SAHM paying off debts slowly

slm6002

Hi DFW thanks for the reply - yet again i lost the reply so here goes again. Well tooth infection (touch wood) has gone and have not taken pain killers now for a few days. Only stitches to go now - hopefully soon as although not painful are irritating me being there. My sister bought me an electric toothbrush to use after they had all healed - well i tried it last night. I think it will take a while to adjust to it but didnt find it too bad - just hope remaining teeth say in tact!

I am being naughty and booking a night away in a hotel for me and OH. It will be for my birthday and christmas from OH really so not too bad. My mum should still be here in Jan so i will get her to look after the kids and me and OH can have a 'romantic' night away. By 'Romantic' I mean i can have dinner without tomato sauce being flung everywhere, a bath with no kids interupting and we can have good nights sleep and not wake up until we fancy lol. I have found a hotel inn only 15 miles away for £36 for the night and it has a pool. Reviews look good and there are quite a few places to eat. OH wanted to do something like go and see a show or something exciting but i know what were like we will be exhausted and want to watch tv in bed (we really are out of practice at the whole going out thing). We can go out into the town during the day or go and see his grandparents (might as well be his parents) as they live only 10 min walk away. I cant wait and now just need to work out what date to book as mum still not sure if she will be here or at her mums for xmas and onwards? Its looking like she will be here for xmas which will be nice as its been 8 years since she has been in UK for it.

It is so cold today and me and DD are currently snuggled under duvet on the sofa and i dont think we plan on going very far for most of the day. I do need to pop to lidl at some point and the post office but think i will do that on the way to the school.

Still waiting on my sainsburys card from BT - perhaps it will be in the post today - cant remember if i posted but waited the 90 days i needed to before i could ask where it was. They now say it will be here in 15 days - will wait and see. If i need to complain again i will be asking for more. Hoping i can get some nice food for xmas with it.

Ok off to browse the other threads and see if i can warm my toes up

slm6002

No gift card in the post and heating now on

slm6002

braving going outside to read meters. I have changed supplier and they need final / starting readings. Would like to do it as i may have a refund due to me (yay) will help even if only a few pounds Right wellies and coat on, pen and paper at the ready

slm6002

Its soo cold today - i was soaked walking to and from school. I now have the heating on and were all snuggled up in our pjs and blankets watching christmas films. I finished the christmas shopping today so happy thats all now done. Just need to wrap it all and withdraw the money for those getting money - all in the pot ready Kids are attempting to write to santa today but film capturing them too much at the mo. OH is home tonight so maybe he might mend his van so i can have my car back. Its been 2 weeks now and it is getting too cold to trapse up to school on the days when its pooring down with rain

Money still tight but budgets sorted for dec and new year. Just need to learn how to stick to budgets and stay away from shops. Still have the voucher for mr s for food for the big day.

debtfreewannabe321

evening! Did you get a refund on the elec & gas? I never ever get a refund even when they tell me i'm in credit whenever i give final readings they always still manage to charge me!

We did xmas letters and I have santa's replies here i'm waiting until the decs go up at the weekend before leaving those out

slm6002

Well DFW i got a refund on the gas but a bill on the elect so was about £30 better off. Not sure why it wasn't a refund on both but will take it over a bill on both

Well this morning OH has woken up in a grump. Didnt even get out of bed before he started having a go at me about something. Really not sure what the problem is today? He is off to find his new van/car today as he has saved £700 ready for when MOT ran out on his other van - it will definately not pass again and is due to be scrapped as soon as it is empty. Well he had already agreed to buy mates refrigerated van (no idea why we need it refrigerated?) months back but it is £1000. It also needs a new tyre and tax. He had another option of a £500 car with tax and mot til march but turned it down as he couldn't pull his banger cars with it. I wanted to have this one as it would leave money to pay his other mate back the £200 he owes back plus have a car back on the road. Instead we still owe this money and also now owe the other bloke £300. He just doesn't get it

Mum goes on 2nd and OH back at work on 2nd too. really cant wait to have house to ourselves. think kids will be glad too as were all rubbing each other up the wrong way. Going to take tree down this evening after mum treats us to meal out. Cant remember a time we had so many meals out in such a short space of time. I long for a plain home cooked meal. Been so bloated constantly for the last few weeks.

Anyway food in freezer and enough goodies still left over to keep us going for a while. Got £20 of asda and £20 of morrison vouchers i can use for food if needed.

Looking forward to the new year and saving lots of pennies to pay off debts. Will be on a major declutter on the whole house this year now DD will be at nursery for 2 1/2 days a week. Cant wait to clear this place

Anyway enough moaning from me. I hope you all have a great 2014 x

slm6002

Happy new year to you all. Well it has started ok so far - bank in the black, kids happy and OH getting there on the grumpometer! Only managed to put on 2lbs since mid december - really not sure how that worked as i have done nothing but eat but i am very happy with it. back to healty eating and exercise when kids back at school as by that point all other goodies will be gone.

