Preparing for the biggest move of our life

Good day at work today. It was our yearly 'staff away' team building events etc.

It was good fun, they supplied endless tea, lots of nice snacks and nice lunch.

The activities were very fun and actually it turned fairly competitive. It was lovely to spend time with people that I don't get to talk to much.

I decided to do a foodshop, ordered online and collected from Sainsburys £28, that should get us through the week, plus a bag of fish and mince for the freezer which will last longer.

We had our cheat fakeaway pizza, £1.25 half price goodfella's bargain! I also ordered a second so next friday is set at the same price!

I am tired tonight, so going to get a good night sleep and surprise DD with a morning out at the park tomorrow.

Hi MT, I hope you had a fantastic holiday? I will catch up with your thread in a bit.

I did log onto swagbucks for the first time in easily over a year the other day, headed over to the videos - it looks a lot more time consuming than it did when I last done it, I'm sure the points have shrunk! That said every little helps you are right so I should get back into the swing of it.

I am saving my shop&scan vouchers from now onwards, I have some left on amazon already. I am planning to get smaller gifts this year, books, DVD's, puzzles, maybe a little equivalent of Polly pocket? I loved that at her age, Im not sure if it still exists even! The big present will be her bike. No idea how I am going to hide that now I'm working full time!

Routine hasn't been too bad, though its normally Wednesday night we wind down so I think Thursday morning may be a struggle. No homework yet so evenings have been relatively stress free! It all starts next week apparently...

Fantastic day at work, I love the department my overtime is in, and I absolutely know I would jump at the chance of a permanent role in that team. The job itself, is just so rewarding. The fact that I am able to make decisions to help those really in need and see the relief in their faces just gives me an immense feeling. I was hoping with universal credit taking effect they will review the team, but with the government snatching everything from us left right and centre heads are being cut in all departments. I think my chance may come up if one of the existing staff get promoted or move elsewhere. Still for now its brilliant experience.

£12 spent on 2 books for DD - one for birthday, the other for christmas. I chose Enid Blyton & Roald Dahl - my favourite authors as a child, I had hundreds and hundreds of books. I wish they had moved with me when I moved to my nan's as I would have loved to pass them all on.
So my secret wish is that she too will fall in love with them, and I can re-live my childhood favourites!

Payday next week, I am counting down the days!

That's what I got her, it was one of my favourites and I thought it would be a good introduction!

My my, yesterday was a day! Had a couple of home visits at work, my afternoon apt cancelled so I left work early. Getting close to DD's school, a kind driver flashed and took me to the side, my brake lights have gone, but the handbrake light is on constantly. I checked brake fluid levels all ok. I think its going to be some sort of wiring or electrical fault possibly due to the leak I had which did go underneath my seat where there are electrics.

Luckily I was 1 road away from the nearest garage so I headed there. They couldn't fit it in for yesterday or today but could on Monday. Decided to leave car there as I couldn't bring myself to drive it home. The garage looked at me as if I was mad, but I have nearly gone into the back of someone before who's brake lights had gone. I just couldn't do it.

That lead to an eventful trip home with DD, 2 buses £6.95 and 2 hours for what would have been a 8 minute car drive. Granted 30 minutes of that was stopping at the post office where her Ikea desk I had ordered had been delivered to. The parcel was huge so I had no chance of taking it on the second bus.

We finally got home at 5.30, after me leaving work at 2.45.

I called parcel force they will go back and collect the parcel from the post office redeliver next Monday when I have a flexi day booked. I had prepared myself for a battle on the phone, so he instantly wiped away my bad mood.

Then I just felt so tired. I fell asleep watching Eastenders on the sofa, woke up at 9 and took myself off to bed. Woke up at 8 this morning feeling a lot calmer. I definitely needed that 12 hour sleep. I was just completely drained.

I have ordered a taxi to take DD to school Monday - its that or train & bus - I have to drop her off at 8 for breakfast club so we would need to leave at 7 its just too much! So I've estimated that will be £15 (based on previous quotes to go to a local garage).

Then a kind friend has offered to meet me close to DD's school to give me a lift in to work save me paying and waiting around for the half hourly bus!

Monday evening my boss has agreed I can leave early to make sure I catch the right bus back I will hopefully collect DD and go back home.

Another panic money wise. Tax credit letter arrived - they had incorrectly entered my childcare meaning the lump sum pay out was completely wrong. I called them corrected it, they didn't ask for lump sum back but said future payments will be amended to take it into account. I am so relieved I set it aside.

On a plus note, HB have since amended their mistake for the childcare costs they didn't take into account, so that has eased the blow of the tax credit mistake - and hopefully should be just enough to cover works on the car. I am praying its not another £250 job as that would have to go on the credit card. I also had a letter from them dropping my payments to close to zero based on the new 'incorrect tax credit entitlement'. So I am 'stress testing' my money via excel, working out what to do If the car runs into hundreds, HB isn't corrected quickly and tax credits drop to an unmanageable amount. I hate the unknown.

I keep saying the same thing to myself over and over again, I can not wait for the day I don't need tax Credits & HB.

I dream of my days as a single 25 year old, earning good money in complete control.
Then comes Mr Ex, beautiful baby, chaos, jobless, moving and moving and moving to keep safe, drowning in debt.

Then I feel so guilty, I love DD, she is my everything and I know I would do it all again for her if I had to.
Slowly over the past 4 years things started to improve, I found a little job, found a better one and then a better one. With the newest promotion I will be financially were I was before life turned crazy, so I know we are heading in the right direction.

Its just so bloody hard.