So much to do, and too much time

borkid

Hi Pheonix Dragon when my eldest was little I used to wrap her up and take her out for a walk everyday. Maybe you could get your 10K steps and get your DS off to sleep in one fell swoop. If he's still asleep when you get home then you get to do some work. If he doesn't sleep when out then you can talk to him and increase his vocabulary/ knowledge.

Good luck and hope you reach your goal.

welshdreamer71

Hiyas x hope ur colds shifted now and wish mine blooming would, every day feels a struggle don't it when not sleeping but please don't think u haven't achieved anything, your running a home, studying and being a fab mum that is a full time job !

Would you be tempted to spend a little if you seen your savings building ? I know I would I'd rather pay it off the card and watch the total owing dropping but maybe that's me x

phoenix_dragon

Thank you borkid. I keep making excuses as to why I shouldn't go outside, but they are getting limp! I'm making a promise to myself today to take DS out every day, even if it's just for a walk around the park. I have next week planned - Monday playgroup and then round to my mums, Tuesday library, Wednesday either swimming or walk around the park, Thursday Cuming museum stay and play, Friday walk with DS and DH, Saturday not sure yet but probably just a walk, and Sunday to visit my nan.

Welshdreamer, I hope your cold shifts soon. Nothing really worked on mine except painkillers, hot honey and lemon drink, and lounging around on the sofa. As for the card, I spent a bit more on it today because DS needs clothes, but I'm thinking of cutting it up. I would rather see the total go down, but it's nearly maxed out, so I won't be able to keep spending on it if I direct the £250 towards the savings, earn interest, and then pay off a massive chunk. However, if it doesn't go like that in the next couple of months, I will change tack.

DS has gone to sleep, and I need a nap, but before that, I have been inspired by the Sort 7 financial things in 7 days thread, and so I'm going to make my own list of things to sort out here.

1) Change my monthly savings amount to £250 on online banking - DONE
2) Review my DDs - DONE
3) Look at and get life assurance - I won't be getting for now for health reasons
4) Set up a savings account for DS - Have applied for a junior ISA
5) Start an emergency fund - DONE (it may only be £6.57 but I'm counting this)
6) Sort out which current account will be used for DDs and bills, and which will be used for leisure spending - DONE
7) Cut up my credit card DONE

fozmcfc

I decided 6 or 7 years ago, to start to sort out myself in similar ways I've done the weight loss and debt clearance and know how hard it can be to keep focussed on it. Also got around to getting some savings and too cut out spending on stuff that I never took advantage of like insurances, medical plans etc...

But with determination you can do it.

Spending_Vs_Saving

phoenix_dragon wrote: »

4) I haven't been looking after myself, and frankly I'm a mess. My hair needs cutting, my nails need to be sorted and I need to use some of the moisturiser that I have so much of.

Today marks the beginning of a new attitude - quitting whining and taking action! I'll whine a bit on here, but will also take lots of action. I will start by joining the threads on here that I know are helpful, and actually posting instead of lurking.

You more than welcome to join us on the Use up all your smellies challenge under the health and fitness section of the forum its a great way to have a moan & groan and a bit of a pamper session to make you feel back on top of the world. Good luck with your personal goals .

phoenix_dragon

Spending Vs Saving thank you for the invite. I have been doing that challenge unofficially for quite a while now. I've used up all the little shower gels and shampoos that I had lying around, and now I'm on to the conditioners. I usually have a lot of moisturiser around because I've got quite dry skin but I haven't been using it. Naughty me!

I took DS to playgroup on Monday and Tuesday. We'll be staying indoors today and trying to get back into a normal sleep pattern.

I'm keeping all of our receipts this month so see where we are overspending. Not much else going on otherwise.

rising_from_the_ashes

Happy new diary well done on the 10k steps ...... I wore one of those step counter things for a while and couldn't believe how many I did just pottering around during the day - and of course dog walking helps a lot!

phoenix_dragon

I can't believe it's only a week until Christmas eve! And that one year ago, it was the day before I was due to go into hospital and be induced. How things have changed - I have a beautiful (little git) son, a home of our own (rented through HA, but previously we were sleeping on a kitchen floor, so this feels like ours) and we are building a life for ourselves. I have so much to be grateful for.

For my Christmas present, DH has paid for me to rejoin the gym I used to go to. At £15.99 a month we can afford it, and mum has agreed to babysit for a couple of hours a week so that I can go. I went yesterday and it felt amazing to be out of the house, let alone moving my body.

I haven't taken DS to playgroup today, as my sister seems to have come down with the norovirus, and I've been in contact with her, so I don't want to risk spreading it. If we haven't come down with it by tonight, I will take him tomorrow.

phoenix_dragon

DS turned 1 yesterday. We all had a wonderful day, and he met his grandad on DH's side for the first time. It's safe to say they hit it off. DS received some lovely presents, and some clothes fot the 12-18 and 18-24 month mark, which was exactly what I wanted, so that's great!

I've been managing the 10k steps, but have fell off the wagon with my diet. I've decided to try just worrying about exercise and be sensible with my eating. Easier said than done, but I no longer stuff myself when I'm not hungry, so that's a step in the right direction.

I put the £100 DS received into his ISA, so that's safely locked away. I've also set up a standing order of £100 a month to the ISA.

I've come up with a plan to make our financial lives easier, which DH agrees with. In short, we will have one account for DDs, and another account for leisure spending. He's going to change his pay to go into my account, and we will use his account for leisure spending.

On the OU front, I've mostly completed the third assignment for the B120 , just need to tidy it up a bit. I knocked it out in a couple of hours on one day, which just goes to show what I can do if I put my mind to it.

Home has been pretty blissful, with no arguments.

Life is good!

phoenix_dragon

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 1
Number of cars owned.................... 0

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 0
Partners monthly income after tax....... 1571
Benefits................................ 81.2
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 1652.2

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 460
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 110
Electricity............................. 66
Gas..................................... 0
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 20.4
Telephone (land line)................... 0
Mobile phone............................ 65
TV Licence.............................. 12.12
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 8.65
Groceries etc. ......................... 270
Clothing................................ 20
Petrol/diesel........................... 0
Road tax................................ 0
Car Insurance........................... 0
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 20
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 255
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 10
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 100
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 1417.17


Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 0
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 0

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Barclaycard....................3446.21...78........0
Total unsecured debts..........3446.21...78........-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,652.2
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,417.17
Available for debt repayments........... 235.03
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 78
Amount left after debt repayments....... 157.03

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 0
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -3,446.21
Net Assets.............................. -3,446.21

Created using the SOA calculator at https://www.stoozing.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using other browser.