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

Jo_R_2

Shopping delivered, I still need to revise my shopping practices as I'm sure we can save money but I need to sit down and dedicate some time to that properly.

Home Start was due to visit this morning but cancelled last minute, she usually is a great help and takes DS off my hands so I can whizz round tidying up. I really need to do a cursory clean up, I was knackered when got back from nursery so just been sitting down for a bit whilst DS is asleep.

As long as I can manage to:
a) do some washing up
b) put the mountainous stack of laundry away and
c) make tea later

then I'll be relatively happy:) I might try making cookies later but that would be an additional bonus really!

Jo_R_2

Yesterday turned into a major disaster... The main road had some kind of power cut so couldn't get bits from shop needed for tea. Was cripplingly tired mid-afternoon, how I managed to put the laundry away and get DD1 from school is a mystery to me.

Baby fell asleep in pushchair on way to school to pick up DD1, an hour or so earlier than usual, so of course he woke up earlier even before I'd started tea. Tea turned into a tragicomedy - my visions of delicious roasted vegetables with halloumi did eventually happen an hour later than usual at the time I usually start putting DDs to bed, made amongst an almighty fall out with DDs who got sent upstairs, OH having a strop when he got in because I'd forgotten to get him some meat stuff with the shopping so there wasn't anything for him to have with the veggies, then he left the back door open after putting some rubbish in the bin and baby crawled out and got soaked as it was pouring it down:eek: Cue me flipping out at OH then!

Tension was broken when OH popped out to get something to go with his tea and baby got hold of his rucksack and delved in to find an open packet of choccy digestives, I looked round to see him with a half-eaten biscuit in each hand and another in front of him, with chocolate all over his face:D


Anyhoo... Resolutions for the day. Have already whizzed round this morning, focussing on the kitchen today with the aim of clearing clutter and wiping those dusty corners that get forgotten about.

• [STRIKE]clean inside of kitchen window[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]clear clutter from shelf above microwave and corner where kettle is[/STRIKE]
• sweep floor and mop if time and baby and DD2 allow LOL
• [STRIKE]think of something to make for dinner and start it in good time so ideally ready for 5pm (5.30pm at a stretch) so can have some time to do reading/schoolwork with DD1 after[/STRIKE]
• tot up receipts for end of April and see how surplus fares (pretty much gone from my mental calculations)
• do May's SOA (will be tonight after kids' bedtime)
• remind OH to transfer shopping money from two previous weeks and half towards lawnmower
• [STRIKE]need to get plastic baskets from Wilkos in attempt to tidy up cupboard underneath sink (won't get done today but should have time tomorrow)[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]return magazines to library - two days late - oops:o[/STRIKE]

Have new family visitor coming round this afternoon, hoping she may be able to offer some kind of help as struggling at mo with feeling so tired and having baby and DD2 at home plus trying to manage (read: attempt:D) housework.

Sometimes I think OH understands - usually after he's spent a day at home with kids in tow LOL - but unfortunately I will never live up to the standards of his lovely mum (she is lovely btw) who keeps a tight ship - although my cooking is better apparently (really need a rolls-eyes-sarcastically-like-that-makes-it-better smiley;))

Jo_R_2

Long weekend over and things back to normal... Ah...

Had a big spend at the weekend, had to succumb to a new vacuum cleaner as there was no escaping our old one is knackered:eek: That will come out of the savings which I need to transfer over later.

OH still needs to transfer the shopping money and half for the lawnmower, he just needs to know an exact figure. Must remind myself to work it out in a bit.

Still not done receipts for end of April or SOA for May:o I hereby resolve to get those done over tonight and tomorrow if necessary depending how I feel later. I have a surplus Tax Credits payment which is sitting in my current account, as always not sure whether to use it for the cc or into savings, will probably go half-and-half.

Need to do online shop for tomorrow which will start v. shortly as trying to get it done later will be akin to purposely sticking pins in my eyes LOL! As long as I have the delivery slot booked I can come back to it later.

Housework under control for now, I need to get scribbling in my notebook to do a list of jobs round the house that need doing but always seem to get overlooked, the first things that spring to mind are getting some blackout lining for DDs' curtains as they're paper-thin, and just fixing up the blinds at the top of the stairs as the foldover has come loose on a couple of the bits.

Off to online shop!

Jo_R_2

Online shop done and booked. I resolve that this week will be the last of my resorting to convenience foods (I'm not really bad, we do keep a stash of a couple of emergency pizzas and tinned soup, although I'd be happier to make them myself if the time was there.)

I'm resolving to stick to a budget from now on of £60 per week, and hoping each month I can make one change that will impact positively on the budget - and our health too. The first one is that I resolve to get the breakmaker out and make my own bread at least once during the month. I also hope to make my own cookies at least once a week - if for no other reason than to use up the eggs I bought last week:D

I have also started compiling a MASSIVE list of "jobs-that-have-needed-doing-for-a-while-but-keep-getting-forgotten-about-or-put-aside" list. Just counting now, there are 23 things on there, 2 of which I have ceremoniously done today (tidied under sink and tidied up top of fridge:)) I have also just noticed that OH has gotten hold of the list and "comedically" ticked everything off *rollseyes*:D

SOA and receipts not done, had an unexpected shortened evening as DD1 was feeling poorly so she sat downstairs under the quilt for a bit, then I fell asleep in DDs' room after putting her to bed:o Really need to get on that so know what's going on in my current account.

