Money Management Boot Camp ..... anyone interested?

[Twiglett]

OK the house of twig has been overspending drastically in recent months, so I'm about to start sorting it out again (took my eye off the ball you see)

I know we do style and healthy living makeovers on here

Anybody want to join my Money Boot Camp? Get control of your money and stay in control?

NB this may be well over my head though but I'm pretty good at this normally

sign-up if you wanna try .. we could start next month?

has everyone downloaded the spreadsheet, or done it online ?

i was doing really well today by staying in with a poorly baby ! but forgot i had an ebay auction ending so have spent £5.19. oh well ! at least i've written it down !

We're in America, and babysitting rate here is $13 perhour, which translates to about £7, so last night cost £28 in sitter fees. Can't rely on family, and am single Mum - so if I go out, I pay for childcare. Don't go out often though.

Sent dd to school with packed lunch today, and am about to go out to business lunch where they're paying.

Looking for free/fun things to do this weekend with dd...

Going out is important EB so I'd count that as money well spent.

well today i had to spend £28 on pstage, but thats for ebay things so when the money comes through from paypal it'll work itself out!

so really only spent £10, as had to buy my dad toothpaste (hes in hospital and mum gave him an empty toothpaste then went away to spain for the weekend ) and have sent dh out for chips as dont have the energy now having spent the day running round like a headless chicken and visiting dad.

so £10 for today....ho hum

Felt really pleased with myself today as went to the zoo (paid for annual ticket ages ago) and only bought necessities in the supermarket.

Sleepless - I spent £17 on postage today but I am selling off lots of stuff on Amazon this week. All that money will go into an account for Christmas which is empty at the moment as the car service cost WAY more than we were expecting last month.

Where is Twiglett today?

Today here is my total

£11.46 mcdonalds [i know i know i know
£10 petrol
£2 toddlers
£5.50 barbers
£1.30 milk

Had a letter from Scottish Power this morning saying they are revising our monthly direct debit from £76 to £94.

Rang them to ask what tariff we are on as I wanted to put it into USwitch and asked whether there was a cheaper one available. He said there is and has recalculated our monthly payments using the cheaper tariff. Need to go and check the meter readings but as long as they aren't higher than the estimated, our new monthly payment will be £76.60, so pretty much back where we started from.

Also have been looking at USwitch for buildings and content insurance and think that we should be able to half the monthly payment by changing at renewal in November.

DH is looking at Broadband and the phone package. With mortgage increase, power increase etc, we were £50 over what I had budgeted. But I think with the changes we should be back to where I want it to be.

Children's clubs & nursery fees come out of the child benefit and tax credit. DD needs a bit of help with her maths and both have started swimming lessons, so that is now about £50 a month over. DS will start school in a years which will mean we will be £50 a month better off and back on budget. So I am going to try to Ebay stuff to raise some of the extra.

Just debating whether to go n splash the cash we got from the Nationwide/Portman merger before we start seriously on Monday, or to be sensible and bank it.

Sorry, I know that goes against the grain of this thread.

Hi Guys,

Just sat down to look at finances since I sat down to do it last Saturday. When I said I'd saved on my Gas/Electric further down the thread I was estimating the cost as didn't have my actuals with me.. well.. By that 10minutes conversation with the same provide I have actually saved £39 per month - £468 per year!!!! I am actually gobsmacked!

Mortgage shopping today for sure!

Spent £43 in Tesco today but needed washing powder (big box), hair removal cream and hand wash so that's probably a good £10-£12 of that but only buy it once every so often.

Would definitely recommend calling up your gas/electric supplier!!!

Dh has only spent a few quid on bare essentials at the local shop this morning.
I still have spent nothing

Also later today I am going to sell my Take That tickets on ebay and reckon I will make at least £100 each on them (have 3 but 2 of them are friends)

But on Monday I have to order dd's birthday pressie, so thats £50 down.

Blimey NBG - you are doing well!

Does anyone pay their home insurance monthly? I'm going to shop round today. I have no idea what an average home insurance cost should be!

Monday I will be phoning Sky to reduce my package from a full package to 4+movie mix.. that will save me £9 per month

mascara we have taken sky down to £18 a month from the full package, so saving nearly £30 a month!

Mascara, we pay our buildings & contents online atm. It is £37 a month. I've bashed it into Moneysavingsupermarket and we should be able to get it for about £18 - £20 a month, though I need to check that this is for the same amount of cover.

I'm paying £21 on home insurance per month..ust got first quote from 'more than' and itwas£13 per mont !!

We used to have Sky but ditched it when we move here (neither of us watch sports so didn't really miss it) We've got a Freeview box and I bought a Hitachi DVR for £53 the other day, which is brilliant. We can pause live TV and record whatever we want and it has been a bit of a revelation.

oooh direct line are doing 12months for price of 9.. will let you know price shortly and whether or not wortha visit..

This does really all add up doesn't it !

I am truly shocked if I'm honest!

Big gold star to Twiglett for making us do this!!!!

Yes agree, thank you Twiglett !

Hopefully it will mean things are much easier for all of us over Christmas and we can all start the New Year in a much better financial situation.

I've just seen this, but I'll join.

Last month dh and me turned back the clock so I'm just like a 50's housewife.

When I get paid (not much I might add)he withdraws it and divides it into 4. Then he gives me an ammount to last the week!! I've been really rubbish so this is the only choice we have. I'm fine with it BTW. I need to be controlled! And kept away from primark etc. I was good today when we went to town. I stuck to the list and didn't buy anything for me.

How is this going to work?

Mascara, we have home contents and buildings with More Than and pay £44.95 a month.
I would shop around but dh is quite reluctant as we have been with them for 7 years now and claimed once.
We have pet protection on that too as the dog once chewed up our leather sofa and extra jewellery cover.

Sleepless, can I just ask what channels you get with your basic Sky package?
We have the full works and only watch about 10% of the channels

I have the full package at the momment but don't watch most of it to be honest!

NBG we've got the basic and an extra i think (will check with dh)

its £18 a month. we get the entertainment package (bbc3, itv2 uktv gold etc.) and the kids channels for dcs

havnt missed the rest. we didnt often watch any others!

might do a bit of research then.

Dh said he wants films and sports
I wouldnt mind but he's at work when most of the matches are on and we very rarely watch films.