Jo_R's debt-free diary, slow and steady progress!

bevan840

Jo that is excellent news!!!! :j:T way to go wife!! lol Nice for the girls also for everyone to be 'ok' with each other

Your almost there now, won't be as long as you expected Hope you can plan something special for your 'Debt Free' Day

Have a nice day, don't tire yourself out by overdoing things if your feeling a little low xxx

Jo_R_2

Hiya ruby

Do you mean your to-do list? I often put little things on that I know I have to do, like clearing the table, washing up, so it helps when I cross it off my list. I like to jot notes down in my notebook which I carry round with me, I write things down as I remember them then that helps me to compile a 'to do' list.

I also have a plastic file with papers 'outstanding', so bills that might need dealing with, school forms I need to sign and return, that sort of thing, and I can look through that of a morning and know which need dealing with asap and which are less urgent.

I often also add to the list, and define for when the list is for. Eg, the list I have done just now is just for today as I know realistically I can get all those done in a day. But sometimes I know I have too many things to do in one day but I still need to get them written down so I might do a list that spans maybe the first half of the week and work through things when I have time.

I also think through the whole day and often there's things that might need doing later on, say I need to get some vegges for tea, some more milk or a loaf, that sort of thing, so I jot that down. Or I think through until later in the week and what I know I'll need to have done, such as booking an online shop, a menu plan, paying milk money at the school office by Friday, etc.

Don't know if that helps at all?

beanielou

Excellent news
So so pleased for you
IF i was you(which Im not!)I would pay it to Tesco as you never had it before IYSWIM.
But entirely up to you.
Total respect to ex OH's wife BTW.

beanielou

Oh & I think I would just let the tax credit debts plod on as I take it you wont be paying interest on them?

bevan840

I agree with beanie, I would of done the same in paying off the CC That way I would know that the money was going towards saving me some money, then I would put the money I usually paid to the CC in a 'pot' for home items

Jo_R_2

Yes using the money towards the Tesco cc certainly sounds like the most sensible option. I do however need to plough through my current account and sort it out as I haven't yet done any receipts or running totals for the month:o

Luckily I do tend to have a rough idea of what I've spent out of what pot, but I do have another little 'stash' of Tax Credits extra in my account too which I'd planned to use towards some new bits of furniture so I don't want to get things mixed up. I didn't do my SOA and receipts last night as I was soooo tired again, also partly because I have a fair few to get through which I must admit is putting me off - but then again the longer I put it off, the more I'll have to do! So I'll at least print off the SOA and once I have it in front of me later it'll be easier to get into the swing of it.

Paid off the last £5 of my Housing Benefit overpayment yesterday. Can't wait to print out April's SOA when it comes round to it (it'll be May if next month is anything like this month LOL:o) as I can omit the HB overpay AND the loan all being well. Going to phone up the loan company later to confirm as want to get it all in writing.

I also hereby resolve by the end of this week to actually ORDER THE FURNITURE I KEEP GOING ON AND ON ABOUT BUT HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT YET:o

Jo_R_2

Money from ex-OH's wife has been transferred to ISA whilst I decide what to do with it. Thought might as well get a little interest on it instead of it sitting there. I can't quite get my head around the transfer process though as you have to date individual transfers three days from the present day and then it takes a handful of days to clear. Nevertheless it clears up my current account somewhat then later as tonight is usually OH's pub night, I'll sit down and go through everything.

Fridge is looking bare; have had to do two mini top-up shops this week but loathe to do more. Will have enough for main meals until usual shopping day on Friday but will have to get kids yogurts, milk and probably a loaf between now and then:eek:

Only other thing for today is need to get the dye on my hair, my roots are showing:o

Jo_R_2

Aaargh well that'll teach me for not going through receipts sooner, my head's all confused!

I did my old trick of keeping notes and doing sums, but in the process not writing down the how and whys of how I've arrived at said sums. Thus I have a surplus in my account which I knew was there, but I can't see if I've worked out to put aside extra tax credits for the start of April. I know it prob sounds garbled but basically it's because Tax Credits reviewed our payments and made extra payments at the end of Feb and start of March, then reduced one actually in March.

I know I went through a couple of weeks ago and worked it out - I just can't see if I've left enough in my account after transferring various amounts out to compensate for the reduced payment.

I know a fresh pair of eyes will be able to see it so gonna leave it now and take a look again in the morning.

Jo_R_2

I went back to have a look at my sums and I'm fairly sure I *did* account for balancing out my Tax Credits for the month.

However to be sure, I'm going to hold off any "major" furniture purchases until the end of the month; all my money will be in before my DDs go out and I'll be able to see exactly what is surplus. I do however desperately need to sort out chests of drawers and possibly new bunk beds (long story!) for DDs' room as it's a right state to put it midly! Moral of the story: keep on top of things or else this happens! Tsk tsk:o:D

Just waiting for shopping delivery to come so dashing round whilst baby asleep so better go and do some semblance of washing up. I have banned laundry for today as I have done so many loads this week I am sick to death of looking at the washing machine:mad:

Nothing important needs doing financially today. What I do need to do however is a short list of various little jobs that need doing over the weekend around the house, little household maintenance things. So far have got:

• replace net curtains in DDs' room (DD2 thinks she's Tarzan:eek:)
• replace curtain rail in DDs' room (as above!)
• mend light fitting in DDs' room (yes, you get the gist!)
• put up stairgate at top of stairs (have got the bits I need but can't seem to prise things apart so need OH to help!:o)
• get new bulb for my bedside table lamp
• get new flusher press thing for upstairs loo
• mend light fitting in living room (not down to DD2 this one!)

Might add to this as I think of anything else - hope there isn't too much 'anything else's'!

bevan840

lol at DD2 doing Tarzan, made me giggle, thank you

Holding off till your sure is probably a good idea, that way you can be sure you don't spend what was originally set back for something else, I wouldn't be too hard on yourself though, we all have odd months where we let go of things a little Being in charge all the time can get rather tiring sometimes