Keeping away from the Money Beast

LivvyLoo_2

Hi Diary,

Well Jack Frost paid us a visit last night. My car was frozen this morning (quite thickly), but my back windscreen didn't clear so I hope the heated windscreen thingy isn't broken.

I am feeling all organised and business like today LOL.

I started and finished painting the bathroom over the weekend so I just need to put the voile and piccie up tonight, will buy a blind over the weekend. Then I will start on the kitchen...huge job so may take a while (I need to do it properly).

So today, I have sat and worked through a meal plan and my savings plan. Key things next month

Only buy things we need...I keep wasting money and its not good.
Stay in budget in pots...wait until next month if can't afford something.
Eat more healthy foods (DD off to a good start with this, I have been low residue for a while now so need some goodness)
Get kitchen underway
Sort out wardrobe (it all needs organising and putting onto new hangers).

I let X have DD every weekend when he isn't working last night, on the understanding he doesn't try and swap and change and never discusses it on my doorstep infront of DD again. She seems happy to go and its easier for me to let him have his 52 night CSA discount (he will stop bullying me for now at least)...although with his work it does only work out at 33 out of the 52. I shall be discussing this with the CSA as I don't think he should get discount still.

I had soup for lunch with gluten free bread and massive wedge of butter...it disguises the taste of the bread LOL. Tonight Im having tea alone so may have a curry.

Ive successfully been off the steroids for 14 days.

x

LivvyLoo_2

PS I never want to have another month like this one...money and personal wise!

mummytogirls

Hi Livvy,

All sounding good with you! I dont think ex should get the discount either especially since its only 33 nights, but also if he wanted to have her the money would be irrelevant!

Fab news on the steroids aswell

Have a good weekend xx

LivvyLoo_2

Hi Mummy,

Hope you had a good weekend.

Well this is it, if I thought he wanted her to be with her and spend time with her then the money wouldn't bother me. DD informs me he has bought a new BMW too, funny how he can't afford her maintenance.

Anyway I am to look at what I have got and not what he has got, and I am happy with my lot.

xx

alibob30

What a !!!!!! your ex is Livvy, I would be fuming with him.
Enjoy your spa day tomorrow.

LivvyLoo_2

Hi Diary,

Well what a weekend. First of all it was off to a bad start on Friday when I received a letter from the csa to ask me to prove to them that DD doesn't sleep over with her Dad every single week. I have to provide dates, receipts...you name it. And all to prove my innocence. Basically he has asked for a reassessment so he can save himself £50 a week for having DD 52 nights of the year...in a rolling year he has done 13!!!! :mad:

Then on Saturday he turns up in a new car (not a BMW as DD had told me bless her), but an Audi A5 on a 63 reg!!!! He even had the cheek to ask me to provide spare clothes for DD's sleep overs.

My pamper day was cancelled , but thanks for your wishes alibob, we have had to reschedule for 2 weeks time. We had set off too. Hoping to get some freebie treatments for all the inconvenience.

So money wise, csa reckons I will be getting my first payment off x on Friday...YIPEEE, and about time too. Unfortunately it will be paying the solicitors off BOOOOO.

DD has a terrible cough and we have been up all night...its going to be a terrible night when she gets home as we will both be tired and its a recipe for disaster.

Still on the bright side, its February now and nights are getting lighter. Roll on summer

xxxx

LivvyLoo_2

Hi Diary,

Its one of those days today where I have got up the wrong side of bed. Had to be at the hospital early this morning to see my specialist, I need to go and get my tummy checked out as I just haven't been right after coming off the steroids. Thats for 3 weeks time so not sure what Im meant to do mean time.

Ringing the docs at 2pm to find the results of my blood tests which I had done on Tuesday...the nurse said she was testing for everything so Im a bit nervous now.

On a good note, I have finally had some money from ex (this months money plus some arrears)...paid £200 to holiday fund, £200 to solicitors, £130 back to car pot which I borrowed and I have £230 left for the rest of the month. Pots are now at £959.13 which is £557 more than Januarys pots...not sure how it will pan out by the end of the month.

I owe solicitors £271 now...will pay that after pay day.

Tescos are coming Sunday and I filled up with petrol this morning.

Sent letter off to CSA with evidence in for DD's over night access.

