One frugal year = freedom and choices

mum2one

Sorry ex is such a pain with money, know that feeling, we're due an other assesment middle march, and have a feeling as he will be told he has to pay he will pack in work.

Hope DD going on ok, the trouble is there is so many sickness bugs going around.

Is there an way that you could alter your hours to work from home a bit more, hopefully come back in sorts soon.

Sounds gd news about the tesco card. xx

lobbyludd

thanks m21,
sorry you have the same troubles, it's unbelievable that someone would rather not work than contribute to the upkeep of their kids. If you don't mind me asking what has been your experience of the CSA?

DD seems better today, had upset stomach until late last night (the only carpet in the house is on the landing, and every single time she didn't quite make the bathroom, so I am now out of carpet cleaner ). I've rung my boss and said hopefully I'll be in this pm, and my dad is coming on sunday to stay for a couple of days so that I can work longer hours.

I really want to cut down to 4 days a week, but need to get rid of this debt first, and get some savings, when I start to think about it though I then think that I should really make some overpayments on the mortgage too and will need to either move or extend the house in 4-5 years time, so I'll need to save for that........ so dragging myself back into the present, I tried working a full week in 4.5 days, and the irony is that although I routinely do this anyway, when it was my actual working hours I couldn't fit them in!

mum2one

Unfortunately the csa were a waste of time, basically as DD was born in 2002 my ex was on maintance once, which meant he didn't pay a penny, he packed in work and went on benefits, even though he was suppose to contribute £5 a week, they never chased him for it.

I'd been in contact with them over the years and still no go, so I gave up. But when I got back in contact in the summer to say look he's working, there excuse was he is still being paid benefits its not our problem, he never even informed them he had moved or anything, after that the grand sum of £6.70 per week turned up, for 10 weeks, then his benfits stopped. So my money was stopped. I wa advised to close my current claim and then wait 13 weeks and re-apply to go onto CSA maintance 2, - I really felt that should have been then.

Thou in their favour, I needed some information from them, and they now are suddendly being very helpful... guilty consience...

What i don't agree with the system is the 13 week wait before they will look into the case again, but if yours is a new case you would automatically be on the new system, so hopefully won't have to jump through as many loops as I did.

Glad DD getting better, and good news re dad coming down, hopefully your get sorted soon.

You take care xxx

Cherryjack

Its so hard with work isnt it... i felt guilty about being off when my son was sick, you cant really leave them even with a nanny in lots of circumstances.. so i still stayed off. I go back next year and think of all the potential days i could be off with 2 of them now lol... thankfully they give it to me as holiday but u still feel like yv let them down and that they would prefer a man!

lobbyludd

M21 - that is a nightmare, I really don't know what else to say, except you are blooming marvellous for coping with it all and carrying on.

Cherry: I know still - all the big hitters re child illnessses are either vaccinated for or they've had them, DD is going to be going full time in school in november in the school the nursery she is currently in (so not an avalanche of entirely new germs to contend with) so hopefully there'll be less sickness next year that needs covering.

zapper cheque arrived, all paypal money from ebay sales in, all bar one posted (and one from 10 days ago that the buyer hasn't arranged pick up yet - I've offered to drop it off to her, but no response ?)

Lovely spring day today, which is always good for the spirits, have been knitting bits and bobs and cutting out felt and paper for birthday cards and have splashed out on some A5 linen finish white pieces of card which will make A6 cards for the princely sum of £2.50 ish, hopefully they'll come by friday so that I can post the first batch at the weekend (have enough stamps).

lobbyludd

balance transfer from Hx has occured, I assume to tescos! as still have no paperwork other than the PIN, have ended up transferign too much over so halifax are sending the excess to my current account which means (fingers crossed and if I manage to juggle things effectively that by the middle of this month I will have cleared my overdraft and all debts will be on a 0% card. YAY.

The question now is, am I organised enough, disciplined enough and reliable enough to make the minimum payments on the 0% credit card, open a "high interest" (3% :rotfl:) savings account and build up enough money in there to cover the debts on the credit card by the time the 0% ends, with the same fervour I would if it was a c.30% interest credit card (:wave: halifax and MBNA).

