NSK: The June Overhaul!!!

dolly84

Pay day today, I have paid available money out to relevant places and updated signature. I can't pay as much as normal off this month as both cars need insuring so I have set a large sum of money aside for that and if anything is left then I will allocate it to the debt. I had already saved up some money for the insurance but unfortunately left it a bit late to get the whole amount, next year I should have it all in advance.

NinjaSavingKat

apple_muncher wrote: »

But I would suggest that you don't wait to be able to afford a child. Far too much can be spent on unnecessary gubbins, and yet children can be raised cheaply and successfully and lovingly too.

MagicCat I would have to agree with AppleMuncher on this one. I know your debt is substantial - and to all intents and purposes a little scary for you. Envying a persons car, home or furnishings is one thing - and it's one thing that I would have a serious word with you about because they are probably in debt for these things...:o... but a baby is something entirely different.

I don't say this very often if at all - but some things are more important than paying off debt.

You might regret not having a baby now - can I ask how old you are? And where does your debt lie? Credit Cards or mortgage etc..? (sorry please please stop me here if this is too personal)...

I think your friends would be so happy for you to have a little one - think of all the hand me down clothes you could pinch - free-cycle for the prams and accoutrements - a baby doesn't have to be THAT expensive.

If it grows up in a frugal house then GOOD! It did me no harm.

I am not sure what else to say really but I my 40+year old friends regret it terribly that they do not have children....

Biggest hugs my lovely - everyone is allowed to vent on this thread and yes it is moneysaving orientated as you are being incredibly sensible with no having children but as AppleMuncher said - it doesn't have to that expensive. And if everyone waited until they could afford a child no-one would have them.

x x x

MagicCat

NinjaSavingKat wrote: »

You might regret not having a baby now - can I ask how old you are? And where does your debt lie? Credit Cards or mortgage etc..? (sorry please please stop me here if this is too personal)...

I Biggest hugs my lovely - everyone is allowed to vent on this thread and yes it is moneysaving orientated as you are being incredibly sensible with no having children but as AppleMuncher said - it doesn't have to that expensive. And if everyone waited until they could afford a child no-one would have them.

x x x

Thank you NSK – you are very kind. :AAdvice from people on here is making me think! I am 34. Debt is a mix of 0% credit cards, with the 0% expiring jan 2015, and a loan (I haven’t even include mortgage – around 168k at present, 23 years left to run). I’ve been saving in ISAs towards the credit cards, so we’ve got the month to pay them off when due, so that will be gone by the end of the year, and trying to throw what extra we can at the loan – given how we’ve been doing over the past few months, we should start 2015 with around 10,700, which with more to throw at it once the credit cards are gone could be gone in another 6 months. :j
Actually, thinking about it logically like that, it’s not really as bad as I had thought – we could be paid off by next June/July! :TThat thought is amazing! Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed by the monthly slog towards saving money and debt repayments, I think I’m missing the wood for a whole lot of scary trees.:eek:
A lot to think over. And to talk over with OH.:o
Thank you very much everyone – it has really helped me to share this and hear your thoughts! All I’ve been saying to myself for ages is “crazy irresponsible MagicCat, you can’t even think of a family in the state you’re in” so having people be so positive has been a real eye opener.
xxx

abundant1972

Hey all...

Quick check in - end of the financial month for me HOORAH - bl**dy -RAH! Am so glad. I've noted that the amount of money in my account seems to have a direct correlation on my emotional well being... it shouldn't - but it does.

July: No heeldess spending. No credit card abuse.

I got final statements on my debts... I clear one at the end of next month from Lloyds finally. Will be so pleased to see the back of it. Am hoping I will get enough overtime over the next 2 months to clear the CC for good too.

Have a good evening...

nyc_451

Ok I did REALLY bad in this challenge - exceeded my budget by a hundred pounds! Had some unexpected socialising recently... To be honest, that's what I spend every month, just wanted to do better this time... OK, aiming for 200 in July. Ouch.

apple_muncher

MagicCat, I was 36 when dh 'agreed' to try - he already had 3 kids from his 1st marriage. I finally gave birth aged 39 and a half! So, I say 'go for it!"

I claim another NSD, taking me to 17 :T. I have been sooo poorly. I spent half of last night in the bathroom, rather green-faced, and eventually threw up. But the more worrying part was that I blacked out twice and only knew it had happened when I woke up on the floor. I am very very fortunate indeed to have done mi imal damage to myself as our bathroom is tiny.

I have spent today dozing on the sofa - after washing everythingI'd come into contact with last night, plus the school run. My skin hurts all over, my joints ache. I have eaten an apple and 2 mint humbugs, which sat ok. But I nearly passed out again when getting dd her tea. Hmmm. Maybe I shouldn't be thinking of going to work tomorrow...!

However, on the plus side, I've been vaguely aware of some cracking tennis matches!

So, today I am grateful for dd helping to get her tea as I ran to the loo, for lovely neighbour collecting dd and then kepping her at her's to play, for big glasses of water, for a yummy apple, for dh doing everything for dd once he got home and before he had to go out.

liltdiddylilt

Hello!
Sorry to post when I am not even part of this challenge but I just wanted to add in my two pen'orth to MagicCat...

I was £2.5k in debt when I accidentally got pregnant with my Jellytot. It might seem small in comparison to yours but it was a giant horrifying mountain I couldn't hope to climb by myself. Somehow having her made me much more money savvy and I cleared my debt by the time she was 11 months old. You've heard this from some clever folk already but honestly anyone who waits for all their ducks to be in a row, financially especially, will NEVER have children. There is never the perfect time for it. Somehow everything just falls into place when you have them in your arms though.