DD is staying at home all weekend so we are popping out tonight and I think I might paint the kitchen tomorrow, its one of those jobs I can't wait to be done but I just can't be bothered to do it.

x

LivvyLoo_2

Hi Diary,
Well its been a while since Ive posted so I thought Id better put in an update.

Where to start lol...so rang csa this week, X hadn't sent any evidence in to them so they gave him extra time, he still didn't send evidence but reckoned he had DD over 52 nights of the year. CSA deliberated it and stuck with the decision that he didn't have her 52 nights (which is correct). He now has the chance to appeal...which will go to tribunal. Don't get me wrong, Im pleased with the outcome but how did he get more time and why did they have to think about it when he didn't provide any evidence at all? Now I have to see if he appeals.

Tummy playing up again, going to hospital on Friday so they can have a look...nice! But its a means to and ends. Sick of eating chicken and potato.

I was a victim of credit card fraud last week :mad:...£1000 spent on a better website. Luckily the bank noticed and called me and I have a new credit card today.

Got a letter of HMRC telling me I was in the higher tax bracket and I would get a fine as I haven't filled in a tax return..got that Friday so worried about it all weekend (because I have filled in return) and when I called them on Monday they said it was a standard letter to everyone! How bad is that?

Papered kitchen last night and ran out of paper...need another 2 lengths but its looking lovely. At the weekend I am going to clean out all the cupboards and go to B&Q for light bulbs, put blinds back up and make it look like a new kitchen. If its nice Sunday will plant the herb seeds (if I can find them lol).

Mr T came last night, didn't seem to get much for my £100, will pop to M&S when Im at B&Q at the weekend to get my gluten free stuff.

Pots have all been filled, was £180 up on January so thats good, although not as good as I wanted. Hopefully March will be a lot better, although the gardener is coming Thurs to see which plants I want pulling out so that won't be cheap.

Final payment to solicitors when I get something from CSA (about the 10th) YIPPPPEEE and free council tax month so here is hoping I can get the holiday pot looking fab.

xx

LivvyLoo_2

2 weeks since my last post...jeez!

OK well I went into hospital and it appears it isn't my colitis, which is really good news, and I suspect its IBS triggered by sugar...along with the gluten issue which I also have. Back at the hospital Friday to find the results of the biopsies my doc took, but until then I find a very low sugar diet is helping a lot (although its really boring food and Im losing the will to live).

I have had the NHBC people round looking at the roof and they have approved my roof claim, so hopefully all being well the roof will be re-cemented by the summer for freeeee. I hope so because I want to make a start on my gardens.

Money wise, all is going well this month...despite wasting money on food and supplements that I can't take because they have sugar in them :mad:! Pot value as it stands is £1434 (still 2 weeks until pay day though so anything could happen).

I received my money off X this morning so I have paid my final solicitors bill :j (I say final but Im sure Ill need them again in the future).

My kitchen is now finished...yipee :T! Might need to paint the utility room door again as I have glossed it and it looks worse than it did before hmph!

DD and I spent the weekend, washing, cleaning, shopping, clearing the garden of dead leaves, planting seeds in pots, washing windows and painting. I was truly kn*ckered by the end of it but I feel so much better.

Ironing tonight booooo.

xxx

LivvyLoo_2

Hi Diary,

Well finally all is good in Livvys world, well apart from an incident at DD's school which I will be seeing the head about next week.

Bad stuff first...X has had his wages reassessed so my monthly money is £80 a month less. My new saying is...have the conviction to accept what you can't change! It makes me feel a lot better about things.

The good news is...work have approved a 6% bonus to be paid in Aprils pay and the results of my procedure have come back negative to inflammation or anything else for that matter. :beer:
Which means no more roids for now but the suspected sugar intolerance is actually fact (tried and tested), just have to narrow it down a bit now.

Also good news about the child care in the budget, not sure if it will mean a lot of saving for me as I receive the vouchers but you never know.

So for the first time in yonks I think I am in the light at the end of that tunnel...it has only taken 3 years!

Still waiting to start my garden, Im meant to be getting a call off the builders\roofers this week but it hasn't happened as yet.

Pot balance £1472...had a little spend the other night though on some clothes for self (as I feel like I deserve a treat ).

xx