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

[Deleted User]

Hi Jo-R - Sign up to your local 'freecycle' group!

Locally I've seen people give away separate bunk beds and a lot of people are giving away CD storage systems - so I hope you'll be lucky where you live too.

Jo_R_2

I might do that re: the cupboards/shelving - of course it's very easy to browse Ebay but even when you find something, you're never guaranteed it's going to be reasonably local.

Okay so what have I been up to?

Quiet weekend. OH was sick on Saturday but recovered very quickly (he always seems to generally lucky for him!) so his HM fish tank has been brought in from the garage where he's been lovingly working on it, and he sorted out the water, rocks and whatnot. Once that part is all done, I have agreed to do my bit and purchase some 'Nemos' which I think should be about £30 for a pair, although I don't think I need to budget for that until next month.

The laptop adaptor (sp?) has been playing up so after it decided not work on Saturday afternoon/evening, I missed the end of an auction for an Ikea sofa I'd been watching all week. It was the Klippan style, it ended at just under £40 and was reasonably local, would have been idea to put in the conservatory:mad: However luckily there is another identical one even closer I have found. I'm itching to get the conservatory kitted out with some real bargains, is another room to properly make use of given we'll all be at home a lot more with it being the summer hols and all that.

Came in pretty much on target for last month with the SOA:j I do find that happens when I keep a stricter eye on things throughout the month. My Health in Pregnancy budget is dwindling after purchasing various maternity bits, but is all within budget so no problems there, do need to tally up what exactly I have left after returning a couple of things to Asos and buying a maternity shirt on Sunday.

I haven't finalised my SOA for August so should get that done at some point today. Is more pressing because Eon have upped the DD amount by about £45, I decided to let it roll for this month but will see how it goes, what debit I am in and if the amount they have suggested is sustainable within the budget or will need reducing.

Also need to transfer money in from other accounts to cover DD2's doll's house (which arrived last week, finally, ordered a new one from a different place), the water slide she also got for her b'day, and do the various start-of-the-month transferring out to different accounts and pots.

Just waiting at the mo for the shopping to be delivered, going to do the daily chores in the meantime, is oh so quiet as DDs and DS are at my parents after I caught the lurgy from OH and was suffering yesterday. Was the first time DS has slept over there, I was worrying all afternoon after they left here, and poor OH didn't know what to do with himself when he got back from work, but after calling there about 10pm (kept putting it off in case we disturbed them putting him to bed and he wouldn't sleep etc), turns out he'd happily nodded off in the cot there about 7.15pm with dad outstretched on the bed next to him and they'd hardly heard a peep out of him!

Feel better today but not quite sure what to do with myself!:o:D

Also forgot to add an extra £50ish has appeared in my account courtesy of Tax Credits, and am awaiting any news of the Sure Start grant I sent the form off for last week. Last time I applied for one it came through within the week so hoping this one will be fairly quick too although still not really decided what to do with it.

Other thought is the 12-month saver I opened last year with Barclays is due to end soon. Have been popping the £50 a month I save for emergencies into it and not having touched it means there should be a good £600 there which I anticipate putting into my ISA. I shall be looking for another saver too... One of the reasons I chose a 12-month saver was to see if I could stash away a bit of money each month without it really being noticed or missed IYSWIM, and as the answer appears to be 'yes', I plan to continue doing it, partly as a buffer for those 'just in case' moments (OH always worried if we have enough in case anything happens to his job, particularly since we plan to dip into the savings to buy a new car) but also to show OH we can get on the road to saving a deposit for a house.

Jo_R_2

Feeling very bleurgh today:( Thought was feeling better from the other day but suffice to say last night proved that not to be the case, had plenty of stomach cramps which kicked off some strong and very lasting Braxton Hicks so had a little panic:eek: as only 31 weeks, but it was fine thankfully.

Anyhoo... Taking advantage of the continuing peace and quiet and have used the morning to finalise last month's SOA and print out this month's. The only thing I haven't yet accounted for is the £50 I had to give to OH towards rent last month, though common sense tells me it should come out of the surprise Tax Credits money I got post-renewal.

