Skint Dad's Debt Diary

Emmala

Hi Skint Dad, just caught up with your diary and had a nosey round your blog. I think you're very brave to share your experiences, and I do hope things work out for you and your lovely family.

For the fakeaway Chinese - a massive thank you! Roast chicken Chinese style is my staple dish and I've tried a few in years gone by which haven't come close.......but yours looks like it will be spot on.

Nappies......my eldest had washables and they were fine, except the one size fits all didn't fit him by 18 months!!! Anyway....two more kids later and when I tried to toilet train DS2 the first time he didn't get it at all and I was so miffed I bought the cheapest nappies I could get, which were Tesco value ones. Do you know what? They were fantastic! And Sains basics ones. Not as soft and pretty as the more expensive ones admittedly, but they didn't leak at all. I could have kicked myself for not trying them sooner! And if you're that bothered about 'appearances' just keep the 'good' ones for the changing bag........!!!!

Anyway, I wish you all well. I'll keep reading, and popping up out of lurkdom from time to time to say hello xxx

SkintDadUK

pennywisepoundstupid wrote: »

Hi skintdad, slow cookers are fantastic, I hae had mine for years and love it to bits and would be lost without it. I use mine to make soup, rice pud, stews and they all turn out lovely.

A nice soup that doesn't cost a lot that I make in mine is a tomato and red lentil soup, I bung in tin toms, couple of carrots, onion, herbs, stock cube, garlic, water and a handful of red lentils and leave it to cook for the day, whizz it up with a hand blender, add a small splash of milk and you have a very yummy filling soup, If we are feeling well off that week I grate some cheese on top when serving, delish.

Hi PWPS, they really are aren't they!

That soup sounds scrumptious, I will be trying it asap. Skintmum popped to Morrison's this evening and picked up 2 massive turkey joints for £6 total :):) We will be using one for curries, in the slow cooker of course and the other for Xmas.

SkintDadUK

MollyMischief wrote: »

Hi Skint Dad, just caught up with your diary and had a nosey round your blog. I think you're very brave to share your experiences, and I do hope things work out for you and your lovely family.

For the fakeaway Chinese - a massive thank you! Roast chicken Chinese style is my staple dish and I've tried a few in years gone by which haven't come close.......but yours looks like it will be spot on.

Nappies......my eldest had washables and they were fine, except the one size fits all didn't fit him by 18 months!!! Anyway....two more kids later and when I tried to toilet train DS2 the first time he didn't get it at all and I was so miffed I bought the cheapest nappies I could get, which were Tesco value ones. Do you know what? They were fantastic! And Sains basics ones. Not as soft and pretty as the more expensive ones admittedly, but they didn't leak at all. I could have kicked myself for not trying them sooner! And if you're that bothered about 'appearances' just keep the 'good' ones for the changing bag........!!!!

Anyway, I wish you all well. I'll keep reading, and popping up out of lurkdom from time to time to say hello xxx

Thank you and thanks for checking out my blog. I don't look at myself as brave, just as doing what needs to be done.

Glad you like the fakeaway, the smells in the kitchen saturday night were mouth watering( I love Chinese food).

Nappies. - We now buy the cheapest nappies from asda, £1.41 for 20 and they are absolutely fine. We had always bought pampers and it turns my stomach to think how much money we had wasted when the cheaper ones are just as good!

SkintDadUK

Woken up this morning full of beans. Only 2 days until our first load of payments come and out. Although only £1 to each of them its a start and a positive one.

Going to be a no spend day today I feel. We have got everything we need and have become very efficient at not impulse buying.

The children are really enjoying half term. I hope the weather will stay dry so we can go to the park later.

SkintDadUK

Well we didn't manage to make it to the park but had lots of fun at home. Not so long ago I would take the children out and spent money on toys, fast food etc but nowadays we get creative and spend nothing.

