Sorting through my rubbish

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Still Ebaying like mad, over £300 in the last 2 months, some has been spent on Xmas pressies but the rest is still sitting in my Paypal account, gonna try and leave it there to use for pressies.

Kids bedrooms are looking great, still some painting to do and a new bed to install (well new to us!). Need to touch up some of the hallway where is has been marked moving stuff from the bedrooms. Have got rid of about 8 bags to the charity shop, 4 bags of rubbish and a mountain to carboot/ebay. Can't believe how much stuff there was.

DH was given a huge bag of apples which I have stewed and frozen, freezer is still brim full so I need to meal plan to empty it out a bit.

Made a ToDoList of everything that needs to be done before we put up any Xmas Decs, think I need about 3 months to get it all done but hoping to motivate the 'troups' this weekend.

Gradually buying food and drink for Xmas, making the most of deals and vouchers. We tend to get in loads of booze for Xmas, New Year and all the birthdays which are at the start of the year and that will see us through until the following Xmas when all of the deals are on again!!:beer:

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3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

The bedrooms are finished:j:j:j

I am sooooo tired tho and so behind with Xmas plans. Finally wrote and posted cards yesterday. Haven't wrapped any pressies yet or made a single mince pie, the Xmas cake is baked but not decorated and there is not a single decoration up, not even the tree!

I am in panic mode, asked DH to sort out dining room 3 months ago and again about 4 weeks ago when he invited my parents for Xmas. At present it looks like a cross between a workshop, brewery, office and warehouse, can't even see the dining table let alone sit at it. I absolutely refuse to do any sorting/dusting/cleaning in there and am mortified whenever anyone comes around. I take care of the rest of the house but he can sort that lot out.

I am working 13 hour shifts Mon Tues and Weds of this week but that means I am free from Thurs onwards, have promised myself I WILL get into the Xmas spirit then, DD is only 7 and I need to make the most of Xmases whilst she is still small.

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3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!:beer:

Christmas was a surprising success, mince pies got made and tree decorated on the 23rd. House tidied and organised (not just hidden in cupboards), dining room re-instated as a dining room:rotfl::rotfl:and table laid and decorated on Xmas eve. Survived parents and mad auntie-in-law on the big day and enjoyed partying with friends since. Kids all had a good time and really pleased with their new bedrooms so all good.

2012......what does it hold??

DH being made redundant at end of March (being delayed from end Jan) and DS1 18th birthday and DS2 13th birthday in Feb and March. Planning a joint surprise trip to London for boys birthday's (booking now to save on trains etc) and pressies already bought for DS2, DS1 hasn't said what he would like but we are going out for a meal on his 18th with ex hubby and his family, splitting the bill 50/50.

Need to be really frugal with everything this year. Minimal spends on food; petrol costs should be lower as DH will not be travelling to work, he is going to try and find a job in town. No need to buy toiletteries/cosmetics as have loads and my birthday in a couple of days and I know DH has bought me the huge Soap and Glory set that [EMAIL="B@@ts"]B@@ts[/EMAIL] had on offer before Xmas:T. Had an ereader for Xmas so no need to buy books. Have loads of clothes and shoes, kids also have plenty. Going to save as much as possible to pay off debts. Need to clear as much as I can before DS1 leaves college as WFTC and CHB will decrease then as will maintenance payments:(.

Seriously worried but it's my own fault, got myself into this fix now gotta get myself out of it.

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3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

2 NSD's so far this month. Did go a bit bad on Monday DH and I went shopping, Spent £20 in Morrisons (this is the first grocery shop since 22/12 so not bad! Also went to local factory shop and bought some bits in their sale, including Zhu Zhu pets set for £7 for DDs bday or easter pressie, Adidas Climalite trackies for £10 for DD2s bday and pack of 3 socks (special non-elastic ones) for Dad for £1:T:T so a few pressies sorted, I need to make a list of what I have got as there were quite a few items left in my pressie box after doing all of the Xmas wrapping. Need to use up what I have this year rather than buy more. Also bought some reduced wrapping paper and gift tags in Mossies, just plain silver so can use all year round.

