Week 2 - There's so much we can do.

Cheery_Daff

How did it go Ruby? Sounds like you need a rest!

RubySewSew

Have had a little period of absence because I have been so damn busy!!

Molly dog is growing and costing me a fortune and teaching me a few expensive lessons in dog ownership.
1. NEVER buy dog treats from the pet shop
2. NEVER buy puppy pads from the pet shop - they are half the price in the supermarket and putting newspaper underneath makes them go a lot further.
3. NEVER run out of puppy food only to discover that you can't get the same brand locally and have to buy something different. She still has poorly tummy a week later.
4. The very best dog chew in the world is a stick. And a homemade sock rabbit.
5. Don't buy the expensive extendable lead - buy a cheap one from the pound shop, they are much better for a little dog.
6. Don't buy the expensive training clicker and discs. You can make appropriate noises with your body or mouth and you always have that with you.
7. Don't buy the expensive gluten free puppy treats from the vets. Use bits of cheese or scraps from the Sunday roast.
8. Don't buy the expensive sanitiser spray from the pet shop. Put some biological washing liquid in a spray bottle and top up with water. Much more effective.

She had her first walk yesterday. Just 20 minutes along the beach but she was exhausted afterwards. We had such a peaceful evening!

So Molly is doing fine. A little lonely during the week at the moment as I am working full time this week. The other Individual Needs Assistant who works with the little boy I look after has injured herself so I've been called in to cover. I'm exhausted! I'm glad of the extra money because it is very much needed at the moment. Finances are pretty desperate. Have once again run out of money for food, vets, petrol and other essentials way before the end of the month. Put a few things up on ebay but only made about a fiver. I can return some bits to the vet shop which will be just over £30. I don't what my pay packet will look like because I don't know if it will count as overtime and be carried over to next month or not. I don't know how else to raise extra cash or cut back. I can't cut back if I haven't got anything to spend. I am seriously thinking about going to the CCCS. I'm not sure of the full implications or if they will help me as a homeowner but I don't see how I can go on maintaining the level of debt I've got. It's preventing me from living. I will try and have a look statement of affairs etc tonight although I still have my tax return to complete.

I did order some marketing postcards and some business cards last night. Whoop! Whoop! Cost me just over £30 but if that brings in just one client it will have paid for itself. Need to look at venues and stuff for classes and the next step would be to set up a course and see if I can fill it. I am teaching for the charity I worked for, in February so maybe I should set up a course for March. Ooh, now there is a challenge! Exciting! Better get the ball rolling!

Right, for now I have to get the boys in bed, clean the kitchen, put the washing away, check the meal plan for tomorrow, make the lunches, do my tax return. And it's Silent Witness tonight! And DS3 is looking decidedly peaky. Was crying after school with growing pains and a temperature. Fingers crossed for an overnight recovery

No wonder I'm exhausted!

RubySewSew

No claims discount form - sent
Tax return - done

And still half an hour to go before Silent Witness. yippee!

RubySewSew

Is really very sleepy. Burnt myself out. Having a nice glass of red wine and trying to stay awake for silent witness (totally traumatised by last nights episode). Have meal planned this week which has taken some of the pressure off after work. However, tonight was pasta pesto with leftovers for lunch tomorrow but we ate all of it!! The boys were ravenous! So don't actually have any lunch tomorrow. Have bread but no cheese. Have tuna but no-one likes it. Have peanut butter but they'r not allowed it at school. And DS2 doesn't like sandwiches full stop (or more to the point he doesn't like butter). I made double banana flapjack but DS1 wants to take it in for homework to share with his class. Had planned to make cookies to but ran out of porridge oats. Cut up there are 34 squares (there were 35 but you know, cook's perks!) and he has 33 kids in his class. Which leaves none for us! So will have to compromise on how much goes into school.

Looked at CCCS yesterday and they recommended that I write to creditors and make an offer of £1 per month. I'm going to go over budget etc at weekend, give myself a few more days to think about it and then make a decision. It's quite scary. But things are pretty bad.

New job is ace by the way. Although i am knackered!

RubySewSew

I'm lazing in bed, drinking tea, thinking about making breakfast, listening to the neighbours cutting down a horrible tree and wondering whether to be productive or relaxed this weekend. Answers on a postcard...

Eager_Elephant

Hi Ruby

Hope you had a good weekend.

Have you made any decisions about your debts? You cannot continue to struggle constantly, it is not fair on you or the children!!

If you want to ask any questions PM me or ask on here and I will pop back.

EE

RubySewSew

Thanks Eager Elephant, that is really very kind of you. CCCS have recommended that I make an offer of £1 to all creditors. I am terrified at the prospect. I used to work for the Nationwide and used to see customers get into a mess and swore that i would never be in that position. However, I have to acknowledge that my level of debt is unsustainable and I have very little choice about what I can do about it. So, I have to bite the bullet. I am worried about all the extra paperwork it will create. I am worried about shouty phonecalls and letters. I am worried about extra charges compounding the situation. I am worried about changing bank account as that is partly what led to this situation - last time the transfer was messed up so I accrued just over £500 worth of charges which nobody will take responsibility for refunding.

My problem as ever is cash flow. And to make matters worse today is pay day but I haven't been paid. Apparently my paperwork missed the 5th January deadline. So I have no money this month. And I have no idea what I will be paid when I am paid as my contract has changed from permanent to term time only and I don't know on what basis they pay. So despite working full time and despite being knackered I still have nothing to show for it.

You're right, it isn't fair on me or the kids. DS1 has a birthday this month (double figures!). Two of them don't have shoes (well DS1 has some second hand ones from his step brother whilst DS2 is just sporting uppers that have separated from the lowers), two of them don't have school trousers. My only winter proof shoes are some boots that have a bust zip so I put them on and hope very hard each morning that today isn't the day that they completely give up.

Funnily enough though this isn't what is causing me most concern. I have agreed to do full time at school until half term. However, I am shattered. Not just a bit tired but sitting in a pig sty wondering how I'm going to stay awake for long enough to put the kids to bed, haven't walked the dog, haven't cleaned the kitchen, chip shop chips for tea, don't know if we have enough clothes for tomorrow tired. And the silly thing is, if I bit the bullet and gave up work and went completely self employed completely full time I would only need 10 clients a month to earn the amount of money I need and would work a fraction of the hours. I just don't have the confidence to walk away from a paid job though. And there is the human cost of the little boy I look after who has already had to deal with a lot of change and the positive impact on DS1 of me working in his school and if I'm honest and I know it is a bit vain but the professional acclaim and the company of working in a team.

And breathe...

In 2 and a half years if the situation is still this bad I can sell my house, pay off my debts and see what my options are with regard to renting. Has anybody else been in a similar situation? Does anybody know if you can get knackered zips repaired on much loved boots?

Ok, I'm off to do some deep breathing and fingers crossed some deep sleeping. Night y'all!

Mags30

This sounds like such an impossible situation, not sure what to say but :grouphug:. When you say you haven't been paid does this mean you don't have money for food shopping? :eek:

As for the shoe situation, well at least it will be flip-flops season soon and I'm sure you'll be able to find new winter shoes on ebay or somewhere fairly cheaply before next winter.

RubySewSew

Oh man. I think my heating is broken. I've poked the boiler but no pilot light and don't know what to do next. Fingers crossed it's just me being a div.

Mags30

Oh no, hopefully it'll sort itself out. If not duvets and hot water bottles until the money situation improves and at least it's Frebuary not November so at worst you'll be able to live without it for a bit.