The children actually love sitting on the floor with mum and dad playing board games or making up a treasure hunt for around the home.

So far today has been a NSD and I can't see that changing which is a tick in the box.

I have noticed today and yesterday it has become considerably colder but I still refuse to put the heating on! *now where did I leave that extra thick blanket?!*

abbylou

I love your diary Skintdad and your blog. Your ideas are so inspiring as is your attitude. I ma looking forward to our first fakeaway on Saturday night! I too have just rediscovered my slow cooker and have fallen in love with it! I love coming in from work and not having to cook. It is economical and also good for my slimming world!
I have just started my own debt-free diary as yours has made me want to write it all down.

SkintDadUK

abbylou wrote: »

I love your diary Skintdad and your blog. Your ideas are so inspiring as is your attitude. I ma looking forward to our first fakeaway on Saturday night! I too have just rediscovered my slow cooker and have fallen in love with it! I love coming in from work and not having to cook. It is economical and also good for my slimming world!
I have just started my own debt-free diary as yours has made me want to write it all down.

Hello abbylou, thank you for your kind words.

Good luck with the fakeaway, I am sure it will be perfect.

It really is good to write things down. It's a release for me and I find once its out of my head I can deal with it better.:)

SkintDadUK

Let me tell you a story.

Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, there was a man called Skint Dad. He was contended with his life, he had wonderful children, a beautiful partner and close family around him who loved him unconditionally.

Skint Dad worked all the hours under the sun so he could pay the bills, put food on the table and a roof over his and his family’s head.

He had always worked, through the hard times and good. Then one day, sitting at the table going through the bills, he came across something that made him sad.

Even though Skint Dad was a hard worker and would take extra shifts, sitting at the table going through the bills, he realised that they were in a serious financial situation. So serious in fact that the money going out was more than the money coming in.

Worse than that, once Skint Dad had added up the cost of childcare, it turned out this amount was higher than Skint Dad earnt.

Skint Dad was sad.

He went to his employer to ask for a pay rise and even though Skint Dad was a hard worker his boss said no.

Skint Dad felt useless.

After speaking to Skint Mum there was only one thing to do. Skint Dad would have to leave his job and look after the children full time whilst Skint Mum who was the main earner carried on working.

SkintDad felt like a complete failure, not only had he left his job, he was in an awful financial situation as well, owing thousands to numerous creditors.

He had let his family down. He was devastated.

The last day at work came and went. Skint Dad returned home and the house was empty. As he sat on the sofa, lost in his thoughts, he started to cry, tears running down his face, thoughts racing through his mind that he wasn’t good enough for his family and that he had let them down.

Just then he felt a hand on his shoulder, it was Skint Mum and the children. He had been crying so much that he didn’t hear them come in.

Skint Mum sat down next to him, took his hand and placed her head onto his shoulder. She told him that she loved him ever so much and that she was contended with her life. She told him the kids loved him and his family loved him very very much as well, no matter what situation they were in, it was unconditional.

He realised from that point on that however bad it got, he had the full unconditional support and love of his family and that’s what drives him on everyday.

Whatever situation you are in, the love of family and friends can get you through the darkest of days.

The end, for now…..



I had a bit of a dark day today but I started to think about Skint Mum and what she said and that gave me the energy to stay positive and carry on fighting.

SkintDadUK

Children are finally in bed and fast asleep. They were quite hyperactive today which is unusual for them.

I feel quite tired this evening but I must finish off a few things I promised skintmum I would do before she got home.

We have started looking at November and what our budgets are for different things. I know Christmas is creeping up on us but I am still determined to be a non-spender.

I have decided to sign up to the "Just Say NOvember" challenge, its a toughie but I reckon I can give it a good go although the 25 NSDs are quite daunting!

Who else has signed up?

AlexLK

Sorry to hear today has been a bit of a dark day. I've been there, many times and only hope things get easier for you.

As for Just say NOvember; well, you're a braver man than I!