Learning to budget to make future adventures happen

crunch_time · 22 June 2017 at 6:32AM

Morning all,

Rough night last night thanks to a lovely mixture of chicken pox and the heat. I'm exhausted and looking forward to a coffee in a bit.

It's that annoying part of the month where we are waiting for husband to get paid next Friday and it seems to take ages.

I'm going to have to do an online food shop for mr s as I can't take ds to a l d I due to the pox.

I'm planning on doing some baking with the children today to keep them entertained. We also said that we would make a summer bucket list! One of ds dreams is to go into the city on a bus so I'm sure that can be arranged!!!!!

I'm very much looking forward to increase my amount in the savings pot next week. I should have £545 from husbands salary. The total to save will drop too as minimum payments go out and I will continue to use our spending pots for clothes and birthdays to pay off some of the debt for items on the credit card. Once all of the clothes are paid off I shall start saving that money ready for autumn clothes.

So apart from a online food shop, I'm gunning for a no spend day!!

Crunchy xx

JoJoC · 22 June 2017 at 10:02AM

There's nothing worse than trying to get through the night when the kids are unwell, Crunch. Hope the coffee straightens you out, even just for a bit. I think once the spots are out with the pox they're no longer contagious so if you want/ need to go out then you can. It may be that you don't want to drag poorly kids out of the house if they're suffering, but just thought I'd mention it.

I'm also in the yawn-worthy wait until payday next Thursday - my husband gets paid weekly in between times but I love the feeling of my monthly pay going in and the month starting all over again. I don't know why I get excited about pay day since most of the cash just goes straight out on bills, but it's still a nice feeling.

crunch_time · 23 June 2017 at 7:30AM

Morning all

We ended up going to my parents yesterday as a change of scene. We had a better night last night. He was only up twice for cream and cuddles. He's still asleep at the moment. Hopefully we have peaked now and this is the come down.

I had a little trying on session yesterday of my clothes and I think I do have to buy a few more bits for a summer wardrobe. I'm struggling for things to wear that are suitable for work when it is warm. So I think a few strategic pieces like a pair of leggings to wear under my summer dresses and a pair of looser trousers will make a difference.

We have a quiet weekend planned. Maybe I could go to sains or h of the m on Sunday for these items. I was going to be going out with friends tomorrow night but it's being rearranged. Husband is also leaving for an international conference on Sunday afternoon. Feel sad but eager to get through the next working week.

Only 4 weeks left of term!!!! Can't wait for the summer holidays. The children and I are going to put together a summer bucket list of cheap or free things to do.

I did a meal plan for the next week and a sains shop to be delivered today. I remembers to renew my library books too so only a 40p fine so far!!

Right, better get on with the dAy. Isn't it nice that it's so light!! It would take me ages to get motivated in the winter!

1 week till payday and counting....
Crunchy xx

crunch_time · 28 June 2017 at 11:29AM

Morning diary,

This is difficult to talk about but I have been off work this week do to anxiety and depression. I feel juggling work and childcare and everything else has lead to me have a little bit of a breakdown. The children have been ill and its been really stressful recently.

My mum came over yesterday and we had a good heart to heart and I have decided to quit my job and focus on being a a stay at home mum for a while. I did this last year but then sat twiddling my thumbs and worrying about money and the £12k of debt we needed to pay off. I've rushed back into work and ended up getting ill and being unhappy. Teaching is really hard anyway but with children in the mix and a husband that works away a lot it is definitely not been easy for me. I feel we are starting to suffer as a family.

Ever since I have made this decision, I feel happier than ever. I'm going to trust in the process knowing its the right thing for us as a family. I have lots of skills to offer and know I will find something else that is less busy and stressful and more importantly works around my kids. I can always come back to teaching.

The money I have earned since I have started this job last November has paid off the loan and paid for our holidays this year but also lots of crap that we didn't need. The husband earns enough for us to live off for the time being. It will be a change in lifestyle but for the better I feel. I said this last year and I meant it.

