My Journey

bevan840

Well, DH is now on his way south they are stopping in a premier inn on the M1 tonight and picking the school up tomorrow night then off to Austria. I've had a look at the hotel they are staying in over there and it looks like great fun, hopefully they won't have to do any driving while they are there as the ski slope is so close
I've suprised myself at how calm I am, although I think that might be because of the tablets!
I had a nice suprise to come home to after college last night, when I'd asked him to put petrol in his car for me (I'm using his while he is away as there is snow forcast and his has 4 wheel drive) he got me a bunch of flowers for valentines day I get them early as he won't be here I've put my card away though as won't open it till Sunday
Half term next week so don't have to worry about driving myself to college, just tonight Good timing hehe
Debts are slooooowly going down, had a peep at spreadsheet and moved some things around a bit, I should hopefully be able to pay a bit more to CC1 soon, hopefully get rid of it quicker. Am going to start using my SOA every month as a guide, if you don't mind Jo I think I might copy you in printing it out and updating it as the month goes, that way whatever is left as my surplus I'm going to put on the CC Or I might create a new spreadsheet Could do with a new challenge while DH is away lol
The main aim while he is gone is to try and rest as much as possible so I can start to feel better energywise, with him being away the boys are staying with Mum so I won't be running around keeping an eye on them etc
Not getting a lot of sleep at the moment, Angel for some reason has decided she wants to wake us up around 3am every morning clawing at the door downstairs!! Started off being once a night and she's now doing it twice!! Always between 3 - 5AM! Going to look for a spray that is supposed to stop them doing it, was told possibly pets at home will have one so going to look this weekend. Mum thought it might be too cold for her, so turned the heating on for longer and she still did it this morning, so it isn't the cold.
Boss just come in, uh oh hehe

savingholmes

well done on the payments.

Glad OH surprised you.... My OH sent me an email with various events locally - but I didn't fancy any of them - he was rather gutted! I told him I would prefer to wait until my MIL could have the kids overnight and then do something...

bevan840

Oh boy, here we go again, another letter from Roxburghe Debt Collectors, we now have a 72 hour notice! Massive thanks for DarkConvict for responding so quickly, still worried a little though as DH won't be back till next weekend!! A little longer than 72 hours

*Rant Alert*
If this is what people choose to do to get money I think it is disgusting, the majority of the population are having enough problems financially at the moment without letters like these coming through for something which isn't even theirs!!
*Rant Over*

Wish DH was here, even though he's not much help in these situations as he panics more than me, but it helps as I'm the one calming him down, therefore calming my self down too.

Sounds good SH to wait for some alone time with DH, depending on what you guys want to do you might want to wait till your knee is a little better also so you can walk and move around a bit easier?

Think I'm going to go bed and try and get some sleep, need to sort out bag for work tomorrow but that will only take 2 minutes.

Jo_R_2

I don't know where I got the idea of doing a month-specific SOA but have found it works best for me. It works because when I have particular expenses that only occur in a given month, eg DD1's birthday outing this month, I can counterbalance other outgoings, and know what I have left for overpayments, and what surplus I have to play with.

I tend to scribble on it as the month goes by, referring to receipts and subtracting spends with notes on for what the spends are (so I don't end up with a list of figures and not know what they are, which I have done before:o) I have a running total of my surplus on the last page and take or add things as they come up, and anything left I use to overpay.

It's not quite as organised as a spreadsheet but it works for me!

bevan840

Well, posted letter to Roxburghe on Monday, another Recorded delivery, got the receipt in my filofax and will check it tomorrow as you have to give it 2-3 days before it will show up on the website.

CSA rang DH in Austria yesterday :eek: there go my precious minutes, I only have 200 minutes of free time to ring him, after those 200 minutes his phone will get charged for them! I've been watching the bank account and this months payment should of gone out on Monday, and guess what? Another c*ck up at their end and the payment hasn't gone through!!!! :mad: This is becoming beyond a joke now, it's all set up our end, DD is showing up on our account, it just isn't taking any money?? (Could do with the shrugging shoulder smiley there lol) Hoping the office will still be open when I get home this evening as I didn't bring the paperwork with me so don't have the phone number either, it is an 08 number though so would prefer to do it on home phone as they are free. I've just checked the website and it says the phone lines are open 8-8 Mon - Fri, so should be ok. Will be nice and prepared for when I ring, will also ask if they can knock anything off as there have been so many mess ups on their end! Worth a try atleast.