I suspect the answer is "no" and I should just fling money at the debt on the card.... but it's tempting.

fixed rate cheap gas and electric deal ends today, so will be investigating and switching tonight: in completely unrelated news, the entire energy usage and payments to date for my online-only, paperless gas and electric accounts are no longer available from my current provider's website. Good job I saved them all on monday. I'll end up paying more as all the energy prices are above when I fixed, but I've overpaid for the last year - current provider owes me between £1-200, so I'll argue for the same direct debit amount with whomever I go to next and that will be a nice rebate for the credit card (or savings account.....:p)

lindsaygalaxy

Hi,

I have been reading your thread with interest and have to say how well you are doing. I always have good intentions but don't seem to be able to keep things up:/
Re the CSA, I used them after several months of 'fines' and non payments usually because I wouldnt agree to his demands. In the end to cut out us having to discuss money I went to the CSA. It meant a month or 2 without money - a few weeks to set it up then I get it a month after it gets taken out of his wages. Don't want to tempt fate but it's been ok, and when he got a pay rise he had 'forgotten' to tell them about, they did a random check and discovered it and my payments increased. I try not to depend on it just incase anything happens but its hard not to in this climate. He also refuses to pay nothing towards school trips, nursery fees. after school club, swimming lessons etc as he says it should come out of CSA money. He knows the money doesnt even half of nursery fees but doesnt care.

mum2one

lindsaygalaxy wrote: »

Hi,

I have been reading your thread with interest and have to say how well you are doing. I always have good intentions but don't seem to be able to keep things up:/
Re the CSA, I used them after several months of 'fines' and non payments usually because I wouldnt agree to his demands. In the end to cut out us having to discuss money I went to the CSA. It meant a month or 2 without money - a few weeks to set it up then I get it a month after it gets taken out of his wages. Don't want to tempt fate but it's been ok, and when he got a pay rise he had 'forgotten' to tell them about, they did a random check and discovered it and my payments increased. I try not to depend on it just incase anything happens but its hard not to in this climate. He also refuses to pay nothing towards school trips, nursery fees. after school club, swimming lessons etc as he says it should come out of CSA money. He knows the money doesnt even half of nursery fees but doesnt care.

Glad you've got sorted with the CSA, it def sounds the best way to go, When my ex paid (£6.70 for 10 weeks!!) that was stopped from his benefits, he is working now, but as he is on the old maintance claim system he doesn't have to pay a penny. If the CSA ever reassess, I reckon there have to direct put of wages.


Then the letters from school, - since they went back after Feb half term, we've had 3 x dress up events, 2 x chairty collections, thats without the Easter activities.

We're women, and strong. (most of the time!!), I allow myself a couple hrs of stress and tears then I feel better, doesn't get anything fixed, either that or want to raid the biscuit tin. xx

lobbyludd

I do raid the biscuit tin unfortunately, I am promising myself that I will start to do something about my weight in the next couple of weeks. well sort of promising myself in a half-hearted manner.

Got the paperwork for my MrT credit card and the card, have half registered for online banking, waiting for a confirmation letter to come through so that I can manage it online properly, as the first payment has to reach them by the 14th.

My limit isn't quite enough to cover the whole barclaycard balance as a transfer, so I'll BT that to halifax with the 0% offer I got from them, (just got to check the fee).

Haven't switched gas and electric provider, when I came home last night there was a letter saying that for being a loyal customer they are crediting my bank account with one month's worth of direct debits, I am going to ring them up, check that this is not just a refund of the money I have overpaid, get them to transfer my overpayments back to me (c. £100-150), wait for the £84 mentioned in the letter to be in my bank account and then see if there is a better deal elsewhere.

Am slightly at sea with where I am financially at the moment, I know I've made progress but the balance transfer has meant I need to rearrange my budget and spreadsheets, and I'm feeling slightly worried that I've overlooked something. I'm swinging between that and trying to stop the feeling that now I've got the 0% BT I've essentially "done it" and can relax - because I can't, the debt is still there, it needs repaying, it's just not costing me as much to do it.

Nappies didn't sell on first attempt but will relist this weekend.
Card has arrived for making birthday cards (need to get a teapot template printed out from t'internet).

Depending on the weather I will photograph and list some 99p items on ebay this weekend. I've been a bit lax with clicks and surveys and sb etc the last week due to sick kids and trying to work back hours, but have cashed out VO for a £10 amazon voucher, which means to date this year I have made £25 of amazon vouchers and will cash out another £5 one from SB today: within the next month I have dad's, son's and brother's birthdays so very handy.

Cannot get on with superpoints, it crashes my computer and keeps logging me out randomly, I may sporadically carry on to try and get to the 2000 for cash-out (I have no friends on it , so it will probably take a year to get £16).

back to work

have a good weekend everyone

mum2one

Don't know if its any help, but this these are two threads I've subscribed to -

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3693297=

Don't worry about the length of the thread, the 1st couple of posts give a run down to some sites for money making, - some people get on better with others, its a bit like trial and error.

Another money maker - thou does take some getting into is review writing, - dooyoo and caio.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3692937=

Thats the spending thread - helps with planning etc and making the best of deals etc.

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Hows the biscuit tin, my downfall at the moment is crunchy nut cornflakes, don't bother with the milk - should really cut the middle man out + just have the packet... blame it on the antibiotics etc !! (thats what I'm sticking to!!)

Hope little'un better, not sure if dd coming down again it, with had I feel sick, and shes looks pale, at least if she becomes a gothic she won't need the white make-up! xx