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  • Gahhhhh! Curtain rail fell down last night - my curtains are too heavy for a cheapy plastic thing. Managed to put it all back up but I can't open and shut the curtains or it'll fall off again! One side is permanently shut - mad. More expense looms.
    A cheque written a month ago and forgotten about was cashed so I'm totally skint.
    So - its war!! Ebay frenzy starts tonight and I've loads of CDs I don't use so music magpie is getting a looksee. If in doubt - sell stuff! I will NOT go overdrawn!
    I'll buy my bottle to take to friends from my tesco vouchers - its freezer and store cupbooard for the rest of the month. If I run out of loo roll I'll nick it from work hahaha.
    My credit card pal was round last night - she's so bad with money it always makes me look like a saint. Her mortgage dropped loads with the low rates and she's managed to spend it all ( always looks fab though!!) and still max out on her cards! When I told her my card was £1500 she said that was almost nothing!!! Blimey. Made me feel a wee bit better though!!
    Anyhoo - I won't give up despite this being the toughest month ever - if I can get through this one......
    PS - Have lost 5lbs so frugality has its benefits!!
    May 2018 - £159k + £3.5K CC - let the countdown begin! :)
    March 2019 - CC gone and bye bye M2 on 31st! £140k to go.:j
  • ViolaLass
    ViolaLass Posts: 5,764 Forumite
    downsizer3 wrote: »
    I will NOT go overdrawn!


    Fantastic attitude!
  • Thanks violalass - thats really nice as I was flagging a bit there!!
    Blinking gas company have sent me a bill based on the wrong readings and despite trying to sort it out for over a month they still seem to think a £612 bill for two months in a two bed flat is reasonable ( with no heating on!!). Won't even come and look at the meter. Grrrr. If they think I'm paying that hey can take a running jump. It says they'll take the money on 29th so I need it sorted before then. Its their attitude on the phone that riles me. :mad:
    Met all my new neighbours at a drinks thing on Friday - hoping I can get a few playmetes for my daughter there!! Wouldn't have to drive which is good......
    Ebaying underway - bought a waterproof kids suit at a nearly new sale for £6 that I'll get £30 for on ebay........mwahahaha!:j
    No lottery win though - not so much as a number. Why do I bother?....
    May 2018 - £159k + £3.5K CC - let the countdown begin! :)
    March 2019 - CC gone and bye bye M2 on 31st! £140k to go.:j
  • Well - not into overdraft yet and aiming to stay that way. It'll be tight though. Two weeks till payday and a holiday weekend this weekend. We're away so will be fed and watered but still - there will be some expense - petrol for one thing. Hoping I can manage through.
    Ebay looking good - lots of watchers for my stuff. Hoping for £50 and have done a few surveys - not done that before so no idea if its worth it - will keep on trying though - even vouchers help.
    Lousy weather means the new gates not in - money ring fenced for that. Credit card transfer will complete soon so no interest for 18months - yahoo. :j The card company (my bank) instantly offered me £13k credit on my new card. Bonkers isn't it? What if I ran that up? - so easy for people to get themselves into bad debt. I only use cards for one off biggies so I can spread payments but I know plenty people who see a bonus on the horizon and spend on a card only to have to blow the bonus. No bonus coming for me sadly!! Hey ho - I'm £6500 away from being able to relax a bit. Thats card paid off and savings bunce - then I can relax and overpay overpay ( already am but can step it up a bit).
    As long as nothing else needs done on the house that is........(ever hopefull):)
    May 2018 - £159k + £3.5K CC - let the countdown begin! :)
    March 2019 - CC gone and bye bye M2 on 31st! £140k to go.:j
  • Hi

    I think you are amazing. You have the right attitude to debt and I hate to think what your friend is paying in interest on her cards, so you can pat yourself on the back for that.

    I would be really looking at ways to get that childcare costs down and some excellent ideas on here for that. Also for food shopping, you could plan out meals and write a list to stick to when shopping. It makes an amazing difference at the supermarket on not buying impulse items.

