Time to get things moving in the right direction

GeorgieG_2

I have been a member of the forum for years but after a stressful 7 months and not logging in I can't remember my password! O well maybe a new user name will be good for a new start!!

So a little bit about me, I am a housewife and foster carer. I have 3 children of my own DS, DD1 and DD2. I also have a foster child (DFC). My husband works long hours and is an absolute nightmare with money, however I think finally he has had his light bulb moment :j

We have just moved to a larger house with horrendous rent £1350 p/m, and DH has consumer debts which we need to work on. I think it will be the new year before we can actually start working on overpayments and we also owe a small amount to the council tax and he told me last week the water rates have not been paid for 2 years :mad::eek: so these will need to be sorted out.

We also with some urgency need to get a larger car, nothing expensive but at the moment we are borrowing a small car and if we go anywhere as a family we have to take both cars. We would like to get the new car before the end of June when the tax runs out on the car we are borrowing so we can sorn it. I also don't think it will pass the MOT due in early August.

As foster carers we do have some expenses which we can not get away from, we are expected to take DFC on holiday and have booked a week in August for just £500. I get paid an extra £100 per week (2 weeks in arrears) over the summer holidays so we do have to find the money for this upfront. We also have to put £40 p/m into a savings account.

We are pretty frugal I can't remember the last time I brought any clothes for DD2 as she gets DD1 hand downs and also hand downs from a friend of mine. We had £20 budgeted for DD1 and went to a local carboot. We came away with 3 bags full and also a few bits for DFC and £2 change :money: Now we just have to get a few bits for DS, he is more of a funny age so not so cheap to run DH has a day off on Friday so we will be bargain hunting. Unfortunately this is a must he had to super glue his trainers together last week and is getting so tall his tops are like boob tubes :rotfl:
Our shopping budget is £300 p/m and we often come in at around £250.

In all the rest of this year will be mainly getting straight and setting budgets and mini goals. I have set up lots of different savings accounts to sit alongside my bank account so will be moving money to the correct pocket as it comes in.

I will be back to write my mini goals soon.

GeorgieG_2

OK so I have been thinking about goals for the rest of the year and so far have come up with the following:

Save and buy a car max £1500
Pay for holiday £500 + £250 spending money
Pay off council tax arrears £356
Start up a d/d for the water rates with a set amount towards the arrears
Pay back DS £300
Pay back DH Nan £500 (she kindly helped us move)
Save towards Christmas will need to look at budget for this
Find a part time job

So between now and Christmas I am looking at approx £5500 :eek:
I will be getting an extra £600 over the summer and £100 at Christmas. DH is working lots of overtime and we are hoping if his overtime continues we will be able to put aside a minimum of £500 p/m but we are aiming for £700. Saving only £500 p/m will leave us £1400 off target.

I need to create an ebay account to start making some extra income and de-clutter. DH will be doing a few carboot sales soon, I can't see us making much though :rotfl:

Oooo just remembered I have £50 online visa cards which can go towards the Council Tax :j

GeorgieG_2

So today I have joined a payment a week challenge, found my old nectar account, earn't 60 points with adpoints and found my consumer pulse details. I now need to sort out VO. I will use the vouchers for the Christmas pot.
I have transferred £14 from my current account and spread it across different saving pots I will hopefully add to this during the week.

I have done a mini budget as I get paid fortnightly most of the bills have already been paid and a few are higher than normal:
Pay £674
Money Out
Car Insurance £28
Sky £38
BT £70 (high as just moved and includes charges, and installation)
DH mobile £30
Council Tax £180
AA £9.50
Petrol £100
Shopping £40
DD School Trip £33
DS new clothes/Trainers £100 :eek:
FC savings £40

Leaves £5

Not all the bills are due out before I next get paid but I want to put the money aside so I know we have it.
The petrol costs are weekly we live in a rural area and DH has to drive 70 miles a day for work and I have to ferry DFC for lots of appointments.

GeorgieG_2

Jobs for today

[STRIKE]Check bank account[/STRIKE] In credit
[STRIKE]Clean kitchen[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Clear 1 bin liner of clutter for tip[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Clean living room[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Pack clean washing away[/STRIKE]
aim for 60 adpoints
look at surveys
enter at least 30 competitions

I still have loads of washing to do, but we have lots of black clouds in the sky and DFC broke my airer at the weekend. The weather forecast said a 2 week heatwave will be starting later this week so I am hoping to finally catch up.
I have checked the bank account and I am hoping to be able to move £20 to the car savings on Friday. :j
Now for a cuppa to think about starting the above list

GeorgieG_2

Well I have done most of my list I have done 40 adpoints so far so will do more when the kids are in bed. I have looked at the surveys and then looked away! I will enter some comps tonight when it's nice and quiet.

I had a few spends today £10 top up for my mobile which should last me 2 months and £20 petrol. I also need to buy nappies but I am putting this off until tomorrow.

chanie

Welcome and good luck with your diary.

Where are you going to on holiday?

charmedlassie

Welcome! I look forward to following your diary and journey to being debt free!

Divingmad

Welcome and good luck on your journey


Have subscribed so that I can keep up with how you get on


DM

GeorgieG_2

Hi thank you for your support.

We are going to a caravan site in Yorkshire, I can't wait DD2 has never been on holiday and if we didn't have DFC we wouldn't be going again this year. So I'm kind of glad it has been enforced on us! We all need it.

Today I have DD2 home with me and I am hoping to keep her in knickers all day. She does use the potty but normally cries and shakes at the sight of knickers. DD1 helped this morning and told her she wears them coz she is a big girl and DD2 put them on.

I am hoping for a fairly relaxed day with DD2 and currently thinking stuff the housework :rotfl:

GeorgieG_2

Pay day today and have blown the budget already.:o It was all stuff that was needed and some stocking fillers in the sale. I will post some figures tomorrow as still need to get DS some trainers, unfortunately they don't seem to sell them on the high street. Ebay have a few and sports direct online so will have to order them online. I will try and get some cash back.
Luckily I don't like shopping so it won't be a regular thing

A few bills to pay tonight and then I will be thinking roll on Tuesday for Working Families tax credits.

I have been trying to get hold of DS for the last hour to say we will be late collecting him and his phone is off :mad::mad::mad:

GeorgieG_2

Had a lovely busy weekend at home with the kids, we have made paper mache money boxes and started making plans for our Christmas crafts.

Money wise although we have overspent on DS I have managed to put some money away. We currently have £51 in the car account and all but £50 put aside for the remaining bills. I get child tax credit on Tuesday so will put aside what I can from that.

Money in
£670
Money out
Bill account £150
Food £40
Petrol £100
Rent account £250
DS Trip £130
Hopefully we won't need the full petrol and food budget so I can move some of this at the end of the week. I have also over estimated on the bill account but I will leave the money there until the end of the month.