Learning to Live on Less!

Itsadogslife_2

Hi White Iris,

Well done on your ebay listings! I am currently charging my camera battery so I can start taking some pics of the things that I can list.

Maybe it was for the best about the loan - if you felt like you shouldn't be doing it, I think it is a sign that it was obviously not meant to be :money:

White_Iris

As I've nearly reached my emergency savings target of £500 I've decided to increase it to £1000. Ultimately I'd like to have £2000 in the bank, as that's a months bills money but getting to £1000 will be a big boost. I also want to set some money aside to cover some of our moving costs when we eventually sell the house, so I'm going to start a new pot and set a target of £500. I think I need to come up with some more money making ideas or cross my fingers that things sell for huge amounts on eBay! Off to update signature!

White_Iris

Another !!!!py day - feeling quite tearful actually. Not just about the state of our finances but life in general. It's quite lonely living out in the middle of nowhere, particularly with two toddlers and no help. I tried a toddler music group this morning but I just couldn't manage a structured activity with the two of them on my own - they turned from quite well behaved babies in to little monsters! I'm not very good at making new friends and joining groups and it just depresses me to go places and see groups of mums chatting away over coffee and I'm sat on my own :-( Oh well, can't change it, so just have to accept it I guess.

debtfreesomeday

Hi WhiteIris

I could have written your post myself. I've been feeling exactly the same lately and close to tears myself at times.
I find being a Mum very lonely and also struggle to make friends with groups of women who all appear to know what they're doing! It's my huge lack of confidence that is the problem. We don't live near family and close friends are miles away or lead very busy lives. It's tough, it really is. I wish I had the answer, but for now, sending you a hug xx

debtfreewannabe321

White_Iris wrote: »

Ooh, forgot to say I've topped up the emergency savings pot with this months council tax money and paid a bit off the credit card - I love doing the 1st of the month banking (it's when we get to the end of the month that looking at the bank account isn't so pleasant!)

:jme too i look forward to the 1st of each month so i can see my debt going down & my savings going up (even if only by £50 :rotfl:)

White_Iris wrote: »

Managed to get 25 items on eBay this weekend but things are looking a bit thin on the ground now - if they all sell I'll have nothing left until it's time to sell the summer clothes! Better have a really good search through the house next week!

:T you really astound me at how much you get done with 2 lil ones! I need to do the same

White_Iris wrote: »

Another !!!!py day - feeling quite tearful actually. Not just about the state of our finances but life in general. It's quite lonely living out in the middle of nowhere, particularly with two toddlers and no help. I tried a toddler music group this morning but I just couldn't manage a structured activity with the two of them on my own - they turned from quite well behaved babies in to little monsters! I'm not very good at making new friends and joining groups and it just depresses me to go places and see groups of mums chatting away over coffee and I'm sat on my own :-( Oh well, can't change it, so just have to accept it I guess.

ah hun i know how you feel i haven't got twins as you know but my two are such a handful (esp youngest :eek:) i tried baby groups etc but i found it so stressful looking after 2 that i soon gave them up luckily my youngest starts nursery soon (sept) so all the kids will be either in school or nursery and i can get out more and do things for me, as well as just for my kids. Having children really can be lonely can't it :grouphug:

debtfreewannabe321

LianneH wrote: »

Hi WhiteIris, your savings are doing really well and sometimes short-term decisions (like the pension opt-out) are the best ones to get you to a place you are comfortable with!

Hope you dont mind, but I feel you are one of my MSE friends and I just need to share with someone else (other than my OH!), that we are now debt free! I am a bit nervous to admit it, in case things start to creep and DFness disappears again! Im determined that wont happen tho! so happy!

sorry wont hyjack your diary again! lol x

:j:j:j well done lianne :T how exciting i can't wait for my dfd!! it seems so far away atm! xx

White_Iris

debtfreesomeday wrote: »

Hi WhiteIris

I could have written your post myself. I've been feeling exactly the same lately and close to tears myself at times.
I find being a Mum very lonely and also struggle to make friends with groups of women who all appear to know what they're doing! It's my huge lack of confidence that is the problem. We don't live near family and close friends are miles away or lead very busy lives. It's tough, it really is. I wish I had the answer, but for now, sending you a hug xx

debtfreewannabe321 wrote: »

ah hun i know how you feel i haven't got twins as you know but my two are such a handful (esp youngest :eek:) i tried baby groups etc but i found it so stressful looking after 2 that i soon gave them up luckily my youngest starts nursery soon (sept) so all the kids will be either in school or nursery and i can get out more and do things for me, as well as just for my kids. Having children really can be lonely can't it :grouphug:

Thanks for the kind words, I'm feeling a bit more composed now - it does help to know it's not just me! No more structured activities until they're bigger I think - it's easier just to go to a playgroup and chuck them in a room full of toys and let them get on with it!

LianneH

aww hope you are feeling better White Iris.

It does help to know that these things happen to us all! My DD is now 3 and a half, and I find when i take her to playgroups its usually her that breaks the ice with the other mums!

There are those places you go that you just can't break into the cliche, but then I just put that down to "who would want to be part of that anyway"!.

With second baby due in August, I can't believe I will be going back to all those groups!

I was just saying to my OH that sometimes i feel like I have no friends. all my close friends live a car journey away and visits usually need to be planned, would be nice to have some closer that you can just pop in for a cuppa after dinner or something.

White_Iris

Wow - just experienced some fabulous customer service from Tommee Tippee. We bought a toddler cup at the weekend which was supposed to be leakproof but by Monday had started spraying water. Sent them a grumpy email today complaining about it and within a couple of hours I get a message back with a freepost address so I can return the cup for a replacement. Very impressed with that company and just had to share!

White_Iris

Ooh just checked Quidco and there is £6.06 waiting to be paid! How sad to get excitied over such a small amount but at least it shows my mindset has changed and pennies are now important - every little helps :-)