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aimeemums quest for forever!
aimeemum
Posts: 687 Forumite
Hi all,
I was a member on MSE many moons ago and after a very hard but very rewarding year, I'm determined that we will never go back to the dark days of bounced bills and red letters that we were in 12 months ago. We've paid off everything 'new' that we accumulated, and have done 5 months now of every bill being paid on time and in full. We have a holiday booked and nearly paid for thanks to a lot of hard work by my hubby and a small inheritance we have managed to part ways with our unreliable car and bought a brand new Zafira in their offer last summer.
Now we're in this stable period I'm determined to tackle 3 things.
1. our complete lack of savings
2. our atrocious credit rating
3. our having to rent the tiniest house on the planet.
Our situation is a little complicated. I'm a SAHM as we have 3 small children (i.e. none of them at full time school - ages 4, 1.5 and 5months). My husband is in his 4th year at University, hoping to go on to a PGCE next year - he had to do a foundation course hence the 4 year bit. We survive on Student loans and grants, Tax credits and other little hand outs like child benefit and healthy start vouchers.
In 2012 I left work to have our 2nd, and this is when things turned sour. I was on Maternity allowance, which was just a little less than my wage so this worked well. Our last payment was Dec 2012. Plan was for me to return to work in the new year, but just as I started to look for work be got a surprise in the form of our 3rd child lol. His arrival in August and my inability to find work in that interim period left us with very little to live on, and spiralling bills. My husband returned to full time work over the summer (something which was very hard for him as he had moved on) and this combined with a lot of hard work budgeting and running the household in a meagre fashion allowed us to come out the other side in August this year. It was not a nice 8 months, but the day I went into labour, a small cheque arrived which took us over the edge and bought us our car too. That day was the best in my life!! Seriously.....a fresh financial start and a new baby! :A
I carried on running the budget so that we could survive without my hubby having to work. He carried on P/T but has just handed his notice in :j I'm happy to have him back! lol
Onto our future.
Hubby's PGCE is the next thing, and my eldest starting school in September 2014. We will most likely remain here for that academic year. We are settled and the house is cheap (2 bed terrace - 5 of us and a dog squeezed in lol) to rent and run. Also because of past indiscretions we're unlikely to be able to pass referencing on a different house, plus with no actual income (not 'earned' anyway) we don't have the finances to prove we could afford it. So staying put looks more likely, plus is more affordable.
Plans are difficult to make with 3 children but I do have some targets and things planned.
We have a much anticipated holiday booked for June. We haven't been on holiday as a family.....ever! Seriously! I booked it with my inheritance and is the only 'frivolity' we bought with it. Need to save up spends for that. I would like to have 1 months bills saved as a 'buffer'. This is a luxury I've never known but something my Dad before he passed always told me to have. I would like to do this before the next academic year....so £850 by 1.9.14.
Lastly and most long term, we would like to buy our 'forever home' before our eldest starts senior school. Ideally before he starts year 6 so we're sorted for catchments etc. so we have a target of being in a position to buy by the time he turns 11, which is October 2020. Property prices being what they are, we have a target of £22,500 :eek: to get us a 4 bed house, and at the moment that's not possible, but things wont always be like this (hubby only has 18 more months as a student tops for example) so I'm going to work hard and put as much aside I can for the next 18 months to give us the best start on this road:):).
I was a member on MSE many moons ago and after a very hard but very rewarding year, I'm determined that we will never go back to the dark days of bounced bills and red letters that we were in 12 months ago. We've paid off everything 'new' that we accumulated, and have done 5 months now of every bill being paid on time and in full. We have a holiday booked and nearly paid for thanks to a lot of hard work by my hubby and a small inheritance we have managed to part ways with our unreliable car and bought a brand new Zafira in their offer last summer.
Now we're in this stable period I'm determined to tackle 3 things.
1. our complete lack of savings
2. our atrocious credit rating
3. our having to rent the tiniest house on the planet.
Our situation is a little complicated. I'm a SAHM as we have 3 small children (i.e. none of them at full time school - ages 4, 1.5 and 5months). My husband is in his 4th year at University, hoping to go on to a PGCE next year - he had to do a foundation course hence the 4 year bit. We survive on Student loans and grants, Tax credits and other little hand outs like child benefit and healthy start vouchers.
