I've had my LBM and now it's time to sort it out once and for all

jwil

Have a great Christmas Primrose! Here's to a debtbusting 2011 :beer:

Herewego

Merry Christmas looking forward to hearing your plans in the New Year

Primrose2004

Hi everyone, just posting very quickly from work as I have been trying to log into MSE from home for about 3 weeks on and off but it just will not let me for some reason. I am still on my MS journey and will be back as soon as my laptop allows to update on things going forward.

I'm really excited about 2011, to quote one of my ds' favourite films 'the possiblities are endless' and my moto(also from the same film) is 'keep moving forward'.

jwil

Hope all is well Primrose, and that you manage to get your lappy sorted soon.

Trying to figure out which film that is now...

Primrose2004

Hi Jwil, it's from a film called Meet the Robinsons. Not a very popular film but ds loves it, as do I. It's about a little boy whos an inventor and just keeps on trying and making new things. Another of those Disney films with a lovely message behind it.

My home email/laptop has finally let me post:eek: I really have no idea what it's problem has been over the last few weeks but we'll move on and hope it's sorted itself out now

I don't have much to report, apart from I am very exicted still about 2011 but I have now decided that I am not putting myself under pressure to pay off the debt by the end of the year. If I can I will but now my target is June 2012. The reason behind this is to give myself some time to breathe and also that I have a debt to my employer (interest free loan) which ends then, so I figure if I still owe that then i'm not debt free til then anyway. I will still be trying my best and aim to pay off what I can as soon as I can.

I have switched elec supplier which has decreased my monthly payment by £10 and I got a cheque from the old company as I had overpaid by £115:eek: so that's all good.

But I have joined a gym:o now there are very good reasons for this and I know I shouldn't have whilst in debt but my reasoning is that (a) it is £30 a month which is pretty good, with this I have unlimited gym and classes (b) I am only tied in for 4 months (3 months plus a months notice) so if I don't use it then i'm not signed up for a year (c) I need to get fit and start looking after myself, and lose weight (d) it's getting me out of the house doing something gor ME, if dh told me to go out and get away from the dc I used to go into town, so it's stopping me spending

I am pleased to report that I signed up at the beginning of the month and said i'd do at least 2 sessions a week to 'get my money's worth' and so far apart from the last week in Jan I have kept to this. And to be fair the last week in Jan is 'mad week' in my job, the busiest week of the year so I had a good excuse, plus I had done a class on the thursday before and really hurt my back, it needed a rest!

So, apart from all of that I am feeling very pleased with myself, i'm up straight with job 1's hours (owed 10ish hours and made them up between christmas and new year) they actually owe me 4 1/2 hours :eek: from 'mad week'. Job 2 is getting up straight and I am starting to feel in control, which is a little weird.

I have decided that 2011 is time for ME along with the debt. I have put dc/house/money first for the past 7ish years and I need to look after myself, gym/diet/sanity wise

oh and also have a postive feeling about job 1 giving me more hours once ds starts school in Sept. although I am a little concerned about childcare in the holidays, but I do have a thought on that. I will have 5 weeks holiday already and I know that a colleague has been allowed to take an additional 2 weeks leave unpaid to allow her more time with her dc, so she has 7 weeks in total and obiously her pay is adjusted accordingly. I am thinking of asking for a similar arrangement, but I know the arrangement isn't common knowledge. I would ask her first if it is with her to ask for this. I just feel if I am able to increase my hours, but take 2 weeks unpaid it will save on childcare in the holidays (would likely cost £50-60 a day for 2 dc) and if I am to have that arrangement I may as well do it from day 1 so I don't get used to more money a month. does that make sense?

Sorry for waffling on as usual, been away too long and have too much to say:D

Herewego

Good to have you back

Check out local school clubs for the summer you might be surprised at the cost I used them for my DS when he was younger and he made so many new friends. If you put away a little every month it may be better to use the club rather than take extra holiday. Its ok taking the extra 2 weeks off but then you entertainment costs on top as well if you see what I mean.

I have been looking at joining a gym as well but still not sure when I would fit it in so think its best to leave it for the moment.

Primrose2004

Hi HWG, I've already looked into the local summer holiday clubs and they are either 10-2 which doesn't help (I need at least 6 hours, ie school hours each day) and only run for 4 weeks anyway or it's the one that's 8-6 and is £30 a day, that's per child so my daily costs would be £60 as I would need longer than just a morning or afternoon session, which I think where £16 per child. It's just not viable:(

I do see what you mean about the holiday & cost of entertaining them, certainly something to think about but to be honest I was kind of thinking that by the main summer holidays I would be debt free so I would actually have some spare money:rotfl::rotfl:

I know family would help but to be honest I have been let down a few times by them and I use up all my babysitting favours on school holiday care I just thought I had the holidays pretty much covered I might be able to use some babysitting for allowing dh and I to do things. At the moment I feel guilty asking mother in law to have them whilst I work and then on Saturdays too, if you see what I mean.

I will see what happens, but I do think I'd rather have the extra holiday from day one, I can always re-assess later on. And I don't know yet if I can have the extra hours, if I can't problem solved as i'll only be doing 15 hours so will ask if I can virtually work term time only (work more the weeks leading to hols and have hols off+ my hol entitlement)

Herewego

My DS is 15 I guess I forget these things go up in price, I hope you get it sorted out and if you could change the hours you work that would be great.

Primrose2004

Well, I don't have much to report but I am now feeling even more positive about being given more hours in Oct. My boss recently announced that he will retire in 2 years, which I am really sad about. He has been my boss since I started work after leaving school, 13 years ago, and it will mean a massive change in the way I work. Basically all my work goes through him before being sent out, so now it will have to go through someone else. But the good thing is that with him leaving myself and one other colleague will become a little more valuable as we're the ones who deal with the clients he will be leaving behind and we know all about them. Also the other colleague is likely to be thinking of having dc in the next few years so I would hope they want to keep me.

In my job experience is very important, as is knowing the clients and also the systems of the firm I work for. They find it hard to recruit the right people so I am really really hoping it's all good.

Also my boss asked me to give him a note of the hours I'd like in Oct so that he can work out the budget, so I have my fingers so tightly crossed they hurt:rotfl:

If I can get more hours it will mean such a lot for our finances.

I have also decided not to mention additional holiday for now, it's a subject I may bring up this time next year(our financial year runs to end of March) as if I get the hours i'd like I will only have Oct/christmas/feb school hols to contend with before our holiday year is finished.

EEEEEEEEEEEEKKKK!!!

I also wrote to HMRC re my NI contributions which I don't think I needed to make the last few years, which if I get back could by £200+ and would be fab! We'll see.

Primrose2004

oooooo now i'm very excited! My friend just call to say she was given a leaflet about a new holiday club for children-, which happens to be at my new gym! and it runs 9.30-3(not quite long enough to fill all my hours) but it's £50 for mon-fri (or £11 a day) so it may just be the thing I need to cover childcare in the holidays woo hoo! as that means, say I need both dc to go to it 4 weeks a year if I save £35 a month that'll cover it, whereas to take off 3 weeks pay would be £60-70 a month

YIPPPEEEEEEEEEEEE