NST: October Turtle Triathlon

thriftylass

Caeraugirl wrote: »

Thriftylass, remember the days of nursery fees well - sadly I didn't feel any better off once they ended, all good intentions of putting same amount into savings sadly evaporated quite quickly once I stopped paying - I wasn't nearly so MSE in those days.

What gets me is the fact that we earn now less than before kids (changed jobs after) and pay out that much money to nursery and are still able to save, pay debt etc. whereas before kids we just spend that money :eek:, probably in the pub

PheoniX

Yo turtles :wave:

Quick check in to declare a SFD and that Ive updated the debt total. Minimum £25 taken off the cc today bringing it down to a funny balance but once the boiler has been serviced in the next week, I will know exactly whats left over and will tilly the silly odd numbers to get it down to an even one

Been thinking quite a bit about the Bike challenge and have realised that my bike is well and truly chained up for now and I feel I cant dream too far into the future because each change depends on the step taken before it I had a woe is me moment yesterday thinking how tough it is being single with the one income and how nice it would be if I was in a relationship where my partner would hold the financial fort for a while, so I could retrain at uni However, I guess the upside of singledom is that I only have myself and my own finances to think about without having to worry about anyone elses..

Going to get ready now for my last night shift.. Whoop :j

apple_muncher

Hellooo triathlete turtles! Seems like many of us need tlc, so remember the M of SWIM - me-time where you look after yourself first.

I am super fortunate to have a dh who supports me wholeheartedly. I am well and truly blessed with him! He knows how much I want to get rid of the mortgage and he has reined in his own spending so we have enough to do the car and housey repairs without it impacting on repayments. However, he decided I needed a new laptop so has ordered me one!! I have instructed him to buy me nothing else for Christmas!

Those of you who were with kat in August may remember that I had a huge travel budget that I didn't spend - it was for if I needed to make a last-minute trip to deepest darkest Cornwall to see my uncle. We managed to see him whilst on holiday in Devon, but he was near the end. Last Friday he was moved into a hospice and died peacefully on Sunday. It is particularly gut-wrenching for my mum, his sister. Words can't describe it very well. Well, the funeral is this friday - so I'm off down there on Thursday day (my lovely Head gave me leave of absence and a lovely reply to my request) and will meet mum down there.

And my dh is the one who looked up the trains for me, talked me through the timing logistics of getting back from work then out to the train station, bought my ticket and is collecting it for me today. He's a keeper!

I wish I had snuggly blankets to wrap around people, so I'll send imaginary ones out. Treat yourselves with love and care, and lets the dreams flow!

luckystarr

Hello all

Sorry i have not been on for a while.

Applemuncher sorry to hear about your uncle.
Sending hugs to all that need them.

I have completely fell off the wagon and it's me that is rubbish with money not my OH he is really good with money.

I am not grasping the concept that we DON'T have the money to spend on the things I want. As I am spending what we don't have we are living the overdraft and we still owe MIL and have a loan. Plus it is starting to come between me and my OH

Sorry for the pity party just can't seem to get a grip and motivated. I love this thread and the people on it you are ace

Please can people give me there best tips and hints.... I have got to get this sorted.

THANK YOU all so much i do appreciate it xx

mothernerd

Caeraugirl I am with you on the hobbies. Without wishing to seem anti-men (slagging off men isn't particularly helpful when you are raising 3 boys) I do think modern men are allowed to continue childhood indefinitely (worse since the advent of video games).

When my brother broke his arm after coming off his motorbike, the whole ward he was on was football/ rugby/ motorcycle accidents and it was party central every night (the hospital was closing, most wards had already moved to the new site and they were out of regular pain-killers so visitors were encouraged to bring in beer for the 'patients'.

I think the reason they make girls play rubbish games at school (apologies to those who enjoyed them and there is more choice nowadays) is can you imagine a world where 90% of the women spent every weekend playing/ watching netball and hockey - the country would grind to a halt.

apple muncher sorry to hear about your uncle but glad he received the care he needed and was surrounded by love. Congratulations on your OH. I have been impressed by a young man I initially found boring (he played golf which didn't help. He is just so gentle with his two young daughters and considerate (his wife did complain about his 'man flu', arguing that even when ill she is still expected to cope with the two girls and elderly dependents).

lucky starr might it help to start with just one thing (I know everything always seems to need attention at once) such as food spending, plan, use what you have and avoid unnecessary shopping trips (and temptations) then when you feel that is under control, tackle another bit. Obviously if you need to stay away from internet shopping sites or utility bills are the issue, look at that first, but feeling in control in one area can help. Is there anything you particularly want advice on (top 3 bug-bears atm)?