    I have subscribed to this thread, so please keep posting.
  • Thanks Angelina! I'm keeping a spending diary this month to see where it all goes. Supermarket shopping is down and I'm really hoping to make a big dent in it. Kiddies food is all made and frozen in batches and I'm eating freezer contents too - so really its just milk and fruit/veg to be bought until the end of the month. I do eat a lot of fruit and salad!!
    I'm paying the price for preferring organic but have discovered that tesco put loads in their 'at sell-by date' section so I buy that and freeze it. In honesty I'll maybe stick to organic for the bairn and eat cheaper stuff myself. Made enough risotto last night to last 3 days - although I'll be sick of it by then.....yurgh....
    May 2018 - £159k + £3.5K CC - let the countdown begin! :)
    March 2019 - CC gone and bye bye M2 on 31st! £140k to go.:j
  • Went through the wee one's winter clothes last night and ebaying those that are too small. Just finished putting one lot on - more tomorrow. I also have some hideous silver stuff from my mum - I may get rid of that - never going to see the light of day in my house!!
    Also looking into cheaper and closer swimming classes for her - friday afternoons are spent driving miles for a very expensive class. She's only 4 but can swim well so I'll try for a more affordable class now.
    Night 3 of the risotto tonight - note to self - batch cooking is fine but freeze some so you don't eat the same thing for days on end......;)
    Have booked daughters birthday party but sharing with another mum (who has two kids so only costing 1/3rd - result). Keeping everyone happy there!!:j
    Still not into overdraft but teetering on the edge - c'mon ebay hurry up!! Pretty sure I'll make £50 so I think Ill make it through.
    Credit card transfer has happened - credit is showing on new card but old one shows it too - don't know how many days it takes to show up but guess its soon. Chancers.
    School starts proper hours next week - so childcare costs down...phew!!! :beer:
    May 2018 - £159k + £3.5K CC - let the countdown begin! :)
    March 2019 - CC gone and bye bye M2 on 31st! £140k to go.:j
  • Wahey - have discovered a swimming class for my daughter thats just across the road and nearly £200 cheaper a year. Its her only 'class' - until she starts discovering others that is. Going to investigate the school swimming class too - it looks even cheaper still.
    I've been thinking - now that I have my 0% for 18 months on my card I may put £100 in to pay that off and £100 into my savings account ( instead of £200 to the card). Its still there if something goes pear shaped ( just read someone's post about their boiler dying on them) but I'm also working off my card. I'll still have the card paid off before the 0% is up - and my rainy day fund is growing too. Just makes me nervous being so low.
    On a good note - this months accounts show that our profit may manage to cover our drawings (salary) over staff and overhead costs this year so my capital in my business will remain steady. Its been dwindling for the past 3 years but I've reduced my 'salary' in line with my smaller house / reduced outgoings so trying to balance it there. So far so good.
    AND - a potential client has been in touch wanting to see me and pick my brains - a mega-rich chap who's just bought a new business. Wonder if he's single?..............;)
    Here's hoping for some more work eh?
    May 2018 - £159k + £3.5K CC - let the countdown begin! :)
    March 2019 - CC gone and bye bye M2 on 31st! £140k to go.:j
  • Good news on getting the swimming lessons down. At the moment, I am looking to get the cost of horse riding lessons down for number two son. They are so expensive and they are half an hour drive away. So I am looking for somewhere a lot closer to avoid petrol costs.

    Also good news on reducing child care costs, could you get it down even further???

    You are doing so well. Can I ask what it is you do?
  • Hi angelina - thanks for popping by!:)
    I'm an architect - commercial stuff which is all bank funded usually - hence no work. We used to have 40 staff - now have 7........hanging on there though. I have two business partners.
    My partner lives in the countryside and ponies / horse riding is great for kids there - being a city lass its less obvious so no pressure - yet!!! Its an expensive one isn't it? The swimming is bad enough - was costing £500 a year!!
    I think I'm going to leave the childcare for just now - wee one's only just started school and I did make a concious decision to have a childcarer come pick her up, take her home etc - a nanny I suppose really. I will look at after school clubs when I feel she's ready but I don't finish till 5.30 so can't get to them on time which is a hassle. Her carer also covers school hols ( all built into costs already and spread across the year) and if I have to travel - the flexibility takes alot of the stress out ( despite costing a bomb!!!)
    Wee one's dad is next to useless ( severe depression and can't cope with overnights / more than a few hours) and my parents are in their late 70's and always on cruises..............lucky them eh?
    Haven't checked my lottery results yet mind you!
    Ebay going well - lots of interest - but still won't get much more than £50 - that'll see me through though and next month should be easier with no new gate to pay for.......although the new house sadly has a list of things like that!! Have to prioritise eh?
    How many kids do you have angelina?
    I would have loved more than one but finding myself coping alone I'm now grateful really - don't know how I'd cope financially!! :eek:
    May 2018 - £159k + £3.5K CC - let the countdown begin! :)
    March 2019 - CC gone and bye bye M2 on 31st! £140k to go.:j
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