Getting there...slowly.

girlatplay

So I cleaned and sorted for 6.5 hours yesterday. LMG made me a cheese toastie for lunch and it was really lovely Still got a little bit to do to get to where I want to be. Then it will just be my bedroom that needs done. I only go in there to sleep at the mo.

Bought milk, more cleaning stuff and a birthday card yesterday.

Today is grocery shopping day. I also need to put petrol in the car - I have money aside. Must do a meal plan and shopping list *bored face*

£1.87 to holding account.

I have sent out the first email about the hen weekend. Feeling quite excited about that

girlatplay

I didn't realise I hadn't posted yesterday. The past two days have just rolled into one really.

Nothing much happening money saving wise. Payday next week and I'm extra glad of it this month. I have overspent just a little and will need to recoup from wages. It means I won't be able to use my council tax free month money towards the house buyout account like I planned unfortunately. The only thing that might change that would be if I get some money from CSA. Still nothing this week but they are saying that he has until the 19th of the month to get the money in before they chase him so by rights I should get a nice little lump sum. In reality though I will be lucky to get anything.

A rather hot man came into the office this morning. Totally made my day!! He will be back again as he borrowed keys and has to return them. Only problem is he could return at any time and I want to make sure that I look reasonable. As long as I don't have crumbs on my top or pen on my face I will be happy. I never normally bother too much about what I look like so it's really hard work trying to keep myself neat and tidy, just in case!

I have £1.50 in my purse. We have enough food to last us for a bit. We have enough petrol to last until payday - possibly longer. Hopefully my lovely mum will pay for the coffee when we are out tomorrow.

I pledge not to spend any money this weekend. Let's see how that goes!

girlatplay

I spent no money at the weekend! Wooo!

My sis got engaged on Christmas day. She asked me on Saturday to be her Maid of Honour. They were talking about having the wedding in 2016. Now they are talking about it being this November. I am already planning my bestie's hen weekend, which is in November. I am starting to feel a bit stressed

The brakes on the car started playing up on Saturday. Sis's fiance is a mechanic. He had a look at them for me and it was just a seized adjuster on the rear break. He has fixed it and it is costing me nothing! He took it to work this morning and one of the guys washed it for me! I'm spoiled. I bought a bottle of wine for him to say thank you. Got one on offer from £10.99 down to £4.99. :money: (he didn't want anything but if I had taken it to the local garage like I was going to, they would have charged me something, even just a tenner - the guy at the garage is trustworthy. I know him and he wouldn't rip me off but he has to make money).

Used the £1.50 in my purse this morning to get the bus to work today.

Payday on Wednesday. Most of my savings excess has been spent already. Needed some stuff last week so stuck it on the cc which I don't normally do but I know I will have enough to cover come payday.

Still no money from the CSA. I usually get it on a Thursday so will wait and see what this Thursday brings (or doesn't bring ).

Burgers for tea tonight. I have chips in the freezer but no buns. It will be burgers, chips and "roast" or "chargrilled" peppers (done in the George F - this is something I only recently discovered, LMG made the dinner one night and roasted the peppers in it. Great idea. Lovely!)

Checked my council tax account. They have the payments up for 2014/15 now. I incorporated them into my budget. If I don't overspend next month I will have a little more than this month to put to savings.

kindofagilr

Nice diary I am enjoying reading it

Things_To_Do

Hi gap, I am going to subscribe


I have been here before and am now getting back into it to give me the motivation to get rid of what little debt I have left.


I can totally sympathise with you re CSA payments I probably shouldn't say this but I have been getting my payments quite regular recently, but I still don't have any faith in them. It's always a bonus when it comes into my account because I never expect it, no matter how regular they've been recently.


I am hoping to set up my own diary in the next few days, but I really enjoy reading others.


I look forward to following your progress. Good Luck

girlatplay

Hi kindofagilr and Things To Do, thank you very much for posting. My diary is a bit of a ramble, what is in my head tends to come out through my fingertips.

Yes, the CSA money. I am supposed to get my payments on a Thursday each week. It has been sporadic since it started in 2009 but every now and then it gets regular and I think that's it getting on an even keel. Ha! I do treat it as a bonus, I never rely completely on it, hence the reason that I didn't overspend more than I knew my wages could cover. It would just be nice to get a wee lump sum so that I can put it to savings. Plus my ex earns a good wage (was a lazy b****r when we were together so don't know how he managed that) but if he were to lose his job or get downgraded salarywise then the CSA payments would lessen too. Oh the joy.

Child Benefit day today. £30 to Christmas fund, £30 to LMG's birthday fund, £20 to a savings account for LMG (which I use for school trips or like if she needs a new coat or something - can't rely on the ex's CSA money!) and £1.20 to my own wee savings.

I popped £5 in the hen weekend pot. Thought I was up to £36 but when I got here my siggy said £30 so I will go home and check. Sig updated to £35 in the meantime. 53p went into sealed pot.

Nothing to buy today. Going to mum and dad's for tea (Sundays and Tuesdays). Got petrol, milk and bread. Grocery day tomorrow.

girlatplay

It was payday yesterday. Thank goodness. I have moved money across to all my different pots. £300 over to the holiday fund so £435 to find before 4th April. £20 to the baby emergency fund (£207.87 in it now - aiming for £1000). £135 over to the credit card holding account. Ouch!

I paid £15 towards the mortgage. I loaned an ex parner some money and he pays it back at £185 per month so I make that up to £200. He hasn't made payment yet this month but the sooner I pay money to the mortgage account, the less interest I will pay so got that £15 over.

£5.40 across to the holding acc for the buyout fund (should have been £140.40 )

I now have pocket money again. Whew!

Also did the grocery shop. I didn't have a £1 coin with me and forgot the little token thing so I had to carry round two baskets. Didn't get some stuff but its not urgent and I can get it another day.

My dad is a bit under the weather (he is very rarely ill) and he does all the driving so I called them yesterday to ask if they needed anything from the supermarket. Milk was the only thing they needed so I bought them a 2l carton (had to carry it in the basket with the 2x2l cartons I was getting for LMG and I!) and took it round to them. Dutiful daughter. I feel good helping them though. They rarely need help so it was nice to be able to.

There is a careers convention on at the school tonight. I can see it far enough, I want to go home after work and put my feet up, but this is all about my child's future so I will pull myself together and get along there. LMG isn't that fussy for going but I think it is important that we attend these things so that she doesn't miss out. It is the first one that we have attended (she is nearing the end of 2nd year) and I don't know what it is all about so we will head along and see.

girlatplay

Forgot that I also paid £2 to bestie's hen weekend pot. Got a £2 coin in my change! I emptied the pot when I got home on Tuesday and sure enough, it only had £30 in it, not £31 so now that's it up to £37.

girlatplay

Managed to pick up another 2 x £2 coins so bestie's fund is up to £41!

girlatplay

**WARNING: PROUD MUM MOMENT**

Just wanted to say, Little Miss Gap got 100% in her maths test! I am so proud. She is dyslexic and struggles with her learning anyway so I am really chuffed for her. She was so pleased with herself. She said "But mum, it was an easy one." The person next to her got 63% so I told her that it might have been easy for her but that didn't mean it was easy for the next person and to enjoy her praise while it lasted.