Help - I'm a mess :(

CoffeeCup

Hi Flis

Just been reading through your thread. So glad to see the positive steps you've made on your journey so far.

Just wanted to give you some support from an ex smoker.

I smoked for nearly 27 years from the age of 14. I thought I'd never succeed in giving up but I did. And I sent everyone I knew a text last Sunday when I reached my one year milestone. I'm so proud of myself.

Someone else recommended on this thread to read Allen Carr's stop smoking book. You wouldn't think a book would work but it does for a lot of people. I read it about a week into giving up and it was at that point I realised I would never smoke again. It was a light bulb moment. I keep seeing it in charity shops but I read it on the internet for free. But different things work for different people and the story about becoming addicted to polos made me smile.

My quit o meter now reads
Smober time: 1Y 1W 3D 20hr 55mins....
Amount saved: £1,891.39
Cigarettes not smoked: 6389
Life saved: 3W 1D 4H 28mins.....



Good luck with everything, one day at a time x

jellybean39

Just read through your diary you doing good girl keep it up. It's hard but it does get better x

glasgowsaver2011

flis21 wrote: »

Hey all,

Thanks for the posts. Day 4 of not smoking, finding it a bit easier today than I did yesterday! Got a friend coming for dinner tonight with her 2 children, but she is bringing bolognese with her, so all I'm doing is pasta and dessert. Dessert is chocolate rice krispie cakes, which DS1 and I have just made, which only cost me 89p for the chocolate and the rest of the bits we had in anyway.

I don't really get takeaways as the kids don't eat them, only an occassional pizza (which I am not going to do anymore!). Will have a look in our local £land for plastic tubs, or maybe I could ask around and see if some of my friends have got any or could save me some from their takeaways (what else is my facebook status for!! lol).

Am starting to get a bit nervous about the CCCS thing tomorrow. I kind of think I know what I want to do now (pay off the 4 that I'm in contact with and leave the rest alone and see what happens). If they want me to do a DMP (which is what their online thing suggested) are they gonna make me contact all my creditors? Is it ok to just listen to their advice and then do my own thing, or will I have to adhere to what they say?

Not sure about asking parents to supply baking ingrediants, I do tend to do cooking things once a month with the kids, I've always provided the ingrediants and the kids take the bits they make home. If I ask them to supply the ingrediants I will def have to let them take it all home, so not sure that's gonna help much! I do get the parents to pay for entrance fees if we go out on day trips (for instance went to aquarium in Oct half term and parents all paid entrance fees and sent packed lunches). Would def consider asking them to donate craft bits, old boxes or whatever we're after. They wouldn't really have any outlay then. I suppose I am a bit paranoid about annoying the parents at the mo. I only have 2 permanent children (and another 3 that I look after ad hoc in the holidays). If I lose one of the permanent ones I'll be stuffed!

Oh another success today, i didn't get the bus to play group I walked (even in the rain!!) So that's another £3.10 saved, woohoo! And while I was there I noticed they had a library that parents can borrow books from and one of the books was 200 Budget Meals, so I've borrowed that (see no outlay!) and thought I can just copy out any recepies I like. My kids are quite fussy, but there are a few in there I think they'll like. A tomato and bacon rice dish and a pasta pie that looks lovely.

Thanks all,
Flis x

Poundland do 8 plastic tubs for a quid!

asp746

i've been in debt whilst a single parent with 2 young kids. when my ex left and i got round to sorting my money out it turns out i had 15k worth of debt. although it was hard it was the best thing i ever did paying them off whilst the kids were young and didnt notice they were having trimmed back christmases etc.

the only thing i'd advise is to allow a bit of slack now and again because five years is a long time, also besides the debt you've got to have the odd treat as a family or you'll go insane.

you're doing a great job - we're all behind you:T

flis21

Thanks asp, am sure this will all be worth it once it's over. I hate having it all hanging over me.

Well, I'm still not smoking, day 8 today, am really pleased with myself. But I did get fish and chips tonight for me and the boys. I needed a treat and the boys loved it. And it's a lot less than I would have spent on cigs this week! Ok I'm justifying as I know I prob shouldn't have done it!!

Apart from that doing well, have found some more bits to list on ebay, am going to try and put a couple on every evening. It takes so long to list them and I can't do it in the day with the boys around!

I bought a pair of WAHL hair clippers today for £13.99 (on sale, bargain!) to do the boys hair with, so that will save on their hair cuts in the future.

Have only put the tumble dryer on once this week and that was for my bed sheets as I wasn't sure how else to dry them (altho if I'd waited till today the weather was lovely and I could have put them out on the line!!).

Am still doing well tho. Thanks for all your support.

Flis x

hp48910

Fab progress and well done on 8 days of no smoking:TI think that's thoroughly deserving of a fish'n'chip treat. Hope they were nice x

toots82

hiya,

read your thread n huge well done. My wee boy has eczema n dermatologist advised me to try n get suncream on prescription....its a specific brand, the one they give out wee testers of at kids weighing clinics n doc's in summer, sunsafe or something. Anyway I know your wee fella doesn't have eczema but its maybe still worth asking xxxxxx

flis21

hp48910 wrote: »

Fab progress and well done on 8 days of no smoking:TI think that's thoroughly deserving of a fish'n'chip treat. Hope they were nice x

The fish n chips were lovely and the boys really enjoyed it. I even let them eat them out of the paper sitting on the sofa, think eating on the sofa was more of a treat for them than the chips!! lol.

Just checked ebay and one of my items has been bid up to £11 already!!! I did it on a 7 day listing, so might go up more!! :j
Other item hasn't had any bids yet, but there's always time!

Will definitely ask Dr about getting suncream on prescription, the one I get costs a fortune for a tiny tube (DS1 has cheaper suncream as his skin is fine!). Thanks for the tip.

Well, going to list a couple more items on ebay today, walk to church and back (saving £3.10 again, I'm going to be so fit!!) and making sunday roast from £3 gammon joint I managed to get in tesco's (with left overs eaten up tomorrow for dinner, as there will be too much there for just me and the boys).

Thanks all,
Flis x

sugarcube84

Have you read back through your thread? Its amazing the difference in the way you are writing, you sound so much more positive and instead of thinking oh its only £3.10 for the bus etc you are starting to add up the savings and realise that they do make a difference.

Well done with the smoking!

Maysie

Can i suggest getting a website for your childminding. Its free! here http://www.gbbo.co.uk/getstarted

I did one on there last year for my best friend for her hairdressing. Its free for the first year then i think they said £8 after that but her year must be nearly up so need to check. She could put more details than a free or cheap listing on other sites and talk about about herself and her experience and prices.

It did bring in more trade because we also linked her website through qype http://www.qype.co.uk/

Now when we put in her first name, area and hairdresser she comes in first on google. Also as she moved salons it helped her old customers find her. Get your regulars parents to leave you reviews that will push you up qype rankings.

Good luck x

Have you looked at deductible exspences ect
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/bim52751.htm
2 hours probably won't be much but if you get a child for longer might be worth the hassle.