SAHM paying off debts slowly

slm6002

Forgot to update that DD is now 9. She had a great few days around her birthday and has had enough money to buy her own cornet for band. I made 2 cakes which turned into disasters and eventually due to time i ended up buying one. Never have i had a cake go wrong but the first year of actually making one and 2 turn into a flop. Typical really lol

slm6002

Told you so moment lol. OH took car out for a drive and the look on his face when he realised how unsafe it felt to drive was great - breaks dont work and it feels as though wheels not attached correctly to main body of car. He even admitted he thought i was making it up and now knows why i didnt want car - that was my told you so moment but i didnt say anything. He came straight home and jacked it up - thinks it will cost £400+ to fix but i have no idea where he got those prices from. I have orders not to drive it as it is very unsafe!

Had a few days of no spend other than food shop - been a good girl. Managed to get 2 loads of washing dried on the line too so even better money saving as no tumble dryer required

slm6002

Hi all its been a while but i am back and in need of controlling finances again so please all slap me if i go off track

Where to start..... Well all 3 kids have had their birthdays, mum has been and gone, OH has started a new job and i have yet another new car!

OH as i said started his new job on monday and is doing pretty much the same thing but with a different company. He gets paid more, uniform provided, overtime, better holiday and its across the road from our house so no need to have a working vehicle to get to work!! It really was a boost for him as they asked him to work for them rather than him begging for job - he walked around for ages with a smile on his face. He has also been getting rid of his car bits and pieces off the drive so the house looks less like a scrap yard and the scrap money is coming in handy.

We have been asked by out local museum to decorate a christmas tree in the style of a vintage tree. We decided to do an edible theme so i have been threading popcorn and trying to dry orange slices ready to create decorations somehow lol We need to get this done by next sat as this is decorating day.

Money bits - my internet didnt work for around a month so i cancelled contract with B.T and went over to sky. Well i got a final bill that was completely wrong and they also want £75 for cancelling contract. I have been arguing the fact that if they cant provide service then they not holding up their end of the contract but its falling on deaf ears at the moment.
The bank is ok for the moment but very aware that i dont have all of the christmas pressies yet - have budgeted but also know a few things normally slip into the trolly that are not accounted for. Perhaps the new job will allow for these extras - we will see.

Anyway must get to bed as just realised the time

slm6002

First thing this morning on the way to school i found a £10 note - that has to be a good sign of things to come. Well i can hope.
Just had a knock on the door and i have received a bottle of perfume for help on the surveys that i have done in the past year. Not really my taste of perfume but a possible pressie for someone else. They say things come in 3's so perhaps i should buy a lottery ticket lol
Anyway an update as i didnt realise i have been missing for so long. OH's job probation of 3 months is up and he has been given the job permantly. Another new car has come my way but this time it will last and has no rust or squeeky parts and i can actually fit the whole family in it plus a buggy in the boot which i really missed in the previous car. The children moved to a better school and even though a little further away and slightly more inconvienient for the remainder of the school year, it has already proved a great move. I have feelings that my son is dyslexic and the previous school told me he was just slow at learning. The new school have already put things in place to help. They cant diagnose him at school anymore but they can treat him as if he does have it and help him so i am happy with that. We also have his hearing test on tue so hopefully this will be the final one required before grommits can be put in - its been going on years and its clear he cant hear. Teachers said if we get no where with it they will have words which has more impact on them than me.

Right money - been going ok but still spending on things not really budgeted for as they are bargains in my eyes. I get home and realise they arent such a bargain as i didnt really need it and could have probably have made use of what we already have. The food budget has gone wild - really need to keep this on track or we will never have any money. Our mortgage comes up for renewal in around 2 years and i am very worried as to what might happen as we were not a DMP and i was working part time at that point so not sure we will get another mortgage - not really sure how it works so need to look into it as really dont think i will have paid off debts before its due again. I am selling a few bits on ebay to get a few extra pounds as i am off to visit sister with my dad and the kids at easter. Only for a few days but they have money and dont want to rely solely on them to pay for things. Will put my found £10 into the pot for holiday treats

slm6002

Payment from another survey site through today - £8 so not too bad - a few more pennies for our trip Guess that was my thrid thing - hmm now do i buy that lottery ticket lol

slm6002

Well i never did buy my lottery ticket but am happy with my luck for that day - dont want to be too greedy!
Well had the day to myself as kids back to school and nursery. Not quite sure where the day went but achieved a few bits. Made flapjacks for pack ups, washed all of the towels and cleared downstairs a little. Not much for a whole day really when written down like that.

