridge freezer BUT its such a lot of money.

It might take us til the end of the 0% bal trans rate next Dec to pay it off!!!

My 2 dc have got CTFs each but we dont put in as much as we should.