In 2012 I left work to have our 2nd, and this is when things turned sour. I was on Maternity allowance, which was just a little less than my wage so this worked well. Our last payment was Dec 2012. Plan was for me to return to work in the new year, but just as I started to look for work be got a surprise in the form of our 3rd child lol. His arrival in August and my inability to find work in that interim period left us with very little to live on, and spiralling bills. My husband returned to full time work over the summer (something which was very hard for him as he had moved on) and this combined with a lot of hard work budgeting and running the household in a meagre fashion allowed us to come out the other side in August this year. It was not a nice 8 months, but the day I went into labour, a small cheque arrived which took us over the edge and bought us our car too. That day was the best in my life!! Seriously.....a fresh financial start and a new baby! :A
I carried on running the budget so that we could survive without my hubby having to work. He carried on P/T but has just handed his notice in :j I'm happy to have him back! lol
Onto our future.
Hubby's PGCE is the next thing, and my eldest starting school in September 2014. We will most likely remain here for that academic year. We are settled and the house is cheap (2 bed terrace - 5 of us and a dog squeezed in lol) to rent and run. Also because of past indiscretions we're unlikely to be able to pass referencing on a different house, plus with no actual income (not 'earned' anyway) we don't have the finances to prove we could afford it. So staying put looks more likely, plus is more affordable.
Plans are difficult to make with 3 children but I do have some targets and things planned.
We have a much anticipated holiday booked for June. We haven't been on holiday as a family.....ever! Seriously! I booked it with my inheritance and is the only 'frivolity' we bought with it. Need to save up spends for that. I would like to have 1 months bills saved as a 'buffer'. This is a luxury I've never known but something my Dad before he passed always told me to have. I would like to do this before the next academic year....so £850 by 1.9.14.
Lastly and most long term, we would like to buy our 'forever home' before our eldest starts senior school. Ideally before he starts year 6 so we're sorted for catchments etc. so we have a target of being in a position to buy by the time he turns 11, which is October 2020. Property prices being what they are, we have a target of £22,500 :eek: to get us a 4 bed house, and at the moment that's not possible, but things wont always be like this (hubby only has 18 more months as a student tops for example) so I'm going to work hard and put as much aside I can for the next 18 months to give us the best start on this road:):).
Changing my Family's Future!! - Starting again!!!!
Current Progress -
Debt - Start date 14/4/25 = £14,880.45
Savings Goal = £1000 EF - £0/£1000 = 0%
Current Progress -
Debt - Start date 14/4/25 = £14,880.45
Savings Goal = £1000 EF - £0/£1000 = 0%
0
Comments
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Sold 2 things on FB tonight - another £6 for the coffers.
4 days (5 sleeps) until my 'payday' (child benefit lol).
Tonight is finances night - so I'm currently sat trying to sort out the budget for the next 3 months. headache now! lolChanging my Family's Future!! - Starting again!!!!
Current Progress -
Debt - Start date 14/4/25 = £14,880.45
Savings Goal = £1000 EF - £0/£1000 = 0%0 -
good luck on your journey!
im a sahm too and always on the look out for any tips for saving money. i can imagine uv got your hands full but they are so worth it xxx0 -
The buyers came - I got my £6! :j I'm now officially in profit for the year as I've not been shopping since New Years Eve lol. That will all change today but seeing as all I have available to spend is that £6, it's not going to be a spree! lol
Birthday party with my eldest tomorrow for one of his friends. Need to get a pressie and card for the birthday boy. £5 budget for both should be fine (that's my normal present fund when we get an invitation lol). Hubby is back from his stint away tonight. I'm so pleased to have him back too. Been a long 3 days although got nearly 7 hours sleep last night :T
Anyway, got a kitchen full of washing up and 2 smallies who need naps. Best crack on.....may squeeze a cuppa and some leftover Christmas crisps in if they lay in a while lol.
Changing my Family's Future!! - Starting again!!!!
