debt free with a large family.

kansaskitty

Have a wonderful, wonderful time Foggy!

The_fog_has_lifted

Hi everyone, just got back this morning, had an amazing time and aside from the kids own spending money we didn't spend anything! whoop whoop!!!!
Just spending the day with the kids unpacking and tackling mount washmore, tomorrow the plan is to see what I can sell to generate some cash, im thinking of selling my wee car to generate some much needed cash.

dawnybabes

Worse hit about being away is the mountains of clothes when you get home, glad you had a great time x

The_fog_has_lifted

A bit of a spanner has been thrown in the works. My tax credits were cancelled by HMRC (apparently due to the over payment). I was due a payment yesterday but when it wasn't in my account I called them. They have apparently sorted it now and I will Start getting payments again on weds. I had literally £7.00 in my bank account so I have had to get enough to feed us for 4 days with this.
Using what I have in tins and bits in the freezer I found some reduced meat and veg and managed to get milk and cereal and a reduced pizza all for £6.00.
Wednesday I get my tax credits and Thursday I get paid so will be all back on track then.
Had a lovely day with the kids, after spending yesterday at home making Easter decorations and catching up on lost sleep from our break away, we went to the park for the afternoon and the kids took their bikes and scooters.
I had enough change in my car for a cuppa at the little stand in the park and the kids burnt off all their energy playing and scootering around. My eldest can now cycle without stabilisers so she had a great time cycling around and now DD2 can have her old bike so she can learn. Thankfully we were recently given a scooter for our toddler and a bigger bike for our eldest.
Now we are home I've printed off some colouring pages from the internet and they are busy colouring in frozen and iron man pictures.

The_fog_has_lifted

Had another busy day. While the weather was fine and dandy I stripped the kids beds and washed/line dried 2 loads of washing. Tonight I ironed all the washing from the last 3 days. This afternoon our local CAP (Christians against poverty) centre had a social so we all rocked up there for food/games/general money saving natter.
It was lovely to see other families that are working through their debts and still enjoying themselves.
I've just settled to be with my wee girl, she's teething and has a temp so we settled in bed for a lovely cuddle and she has fallen asleep in my arms (its actually quite hard to type).
I did a deep clean in the kids bedrooms today too- behind the wardrobes-yuck. The dust that collects there is horrid. now my work is done i'm off to sleep, ill probably be up at 6am so I need some serious shut eye until then.
over and out- Foggy.

The_fog_has_lifted

Crazy weekend with the children, we did loads of craft for easter and spend loads of time just playing and having fun. Today Im in the dining room writing my essay that due in next week. Just 2000 words to go for a 2500 word essay- gulp!
Then I have a clinical exam in 2 weeks so I need to start revision for that. Im just getting motivated to crack on with it all. When ever I get disheartened I just think of the kids and that im doing this for them, so I can have a good job and not have to be full time, then I can spend more time with them.
I'm back out on placement at the end of April and I working in the mental health service/CAMHS.
I can wait to do some actual nursing again and not be writing essays and studying which I loath.
This is my 4th No spend day- whoop whoop.
sausages and veg for lunch to use up leftovers from roast yeaterday and home made gluten free pancakes and beans for dinner plus fruit for snacks.
Our local priest has invited us for dinner with his family tomorrow and im spending the morning with my mum so another NSD there hopefully.
get tax credits on wed so need to restock cupboards and do a big shop.
get paid on Thursday so pay all bills and rent and plan for rest of month.
im going to watch some meal planning vids on youtube later to help me get cracking with the monthly meal plans.

The_fog_has_lifted

Had a really busy day, did the food shopping and planning today. It was exhausting. Played with the kids and had a wee nap with my baby girl, it was lovely, I just love the holidays when I can spend every day in the company of my lush family.
Tomorrow im on the hunt for bargain school shoes and some trainers for my eldest- braving cl*rks at 9am!!! eek.

The_fog_has_lifted

Had a rough day- Cl@rks was heaving with a que at 8.30am!!!!
It was horrible and they didn't have my kids shoes sizes in half the range and when they did they didn't fit too good.
I spent way more than I wanted to, but they really needed well fitting shoes, I ended up going to an independent shop in the city too for 2 of the children that didn't have their size in cl@rks.
Good news and bad news.
Bad news is that I only have £300 to throw at debt this month- good news is that I have £1000 in my emergency savings account!!!
Part one of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace is complete and onto part 2- throwing the other £300 off debt- doing the C-tax first.
The kids have all their school uniform and now ive topped up their wardrobes with a few pj's and pants (only the ones that needed them), I don't need to buy any clothes for any of them for at least 12 months, besides maybe September school shoes if they have grown again!
Now I have that emergency fund I feel so much better- confident even, that I can do this. That £1000 IS THERE and that means any excess each month can be purely for debt busting.
I have also had horrid morning sickness ALL day, I cant even look at food at the moment- yuck!
The children are really looking forward to Easter, we will go to mass on Saturday night and church again Sunday morning and spend the day celebrating the day and making bunting/easter garlands and hunting easter eggs. ( I have refillable plastic eggs that I fill with little sweets and then do clues for the children to find them).
I hope everyone has a good 'good' Friday tomorrow.
yours
Foggy. x

The_fog_has_lifted

Another busy day! (It always is) Tried to get some of my essay completed today but the journal system at uni was down, I ended up writing 150 words of complete poop!
Im so tired at the moment, I have no motivation and just want to sleeeeeep all of the time.
I am going to break the back of this essay tomorrow and then finish it Sunday night ready to adjust and edit over next week!
Was supposed to be a NSD but I ended up buying a cream tea to keep me going!
£2.20 down- whoops.
Nice day at home with the family sunday so Ive got that to look forward too.
The Fog over and out.
Foggy

apple_muncher

You're brave to venture out shoe shopping in clark5! We'll also be doing egg hunts tomorrow. Dd is doing one for me too, which is cute.

Hope you're feeling betterand can beat the essay.

Happy Easter!