Half the bills have been paid today (most of the big ones like mortgage and DMP) and the rest will go out on 15th ish. As things are tight i am using the freezer things up this week / fortnight. I had at least 4 packs of sausages open all with 2 or 3 in and chip packets with a handful in each. I have bagged all similar items together and am going to work my way through the list. I have enough chicken to keep us going for quite some time. Found some bananas i had frozen before they went bad - plan to make these into banana bread once the flapjacks have all gone. Last night we finished up 3 tubs of ice cream which has made a significant amount of space in the freezer. I am determind to get it down to a reasonable amount. I have some chicken thighs which i will diguise as a curry as OH doesnt like them - we were given them free, frozen ready mash and some gammon steaks when friend moved house and was clearing out freezer.
Off to hospital tomorrow to get hearing test for DS. Fingers crossed this one is still bad - we need 3 bad ones in a rown before grommits can be fitted. We have only ever got to 2 before. It is very obvious to myself and teachers that is not getting any better so hopefully they will agree. It has been going on for years now and his school work is suffering a lot. Must remember to get change for car park

slm6002

Have been told this morning that DD needs a costume for book day as well as the older two. Talk about short notice - she has decided to go as Holly from Ben and Hollys Little Kingdom. I need to make a crown, wand and find a pink dress and wings. Since the other 2 have moved schools since last year i am making them wear their costumes from last year - they are slightly too short but not noticable and it wont matter for 1 day lol. Will get my crafty hat on and not just rush out and buy the bits i need as no money to waste.
Last night we finished up the sausages, ready made mash potato with some veg also out of the freezer. Not sure what time we will be home tonight so might be something really quick before we go off to Brownies and Beavers. Am determind not to take the easy option and go to Maccy D's and spend money. No clubs for the remainder of the week so we can relax again and work on getting homework done.

slm6002

Well a quick update - we had maccy d's as hospital appointment ran over and kids got changed in car for clubs lol. DS has perfect hearing so we are back to needing 3 in a row for bad hearing tests. I sound silly as most parents would be thrilled to hear their son has perfect hearing but its no good if only hearing a few months out of each year! Teachers laughed when i told her the results and she is sending them a letter saying their results are wrong as he clearly cant hear in a classroom environment.

Anyway some good news this morning. I have been strugling to get an actual bill for my electricity after my meter was changed last feb. Anyway the company told me they could not deal with my complaint and i should speak with the ombudsman people. Well i did that around a month ago and this morning i have been told they are now able to deal with my complaint and will give me £150 as compensation straight into my bank account. Why it takes someone from there to deliver the same information as i have been for the past 12 months or more before they can resolve the problem i do not know but very happy with the money. I will be transfering this straight to my 'pay debt' isa account that i opened this week. I figure it is very unlikely if not impossible that i will pay debts off before my mortgage is up for renewal but at least i can save something with money from selling bits around the house and money that i have not been expecting. Maybe one day i will have enough to offer a full and final payment. Anyone know what sort of percentage is normally accepted?

Sold a few more bits on e bay so i have put that to the holiday fund. I now have around £140 in there which is more that enough for now as not doing anything fancy, so any further money will go in the bank.

Have started planning the summer holidays already. DD wants to learn to sew properly on the machine so i am finding some simple dress patterns for her doll she has just bought with her xmas money. I am also trying to find some simple recipies that all 3 kids can cook (youngest 2 will need more help that older DD). Wanting something savoury rather than just cakes so that one day they will leave home with a few meals that they can cook
Mother in law has complained to OH that she never gets to see kids in the holidays as i have always planned something for each day. Well this is not quite true as always plan a number of days that are lazy or free but she has just never asked! Anyway she can take them out for the day if she wishes. She has free family pass to park in great yarmouth which the kids have always wanted to go. Perfect i think lol

slm6002

Happy Mothers Days to all of us mums. I received 3 bags of mini easter eggs from the kiddies which was very nice. However i dont think the kids really understand the idea behind the day. They have been total horrors all weekend, each and every one of them and all i feel like doing is bursting into tears in the corner. I have managed to hold it together so far but i think if something however small happens that will be me gone Even OH is being a pain and has pretty much abandoned me this weekend. Hoping after a good nights sleep and sending them off to school and nursery tomorrow i will feel better. Hey i guess the chocolate to help

slm6002

Well still feeling grumpy and tearful but at least i have the day to myself. Am going to blitz the house after 3 small tornados completely destroyed it! Hoping i can shrug off this bad mood. My best friend knows something is up and has offered to come over and cheer me up whilst sorting through the airing cupboard - see what an exciting life i lead.
Have told OH not to book anything next weekend as it will be a family weekend and we will ALL be going to the local museums open day. I need him there to help with the kids at the mo.
I have been expecting a parcel for the past week and the tracking is not showing the local delivery person has picked it up even though its at the depot. Rang them and they have reordered my pj's so another week to wait.

Ok am off to eat chocolate and clean