Fixing the dripping tap - aiming for a debt free life

maddiemay

Been away for a couple of weeks, so just caught up with your last post. So sorry about the exam, must be so frustrating for you. I hope that you can fit in the extra study, I admire you, bringing up a small child, working and studying must take a lot of juggling, well done you for sticking with it.

I hope that the fireplace is finished and looking good. I have been trying to tidy the garden (quite large) which has taken quite a battering from the rain and wind while we have been away. The rear lawn is so tall that OH is having to do it in two goes, as it was so wet and kept bunging up the mower!

I know the spending when down thing:(, but I seem to have got over that now thank goodness.

*bay are a pain now with the increased charges, a lot more people seem to be using F*cebook local selling in this area, more and more entries each week it seems.

Keep plodding - you will get there.:D

Catriona_P

maddiemay wrote: »

Been away for a couple of weeks, so just caught up with your last post. So sorry about the exam, must be so frustrating for you. I hope that you can fit in the extra study, I admire you, bringing up a small child, working and studying must take a lot of juggling, well done you for sticking with it.

I hope that the fireplace is finished and looking good. I have been trying to tidy the garden (quite large) which has taken quite a battering from the rain and wind while we have been away. The rear lawn is so tall that OH is having to do it in two goes, as it was so wet and kept bunging up the mower!

I know the spending when down thing:(, but I seem to have got over that now thank goodness.

*bay are a pain now with the increased charges, a lot more people seem to be using F*cebook local selling in this area, more and more entries each week it seems.

Keep plodding - you will get there.:D

Hi Maddie Did you have a nice few weeks away?

I am firmly back on the horse with the studying for my next exam in January. This course seems never-ending and I'm so sick of it now, but I need to change that attitude if I want to finish it by the end of next year. There are far too many days when I wish I'd never started it, although it will be worth it in the end. Not helped by husband's constant whinging that I spend my evenings with my head in the books rather than entertaining him

Alas the fireplace is not yet finished! Finally FINALLY have finished the gloss, and have repainted the edges along the walls. Most of the reblacking is also done, except a grubby patch right in the middle that requires a bit of elbow grease. This has taken me far too long!

I hear you about gardens, ours is also quite large and takes a lot of work (usually by me!). I need to take out the dead summer plants but no chance to do it yet. Weekends are too busy and evenings I'm studying/exhausted.

I have been using the Facebook local selling pages but weirdly I feel a sense of shame knowing my friends can see what I'm putting up. I've set up a selling page but not got far with putting things up yet - lack of time as always!

We're currently looking at remortgaging as our 5 year fixed rate expires in December (yay!) and I'm scared a new provider won't want to take us on due to my debt. Then husband will just get mad at me.

Christmas is looming too close and I'm stressing about the amount of money I'll be expected to pay out this year...

beanielou

I'm cutting way down on Christmas this year.
I just refuse to buy into it any more.
Very liberating actually
I cut down last year & this year will be fine tuning!

maddiemay

I am the eldest of 5 and lived for many years 150 miles away from my family, it was a nightmare shopping for gifts, as I did not see people often enough to know what they had/liked/needed etc. I suggested to my siblings that we stopped exchanging presents and they were happy about this, we still bought for nephews and nieces until they were 18. My SIL thought it a little unfair that I spent on their children, having none of my own, so insisted on giving OH and I a small present. OH's children and their OH's get gift vouchers, grandchildren and younger nephews and nieces get a little cash. So I only buy for Mum, OH, OH's bruv and SIL and my bestie and her hubby. Sheer bliss.

When OH and I first got together we were sooooo skint and bought each other a token pressie (now set at a tenner) and used to each choose something we really wanted from the January sales, usually clothes or shoes and we still carry on with this, or if nothing we want we go out for a meal or buy tickets to a concert etc.

I think that parent feel too much pressure these days to spend huge amounts on their children, it must be very hard, but I really believe that it is experiences that count rather than the amount spent.

Sorry, rather long post:o

Catriona_P

In total agreement with you both about xmas presents. I've been gradually cutting down my spending every year but it's not helped by the fact that husband can afford expensive presents and wants to buy them. In fact, we had a conversation last night when he wanted to set our xmas budget for each other at £100 and I said no. I told him I don't want anything from him for xmas as I can't afford to reciprocate. That didn't go down well.

Last year I stupidly went a bit overboard for DD and she actually has 2 large presents that didn't make it for either xmas or her birthday (which is January). Feel very embarrassed to admit that. So that's her sorted for xmas this year.

I only buy presents for my family (husband sorts his own) so I have both my parents, my 2 sisters and future brother-in-law. Friends are more difficult as most of them don't have partners or children so always buy us something which makes me feel obliged to buy them something back. We did secret santa last year which went down well so will suggest we do that this year.

I'm going to make an xmas list and try to buy bits off it along the way.

We had a telephone conversation with the mortgage broker last night, who is going to get in contact today about our options. I'm terrified about how my debts will affect it. Husband had to relay to them how much I actually owe and gave me a disgusted look when I told him how much I owe. If we get turned down for a mortgage it'll be all my fault and not sure I can deal with that.

maddiemay

Secret Santa is a great idea.

Fingers crossed about the mortgage, and virtual hugs to you. From here your OH sounds about as sensitive as a lump of stone. Keep plodding on, you will be debt free, I know you have your little one as an incentive.:A

Catriona_P

Thanks Maddie Yes he is compassionate as a cabbage.

Havn't heard back from the broker yet. Also somehow made the spectacular error of somehow forgetting to pay my credit card bill (don't ask, I was convinced I had) so now terrified that my credit rating will be adversely affected at the worst possible time. A very stupid thing to do.

But it's been paid now so onwards and upwards. Havn't told husband so will cross that bridge when it comes to it.

Catriona_P

Very stressed at the moment. Mortgage application is in progress and they have asked to see my statements for both bank and credit cards as the 'numbers don't match'.

Spent most of today feeling faintly sick (not helped as recovering from a bad cold given to me by DD who had it even worse). Absolutely terrified about how husband will respond when he sees the real figures. And if our application gets turned down, it will be because of my debts, which will make him so so angry.

A valuer is also going to come round to take a look at the house so they can establish how much it's actually worth. Not good news to a hoarder.

Feeling so sick I'm actually seeing spots in my eyes. Must pull myself together and at least try to influence the bits that I can.

maddiemay

I wish there was something I could say that would help, but keeping everything crossed for you, strictly speaking the valuer is only going to be there to assess the current value, by noting it's condition (structurally and decoratively, state of kitchen, bathroom etc), and comparing it to prices achieved for similar properties in similar condition in the area; they are trained to "see around" people's stuff, but I am sure that you will want to present your home in the best possible light. (Hugs)

beanielou

Is there a lot of your debt that your husband doesent know about?
Hope all goes smoothly.