NSD for me. Brought a celebrations box full of carrot and celery sticks and broccoli upstairs with the remaining dips and that has done me most of the day, loitering on the internet (getting bored with early retirement thread - except for the odd poster they seem to be earning humongous amounts of money and seem incredulous that anyone can exist on less than £25k per year, anyone not aiming to earn enough to start re-paying their student loan within 2 years of graduating is a failure). They aren't bothering me, I just find people who 'need' 4 vehicles slightly comical - maybe I look at things the wrong way round. When one of our college tutors started talking about £18k jobs where you needed to drive (and needed a car to go to the place you picked up the van you would drive round in for most of the day, I thought well if I get a £10k job that doesn't need a car, I'd be on the same level - £8 was the average cost of running a car at the time). I worked out the tax and N.I. on £18k and the net amount came down again.

Eventually got moving again so have used 2 boxes of wood filler on the gaps at the sides of the attic stairs and undercoated the middle of the steps and the supporting blocks underneath. At 10.30am tomorrow I can gloss the portion I've undercoated and then undercoat the bits where the filler is 'curing'. Got a couple of doors in my sights and a patch behind the toilet where a tile broke and there is orange paint showing. If I do all that (manana I think) I will have another half dozen 'use ups'. Also cleaned more of the kitchen - it's so clean, it's scary. Phoned the boiler man but no reply yet. Gradually adding to the cs pile.

Take it slowly turtles, we need more hugs and rugs.

Tiggy10

Hi all

Sorry for no check in its been super hectic!

Another 2 nsd for me. House sitting for mum for a week so free hot water and electricity!

Hope you have all had a good day.

liltdiddylilt

Hello all

I feel a mammoth update coming on. I hope at least some of it is useful!

Caeraugirl On the 30th September I carted myself out at 10:40pm to get sugar and ketchup from the local shop, just so I didn't start with a spend day So no you're not weird trying to combat your spends. I always try and bottle mine up!

thrifty - a long shot maybe, but Jelly (born 9th April) got 2yo funding of 15 hours from 1st September this year. I got a card through the door prompting me, but my friend in a worse situation didn't get one and wouldn't have known about it had I not said. She had to send off a form for her son. Might be worth looking up what the requirements are. As far as I can see, it is the same for us. If I had to pay that much out on childcare frankly I would sob. I was paying £60 a week for 13 hours until the funding kicked in. As for 'owing' the kids money, far better you don't look at it that way. It is inheritance money that they will get as and when they need/want it once they reach a certain age. Until then, you are the bank, utilising it to get the best return and/or earn money from it. Jellytot has a little fund, but right now it is tied up with my own savings until January. I had a separate fund besides this, as I always try and save the child benefit for her, but I required the cash towards other things. She will get the cash, but right now times are tough in the Lilt household and the money was easiest to use without (as you know) paying a premium for it or getting into debt when there was cash sat in an account. hugs though!

apple I know it was expected but that does not make it any easier. I am glad that his final days and weeks were comfortable and supported and that you got your chance to say goodbye. OH is certainly earning brownie points. I hope you are ok, and send love and hugs to both you and your mum.

luckystarr - I have never thought of myself as being spendthrift; I got into debt because I didn't earn enough to pay the bills quite simply. I wasn't ridiculous with money. What I was terrible with was shopping. I have for many years easily spent as much on food and other supermarket tat thrown into the basket on a whim *cough* egg slicer the other week *cough* as the average 4-5 person family on a moderate income. The figures don't add up. I go in for milk, I come out with £30 of junk because I was a bit hungry and everything I saw looked good. Since I started meal planning or, if I didn't manage that, at least writing a LIST and sticking to it, my groceries bill has more than halved. I am ashamed to admit it is probably a third of what it has been sometimes. If I leave this challenge for a month, I fall so totally off the wagon because I do not think, and plan what is coming up for the next few days, and so go to the shop for one item and come out with 20. That is my continual spiral. So... find out what your weakness is. What are you most likely to give in to without much willpower? Is it a takeaway coffee at the garage? Lunches at work, shopping on your lunch break for clothes or bits and bobs? Internet shopping? Deliberately buying things you do not need because it was a 'bargain'? Once you find that thing, or THOSE things, work on attacking them. Keep up with the challenges, simply to try and organise yourself around what it is that your aim is. Once you start to get some satisfaction from fixing that money leaking problem, you will be the plumber of your dreams, plugging holes everywhere and stacking the cash. A super virtual Super Mario

