DFB35 Diary

DFB35

Been a bit quiet. I think its a combination of the fact that I have a clear plan now and cannot over pay as much as I did last month due to clearing my Emergency Savings, so March will feel like a slower month on the repayment front.

I think now that initial excitement of the paying off debts worn off a bit, its the start of a good hard long term slog haha

Sounds depressing especially for a self confessed impatient person! But thats the way its going to have to be .. slow and steady..

I have been playing around with the budget numbers on YNAB and it absolutely amazes me how much money I must have wasted over the years.. I seem to have so much surplus!! How on earth did i manage to spend it all and more before my LBM?!!

When I finally get debt free I will have so much extra! Really looking forward to it..

As it stands at the moment, I will be overpaying both my loans each month by a £100. And need to allocate £200 into savings which will be split between Emergency and all the little pots from my YNAB. I might still be tempted to use some of it for more overpayments but have to be mindfull of my "yearly spends" etc..

Will update my signature with March savings pot.

Also I have recalculated my Loan overpayments schedule and Loan1 is due to finish in Jan 2017 and Loan 2 in Dec 2017 - so will update my DFD!

No other updates Will log on to update with next months pay unless something else comes up during the month..

Take care

DFB35

Still plodding along and being MSE

Had a few unexpected spends, annual green waste collection fee - 35, husbands entertainment subscription 26 and my monthly pet shop was 37 instead of 30...

But nothing majorly off budget, so I'm pleased! Getting to grips with YNAB but having difficulties reconciling and sometimes forget to adjust a category and can only do it on a PC and not in app which is annoying.

Been working hard, had my mid year review and they seem pleased with me. Kids had their parents evenings and all good there too.

Hoping to get to the end of the month with some money left over, will keep focused and fingers crossed

DFB35

Arghhh was in such a good place when I wrote last post just a few hours ago... But about half hour after posting had some bad news

It will be ok I'm sure we will sort something out.. But in a nut shell we been having childcare problems for the past few months as our regular child provider is not available anymore. I seemed to have sorted it last month, albeit for an extra £ per month.. But now that is also falling through... School club is out of the question as we need longer hours... And when I last looked a month ago there was no one available. Husbands work was understanding initially and he was able to leave early to pick up from after school club, but then changed their tune and not supportive. I cannot leave early, it's out of the question... Due to the nature of my job and I'm paid more than husband so don't want to jeopardise my job in any way

Now what to do.. Don't know.. Have until end of Easter hols to sort it out. It is possible husband might need to leave his job to find something that works around after school club hours. I'm the main earner so wouldn't make sense for me to, but that just putting me under a lot of pressure.

We work so hard but need reliable childcare in order to do so, and in an ideal world I wouldn't even want to work so much but who is going to pay the mortgage, car, bills, food and debts??

stepuptothepl8

Hi :wave:

Just a couple of thoughts re after school care.. What about asking on your local facebook notice board for au pair/ childminder recommendations? Or could you ask at your local nursery if any of the staff would like to earn some extra?

Good luck, I know these things seem insurmountable at first but you'll find a solution xx

DFB35

Thank you stepuptp8
The search is in full mode.. I'm starting to get weary of childminders now, only because when you are relying on one person, understandably it can be a bit unrealiable even if its not their fault. Arghhhh so stressful, I really thought I had it sorted and this new childminder had fab facilities and all the kids got on great.. Oh well

Husband is in talks with work to see if they will allow a permanent hours change so then he is able to pick up from afterschool club which will be more reliable. I really hope it won't come to him having to leave his job. That would be less than ideal! Unfortunately no family nearby to help either and when we looked before a month ago we couldn't find anyone with a space - how is that even possible?! We are just outside London so I guess there is fewer demand in my area maybe..

Would love it if the roles were reversed and I could cut my hours or even get a job around school hours but it's not to be. As it stands if husband cuts his hours we will be ok but might not be able to make loan overpayments which would push back my DFD but not the end of the world. If he leaves the job things would be very very tight, bordering on impossible.. Hope it won't come to that!

DFB35

Another unexpected but necessary spend - 2 pairs of school trousers and school shoes for son. And two red noses £27

Even though we had some unbudgeted spends this month, none have been "bad" and with YNAB categories I wouldn't even call them unexpected as such.

Now until the childcare is 100% sorted I'm wary of making more loan overpayments at the moment. Just in case of a worst case scenario,however if the worst happens I won't panic but will post my SOA and I'm sure we will get things sorted

Anyways..... Did a food shop - on budget got some nice beef for Sunday.

Everything is still on track to have money left over at the of the month, this is after putting 200 towards loan over payments and stashing 200 in savings!

Very happy with our progress so far.. How we ended up spending this and more each month and acquiring so much debt is beyond me?!

