All change, from now on its.....Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows!

Pippilongstocking

Hello there!

Long time diarist on MSE, most folk have died of boredom by now - those hardy ones who've survived listen to me generally wittering on everything from stripey socks to rainbows. We've shed about £15k on MSE in debt since we started but we've still a way to go. I'll post up the finances in a mo......

Living on an island in the windy frozen north of Scotland, trying to keep myself from being blown away.......single parent to two kids and and OH who lives 300 miles south of here.

New diary underway as its all change here - I've finally quit the flowery studies and am now self employed, works very busy and regular now, can't keep up with the days! So need to keep on top of things.

I've also a wee blog, for my witterings, which is located here

One child about to fly the nest to university, next week, one hoping to leave in 2 years to follow his footsteps and then we're heading 'south' in two years to relocate to be with Mr Me and generally stalk the children at Uni.:rotfl:

So we've downsized into a smaller place with no chooks, which is sad but we've also, reduced the bills by doing so, but have no garden anymore :eek: and will have to grow my veggies in pots! We've also bought a smaller car and are trying to be frugaleers to allow us to enjoy life up here and adventures.

Come join us for sunshine, lollipops and rainbows as I've had enough of rain, soor plooms and dreich clouds.

Pippilongstocking

Money money money money money.

Post saved for the financial bit

I'm self employed but earnt below the tax threshold last year so we get tax credits but those have changed to goodness knows what as I've been reassessed with the eldest leaving - same goes for child benefit.

One child about to fly the coup who'll need some financial support, one still at school who gets EMA as of this week.

To be the families bank, I'm self employed with one main p/t job which takes up 24 hours a week in a recycling project. The rest of my time is spent gardening/teaching and generally dodging about like a manic gal.

In thinking to the future and moving, we've downsized into a much smaller place with a woodburner and reduced the rent by £75 a month), DD now has access to buses so we're hoping the fuel consumption goes down too as the prices here are crazy........

So we've also bought a smaller car for £4.1k on 5% finance over two years, I'm already seeing the petrol savings on that. Two payments made at £206/month (4100/3688)

CC's we have two -
The Captain is £1531/3100 (evil high interest card)
Lucifer is £1345/1500 (evil not so high interest card)

Overdrafts we also have two -
Rascally overdraft is 0% and has a£1000 limit
Ludicrous overdraft is not free (£25 a month) and has a £1000 limit

Student loan of about <£14k

So our current debts stand, as of today at 11.45am at about £22064 (I'll do the proper sums in a mo)

Action plan

Live frugally as possible and enjoy life.
Clear off evil cc first, then next one - keep them cleared and pay off in total each month
Clear off evil overdraft and don't use
Keep 0% OD for emergencies
Pay off car as quickly as possible

Thus hopefully moving to the land of the south with hardly any debt in case I don't find work quickly when we relocate.

Sounds like a plan?

We will do it by budget shopping, batch cooking, reduced sticker grub and cunning small things stealth.....:)

se999

Definitely sounds like a good plan.

Lemon_Tree

hi Pippi, glad i've tracked you (aka stalked you) to your new diary.

can't wait to see what adventures are ahead of you

Kittikins

Welcome to your new diary lovely Pippi

Pippilongstocking

Thank you chaps all stalkers/chums welcomed along.

Today's great money saving adventures lead to

3x19p bread
4 x free bones from butchers
4x reduced tatties (2.5kg for 50p)
Bought meat from the butchers too so bought less quantity and only the sausages I needed.
Got given a free cabbage at work

Boy child made tea (uni cooking preparation) so mince and tatties seem to work for him leftovers boxed and cooling for Boy child to make cottage pie tomorrow.

Got the shelves up in the new garage for the new storecupboard(stripey socks shop) and the larder fridge/freezers are out there. Must freeze the bones and put tatties in fridge and the dog bones in the freezer.

Might walk el hoonds up to the local shop and peruse their reduced baskets to see what they have, that's my night planned.

I tell you it's the high life here

Spends today <£20 (included meat for freezer)
Payments today = £50 to captain credit card

Pippilongstocking

se999 wrote: »

Definitely sounds like a good plan.

We love a plan or two don't we :T

Lemon_Tree wrote: »

hi Pippi, glad i've tracked you (aka stalked you) to your new diary.

can't wait to see what adventures are ahead of you

I'm so glad you made it to lollipop land our first adventure has been to order wedding rings (no date set yet), wait til you see them, very 'us'

Kittikins wrote: »

Welcome to your new diary lovely Pippi

Why thank you lovely kk :A

mum2one

hope u don't mind a new stalker, x

Pippilongstocking

mum2one wrote: »

hope u don't mind a new stalker, x

Hey up, how lovely, what are enthusiastic friends but just 'known' stalkers

How lovely to see you. I'm about to shed a child/young adult so I'll be down to one child soon (if that's that youraddy means :T) nice to have you along for the ride.

:A

starnac

Hey pippi. I'm moving with you if that's okay?? Must keep up with your exciting life. I wish you all the best in your new home and fresh start. You deserve it x

mum2one

Pippilongstocking wrote: »

Hey up, how lovely, what are enthusiastic friends but just 'known' stalkers

How lovely to see you. I'm about to shed a child/young adult so I'll be down to one child soon (if that's that youraddy means :T) nice to have you along for the ride.

:A

Thank you, yep just the one, shes 10 end of month, but going on 18!! shes my incentive to get debt free, want her to go uni and white wedding soppy I know, but thigs I never did, xx