Current Progress -
Debt - Start date 14/4/25 = £14,880.45
Savings Goal = £1000 EF - £0/£1000 = 0%0 -
Not a lot going on.
Student loans in, stock up shop done for semester, 39p added to savings account, holiday completely paid for, arrears all cleared, starting the new year afresh feels good.Changing my Family's Future!! - Starting again!!!!
Current Progress -
Debt - Start date 14/4/25 = £14,880.45
Savings Goal = £1000 EF - £0/£1000 = 0%0 -
More stuff put on FB tonight. Nothing selling though so may just have to do a batch of ebays tomorrow night instead. Never mind. most of it will post fine I think.
Been an expensive couple of days. Took the kids to the Sealife Centre (had a 2for1 voucher) and then had to get a few odds and sods and ended up getting 2 take-aways in 2 nights which is awful, then chippy tea another night too. Ah well, will have to be good and make up for it next week and make sure I don't waste any of the food I bought on Tuesday. Going to make a stew for Monday/Tuesday, then Chilli for Thurs/Fri. Wednesday is just me and the kids so will be cooking Macaroni cheese. Friday is shopping day but may try to stretch out my cupboards an extra day or 2 (will just need milk and baby formula which I have HSVs for
. This week may not be a total bust after all.
Off now to go and check my banks and my FB sales one last time before heading to bed. Promised myself I'd be there by 10 tonight as hubby is at training til the wee small hours so house is lovely and silent. Bliss! :AChanging my Family's Future!! - Starting again!!!!
Current Progress -
Debt - Start date 14/4/25 = £14,880.45
Savings Goal = £1000 EF - £0/£1000 = 0%0 -
Darn it. Didn't get to bed early, but have just spent £140 on Amazon getting my hubby's birthday presents and a load of educational materials for my under-stimulated 4 year old.
hmmmmm I don't think I'm doing this money-saving thing right? However I did just get a DSMB and Reel, 10 books and a DVD box set for that money! So can't be bad, oh and a tell the time game and clock :T Home-schooling here we come! Changing my Family's Future!! - Starting again!!!!
Current Progress -
Debt - Start date 14/4/25 = £14,880.45
Savings Goal = £1000 EF - £0/£1000 = 0%0 -
Few more FB'd tonight and 6 items put onto ebay. I have nothing of any value but if I make £1 per item over and above postage I'm usually happy lol. I do have an Aquarium I need to shift but it needs a clean first and it's on top of the wardrobe so I need hubby to bring it down for me
Meek and feeble woman that I am! lol
Not a lot else going on. Hubby is at a hockey game tonight so will be a late one as he gets home around midnight. Luckily I caught a quick nap earlier so shouldn't be too much of a hassle lol.Changing my Family's Future!! - Starting again!!!!
Current Progress -
Debt - Start date 14/4/25 = £14,880.45
Savings Goal = £1000 EF - £0/£1000 = 0%0 -
Now up to 11 items on ebay, and 2 already have bids, plus I sold one of my FB items. £3 but every little helps. :j
EDIT: May also have sold an aquarium. Put it up for £10 but will take £8 for it as it's worn but still very functional. potential buyer is coming to look at it tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
In the meantime I'm in the process of ordering a birthday cake for hubby. Exciting!Changing my Family's Future!! - Starting again!!!!
Current Progress -
Debt - Start date 14/4/25 = £14,880.45
Savings Goal = £1000 EF - £0/£1000 = 0%0 -
Got the full 10 for the aquarium and the other 3 as well! £13 not a bad days work! :jChanging my Family's Future!! - Starting again!!!!
Current Progress -
Debt - Start date 14/4/25 = £14,880.45
Savings Goal = £1000 EF - £0/£1000 = 0%0 -
£5.40 for 4 items. Not bad. Had 7 on to finish last night so 3 went unsold which is a shame but keep plugging on. I took a big lot of stuff that I couldn't shift/store any longer to the charity shop on Saturday too....my house will be empty soon! Yay! :j lolChanging my Family's Future!! - Starting again!!!!
Current Progress -
Debt - Start date 14/4/25 = £14,880.45
Savings Goal = £1000 EF - £0/£1000 = 0%0
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