Payday is in under two weeks and depending on how much we have left over, I'm aiming of putting 500 straight into savings from now on.
Then once childcare sorted and jobs are safe continue with the overpayments.

mummytogirls

Morning DFB,

Sorry to hear you're having trouble with childcare, I hope your DH can sort something with work. We had this just after DD2 started reception class and our childminder let us down. We were mortified but luckily we put them in breakfast club so that they were at school earlier and DH managed to sort with work that he could work from home to enable him to pick the kids up the days I couldn't. Im sure it will all work out and you will wonder why you were so stressed. Is home working not an option for either of you?

xx

DFB35

DFB35 wrote: »

This upcoming week and a bit will be more expensive than usual due to the half term, me going out to see a very good friend and haircuts.

Money available - £700
Budgeted spend - £326
Money left over for debt busting/savings - £374

For those interested breakdown as follows

15th - NSD

16th - hubby £30 for his work lunches for the week, even though he is off work from Wednesday due to the half term I know he will take the full £30 from experience I'm off to visit some friends but NSD for me.

17th - I'm going to visit my mum to give her bday present (bought already and spent much less than I wanted, however got her a lovely scarf hopefully she will like! Also adding a bottle of prosecco I have left over from christmas = cheapskate hehe Will have to pay for kids travel tickets £10, my travel is free. Car parking for the whole day £10 might be less but I'm over estimating.

Then I'm out with a very good friend who I have not seen for a very long time. I have stopped socialising entirely to help us save and get out of debt so I feel very anxious having to do it... But it's my only chance as she is leaving the country. I will try to be as frugal as I can but I'm sure it won't be less that £50

18th Boys haircut £20, will ring up and pay for daughters riding lesson £22

19th - boys cinema trip, tickets £9, treats £10, parking £3 just hope hubby won't buy anything else on impulse (will ask him not to but don't want to be a total control freak)

20th Will need to buy another birthday present, this time for my sons friend about £10

21st Food shop hoping for £60

22nd daughters riding lesson for next week £22

23rd need to pay for sons childcare for the week £70

Total: £326
To put in savings: £374

Will be interesting to see how the real spends will compare to this!

This has really helped me stay focused last month. So this month I'm doing the same :
Money available £400

14th March - food shop coming (but already paid for £61). No other spends.

15th March - daughters horse riding 22 (already paid). No other spends, as having lovely roast dinner for Mother's Day at home

16th March - 30 husbands money for the week (already taken out so not included in 400). 45 sons breakfast club for two weeks (already taken out so also not included in 400)

Therefore not expecting to spend anything from the 400 available until :

17th March - out with sister... Really could do without the extra expense and as she is 18 and doesn't have any money I will have to pay for her too! Grrr but i do want to treat her to be honest, she had tough times recently and going away soon, so i need to see her before she goes. It is hard to put a budget on this.. I will say 40 and hope to do it under. This will cover dinner for two and some presents I will buy that she will take with her (she's going to visit family).

18th March NSD

19th March - we moving office and everyone is going out in the old area for "old times sake". I've not been out much and not been drinking much at all this year, but I will go and mostly drink soft drink. Well maybe couple of beers first so 20 tops!!

20th March - NSD
21st March - food shop around 60
22nd March - daughters riding lesson 22
23rd March - 30 for husband
24 PAYDAY

Total: 172.... I will *let* ourselves go over a bit or maybe another something will come up but by no more than 28 to make it to 200 so will expect to have another 200 left over at the very LEAST.

That's the plan get to the end of the month with 200 available for saving/debt busting and if I can do it better I will

DFB35

mummytogirls wrote: »

Morning DFB,

Sorry to hear you're having trouble with childcare, I hope your DH can sort something with work. We had this just after DD2 started reception class and our childminder let us down. We were mortified but luckily we put them in breakfast club so that they were at school earlier and DH managed to sort with work that he could work from home to enable him to pick the kids up the days I couldn't. Im sure it will all work out and you will wonder why you were so stressed. Is home working not an option for either of you?

xx

Thank you mummytogirls, working from home is a possibility for my husband. He's trying to arrange leaving work early and making up the time from home. For me it would be very hard, I had to do it for a week before and it was a disaster.. My work suffered quite a bit (luckily no one noticed but I knew and it was a quiet week so I definitely wouldn't have coped in a busy week!) so we know I won't be able to do this long term.. Basically I was trying to cram everything into office time, there's certain things I can only do on site and even if I did other stuff at home the main bit of my work suffered.

But staying positive at the moment! Fingers crossed hubby's work will let him change hours permanently.

Xx

Aaleigha

I would child mind at your house if I lived near I am an ex teacher perhaps have a think if any of the children's ex teachers have left teaching a couple of years they might be up for a bit of child minding homework help etc a couple of days would help and mean hubby would not need to leave early every day just make sure they have a recent dbr check you might have to pay for it but they are not hugely expensive
H x