'SAHM to 2 boys' shambles attempt to reduce the mortgage

cha97michelle

I'm the same and can't stop spending when we go to the shop so i just don't go. I'm turning into a hermit.

Our credit card bills used to be over £1000 per month, but i have cut them down to about £600 now which is not as bad.

You do have to really keep your eye on it or it does slip away from you.

SAHMto2boys

You're right Michelle, have to totally keep on top of it.

So this weekend hasn't been too bad money wise, NOTHING has gone on the credit card since Wednesday and I've noticed a transaction on the bill which was my friends, so £25 requested from her. Looking like I should be able to pay it in full £1415 (glup...) and then pay £65 over into my ISA pot however I will point out that most of that amount has been spent on re-doing the garden and we are expecting more than amount back via the courts so it should all even out (that legal money will go straight into OP pot). Will mean a tight-ish month now till pay day end of next week so I need to keep a check on it. Am going to try and put nothing on it now until next months bill date of 7th June. I really, really need to break the habit or we'll be no better off and never OP and just keep spending and wasting money.

Have managed to sort the boys bedrooms out, swapped over and decorated with left-over paint so they are looking beautiful now so that makes me happy!

In other fantastic news, DH had two letters on Saturday from work - one confirming bonus (whoop whoop) and one saying his share options have been reinstated (whoop whoop whoop!!!). This means in three years time he will get a shares which are able to be cashed and should the company keep being okay, they should then start dropping ever year. However we don't want to rely on them too much so are going to ignore them for the time being, keep OP-ing and then decide later what to do with them. They take the pressure off in that they will pay for the boys Uni fees and futures (if thats the path they choose) while we can clear the mortgage on the house without worrying too much about savings.

Bit of a tough weekend on a personal level, have waved my sister off for a new life in the sun. Which leaves me alone to deal with the nightmare that is my mother and all my fathers health problems but such is life eh? Onwards and upwards, I can feel myself slowing slipping back into a depressive state and I really don't want to. Had a good chat with DH about it anyway. Think the main bit is I just feel so in limbo having no work start date yet, I don't feel I can plan anything until I get my shift patterns.

Whilst the roast dinner was cooking last night, I sat and made a meal plan and to do list for the week, hoping I don't need to spend much more on food for this month. Speaking of which better go and get a pasta sauce on for tea tonight while I can without dealing with kids.

SAHMto2boys

Right have decided I'm going to try and post here daily at the minute to try and keep on top of things money-wise....I found with my DFW dairy if I posted then I was generally good with money so worth a try.

Yesterday: Went swimming with the boys in the afternoon, £5.90 for the three of us and about £1.50 for treats from the machine (I did take some snacks for them while they waited for me to get dressed but I'm not so mean to say no to a packet of crisps - yet). Had to buy some new armbands for DS2 as ours have disappeared (left at C.Parcs I think) and googles for DS1 swimming lessons so £9 from the child benefit budget for those. Tea was a cheap meal of pasta with HM sauce and tuna or prawns with some veggies thrown in and yellow stickered garlic bread. Spent £9 in Sainsburys on milk and good offers. Brought a large tomato plant from nursery for 50p which I'm hoping I can keep alive long enough to get some off it.

Have had a busy morning so far with housework (yawn...). Got DS1 to help put BM maker on for pizza dough before school so that will do its thing in time for tea - nice and cheap meal. My office was disgusting so have spent some time in there this morning and sorting through more stuff my sister gave me, again lots of cards and bits and heaps of craft stuff. My Ebay pile is growing so I must try and list some that stuff at some point but my child free days are busy at the minute completing my final for uni. Off to meet a friend at the local country park today so will have some lunch there but cheapish cafe.

Going to update my signature I think.

SAHMto2boys

Well it seems I've annoyed my new boss before I even start work - great! As have two children to look after and can't drop everything to drive over there (30 minutes each way) to deliver my passport the moment she calls she has got a right strop on with me and I can't take my children with me as I need to sigh something while I'm there and its a secure hospital. Well sorry love, you knew at my interview I have children and you'll have to wait as its YOU thats lost the copy you'd taken. I'm going over tomorrow while my mum has the boys but that doesn't seem quick enough for her......tough! Have feeling of dread now about the whole thing, she said once this last bit of paperwork is done they can give me a start date so at least the end is in sight for me starting there.

In other news we booked our holiday cottage last night (bet bossy-pants will be annoyed about that too) for August and paid the deposit with my 'holiday fund savings' instead of credit card and a 2% charge so thats quite a little achievement for me to have the cash. Unfortunately DH has put £92 on the credit card though as he's been a naughty boy and needs to go on a speed awareness course, this will have to come out of next months budget somewhere. I have £200 saved for our car bills but don't really want to dip in there if I can avoid it.

Yesterday: spent about £8 all in with lunch out and ice-creams, boys had a fab time though so all good.

Today we have to call and collect DS1 prescription that wasn't in stock the other day and also pay in some cheques for DS2 before they expire (shockingly bad of me). Will NOT spend on cr*p while I'm in town as per usual even though I'm in right grump today and know a few treats would cheer me up. Plus feel like a frump today, god I'm in a right mood!!

SmlSave

Try not to let new boss get your back up hun, breathe and hopefully she'll be fine once you've actually started work.

resist the treats........

SAHMto2boys

Thanks SmlSave for your words. Went in today and she was fine, actually feel sorry for her as there is a number of new staff starting to cover a new ward they've opened so think the poor woman is stressed.

I was good and resisted the treats! Picked up prescription and did banking without spending anything and meet DH for a coffee which he'll claim on expenses (cheeky!). Just spent £1.50 on parking but slipped and spent £5 on a cheap bottle of wine.

