Here I am in debt again. 2nd time lucky

StressedSteph

Thanks for your replies guy. Yes maybe in January / February when I am starting to claw my way out of the OD then I might be able to stretch to a fortnightly shop.

We have a chest freezer full of meat, so only need to get veg and store cupboard items. Would give me a chance to try out Bookers Cash & carry as well. they sell bulk of alot of things which, if you have the cash to spend, you can save alot of money.

I am soooo cold. Just been to get a big jumper on and my slippers. I decided after my LBM last week, that as I am the only one home during the day, I would turn the heating off, and just have it on early mornings and evenings when the children are home. I can manage being cold, but hate to make the children shiver in ice block bedrooms.

I cancelled a direct debit that we have to a local free-paper advertising hubbys business this week. He has lots of work on, hopefully to take him into feb/march next year, so to save the £34.67 per week :eek: I cancelled it and plan to put it back on fortnightly in February. Its a risk as hate to not advertise in case work dries up, but that is going to save us £138.68 per month and will help in the short term.
Just had a call from them to say that my DD had been cancelled, but I still owed for two weeks and had to pay them £69.34 Grrrrrrrr. That has set us back abit, how annoying.

Just checked Tesco website, as I had forgotten when the delivery was due. Grrr its not until between 2 - 4 pm. Forgot that I had made it later in the day as the delivery was abit cheaper. Got longer to wait for my coffee than I thought

Gosh i'm an old moaner today arn't I.

xxxx

lurvlyloz

crikey that is al ot for advertising and a syou say its only short term & will definately help

you're allowed to moan...its cold

[Deleted User]

StressedSteph wrote: »

I budget myself £20 of fuel every week and this just about gets the kids to school (6 mile round trip, twice) every day and then DS does TaeKwonDo, thats a 12 mile round trip and they go Swimming once a week that's a 14 mile round trip.

Could you combine the shopping trip, with one of those journeys?

StressedSteph

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Could you combine the shopping trip, with one of those journeys?

Hi,

The childrens school is in another tiny village that only has a small village store (Super Expensive).

The TaeKwonDO is a 7pm at night in a small market town which I don't think has a large supermarket, but will have to check. Never seen one.

The Swimming goes to another small market town and they do have a large Co-op and a sainsburys. The only thing I don't fancy is the fact that I would have to take the children round, and not only would they have alot of pester-power but my blood pressure probably could'nt take it . (Hate children in supermarkets)

Off to tidy up my daughters bedroom and figure out whats for dinner tonight. Think I am going to have to defrost some meat.

xxxx

karmachilovething

Hi StressedSteph,

I just found your board after returning to the MSE forum after a long break. You sound as though you are doing really well. If you read back over the pages you've made a lot of changes. You should be proud.

The first few months will be hard. Finances are like a big oil tanker: it takes a long time to turn it around, but once you're facing the right way, you begin to pick up speed.

As I said, I'm returning after a long break and about to start a new diary of my own (clean slate and all) so it'd be lovely to have you drop by and say hi!

KarmaChi

StressedSteph

karmachilovething wrote: »

Hi StressedSteph,

I just found your board after returning to the MSE forum after a long break. You sound as though you are doing really well. If you read back over the pages you've made a lot of changes. You should be proud.

The first few months will be hard. Finances are like a big oil tanker: it takes a long time to turn it around, but once you're facing the right way, you begin to pick up speed.

As I said, I'm returning after a long break and about to start a new diary of my own (clean slate and all) so it'd be lovely to have you drop by and say hi!

KarmaChi

Hi Karma Chi

Thanks for posting and saying such nice stuff, will have a hunt for your new diary in a minute, see what you're up to .

Well, The Tesco delivery came and it was £108 :eek::eek::eek:.

I had chosen so many BOGOF items, I figured when it got calculated through the till it would be down around the £80 mark.....Nope :mad:. Silly me. Although I did buy two big boxes of washing powder as they were half price and I did have to buy some cheap toiletries, that we won't need for another month now.

Usually when I put the washing powder in the machine, I have one of the childrens old mugs that they got with an Easter egg one year. I would fill that up and dump it in the machine.

I have now found out an old egg cup and am going to use that amount in the washing machine from now on. My powder will last three times as long as it used to.