As for not knowing whether you can have them or not, I have a medical condition which means that it should have been exceptionally hard for me to get pregnant. I was very very lucky. I sincerely hope you are too. There is nothing in this world, lottery wins, fast cars, houses, holidays... NOTHING that compares to a smile from your child.

Everyone else, I am always impressed with your staying power with these challenges! Well done, and Kat as always, thanks for thinking them up. I may squeak in for July if there is one

mothernerd

Tried to do a lot of things today but not much achieved - or perhaps concluded is a better way of putting it. To start on a positive note - i went back out last night and did an hour or so, scrubbing the flags at the back of the house ('patio ' would be way too posh to describe it:rotfl:) but used all the stuff so am not going to hit my NSD target.

Gentle start today - Put the charity sacks out at 6am and turned the alam clock off. DS1 was due late morning to collect an ebay 'win' he had delivered here as he was in Greece until yesterday evening. Decided not to risk returning library books and buying more flag cleaner before he came - good job because DS1's late morning is 9am apparently.

Put him to good use as he was able to run after the united utilities van which was just about to shoot off - they can't put the meter where the surveyor had marked as it 'on the public highway' (beside my gatepost on a pavement that is wide enough for two cars comfortably - three at a pinch) and my pipes are plastic and they only had metal detector equipment so another team will have to come with equipment for finding plastic pipes. They had made the garden tidier - put all the spare soil from the red hot poker planting yesterday back in place. And the man from the charity picked the bags up while we were still by the front door so another box ticked.

DS1 asked if I were using the wifi keyboard he bought last year and if he could have it - I said fine but he would have to use his mountaineering skills to climb into the attic. He thought I was joking:rotfl:. So stood shouting instructions on the location of the list of things I needed (don't anybody dare say my house isn't organised - I can tell someone where things are in a room I haven't been able to get into since March). So now have spare fence paint, wallpaper to complete little bedroom, bag (old one went in charity sack), spare pills and 3 more T-shirts + the wifi thing.

He has also promised to come and do some work on his days off (DS3 remains skeptical). I am to list jobs in the order of which are most difficult for me to do.

Went to town and did library and small shop - needed flag cleaner but also a variety of things on the need to want scale -another small loaf, bananas and 'cereal' bars (both easy if need something to keep me going during hard work periods) and some 'extras' plus a 58p ys'd meat feast pizza for DS3.

Exercise done - everywhere. Exercised while talking to DS1 - just stand in that corner. Did stretches every time I have been stuck at a pedestrian crossing waiting for the lights to change in my favour. Have also been thinking about each step, purposefully peeling each foot up from the heel - this feels a bit strange but I think when I start to get tired my body is 'anticipating' the pain and going into 'default mode' to ward off any problems. It's just doing it automatically even if the problems aren't there (hope that makes sense). Feeling taller as well. Not entirely pain free but moving a lot more - actual problems had been brief, although I did choose to remain standing instead of struggling to get up after sitting.

Back home - slabs have been swept de-weeded and de-mossed. Broke up some cracked concrete which I thought was a rough skim over some non-matching slabs - no it's just bare dirt (will have to dig out, cover with weed-proof membrane and cover with some of the stone chippings). Moved the ladders downstairs and climbed up to level with the top of the window, cleared out the guttering, attempted to replace broken piece (three different screwdrivers + rubber glove - no rubber band available - to get purchase on a screw). had been up and down the ladders about ten times and legs were aching so stopped for a rest - fighting to stay awake. Also fascia board needed painting and worried about peeling masonry paint. Went back allowed for 1/2 hour scraping which left me 1/2 hour to get back to town for new list of supplies (diy store marginally nearer but 30 - 50% dearer). So another £24 (bargain as first paint and u/c were £13 each -probably perfect for the job but my basket of 4 good enough products was less) Bought 2 bottles of diet coke - would have bought fizzy water if they had had it.

Came back home and did about 50 trips round the garden giving plants a much needed soaking - first time this year I have used the tap, it has all been collected water so far.

So all budgets - including some I didn't have - are blown. Need to add £2 to travel as caught the bus back (heavy rucksack) both times - I did try to get a lift home the second time but the person I went to wasn't home. This is getting more difficult and I don't know how much longer I can legitimately continue with these challenges. Realistically my total debt will have gone up this month (not spending time working it out until I have submitted my tax return and working tax credit review). There won't be the usual reduction next month as after the loan payment is made the final portion of the interest goes on. I am doing as much of the house renovation work as possible myself. Wherever possible I am using what I have (I did consider painting the fascia board cornflower blue as I have a little paint left from painting the cupboard in the dining room). But some money will have to be spent.

Looking on the bright side local houses seem to be selling in months (couple of blocks up so a higher bracket?) and I am more hopeful of getting near the price I paid for it whereas even a few months ago I was prepared to take a £25,000 loss. The challenge does help keep me focused on spending as little as possible (DS1 expressed concern that I don't seem to have many clothes).

Sorry this is a huge post again - use it to threaten your children if they won't go to sleep.

Fmess

Oh poor you apple muncher you definitely need tomorrow off work! You must recuperate and you'll be doing them a favour by not passing it on. Hope you feel better soon.

Spend day today as was helping a friend out with something.

Busy couple of weeks at the moment but I feel like it's beating me at the moment I just need to keep going.

Night all

NinjaSavingKat

AppleMuncher you need to go to the Dr if you are blacking out. This is not normal. What if the next time it happens you whack your head good and hard and you are unable to call an ambulance.. ??... Doctor please!

And please do not go to work! I can call them for you if you want....;- )