Time to get serious...

StressedSteph

Morning Charlie,


We have a big rocking horse that ought to go too. Dd is 7 now so getting abit big for it, but she can't be parted with it. What stops me getting rid of it is that they don't make much money on #bay so it barely makes any sense to get rid of it.


Fab news on the bank switch over. Its always abit scary the week it all switches over. Hold your breath and it will sort itself out soon.


Fingers crossed enough people take voluntary at your oh's job so he will be safe.


Hope you managed to clear your kiddies bedroom. I really ought to be tidying rather than sitting here typing

charlies_tribe

Afternoon Steph,
That's one of the reasons I don't want to part with it, they hardly seem to get anything back for what I paid for it. Thinking about asking my sister if she would like it for my nephews.


Didn't get as far as I had hoped with the girls room and wont get much further this week as they are all off school.


Had a really bad spend weekend. Went shopping after swimming sat morning and spent £85 (did include a crate of lager for dh) but hardly had anything in the trolley.


Sun we took the boys to see the lego movie, I haven't been to cinema in over 13 years and couldn't believe it cost us £40!! Taking dd's on thurs for dd birthday, she wants to watch tinkerbell and will prebook tickets to save a bit. The look on ds2 face all the way through was well worth the money though.


Also spent 13 at the shop as dh went and another 8 in the vending machine at swimming as they have fixed the heating and we were all sweltering.


Oh well, a fresh start is needed.

charlies_tribe

Been a busy week since I last posted. Had all the kiddies home for half term, trying to keep them busy. DS was sick most of the week and dd had her birthday.
I completely lost track of what I spent and where.
I'm going for a whole fresh start on the 1st with the grocery challenge, I have today spent £60 to fill the freezer. Was hoping to update my sig with new statement amounts but dh spending on the T card has almost wiped out any payments I have made on the others.
Hoping to get back on track now the littlies are back at school.

charlies_tribe

All bills paid up to date, going to update my sig although it wont look like much paid off.


Going to take the card from dh, everytime he promises not to use it I find something else on it.

charlies_tribe

Cant believe how upset I got yesterday... Over a joint of beef!! Had defrosted it for the slow cooker and when dh took it out of fridge to put it in it smelt rotten! Mad him throw it but was gutted to throw £10 away. I'm hoping it was only the one joint as I left the freezer door open the other day, only an inch or so but was open a few hours, really hoping I haven't ruined everything as had just filled it.


I was really down yesterday, no energy at all. Dh is on nights and I'm not sleeping so spent yesterday on the sofa, nothing productive at all. Suppose I'm lucky though that at least he was working, we still don't know if he's going to be made redundant yet.


I'm determined to do better today (even if it is with the help of energy drinks). Need to get the new account up and running properly ready for the 1st, for some reason they couldn't do an account switch over so will have to do it manually.


Will actually make it my first job and get it sorted now...

charlies_tribe

Well that wasn't as easy as I thought. Over an hour to sort out the account. They cant transfer the account as it's a joint account, which is what I thought, so need a trip into branch. Then couldn't remember my password for new account, tried everything but ended up ringing them again, finally all sorted. Then my old account wont let me transfer money as my phone number has changed! I hadn't changed it and only set up a SO a few days ago. Finally sorted that and the account is now all set up to go from the first... now to prise the cc from dh.


Have then spent an hour deleting 1847 emails!!

charlies_tribe

Arrggh! Just spent ages writing a huge post and my computer decided to shut down.
Well tomorrow is the day. A fresh start. I've just made sure all the money is where it should be, new account up and running, swimming lessons paid (luckily dd1 has now finished hers and ds1 only has 1 more level) and school trip money put to one side as needs to be paid Monday. Diary is ready. I had an email about an online course for excel for £20, It's tempting as I have no idea how to use a spreadsheet.
For a while I think any extra savings will need to go on house repairs as there is still so much to do and at least it wont be going on the credit card.

charlies_tribe

Downloaded a budget planner for excel. Should be fun to get to grips with. I'm actually quiet excited.
Do need to do a shop though, running very low now.

charlies_tribe

Been a week since I last updated so thought I would catch up.


I've kept on top of the budget planner since I started it on the first. Logging into accounts every day and recording everything.

With the whole house being ill at the weekend we have hardly spent anything and the kids have hardly eaten so our budget this month should hopefully do really well. DH hasn't moaned either and has been really good with writing down any spends he makes.


We have had a call for our yearly review at the bank. Not sure it will help at all, our debt hasn't really changed since the last time and there was nothing they could do then. At least I can get the account charge dropped while I'm there.


It's been a month since DH was told he might be made redundant and we still have no idea what is happening! It's driving me mad, the not knowing. I daren't make any long term plans until we know for sure.


Statements for this month are due any day and I cant wait to update my sig, hopefully this month will make a slight difference.

charlies_tribe

Thought I would give an update.
I have done so well over the last 3 weeks. Every penny has been recorded on the spreadsheet and I know where it all went. Then at the weekend we got a letter from the council... We have 28 days to put in a dropped kerb (we knew it was coming).
So £200 for planning and £1400 for the kerb if cash, £1600 if we use the credit card. So I've had to get the cards back out. We are doing all shopping on the card and transfering to 0% and saving the cash up for the work. My cards are about to lose their 0% too so I'm hoping to transfer 1 card to an empty card today at 0% and then another card to the card I've just emptied, Hopefully putting everything at 0%.
In my first post I mentioned we spent over £1000 a month and no idea what on well this month so far it breaks down into...
Groceries..£555
Children...£130 (includes cinema and swimming with friends, parties and clothes and hairdressers)
Savings tins...£68 (Christmas and holiday spends)
Dentist...£18
House bits...£98 (includes new shredded, kitchen bits, sofa throws as we have a few holes and want to make it last a bit longer)
Pet food...£20.50
Diesel...£15 (being filled up tonight though)
Car parts...£122
Total...£1026