Hope everyone has had a good day. Children home, heating has kicked in and dinner is on. Hubby should be home soon.

Even though we have no money, life is good :j

please-let-me-be-lucky

Hi Steph, I followed you over here after we were both commenting on another diary the other day.

Congrats on all the changes you have already made! I also have an 8 year old (though he's karate not TaeKwonDo ) and an almost 3 year old (who loves Peppa style jumping in muddy puddles too ), so I appreciate how hard it is to balance debt slaying with mummyhood. Like you, I've also told my lot that we have to send the money to Santa as there are so many children in the world now he can't pay for everyone, therefore they can only have as much as we can afford. I save £20 per month in another account all year so that's £240 to spend on Christmas. I then make it my mission to get as many bargains/ 3 for 2's etc as possible though and do surveys for extra vouchers that I can spend on presents. I ask the rest of the family to buy things from the letters to Santa, so overall on the day the boys have exactly what they wanted.

PLMBL Xx

StressedSteph

please-let-me-be-lucky wrote: »

Hi Steph, I followed you over here after we were both commenting on another diary the other day.

Congrats on all the changes you have already made! I also have an 8 year old (though he's karate not TaeKwonDo ) and an almost 3 year old (who loves Peppa style jumping in muddy puddles too ), so I appreciate how hard it is to balance debt slaying with mummyhood. Like you, I've also told my lot that we have to send the money to Santa as there are so many children in the world now he can't pay for everyone, therefore they can only have as much as we can afford. I save £20 per month in another account all year so that's £240 to spend on Christmas. I then make it my mission to get as many bargains/ 3 for 2's etc as possible though and do surveys for extra vouchers that I can spend on presents. I ask the rest of the family to buy things from the letters to Santa, so overall on the day the boys have exactly what they wanted.

PLMBL Xx

Hi PLMBL

Yes I have seen you on other threads, thanks loads for reading my waffling .

I have no parents anymore, and even though it is silly as I am 37. Without my mum, I don't really have anyone to offload onto. (Hubby is a man of few words ), so I find it quite therapeutic putting my thoughts down on this diary and having lovely replies from you guys just puts the cherry on the cake :beer:.

I put all the bits I have bought the kids together today, before I put them in the attic and they have about 5 toys each. They will get 3 more each from inlaws and two of my close friends so hopefully, It won't look so dire.

I am optimistic that with less toys, they will spend more time on the ones they get and in turn get more enjoyment out of them. In the past they have had soooo many toys they have ended up acting like they don't appreciate them.

I also have DD's 6th birthday to get past. thankfully I bought those items back in the summer (New bike and 3 packs of girls Lego). am going to do a quiet party at home with three of her friends. Am hoping that is damage limitation.

Sounds like you are spending a similar amount on yours.

ps. The chocolates that were a gift from my friend the other day did'nt last long. In fact they have gone :o:o:o:o.

lurvlyloz

not having kids, i admire parents at all times of the year but especially at xmas. the whole "my friends got this" kind of attitude must proper pull on parents heart strings. i think its fabulous that you are able to give them presents and make it special so they know the value of things.

i can imagine alot of people get in a lof debt trying to keep up with modern day demands.

I know when i was growing up, my mum was never able to keep up as she;s disabled and not been able to work for a long time so i was brough up on a benifit.

yet i still stupily got in this mess haha

StressedSteph

lurvlyloz wrote: »

not having kids, i admire parents at all times of the year but especially at xmas. the whole "my friends got this" kind of attitude must proper pull on parents heart strings. i think its fabulous that you are able to give them presents and make it special so they know the value of things.

i can imagine alot of people get in a lof debt trying to keep up with modern day demands.

I know when i was growing up, my mum was never able to keep up as she;s disabled and not been able to work for a long time so i was brough up on a benifit.

yet i still stupily got in this mess haha

The thing I am most scared of, is two dissappointed little faces. Its all my fault because in previous years I have massively spoilt them with a toy mountain. I have created a monster.
They are still young 8 & 5, so hopefully I can turn it around and teach them not to expect so many toys. Most get broken or abandoned by February so hoping they will take more care of them when they don't get so many. fingers Crossed