Looked in Pets at Home for the spray and couldn't find one, used Vick Vaporub on the door frame a few nights which seemed to work and even when I haven't put it on she hasn't been scratching till I wake up Result Yay :j

Started using the CC2 as I used to use it as would like the asda voucher in november, I'm only spending the shopping on it then transfer it straight back once I get home The vouchers come in handy at Christmas, can either use it for food or pressies. Also paying the £30 every month to take the balance down slowly, still focusing mainly on CC1 and trying to up the amount I'm paying to it, while trying to work out why when I used to use the SOA I never had the amount left over as I should of Tried the spending diary thing and didn't work, which is why I'm going to try Jo's way of doing it and see if it works out better.
Tried doing a spreadsheet but might work better once I start doing the monthly SOA so I know how I want the sheet to work.

Dh is leaving Austria friday night but wont be home till sometime on Sunday, they will reach the end of their driving hours by the time they get back in UK, so will have to stop at a premier inn saturday night and leave again sunday morning, can't wait to have him home!!! :T:j But think I'm coming down with a cold so dosing up on Vit C to try and kick it before it gets a hold, don't want to pass it on when he gets home do I hehe

Hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day
xxx

savingholmes

Hope you are okay - hope the debt collectors don't come calling - especially if it is about a debt that isn't even yours!

We managed to get both kids out last night on a sleepover - as a surprise for OH - and went out for a meal. We had a really nice relaxing time - with a chilled start to the day. We then took the kids to the cinema in the afternoon too so everyone was happy!

bevan840

Morning SH, Jo and anyone else who might be peeping

Well, as far as I know no-one has been to the house yet, but I've been at work so I don't think I would know if they had been

Glad you had a nice relaxing night SH, it's nice for parents to have some 'alone' time as it's normally children that have all the attention

CSA have been paid and they said that the problem had been sorted and the DD should start next month at the normal amount, phew




Haven't checked the post office website yet but it is on my 'to do' list

• [STRIKE]Check post office website to make sure letter was received[/STRIKE] Was delivered on 16/02/2010
• [STRIKE]Check bank[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Put receipts on spreadsheets[/STRIKE] Now need to update siggy
• [STRIKE]Drop in/pick up prescription[/STRIKE] Done and Done
  
• [STRIKE]Get some more olbas oil and vaporiser pads while in Boots, remember to use Double Points voucher!![/STRIKE] Remembered voucher

Can't think of anything else for now, apart from enduring another day of work!! Can't wait for DH to be home, I need some sleep!!!
Have a nice day all, hope there isn't too much snow falling where you are
xxx

bevan840

So far spent £145.47 of shopping budget, only got 1 weekend left of this month so should be able to make it ok Plus there's only really me to feed as bulked up on cat food while the 3 for £7 offer was on at Asda and Pets at Home are doing an offer on 4k bags of biscuits, buy one get 2nd half price, worked out cheaper than buying the smaller bags and means I don't have to buy any for quite a while!! hehe Plus with DH coming home this weekend, we won't be having the boys and I have loads of frozen meals in freezer for DH, remains of a cottage pie I cooked a few weeks ago too

I feel so much better now I've started to get on top of things again

bevan840

Urgh, Monday already

DH is home :j Got a little over excited sat night and paid for it yesterday, full of aches and pains and horrible headache, didn't stop me snuggling on sofa while watching a carry on film though Still aches and pains but headache has thankfully gone.

Realised halfway through the weekend that what I said about that weekend being the last of the month was wrong and I had another weekend to account for!!! :eek: Oops! So, I know I will be over the shopping budget this month, but I was trying to drop £50 so maybe that was the issue, thought it would last with DH being away and 2 weekends without the boys, but instead I seem to of bought some food for ME for a change I now have a freezer full of pork chops and some lamb steaks (I even had a lamb steak with veg while DH was away!! :eek: Vegetables are very rare in our house apart from potatoes)

Have finally sorted out my filing cabinet Top drawer is for everything, insurances, breakdown, gas, electric etc and the bottom drawer is for my personal letters (I'm a useless penpal!) and my monthly receipts, so that I can keep hold of them incase I have to re-calculate etc if I miss something

Only 4 weeks till Peter Andre!!!!! :rotfl: Had a joke with DH last night, if I wore myself out over being excited with him coming home, I'm going to be !!!!!!ed after the concert :rotfl: Will make sure I don't do anything on the Tuesday Safest option.

Trying to sort out March's SOA but boss is in and out office like a dratted yo-yo lol Might get it done for this afternoon

Hope you all had good weekends xxx

savingholmes

hi bevan - hope you manage to make the money stretch! Peter Andre should be fun for you. I can't wait to go and see JLS with my DS and Norah Jones with OH should be good - my first EVER pop concerts! They are in June and July!