Today feel a little better in my mood. I'm sure this is way TMI for most but since DS2 my hormones are all over the place which sends my moods a bit bonkers, am wondering if I don't have some amount of PND too. Also since being ill a few weeks ago I lost a bit of weight and stupidly I've not been eating a huge amount to keep the weight off, very stupid as lack of food makes me very grumpy! Feel like I've been a really crappy mum at the minute so plan on doing some nice things this weekend with the boys, first one being letting DS1 stay up tomorrow night to watch the first new episode of his all time fave show.....Eddie Stobart!

Afraid I've had to spend on the cc today....not good. We've got a infestation of chafer bugs in our lawn, happened last year too so had to go and buy some killer which is like gold dust round here! B&Q had some but I paid £10 too much for it, robbing 'bleeps' are only selling single packets instead of a box so more expensive however I have a 10% off voucher from the garden make over spends. Still cheaper than buying a new lawn and the boys can't play out as is literally looks like its alive and moving *shudder*.

Apart from that the only spends today was a £1 for a Scrabble set from a charity shop to be used for crafting. Saw one a month ago in another shop for £5 and left it there at that price so feel I've had a bargain! Had a good root in several charity shops but was mostly rubbish.

Can't wait for payday this month to do some real OP-ing at last! ISA paperwork all through so both our ISAs opened and ready to go. Also friend paid me my £25 for the credit card she owed so have got the money to pay it in full now.

SAHMto2boys

Forgive me diary but I have sinned. Again.

However I'm not bothered about it! Had somewhat of a mad weekend which involved my parents wanting to take the boys out of Saturday for the day so a long, boozy lunch somehow happened followed by some serious shopping. Gulp. DH and I decided to have a little treat as his bonus has made more than he worked out and you know what? it was great. Yesterday we went to farm for the day, which is really expensive to get in and for food and drink but again we had the best day as a family. Last night was spent watching tv and drinking something bubbly.

OP-ing is great and its what I want to do but not at the expense of being miserable and going nowhere fun with the boys, a weekend like that once in a blue moon is fine and has done wonders for my mental health. Although I've brought quite a lot of clothes (however i was truly desperate as nothing fit as last summer I was breast feeding and the one before pregnant) everything was thought about before I brought it and all from high street only apart from DH who brought a Ted Baker jacket (and top) but I do think he'll wear it to death and I got 10% NUS discount. Did see a man in Ted Baker though who spent just over £3000 in one go. Once upon a time I would have just gone and brought from high end shops because I could so I'm changing and mostly from shops I get NUS discount.

Today is back to reality. Online banking done as usaul. I've had water bill this weekend so need to think about making a category just for water and then a gas and electric combined.

Yesterday I put a chicken casserole in the SC for tea with yellow stickered chicken at £4 and got meals for the four of us at teatime and then three meals for DS2 - not bad. Todays tea will be frugal again and basic after all the excesses at the weekend - HM pasta sauce, pasta and bacon with veggies and yellow stickered garlic bread, DS2 will have last nights leftovers (as usual bless him).

The weather here is shocking - gales and freezing cold so think I'm just going to chill out with the kids all afternoon at home so they need it after a busy few days. Maybe a bit of baking and a NSD.

Iris_Blue

I really understand where you are coming from about the hormones. Since having a baby in October I become a complete erratic mess once a month and its getting to the point of having to do something about it. I find I'm better when I take my Wellwoman tablets though so it's something I've been keeping on top of this month. It may be worth you taking some multi vitamins if you don't already.

I'm glad you had a good weekend. Ouch at the spending though. The TB jacket must have cost a bit but I do find that they last too, plus they look good on.

SAHMto2boys

Hi Iris, thanks for that its nice to know I'm not the only one. Have been looking into vitamins and supplements so think I'll give this route a few months before approach the GP about it, feel like I've got to do something. DH's jacket is lovely and he'll definitely get lots of wear out of it - 'cost per wear' will make it reasonable.

Yesterday - NSD (apart from 20p to buy two cakes from nursery lol). Also did some baking with the kids so that will ease the snacking tin and used up some eggs as they went out of date - hate food waste! Also resisted buying wine even though we really fancied some and did some more work on my sewing project whilst watching tv instead.

Not sure what todays plan is, might take the boys to local country park for lunch and a play, normal spends are about £6 when we do this. Banking checked and think I'll have about £50 by the the end of the month (Friday) to put in OP account, making £115 this month.

SAHMto2boys

Busy morning so far here....have managed to have a shower and wash my hair before nursery run, ironed one load of washing, WM on, SC with chilli for tea (meeting at school till gone 7 for me so DH will fed and put kids to bed and then we can eat without having to cook or get a takeaway) and dealt with dishes and cleaned kitchen, finished my huge Asda online order, cleared my desk of paperwork, updated my diary with everything I need and worked out some budgets for Fridays mega pay day.

And all on 5 hours sleep thanks to DS2.

Worked everything I've got outstanding money-wise and when this all needs paying - balance on our holiday, balance on our Take That tickets and night away (my 30th birthday gift), water bill and whats gone on the credit card. This will probably use up all the 'spare' cash I have on a monthly basis and then DH's bonus should fill one ISA. Next month (end of June payday) he'll receive another chunk of bonus which will go into my ISA along with (providing no credit card spends during June!) the OP money should about half fill mine.

Yesterday: spent about £10 all in on food, drinks and ice creams for the day. Enjoyable day with the boys.

Aiming for a NSD today as off to a friends for a play later.