I'm not going to quit straight away. I know I can do another term now I have made my decision and really save save save so we have some money behind us and I can leave at Christmas. It will be tough but it is for the greater good.

Right, still cracking on with the saving up to pay back the debt as soon as possible. Two days to go until pay day for the husband and I can make some changes to the signature.

I have the house to myself until the school run so better make the most of it and get some jobs done that I have been meaning to do for ages.

Crunchy xx

kirtsypoos · 28 June 2017 at 3:46PM

Crunchy you have done so well paying everything off to allow you to be able to make that choice - what's the point in getting debt free if not to help the family life and have less worrying.

I'm sure being at home now that you are loan free will be everything you know it can

pennywisepoundstupid · 28 June 2017 at 6:40PM

Hi Crunchy.

Working in Education is hugely stressful and I don't think people understand the pressure you are under and the hours you have to work. It eats into so much personnel and family time and I know of many teachers that have left the profession over the last few years due to being overworked and completely stressed out.
Your family and your health is the most important thing and you have to put that first, when you feel up to it you could always go on supply, that way you can do as little or as much as you like and say no to jobs you don't want.

Wishing you all the best.x.

crunch_time · 28 June 2017 at 7:26PM

Thanks for your kind words of support pwps and kirstypoos.

I've been brainstorming ideas for home businesses today and feel soooooo much better. I feel very positive about the future and am having faith in the universe to provide for me and my family. In fact, such faith has already come through for me....

The husband got an email today from his boss saying he's got a 10% payrise!!! An extra £5k a year but after 40% tax and paying 3% towards his pension it will be about £200-£250 a month - which is awesome!!!

Crunchy xx

crunch_time · 29 June 2017 at 9:27AM

Morning diary!

'Sigh' - the relief in feeling is truly amazing. I just have to get through one more term and save save save. It's going to be tough but I can do it.

I'm hoping I can get some washing dry on the line today and a meal plan and shopping list ready for food shopping tomorrow.

I also need to look at my budget spreadsheet again to make sure now our circumstances have changed that my plan to save up to back the debt is the right one. I'm really good at slushing things down so that might be an idea. I shall investigate.

Crunchy xx

JoJoC · 29 June 2017 at 9:49AM

It sounds like you have a strong, well thought out plan in place for you and your family. I also think you're doing the right thing by not rushing into it, giving yourself time to prepare, save and pay down your residual debt.

I 100% agree that you should do what's best for your family and for your own health and wellbeing.

Wow - congrats to your hubby on the 10% pay rise! That extra £200-250 will come in very handy, I'm sure.

crunch_time · 30 June 2017 at 7:10AM

Morning all

Thanks for your kind words jojoc. I am feeling very strong for once and all the overspending from the last few months now makes sense. I overspend when you are unhappy. I've been here before when I had postnatal depression.

Finally the husbands pay day is here! Money all shuffled into the right places. So far we have £900 ish saved against the debt. I know this will go down but the idea is that we don't want it to go down so we don't buy or don't do or find cheaper alternatives. This is hopefully going to change our mindset to that of savers.

I have decided to try the cash envelope system again. I tried it a couple of summers ago but it didn't work. Now we are different hopefully it will. Husband isn't convinced. I'm going to tell him if he sticks to it for a month he can have an (secondhand) ipad with his first payrise money. He has wanted one for a while but because we keep buying other stuff that we need and this is a want, it hasn't happened. I'm going to withdraw our spending money, food money and petrol money for the month and see if we can stick to those frameworks.

I've got to do a meal plan this am and then I'm off to A l d i for a frugal shop. I'm hoping to get the bed linen washed and dried today along with masses of other stuff. DD has awful yesterday with the terrible twos the day just went and I couldn't get anything done!!

Have lovely days everyone!

Crunchy xx

Learning to budget to make future adventures happen

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