Jo_R_2

It's oh so quiet... Baby's asleep, he's napping later in the mornings as his naps seem to be getting shorter so I whizz round whilst he "helps":D then when I've done my morning jobs, I get him to sleep before having a sit down and a cuppa:)

Shopping due over lunch, need to make some kind of menu planner. Also afte rpicking up DD2 from nursery in a bit, need to pop round Wilkos and pick up some bits and bobs for my super-duper aforementioned list - I'm feeling mega-organised this last couple of days! Apart from my lack of energy with the SOA in the evenings that is:o

I am going to pick out five jobs I think I can get done today which are:

• mend blinds at top of stairs
• dust conservatory
• clean front door (chocolatey handprints:))
• wipe clean back door (grubby handprints on glass:))
• buy measuring spoons for breadmaking

and see how I go with those.

Also need to sort out dinner, need my thinking cap on!

Pinky15

Oooh I like the list idea - I could do with one of those for things which never get done or finished - hmm may do that tonight.
I too have 3 little ones and I am trying to get weekly spending under £60 too - some weeks good and some weeks not:D
Keep up the good work:):)

Jo_R_2

Yep am finding the list is going well, I'm getting little bits done here and there when I have a spare 5 mins so crossed a few off. There's a handful of things that won't get done straightaway but that's fine, it's kind of an ongoing list so I cross things off and add to it as I go.

My receipts and SOA *should* get done tonight. My stamina is not doing terribly well at the mo and have more or less collapsed onto the sofa the last couple of nights, had to cancel going round a friend's house, luckily I sent the text saying so before I fell asleep putting DDs to bed:o:D. OH was lovely yesterday evening, he got in from work. I'd started tea (was doing a Sunday dinner-type tea, pies instead of meat, carroty mash, broccoli, roasties with onion gravy) and had got it started but was having trouble so OH told me to go and sit down and he took over:A Major brownie points for that!

Have the family visitor coming round again this afternoon. Hoping she will have some news about whether we can get help with funding for a small amount of childcare. I know there is help available but it's very difficult to get hold of so not holding my breath. She did say however that when baby (okay, DS but he's still 'baby' to me for now:)) turns two he could be eligible for the pilot programme of early years education funding for two-year-olds, you have to meet certain conditions and it is thinking ahead so no guarantees.

I reeeeeeeeally need to get my SOA done so I can transfer money about and get my current account in order - I need strict words to make sure I do it later:D

Pinky15

(In strictest voice!) "Get that SOA done!!!":D:D:D
(Fingers crossed for pilot funding - would give you break):)

Jo_R_2

Well... So here I am after taking DDs downtown yesterday morning with receipts to tot up - and not looking forward to it:eek:

I don't know what has happened to me over the last few months. I've gone from strict as anything to very laissez-faire with my money. Not irresponsible, but it is clear that somewhere during these months where I have cleared debts, and accrued a) more surplus money per month and b) a small stash of savings, I have become both more complacent and more likely to spend money on things I wouldn't have previously.

Whilst it is a fact that I cannot feel comfortable through the month without having that SOA to lean on, it seems pretty pointless to be doing it halfway through the month (as I have done in previous months) yet spending before it is completed. I'm making a rod for my own back, all the hard work and planning I have done before will be undone.

I'm thinking here of the effort I went to to work out where my 'spare' tax credits and child benefit payments came in the year, so I knew when they arrived, I would have them to play with. I know that at the end of April, there arrived my spare tax credits payment for the year - yet because I haven't totted up my totals from over April or done an SOA for May or done any receipts for May either, that I can't do anything with it and have probably eaten into it already:o:mad:

My rescue remedy (LOL) is to start by actually completing May's SOA. Even though I've not done it yet, I have done some of the cash stuff (paid for DD2's nursery breakfasts, dinners and snacks and DD1's milk money) and DDs have come out as they do usually at the start of the month, so I know fairly well what I have left to sort from my SOA.

I can then do any transfers needed that are on my SOA (such as holiday spends), then tot up all spends so far this month. I'll leave that until at least tomorrow as need payments to clear from my account that I made by card on Saturday.

I can then ascertain what is left over a) from my surplus, and b) from the spare tax credits payment and transfer that out accordingly - I did think a half-and-half split between savings and my cc would be the best way to go so will keep to that thought for now.

Phew - glad I got that out - confession over and off to do my SOA, albeit 9 or so days late!:o:o:o

Jo_R_2

Okay so SOA done, going to just check it over in the morning with a clear head - feeling full of cold and rather dizzy for some reason so just want to make sure I haven't made any currently-unapparent-but-really-glaringly-obvious-to-any-well-feeling-and-not-tired-person errors.

Also realised have not paid my council tax (argh) so need to do that asap and may as well set up a DD to save the hassle of having to do it maually (and forgetting:o)

Also realised (LOL) paid for new vacuum cleaner out of current account but need to transfer money for that out of savings to cover it. However, having trouble accessing my savings online so going to try again tomorrow.


So tomorrow need to:

• [STRIKE]pay council tax[/STRIKE] - sort of sorted - direct debit payment plan has taken May's payment and shifted it to next Feb so this month is now officially a council-tax-free month
• [STRIKE]set up council tax DD[/STRIKE] - sorted as above
• [STRIKE]transfer out any money needed to other accounts [/STRIKE]- all done
• transfer money across from savings to current account to cover vacuum cleaner - still having trouble with accessing my savings account online, not sure what's going on with that as haven't changed my password (that I can remember?) but don't want to get shut out and have to wait for a new password through the post - should just call them up and sort it methinks!
• go through receipts with current account and ascertain running totals of a) surplus and b) spare tax credits payment - see next post!