Debt free by 40 -- 19 Months and counting

Chrysalis1976

Ooh your kids sound just like mine except my dd is the eldest and her brother 3 years younger, most of the time they are great together but sometimes they argue over the silliest things. Last year they had an arguement about Halloween in April!

As long as you're all made up before they go into school then I'm sure it's forgotten about x

r.e. birthday, I do think £200 is a lot to spend (sorry!) my dd is 11 in November bur we look to spend about £50 on birthdays. As already mentioned it's tight for you at the moment and the kids will grow up just fine.

Totally agree about using the clothes dd already has for the wedding, not being mean at all.

Hope hubby's pay comes in quickly!

C x

StressedSteph

Thanks Chrysalis & Abba for posting. Going to have to have a little chat to Ds I think ;)

I just switched our Electricity provider, should hopefully have saved about £29 per month :T

Off to try making that Infinity scarf. The wool finally arrived so will see how long it takes to make one. Fingers Crossed. xx

mummytogirls

OMG Steph your post from earlier could have been mine from last night. I lost it and shouted at DD2 last night and then instantly felt guilty.. why do they drive us to this?!

Re the dress I reckon if she wants her in a specific dress then she's pays for it xx

Verbatim

mummytogirls wrote: »

OMG Steph your post from earlier could have been mine from last night. I lost it and shouted at DD2 last night and then instantly felt guilty.. why do they drive us to this?!

Re the dress I reckon if she wants her in a specific dress then she's pays for it xx

Quite agree! If the bride wants her to have a specific dress tell her your daughter's size and let her buy it. Or give you the money BEFOREHAND to get it if she's too infirm to go!!

sweetpea26

Hi Steph

Agree completely with everyone above...if she wants that dress let her pay for it.

Don't worry too much about getting cross with the kids you are only human. Mine are big now but they fight over the dishwasher cleaning the kitchen etc...it all blows over...siblings Dont be too hard on yourself.

You do a great job juggling everything Steph. Value yourself. God bless

dawnybabes

I'm sure as soon as they got into school they forgot all about it.

Have you headed your notice into the nasty cleaning woman ?

My DS birthday is tomorrow and he doesn't actually want anything so we are having a cake, going out for tea and will buy him something when he has a want.

StressedSteph

Morning diary,

Thanks all for your replies and help. Dawn how sweet of your son to say he doesn't really want anything. No chance of that happening here I don't think.

Today is an odd day, it is our village Summer Show and all the school children have been growing geraniums all summer to enter into this competition, so we have to deliver them down to the village hall for judging. Not sure we have a winner but nice to take part.

Then sometime today we have to visit FIL's girlfriend to discuss this blooming dress. I really want to tell them not to bother as the children are only allowed out of school after lunchtime register so it will be a mass panic to get to the registry office on time so no chance to do fancy hairstyles or anything. I fear it is turning into a monster . Slightly scared to go to visit her as I know she will try to push jobs off onto me, I have to have my best diverting techniques at the ready .

Not much else happening so hopefully time to get the house tidied up.

Can't do my regular Tesco shop until hubby gets paid, hoping it may be today but no guarantees.

Currently £43 in my bank :eek:. Need some money soon.

xxx

lhead123

Hi Steph

I agree with everyone else about the dress and the birthday money. Growing up there was 3 of us and never any spare money. My parents would spend £50-80 per Birthday/Christmas...If we wanted something bigger it had to be a joint present and we'd get it on the 2nd occasion. For example, one year I wanted a new bike. The one I'd set my heart on was £130, so on my birthday (end of November) I got a card with a handwritten voucher from my mum and dad for one promise of a bike, a couple of small items of clothing/books etc (so I had something to open) and I got to take 1 friend on a day trip out with my family. Then on Christmas day I came downstairs to find a bike under the tree My brother and sister's birthdays are in the spring, and they got the note at christmas and the present on their birthday.
As we got older we asked for the money instead and it was up to us not to spend it and keep it until the next time we had an occasion and got more money or add our pocket money to it each week until we had enough to get what we wanted. I will be doing the same thing with my two.

If I were you I'd ask him if he wants a cheaper item off his list or if he'd rather have the money (maybe £50-80) to put in a savings pot/bank account (he could ask friends and family for money instead of presents too) then you could help him shop for a second hand laptop or tablet when he knows how much money he has got all together and it will help him realise how much things actually cost.

xx

StressedSteph

lhead123 wrote: »

Hi Steph

I agree with everyone else about the dress and the birthday money. Growing up there was 3 of us and never any spare money. My parents would spend £50-80 per Birthday/Christmas...If we wanted something bigger it had to be a joint present and we'd get it on the 2nd occasion. For example, one year I wanted a new bike. The one I'd set my heart on was £130, so on my birthday (end of November) I got a card with a handwritten voucher from my mum and dad for one promise of a bike, a couple of small items of clothing/books etc (so I had something to open) and I got to take 1 friend on a day trip out with my family. Then on Christmas day I came downstairs to find a bike under the tree My brother and sister's birthdays are in the spring, and they got the note at christmas and the present on their birthday.
As we got older we asked for the money instead and it was up to us not to spend it and keep it until the next time we had an occasion and got more money or add our pocket money to it each week until we had enough to get what we wanted. I will be doing the same thing with my two.

If I were you I'd ask him if he wants a cheaper item off his list or if he'd rather have the money (maybe £50-80) to put in a savings pot/bank account (he could ask friends and family for money instead of presents too) then you could help him shop for a second hand laptop or tablet when he knows how much money he has got all together and it will help him realise how much things actually cost.

xx

Hi Lhead,

Good idea with the birthday money, I am going to have a good chat with him tonight and get to the bottom of which item he really wants and see what we can do.

xx

StressedSteph

Morning diary

Woke up to the bank account being -£46 :eek:. Thankfully the guy that employed hubby last week called this morning asking for some more work to be done and I managed to kindly ask him if he could possibly settle last weeks invoice asap. He knows hubby has been off work a while so he was understanding and paid it in a few moments ago. Phew!!!

I have managed to book hubby out at jobs all week, he has some more jobs to quote for so fingers crossed work will keep trickling in.

Washing is out on the line, animals all fed.

Not much else to report really, visiting a friend today who has not long come back from three weeks touring the West Coast of America, so will be great to hear how she got on. (whilst keeping the green eyed monster at bay ).

FIL's girlfriend has now arranged for someone to make Dd a bridesmaid dress, out of some highly flammable looking blue satin!. Poor Dd, hope it doesn't turn out as bad as I am imagining

Hope you get to enjoy the sunshine this week, looks like our last shot at some sunshine xx