Chasing the debt free daydream...

DebtFree2012

Mortgage companies do not live in the real world sometimes do they!!!

You are doing really well and just think - not long now!!! This time in a few weeks LO will be here making it all worthwhile! I think I just turned into one of those annoying ppl who says patronising comments to pregnant women......:( Sorry!

Winnie_in_Pooh

Hehe I don't mind DF!! I'm on the home straight, just can't wait to meet him now!

I'm hoping to get the CSA money today so I can buy DS's birthday present. We want to get him a digital camera so he can come out with me taking photos when I'm back on my feet. He's got a fantastic eye for detail and won't take a lot of training to get his composition up to a saleable level. I know he's only little but when I was his age I used to go to work with my dad on a Saturday and do the shredding or some filing to earn my pocket money. I think it will just be fab for him to do something to earn his own money doing something that he enjoys.

Haven't heard from the plasterer yet so I'm assuming he's not coming today, hopefully he'll come tomorrow and we can start getting straight at home. I've got it in my head that bubs is going to come early, so in my little world we have a maximum of 4 weeks to get sorted. DH went very pale when I explained this to him last night....

Must go and do the council tax because I forgot yesterday, got so cross with the mortgage company it slipped my mind, oops

Winnie_in_Pooh

No CSA money and no plasterer today I am the most impatient person when I'm waiting for something I need!

Woke up at 4am flapping about money again. Second time in a week, not good! We've had to book DH's car in for a service and first MOT. It's booked in for 5th September, so about three weeks away and it's going to cost a minimum of £280. We have about £140 that we've paid into the service plan with the garage so we need to find another £140 just to pay for it and I think it will be sensible to have at least another £150 available if it needs any work to pass the MOT. The MOT is actually due at the end of September, but we're having it done early so it's still under warranty and if there is anything big I'm hoping the warranty will cover it! Doesn't help that if it needs tyres they're £175 EACH :eek:!

Right, anyway, so I need a plan. Obvious place to start is the grocery bill. DH did a Tesco dash last night and we have this week's food in and planned for - cost £15. If I can keep the food bill below £20 for the next three weeks we *should* be able to save at least the £150.

Will also be trying to reduce the diesel bill. DH is taking the little car to and from work and I only use the big car for any medical appointments. Diesel is usually about £25-£30 a week for both cars and ideally I'd like to halve that and therefore save about £40. DS will probably be bored, but I'm so immobile at the moment I don't think we'd be able to get out much anyway.

So hopefully, with those two small steps, we should be able to stash about £200 away. And if we don't use it on the car, then we can carpet the front room

For longer term savings, I've turned the boiler off completely. It's usually set to come on automatically for a couple of hours in the evening just in case anyone wants a bath, but more often than not we're showering so that gas was going to waste. I also have a few bits to list on ebay, but whatever profit I make on them needs to be spent on the last few bits for baby. I only really need sheets and blankets for him now, anything else I decide I need we can pick up when he's here. I am hoping for some good weather at the weekend so I can get the baby clothes washed - they're sitting here looking at me!

Bit nervous about midwife's appointment tomorrow so going to try to have a relaxing day today, do what I can to get this blood pressure down

Winnie_in_Pooh

Still no plasterer or CSA

Very nervous about appointment this morning I know stressing won't help but....

Also woke up in the middle of the night realising that even if we cut the food and diesel bills like I want to, we're still about £100 short of target. My maths is shocking! Need a bit more of a think on this, but lets just get over one hurdle at a time.

Hopefully be back later with good news xx

Hovel_lady

Thinking of you today, hope it all goes well xx

DebtFree2012

Why are you nervous hun? It will be fine - it's all good

Make sure you work everything out today cash wise so tonight you can go to bed with a clear brain and hopefully sleep as well as pregnancy allows.

Thinking of you xxx

Winnie_in_Pooh

Thank you both it was good news - everything is back to normal blood pressure wise, I just have to monitor the headaches and let them know if they get worse. I expect the headaches are mostly caused by sitting in bed all day everyday and being in so much pain rather than anything more sinister!

What I might have to do cash wise for the car is not buy DS's camera this month. The only problem with this is his birthday falls before next payday. I could probably have a short term loan from mum for his present if it came to it but obviously I'd rather not do this if I don't have to. It will probably work out better to get the car done and then buy his present...yeah, that would work...well it might work, assuming we don't have to spend all our spare money on fixing the car and then run out of cash to buy DS's present anyway lol!

Hovel_lady

Thats great news
I'm sure DS won't mind an IOU :rotfl:

mum2one

thats brilliant news about the blood pressure.

I know it sounds daft but have a day away from the money, then your be able to come back with a fresh pair of eyes, its good that your budgeting more for the car, its always money... I didn't get mine serviced this year, I had done 6k of miles, but financially no-go, it cost me £170 to get it through its mot, then had to have a new tyre and tracking, luckly that was £70, def glad not got your car... but know by next mot need to spend £400 on it getting pipes done.

If your looking for a digital camera, may be worth looking in Argos, they usually have some good bargains.
xx

Winnie_in_Pooh

mum2one wrote: »

thats brilliant news about the blood pressure.

I know it sounds daft but have a day away from the money, then your be able to come back with a fresh pair of eyes, its good that your budgeting more for the car, its always money... I didn't get mine serviced this year, I had done 6k of miles, but financially no-go, it cost me £170 to get it through its mot, then had to have a new tyre and tracking, luckly that was £70, def glad not got your car... but know by next mot need to spend £400 on it getting pipes done.

If your looking for a digital camera, may be worth looking in Argos, they usually have some good bargains.
xx

That doesn't sound daft at all, I think tomorrow will be a feet up and good book day. No bills to worry about, no money due to come in so I don't even need to log onto internet banking. Unless my OCD takes over !

We couldn't afford last years service, but we also hadn't done that many miles so we've limped it through an extra year. She's now a very unhappy car and will really benefit from a bit of TLC so I don't begrudge spending the money plus she's 3 years old now so needs her MOT. At least this is the last service we have to have at the main dealer so next years shouldn't be as expensive!

The camera I've spotted for him is in Argos, a little Olympus, definitely the best I've seen in the price range and they do a case and memory card for half price when you buy a camera. He'll definitely need the case, he's not the most careful child! Mum said she'll get the case and card for him from my Nan (who's in a home with Alzheimers) which will be fab

I'm a tad cross with DH (hard to be proper cross because he's so pleased with himself), think he needs some extra training in MSE ways. He bought us a takeaway on the way home and proudly told me that it only cost us 80p because he won £10 on a bet at work. Where's that rolling eye smilie when you need it!

So when he went out to rummage in his shed, I raided his wallet and put the entire contents in the holiday pot he'll learn one way or another lol