Hello, I have just completed my SOA and although I have already cut some of my expenditure, (Sky TV from £56.00 to £18.00, Mobile phone from 45.00 to £29.00), Can anyone assisit on any other savings I can make.
My mobile phone is still under contract as, is my Sky subscription.
Other insurance = Income/mortgage protection.
The rent is for my council garage, I do not want to give that up, as it took so long to get it.
I am going to look at different gas/electric options, but the costs seem to rise every time I switch, I must be getting the wrong supplier everytime, or am I being duped by new customer offers? Currently with EON for dual fuel and internet billing.
Cannot get rid of land line due to SKY box needing to be connected.
Prescription charges are for 4 prescriptions per month for both of us. Thought of getting pre paid annual cover but at thye moment cannot afford the one of costs.

[tt]Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 4
Number of children in household.........
Number of cars owned.................... 1

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 2015.74
Partners monthly income after tax....... 305
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 2320.74

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 713.4
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 42.86
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 166
Electricity............................. 75.5
Gas..................................... 75.5
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 46.19
Telephone (land line)................... 17.84
Mobile phone............................ 29.14
TV Licence.............................. 12
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 18
Internet Services....................... 14
Groceries etc. ......................... 500
Clothing................................ 10
Petrol/diesel........................... 40
Road tax................................ 15.84
Car Insurance........................... 27.14
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 12.55
Car parking............................. 2.5
Other travel............................ 12.6
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 28.8
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 11.5
Contents insurance...................... 11.05
Life assurance ......................... 78.14
Other insurance......................... 42.49
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 10
Haircuts................................ 10
Entertainment........................... 10
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 30
DWP Repayment........................... 10
Union Subscription...................... 12
Total monthly expenses.................. 2085.04


Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 115000
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 100
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 115100


Secured & HP Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Mortgage...................... 47432....(713.4)....NaN
Total secured & HP debts...... 47432.....-.........-  

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
CC MBNA Virgin.................5163.17...25........0
CC MBNA BHF....................939.34....25........2.5
CC Marbles.....................2359.99...58.99.....29.9
Bank Overdraft.................3260......50........0
Mail Order (VERY)..............169.29....11.12.....0
CC B of Scot...................775.41....37.69.....29.9
CC Sky Card....................3155.69...95........15.76
Total unsecured debts..........15822.89..302.8.....-  


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,320.74
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 2,085.04
Available for debt repayments........... 235.7
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 302.8
Amount short for making debt repayments. -67.1

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 115,100
Total HP & Secured debt................. -47,432
Total Unsecured debt.................... -15,822.89
Net Assets.............................. 51,845.11

Thanks in advance

Hi  me again for some reason I couldnt see the last bit of your post.  So to continue. Sorry just noticed your mobile phone is on a contrract so ignore what I said re that
You have 5 credit cards an overdraft costing u nothing and mail order costing you nothing. Marbles and Bank of Scotland are at 29.9%.  Have you got a copy of your experian credit report (cost  #2, not the big subscription they push) (sorry my computer is # rather than pounds sign).  

Have you any empty credit cards, they may have offers on them.  Has your partner got credit cards?

What I do is I run my credit cards down (by transferring the debt to his empty cards).  When my cards are low or empty I apply for a new card, as soon as I get that I ring up all my other(empty)  cards and ask if they have any offers. depending on what the offers are (must be 0% and ideally for 12months or more with 3% or less fee) The money is then put into 'savings' (A&L bank account at 6%, Abbey at 6%- going through quidco first to see if any offers, using the bank accounts as savings accounts. The money is then pulled out when his credit cards need paying off.  He is then a good risk and he applies for a new card this is rate tarting and you have to pay in 500 per month at A&L and 1000 at Abbey but it is the same money being paid in and out. and the interest you earn covers most of the 3% fee. Oh for the days when savings accounts paid good interest.
Have you heard about slow stoozing whereby you spend on a 0% purchase credit card.(see list of cards on this site)  The money you dont pay on that you pay onto your most expensive credit with the lowest owing in your case bank of scotland.   If you go onto the stoozing website (but it might be on here) there is a page I call 'who owns what'  eg BOS is Halifax.  Print that out.  Some suppliers nearly always give you repeat deals (Ulster Bank with me) Some wont let you have more than one card from their stable , some do, some will let you move credit limits over some wont.  

What you are trying to do is get rid of the big credit card charges.Put them all on direct debit also.  If you get a new card its not for spending on (unless its a purchase card and you are saving the money to pay off your debts) You keep your Balance Transfer cards and your purchase cards separate and never spend on a bal transfer card.

I keep a spreadsheet and check every month that I am paying off more than I am spending. With a new card it would be so easy to go mad and spend 'just a little' but dont.

Another trick is to have two empty credit cards with statement dates approx 14 days apart.  Get your statement in and then spend on that card until you get the other statement in and then move your spending to that card. That way you get the longest possible interst free period before they need paying.  

Best of luck, its only money, you are in good company and you havent killed anyone.

autumn