Crunchy pays it down....£20k...the final chapter

crunch_time

Yes there were. I hadn't kept it a secret at all I was just being all official with a letter. It felt like a weight had been lifted and it is what I needed to do get on with my life in many ways.

I should have moved on a long time ago but stayed because my family live nearby and I have been lucky enough not to pay for childcare since DS came along. From September I will have to OR I wont have a job - one of the two. There has always been a massive hole in our budget where childcare should have been which has enabled us to move and pay back debt. With the prospect of this ending soon, I have had a massive reality check these last few days.

I've been rejiggling the budgets, changing figures and who pays for what. I have a plan for if I carried on being employed BUT paying for childcare, and a plan for if I temporarily am not.

The key thing is that it matches our goals BUT importantly makes us more realistic with our money.

Got lots of errands to do today and of course housework with a teething DD.

Crunchy xx

sugarcube84

Saw this and thought of you


http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/vax#vax80

crunch_time

Thanks Sugarcube84! I think we will miss the offer though as still not got the money.

We wont be hiring a van to pick up the wardrobes after all so that saves us about £50. Just got a trip at the weekend to pick them up about an hour away costing us £6 in fuel. Winner! I've already started to pack up the horrible clothes rail and under bed boxes I have had to put up with for 18 months ready to go up in the loft tonight!!!

Also, husband just came bounding inside to tell me his expenses total and wondering what a difference that would make in terms of his credit card going down. Shocked that he is chasing me rather than other way round, I have leapt onto the computer to do some maths and the answer is about £150. He seemed very please with that. I told him to keep up the good work. The expenses will be paid next week and I will hold back some for the minimum payment but that will keep that credit card heading in the right direction!!

It feels very spring like todays so ive been thinking about painting the childrens rooms and dreaming on pinterest. Hmmmmm.

Crunchy xx

crunch_time

Morning diary!

I went to be at 8pm last night and got woken up at 6.15am this morning. Feel like a million dollars!!!

A few bits on bay of e sold last night. They only went for 99p each but every little helps right? Got to post the items today.

Its pay day a week today!

Crunchy xx

crunch_time

Hey everyone!!!

We spent the morning in the local Q of B purchasing paint samples to annihilate the cheap magnolia we currently have. I got a bit carried away and now there are random patches of paint on pretty much all wall of the house. Ha ha! At least it will motivate me to paint it now. I have accumulated around £30 of nec tar points to start us off so hopefully will be able to get the smallest room done over the Easter holidays.

After looking at the budget, I should be able to get about £300 off the credit card with Marchs pay days unless anything crops up.

I'm going to feel a real sense of achievement when that credit card is paid off. Hopefully not long to go!

Crunchy xx

crunch_time

Morning diary!!

Working week done for me. Currently cosied up on the sofa with a coffee doing the banking.

We got a child benefit payment this month even though husband is now over the threshold with his pay rise last month. I'm assuming that is our last payment so I have adjusted our budget spreadsheet taking out that as an income now. I have used our last payment to pay down the credit card a bit more and made a note to get husband to ring up about it next week.

This means the credit card stands at £903. I'm hoping to sling a little bit extra at it on Friday when I get paid bringing it into the £8xx and total debt into the £15,xxx. Very happy with that.

Spendy March will give way to frugal April. I will endeavour to make a list of free things to do with the kids at home so we don't have to use fuel. I just want to buy some furniture for DD's room when I get paid on the 19th, from kea of I. I have budgeted about £150.

Husband is away from tonight on his jolly and not back till next week so I am intending to spend lots of quality time with myself in the evening. All too often I spend my evenings slumped in front of the telly while he watches some rubbish he likes and I amuse myself on my phone. I'm giving myself an opportunity to reacquaint myself with me!!

Off to work out how little I can spend on food until the husband gets back!!

Crunchy xx

crunch_time

Hello everyone

Just realised something noteworthy. So our loan is made up of....

£10k husbands old historical debt from when I met him years ago which just kept getting moved around on credit cards until 2011 when he finally consolidated.
£4K of my old second time at uni debt. I graduated in 2010 and it sat on a credit card (0%) until I consolidated in 2013.
£8k of cars (one of which we no longer own).

Husband and I have decided to count down each amount starting with the oldest. I have just worked out that we have about £1750 left of husbands oldest debt left to pay off before we can start chipping away at my old uni debt.

That will take just over 6 months.!!! I never thought I would see the back of that debt so well done us for all that planning. That will definitely get a mention at the milestone in when that date ones around.

Crunch x

DebtFree2012

Sounds lovely....me, meet me

crunch_time

Ha ha Debtfree2012 - it sounds funny doesn't it!! I think sometimes I just crave some alone time.

So last night, after the kids went to bed, I completed my workout (arms and abs - week 8/12) and then did a few bits for work which my job share needed doing. Then slumped in front of the TV for an hour on my phone before going to bed a reading for a bit. Old habits die hard eh?

Though I did text some friends to arrange meeting up!

Tonight's plan is to get all outstanding stuff on the bay of e, including summer stuff. And get all the stuff to go to charity shop down from the loft as that will be something to do on Saturday.

Right, better to get ready for DS swimming lesson!

Pay day tomorrow!

Crunchy xx

crunch_time

Morning diary!

Pay day today and husband has also been paid his expenses!
So I have paid off the new vacuum cleaner and iron and managed to shave off another £5 so my credit card currently stands at £898! This means there is only the shed deposit left. The 'postnatal depression spending spree' from last summer has officially been paid off now.

I saved £55 for a minimum payment for husbands cc for April but after some maths that means his cc is currently at £1262. Result!!

And total debt is £15,881!!!!! Broken into the £15,xxx so very happy with that.

I put most stuff on bay of e last night but then they started charging me insertion fees so I will have to wait to put the rest on when we get into April. Yesterday was also a NSD. AFter swimming, because it was such a lovely day we played outside on all the ride ons and I dreamed of plans for our garden.

Feeling a bit ropey today. Woke up with a sore throat and headache so might just do some yoga later whilst DD is napping instead of my work out tonight.

Planning a NSD today. My evening plan is to get my sewing stuff out and giving it a good sort out and then perhaps have a bath with a camomile tea.

Off to update my signature. Happy Friday everyone!!

Crunchy xx