Mum and OH gone tomorrow so normality soon to return! sounds so wrong but really cant wait

Went through the box under my bed the other night as shampoo was about to run out. I knew there was a lot of toiletries in the box but couldnt tell you what. Well i dont need toothpaste, shampoo, razors, moisturising cream, bubble bath or body butters for quite some time. Found some of my old perfumes but to be honest i sprayed them and they stank - think they must have gone off as so old. I purchased my yearly bottle of current perfume from boots with xmas money as it was the cheapest i could find.

I also used the remaining money for a dehumidifier as cupboard shelf in bedroom was wet and its generally damp in house. Cant see water coming in anywhere but as wardrobes are fixed to walls it could be behind them so wont know until its dismantled Anyway i have been running it for a few days now and cupboard seems good and the amount of water i have poured away is quite scary. Lets hope it improves air quality.

slm6002

Well its been a busy month and i have spent far more than i should have Needed another pair of jeans as my faithful pair we literally falling apart. Still not found a pair that i like - have been buying and returning pairs all month! DD has started nursery so i now have 2 1/2 days to myself. These seem to have filled up already doing chores, work and helping various groups. House is a little tidier now as i can get on.
OH new van has broken so i am taking him to work on a sun night and collecting him on a sat morning. It is making his weekend with us very precious and so he has made sure he spends rime with us all. Its been lovely. This sat we went for pizza hut (my belated birthday treat) and then to a 30th bday party as a family. It was lovely. We then spent the whole of sunday watching films on the sofa bed. Have only just finished clearing that up - not sure where today has gone, its flown by.

Cant remember if i said but we have managed to pay 1 debt off - yay. It was only a small one but its a start - still plenty to go but we are getting there. Not gone into overdraft this month so doing well. Got nexts months budget ready and waiting. Need to concentrate on food budget this month as we seem to be making more than the required food trips and spending more than we have.

debtfreewannabe321

Wow i've just realised the time too! Nearly school run time already!

We had a dehumidifier in the first house I bought. The old lady left it for us as she told us the front porch would get a lot of condensation. It was great and also warmed up the room too on a cold day (unsure how that worked?! lol) so well worth the expense I bet you will find

I also needed new jeans a month or so ago and couldn't find any that I liked I eventually settled on a pair of jeggings as they weren't baggy and fitted really well without cutting into my flabby mummy tummy

slm6002

Hi all. Happy 1st of March All is going well i think here. Kids happy and healthy most of the time. Money in the black just about. All vehicles now up and running!

Well OH has been working loads recently and i rarely get to see him. Prob on 24 hours over the weekend in total per week. Thats ok though as saves any arguments. I am used to sorting me and the kids out and letting OH join in when he is free. This has ment we have also earnt more than last year and i am not looking forward to seeing what the tax credit people will take off. Think it will be around £20 per week according to the calculator on here. It did say something about universal tax credits and said if i were getting those instead i would be due near enough double what i get per week. I couldnt believe it. It also mentioned something about help towards paying for the mortgage? I really dont understand how this can be true but it would make my life a lot easier if it was the case. Guess it will be sometime before they reach us.

I am still trying to reduce our food bill especially now as tax credits will be going down and unlikely OH will give me the difference! Been trying to cut costs on packed lunches. Need to start more baking and work out if homemade jelly is more economical than the tube yoghurts they have each day. Also thinking popcorn instead of crisps - probably healthier too as i can choose the toppings if any. Also maybe tinned or dried fruit instead of fruit.

Nursery will be changing their hours after Easter too which will save me £8 per week. At the moment i pay for lunchtime care on the 2 days DD is there for the whole day. After Easter the morning and afternoon sessions will run straight on from one another. I will need to pick her up 1/2 earlier but that's not a problem. £8 per week soon mounts up especially when i havent really budgeted for it -whoops.

OH finally got his van back up and running (less than a month after buying it, it has been broken for well over a month). Turns out it needed a new air and fuel filter and one of them was stuck in the turbo. Once this had been removed it ran perfectly - well as perfect as he needs it too. This will save me petrol as i was ferrying him to and from work each week.

OH Grandad died the other week after being very poorly for the past few months. I need to find something suitable to wear to funeral that wont break the bank. OH will also be taking several days off as he was pretty much raised by his nana and grandad so very close. He is ok at the mo but think it might hit him more come the funeral. Need to allow for less money in the pay packet this week.

I used the last 2 of my pizza vouchers i had last year today. I also bought apples, value crisps and value wafer biscuits. The total was 41p. I was very happy with that. The 2 pizzas were £2.50 each and i assume from the receipt if you bought 2 you get £1 off. the vouchers were for £2.79 so more than the pizzas. The extra plus the other £1 discount paid for the extra shopping we bought. 41p - wish i could do this more often.
Ok enough rambling from me as i need to go meal plan. Lots of cheap and cheerful meals this month i think