2013-"All by myself" ( sing along if you're old enough to remember it)

mintymoneysaver

Thought I'd start a diary as 2013 is the first full year that I'm going to be a single person, since I was 16 ( nearly 28 years ago!:eek:)
Was with my OH from the age of 18, married at 21, children at 25 and 28, and finally separated at the age of 43 ( last March) It's all amicable, we struggled on for a good few years after he had a bit of a fling, but he didn't love me, and though we tried our best ( me,more than him) it got to the point where there wasn't any point.

So I'm still in the house, he pays me what he should for the girls, and I'm managing okay BUT at some point in the future half the profit in the house is his, eventually I will lose his maintenance ( girls are 19 and 15) I have a small amount of debt, and no savings.

So my aim in 2013 is to pay off my debts, get some savings behind me and to make the most of every opportunity that I get given this year. I want to be able to say yes to things, not no.

On the plus side I have had a promotion at work, which will mean a bit more money each month, plus also a possibility of more hours on overtime pay on a more regular basis.

my debts ( one about £2500, the others about £300 and £500 and £1700 to my mum) are all on 0% interest until about June, so at the moment I'm only paying the minimum off the bigger one, the others I'm trying to pay off as soon as possible. I usually should have, in theory, about £500 left for spending after all my bills, food and petrol have been paid for, but that doesn't include any car expenses such as car tax, MOT, household emergencies, and I'm paying my mum back at £100 a month. The pay rise will be at least £100 a month, plus up to another £200 a month for the overtime, but that wont always happen.

So I hope you'll join me on my journey...

mintymoneysaver

Just been into town to spend my Christmas vouchers. Got a lovely fluffy new dressing gown, a nightie and two new tops, and only spent £6 of my own money!

I also paid in a cheque, so as soon as that has cleard it can go towards one of the cards.

Bit more family information, the 15 year old is due to sit her GCSEs this summer, but will return to sixth form to do A levels. The 19 year old did her A levels last year, and set off to Uni in September. Unfortunately she absolutely hated it, and has been back home since the beginning of November. She is giving me a token rent of £10 a week from her part time job, towards her food etc, but as she is also doing some work experience she can't really look for more hours. She's reapplied for Uni for September, and I am hoping that even though it will probably be in our home town she will still go into halls.

DEBTS £1700 ( Bank of Mum) £300 ( Sainsbury's CC) £500 (Tesco CC) approx £3000 ( Virgin CC)

Doodles1971

Well done on the promotion. Will follow you and cheer you on in your endeavours

mintymoneysaver

Been into work today, even though I'm not officially back in till Monday just to get ahead of myself. I'm a primary school teacher who officially works 3 days a week. No chance of a full time job at my current work place at the moment, and to be honest if I can manage without working full time I'd much rather do that. My new role means that I will often be needed to do an extra day or so in school, and that plus the cover I am often called in to do should mean I can manage okay.

I have dreams though, about what I'd love to do with this house. Little dreams like new blinds, and big dreams like knocking a wall down and making a kitchen diner. So I keep plodding along filling in my competitions, and hoping I get that big win one day...Good news of the day though, got my Sainsburys statement and it's a bit less than I thought!

DEBTS £1700 ( Bank of Mum) £286.65 ( Sainsbury's CC) approx £500 (Tesco CC) approx £3000 ( Virgin CC)

mintymoneysaver

Christmas tree needs to come down today. Not quite sure how I'm going to get rid of it yet ( it's a real one) as my ex always used to do that. Maybe I have to hope he pops round to see the girls over the weekend!

Off out for a meal with an old school friend tonight, a nice cheap one though. My youngest is going to a sleepover so I have a free night. Their dad does see them, but on an ad hoc sort of basis ( when it suits him, or when I need him) When we separated we both said it would be up to the girls as to when they saw him, rather than something set in stone, as they were both old enough to decide for themselves. It sort of suits us all really, although he hasn't ended up seeing them anywhere near as much as I thought. Teenage girls have too busy a life to bother with their dad...

Hope everyone has a nice relaxing weekend x

mintymoneysaver

Had a lovely night, but spent a bit more than I planned, as I ended up getting a taxi home rather than the bus. So today, I should be tidying up, but I'm actually just being a bit lazy! Ex has just texted though to say he will pop in later, so hopefully he might take the tree for me! I don't mind him popping in, although I do think he should make more effort to see the girls at his flat. I think he thinks he's doing me a favour by checking I'm alright too.

Back to work tomorrow, so hectic life begins in earnest again. I need to go back to weightwatchers on Tuesday too. I lost 30lb at one point, but have ploughed nearly all of it back on again:mad:...

mintymoneysaver

Have been totally floored by a flu bug for the last two days. Went back to work Mon, and it started Mon night, struggled through work Tue and Wed and have spent the last two days lying on the couch, feeling totally and utterly wiped out. I suppose at least that way I'm not spending any money! I was due to go out for a meal tonight, but I've had to cry off, I just wouldn't have enjoyed it:(
On the plus side, I got an email from ASOS with a return, and a credit to my card of over £100. I'd sent it back before Christmas ( ordered 4 jumpers for daughter to try, and sent 3 back) and I'd just assumed it had gone back on, but it must have been held up over Christmas, so I owe £100 less to my Tesco card than I thought! Also, and I know I shouldn't, I played £10 of online bingo last night. I only ever sign up to new ones, for the bonus, and as they seem to give you a win pretty quickly so that you'll stay with them. Anyway my luck was in, and I won £50! So that's gone back to paypal straight away, and I'll us it off a card as soon as I can withdraw it to my bank account!

DEBTS £1700 ( Bank of Mum) £286.65 ( Sainsbury's CC) £436 (Tesco CC) approx £3000 ( Virgin CC)

mintymoneysaver

Where do the weeks go? Still it's payday today which is always good! I've been fortunate this month and with my payrise and working a few extra days I can pay the Tesco credit card off ( so I have done) and I will be able to give my mum £100 towards my debt to her too. Sainsburys will just get the minimum paid off it this month, but hopefully I can pay a bit more off that next month. I need to start getting myself sorted though. The account I pay my bills out of, and always have done it that way is always o/d at some point in the month so it seems to be creeping up each month, just a little bit but at some points it can be almost £600 overdrawn. I know that really I need to up the money I put into it, but I don't really want to, as then I'll have nothing to show for my pay rise at all! I think what I will try to do is clear these debts, and then try to pay a few chunks of money in there to get it back on an even keel. Everything is as low as it can possibly go on there, but because I take food and petrol out of it too I sometimes overspend probably so over the months it just creeps up a little.
Still I'm feeling good for paying Tesco off, and I should have enough money left over to last the month on without having to use any cards. I'm working a fair few extra days again next month, so that will bode well for the end of Feb pay packet!

DEBTS £1700/£1600 ( Bank of Mum) £286.65 ( Sainsbury's CC) [STRIKE]£436 (Tesco CC)[/STRIKE] approx £3000 ( Virgin CC)

beanielou

Good news on Tesco.

mintymoneysaver

Thanks, beanie. That's a fantastic weight loss by the way, how did you do it?

beanielou

SW minty.
Even though I have been at target for a wee while I still go to class.
Last time I lost weight I stopped going (Sc Slimmers) & put it all back on.
Lesson learnt!