Mum and Dad treated us all to Indian takeaway last night, a thank you for having them at Xmas so that was a nice treat, the kids loved it. My birthday on Thursday so I think I might get treated then, probs just an Indian at Wetherspoons as we can take the kids and it won't cost a fortune:A.

Back to work tomorrow, 1st time since 21/12:(, had a lovely relaxed time at home with the kids. Never mind I've booked annual leave for the Feb halfterm so not too long!

Off to bed in a mo, night all

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3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Have been reading the Crazy Clothes Challenge thread and have decided this is the one for me! I have about 40 pairs of heels, 15 pairs of boots plus trainers, flip flops etc, loads of clothes squeezed into my wardrobe, piles of underwear, tights, stockings etc, quite honestly i don't need anything and I do need to clear my Next bill asap.

Have decided to set my spend limit at £260, which is £5 per week. Hoping to come in under this but have to be realistic as I know I have a problem with this and if I set it too low I will fail, probably early on, and then forget it for the rest of the year

Fingers crossed

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3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Had a good day today, no spend day:T, used up and threw away some bubble bath:T, took lunch to work:T, polished my halo:A:rotfl::rotfl:. Looked at several sale websites but resisted all temptation to buy anything, determined to keep to my clothing challenge budget.

My birthday tomorrow, so looking forward to a day off work and being pampered by the family, breakfast in bed etc!! Will make the most of it, that's it for another 355 days:rotfl:.

Gonna put aside some quiet time to redo my budget for this month and next as I have now booked the suprise trip for the boys' birthdays and need to reassess my finances. Also need to meal plan as have loads of food in cupboards and freezer, including 3 chickens, beef joint and 2 gammon joints!!

Right off to bed now, night all

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pennywisepoundstupid

:bdaycake:Happy Birthday, hope you have a fantastic day.

silvermist05

Happy birthday

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Hi £Wise and Silvermist,

Thanks for the birthday wishes, I did have a lovely and (quite) frugal day.

Was brought breakfast in bed, some lovely presents including the bargain bag of Soap and Glory from Boots:j. We all went out for dinner, hubby said I could go anywhere in town but I chose Wetherspoons cos it was curry night, which the kids love and it would be cheaper, polish that halo again:A

Had lots of Next gift cards for my birthday so have paid those straight off my account. Need to knock that on the head asap.

Off to take down the decorations now, may be back later.

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3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Just before Xmas I received a tax calculation for the last 2 tax years showing that I had underpaid by a very large amount:eek:. I buried it and decided that I was not going to look at it or think about it until after Xmas.

Decided today was the day to pull my head out of my ars@ and tackle it head on. It is due to my (now ex) employer not paying any tax for me, I never received payslips or P45s or P60s from him and whenever I asked about tax he said he was dealing with it. I have phoned the tax office and explained, the guy was very helpful and has put in a request to spread repayment over 3 years and also advised me to write and explain that it was an Employer Error and they will make a judgement on whether I should pay or my (ex) employer. Have written the letter and feel calmer now. Finger's crossed they write at least some of it off or agree to spread the repayments over 3 years, especially with DH being made redundant.

On a personal money front, been good again today, did have to buy DS2 new school shoes as he put his old ones on yesterday and his feet had grown over the Xmas break! Managed to get some in Clarks reduced to £15 from £42 (he's in adult sizes) so wasn't too bad. Food wise only bought 2 x bread and milk so that was only £3.

Hoping to meal plan at weekend, still have cheese and veg left from Xmas and it all has to be used up. Need to eat out of the freezer too. Have no money in my budget for food:eek: and 25 days til payday:eek:. I'm not panicking (yet) I will make everything stretch til its well past it's limit.:rotfl:

Right back to work

Night all

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