I must very embarrassingly confess that after doing my maths, I spent the princely sum of £66.76 on "top-up" shops mostly from Co-op and Somerfield throughout July. This was spent via various amounts usually between £5-£7 a go, out of my surplus, and could have accounted in total for a whole weekly shop:o To avoid this again, I am about to book a slot for next week's shop after typing this, and vow to book by at least Weds for the following week's shop.

Eon have charged me my usual monthly DD amount of
£115 despite their letter about increasing it which need to follow up.

Health in Pregnancy grant has £38.85 left, however I need to return one or two things to Asos which don't fit which should add about £30 back on if I return two - I have a skirt that is definitely too big, the dress is very nice but let's say is very low cut:o Will try it with a vest under, would be a shame to return it as is a gorgeous metallic grey colour which I love:)

I still have £260 I transferred into my current account minus £32.50 which has gone towards much needed new quilt covers and sheets for DDs' beds. The rest is/was for new beds for DDs and CD/DVD cabinets, the latter I am still searching for but want to get sorted asap.

The other thing is I have messed up my birthday/Christmas savings account. My fault; Mum gave me some cash which worked out about half towards the doll's house for DD2, which I have frittered on snacks for the kids, bits from the shop, a couple of takeaways and other such nothingness. I had planned for two weeks to pay it into the account but as bank is in town I was waiting until I next went. Am thoroughly cross with myself as means I have now made myself a) shoulder the cost of a present that was from us and my parents, going halves was the plan, and b) effectively taken out £50 from my birthday/Christmas savings account that could have gone towards Christmas presents for the kids:mad:

Jo_R_2

Still child-free - seems my mum is rather enjoying having the trio she wants to keep them some more - me being all anxious over whether she's managing and how DS is finding it all keeps fussing but she seems determined to keep them until the end of the weekend:eek:

Still feeling not-so-good, can't seem to eat much or drink much for that matter, I can manage but worried about baby so if feeling icky still in the morning I'll call the doctor and midwife just to get their opinions.

Went into town as hardly been out of the house this week, feel absolutely knackered. Picked up a few bits for the kids that have noted they needed: socks for DS in Boots children's clothes sale @ £4, and 2 x cardigans and 2 x tops in Pumpkin Patch sale for £19.16. I deliberately didn't buy DS any sale clothes as it definitely works out cheaper to search out bundles of clothes on Ebay, however with DDs I was after specific items of clothing and do find it more difficult to get what I want for them as they get older.

My main thinking has been about creating a 'strategy' towards paying off my debts. I do seem to have neglected overpayments towards the CC in the last couple of months; equally I have realised there are some things for the kids that are long overdue, as kids do, they grow out of everything so fast, I remember the last trip into town to get DDs wellies and umbrellas. Umbrellas bit the dust a long time ago, and the wellies are a size, if not two, too small now:eek: Plus things like a raincoat for each of them, plus they both need new trousers as none of theirs seem long enough now:D

So I'm thinking of using half my surplus each month as an overpayment to the CC, or budgeting a fixed amount for specific items for the kids, and a fixed amount towards the cc, then usrplus can be used where needed.

Any thoughts? How do others do it?

bevan840

Have you seen the adverts on TV for Tes*o at the moment, they are offering 3 shirts, 1 skirt/trousers and 1 coat for £12 I think, might sort the trouser and coat problem with some extra shirts left over for school

Pinky15

Morning Jo - On the wellies and umbrellas front I usually pick these up at the car boot sale. The last 2 nearly new brollies for kids I got were £1 each and wellies 50p-£1. Most of the wellies I bought look fairly new and my lot never seem to wear them long before there feet have grown. Funnily enough DS has just shown me a spilt in his so off to search out some for him now.
Ps a child free weekend am very envious:D

Jo_R_2

bevan840 wrote: »

Have you seen the adverts on TV for Tes*o at the moment, they are offering 3 shirts, 1 skirt/trousers and 1 coat for £12 I think, might sort the trouser and coat problem with some extra shirts left over for school

I'll check that out, thanks - I do vaguely remember seeing an ad last week I think on the tv about their uniform. I had one of my late-night panic thoughts last night realising it absolutely had to be this month to pick up any last bits and pieces for school uniform but luckily have got most of DD2's stuff. Do need:

• socks/tights (DD1 needs bigger tights also)
• PE t-shirt (need to check if DD1's still fits her)
• PE black shorts
• PE plimsolls (again need to check if DD1's still fit her)
• school shoes (think their dad will be buying these, need to check)
• skirts (at least two)

Pinky15 wrote: »

Morning Jo - On the wellies and umbrellas front I usually pick these up at the car boot sale. The last 2 nearly new brollies for kids I got were £1 each and wellies 50p-£1. Most of the wellies I bought look fairly new and my lot never seem to wear them long before there feet have grown. Funnily enough DS has just shown me a spilt in his so off to search out some for him now.
Ps a child free weekend am very envious:D

You know, I'm sure I've said this before but I keep meaning to check out car boots as there's one very near every Sunday morning.

RE: the child-free weekend... I think OH is okay with DS being there all weekend although he's missing DS like crazy:A He's toying with the idea of having some grown-up time to catch up on stuff, plus dad mentioned we'd have a fight picking them up early LOL:D


A few bits to do today. Here we go:

• trip to Post Office to a) return Asos clothes that don't fit and b) return Ebay parcel of clothes for DS that are too small (the lady made an error in the listing) - decided to keep Asos clothes and ebay skirt as hopefully can get more for it! Waiting for ebay seller to give me her address
• [STRIKE]keep an eye on Ebay listing for sofa, ends around teatime[/STRIKE] - lost out, just went for more than I was happy to pay:(
• finish cleaning old fridge ready to sell - just need to clean drip tray and remove kids' sticker residue from doors
• [STRIKE]housework - washing up, load of laundry[/STRIKE]
• DDs' bagged up old clothes to take to clothing bank
• [STRIKE]check out Asda for rest of school clothes [/STRIKE]- bought plimsolls but skirts were £5 a go - gone off to think about it:)

Jo_R_2

Well it's been a while!

Just been checking through my last posts to see what's gone on since then.

School uniforms about done. All essentials are bought apart from school shoes which their dad is getting them later this week. They could probably do with another skirt each so will have a look next time I'm in Asda but it's not pressing.

My savings money which was originally towards new bunk beds has been used on my project to make over our conservatory. We now have a fully-useable conservatory which is lovely - the only thing is we *still* have our old fridge-freezer stood in there which I keep meaning to sell but keeps getting put by the wayside so to speak:o Need to sort that!

Parents very kindly bought us a new dining table and six chairs:AThey knew we'd been looking and I was on a bit of a bargain hunt and after what seems like weeks of hunting, dad came up with this gem on Ebay which luckily was only a couple of miles away from us. So thanks mum and dad:)

I'm looking for a slimline dishwasher still at a bargain price but unfortunately what appear to be bargains on Ebay inevitably go up ridiculously in price a couple of hours before the auction ends. Happened last night again - of course when I do forget about a particular auction ending, I will go and check on the finish price and find it was a good price and I missed out:mad: Me and my memory:eek:

Still got a fair monthly surplus left to tide us over. Haven't spent much on kids' activities - barely anything in fact (all hail the Sure Start children's centres!) so could be looking at a nice overpayment on the cc.

Need to transfer car tax money into my current account as it is due before the end of the month. Just putting 6 months on as desperately now looking for something bigger primarily before baby arrives but also would be handy for our holiday mid-September as we'll be driving down to Newquay.

Hope everyone is okay x

beanielou

Glad all is well.
Was just thinking you were quiet of late.
Pay off 15p from Tesco & you will be under a £1000.
Go on~You know you want too

Jo_R_2

Hehehehe - I actually need to check my balance as not done it on my cc for the month, I think I could be under 1k even after interest is added... *runs off to check*

985.98:j Woo!

Okay. Have a short to-do list for today and to carry over to tomorrow if necessary, aided by kids sleeping over at grandma and grandads until tomorrow.

• [STRIKE]do washing up[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]put load of laundry on[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]pay money into account from OH for shopping from 2 weeks ago[/STRIKE]
• box file to stash bills/paperwork that needs dealing with
• hang curtains in conservatory
• final clean of fridge freezer ready to sell
• make list of 'clutter' that can be ebayed/sold
• [STRIKE]Ad Mag/Ebay/Autotrader in desperate search for car[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]transfer money for car tax[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]transfer savings money in preparation for car buying - eek![/STRIKE]

See you later!