mothernerd I have one of those men boys, living on not just one games console but juggling several. He is 24 soon, going on 14. It is frustrating and frankly I blame his mother for running around like a headless chicken after him and his father for every day of his life. When he moved out the first time, she was finally able to realise just how much she did and how much work he created for her. He was creating it for me. He is a chronic underachiever in everything except computer games, has no aim in his life, and lives from one release date to the next. We have fought long and hard over the years, but he is almost liveable with now. And since he moved out, his mum has been amazed at him cooking for her, making cups of tea, and putting his clothing in the washing basket. Not to mention cleaning the sink after a shave and making his bed/opening his curtains. Yes he really was that bad. Mothers of boys, you do women no favours bringing them up to believe a woman should run around after them! That is by no means said as a slight to you mothernerd. I think you do a fantastic job of both looking after and making your boys look after you. That is the balance MiL was lacking.

Right Not a SFD again. Had to pay for haircut but considering I had 4-5 inches chopped off :eek: and a restyle, I was expecting closer to twice what I paid. So £27 down there. Whilst I was doing that, I bought nieces other bday present, with Boots points. I popped to the shop for an emergency yellow sticker dinner as the pork chops were still like bricks, and pork is the one thing I won't microwave to defrost! Pizza that should have been £5. Frankly wasn't worth the £1.85 I paid for it. Also got Jelly some pasta sauce she loves, fresh from Mr S. One for the freezer and one to use, whilst on offer. And some chocolate

I got my contents insurance for a grand total after cashback which has tracked, of £38.28 happy with that!! I had put £40 away for it

3 straight days of no spend coming up. I have milk, bread x2, dinners galore ready to rumble, frozen pots of homemade soups to take to work for the next 3 days. There shall not be a penny leaked!!!

I am feeling much more energised, thanks to apples lovely snuggy bike trailer ready for my own bike again! Hope everyone can join me

Also... I have been painkiller free since THURSDAY. From the girl taking 8 x 30mg/500mg co-codamol tablets a day for the last 18 months, this feels incredible!! :j:j back to work tomorrow, and hoping I won't have to use many.

Told you it was epic. Sorry guys, feel free to skip. xx

thriftylass

Woohoo, glad you were able to stop the painkillers and feel better. Thanks lilt, DS has been getting the funding since August this year. The problem is that he is now in a council nursery. There is no funding during school holidays here and most private nurseries divvy it up over the year, but the council nursery sticks to the school terms, hence every month costs differently.

Re the kids money. Yes they don't need it now and i got plenty of time to pay them back, but it wasn't savings it's all gifted money from when they were born and a future fund from granpa. That's why I feel a bit guilty. But they'll have it back in no time, well some time next year .

My condolences to you apple and your family. Hugs

liltdiddylilt

Don't tell my mum and MiL but £90 of Jellytots birthday gifts from them is currently not accounted for... aka in with my own savings for now don't sweat it priorities! I am written into my Pop's will (Mums dad) as getting a gift inheritance. It will not amount to much, but a small part of it will be used to buy a keepsake, and the rest will go to Jelly, even should she get her own part of the inheritance. - as long as I reach the best amount I can, selflessly but without putting myself and my finances at risk, by the time she is 16, I will be happy!

Our private nursery has not spoken of divvying up the fees over the year. I must enquire about that. Jelly is in for her own expansion rather than a 'need' luckily, but it would be good to have the info for the summer when I wouldn't like her to miss out! How rubbish of the council. I know money is tight at the minute, but would you consider opening a separate account to put the divvied up fees into weekly/monthly, so that they are there as required, but almost the same as a payment plan?

thriftylass

His old private nursery where DD goes just now was just taken over by a new owner and every month costs the same. Before that they also had uneven monthly payments incl if it was a 4 or 5 week month. So I think very nursery has its own billing system. I got a calendar today from DS New nursery that tells me exactly which days/weeks are funded and I'll incorporate that in my budgets for the next few months. As long as I know and can adjust other spends it'll be fine.