Our long dark road towards the light of freedom

Lizloz

Good evening everyone, I'm back! We have had such a lovely weekend away I just didn't want it to end. It was so lovely to just enjoy the break, and not worry about how we were going to afford to treat ourselves because the money was already put to one side, it made such a huge difference!


It's official now - I am due to return to work 3 weeks today (boo!!). I know that I am doing it for all the right reasons but I feel extremely sad that I couldn't extend my leave a little bit longer, however, I do feel very very lucky that I've been able to have as much time off as I've had as I know there are some people who aren't quite so lucky and have to return after just a few short weeks so I am going to try to remember that every time I pull up to work!


I am now just going to concentrate on enjoying every single second of the next 3 weeks (even if they both drive me crazy....but I love crazy DD1 and DD2).


TTFN x

stay_at_home_mum

good luck in your endeavours. I am a SAHM and although money is tight I cannot afford to work as i would just be paying it straight back on childcare. roll on a couple of years when my 2 are both in full time education!

brizzledfw

Good to read your diary..have subscribed and will cheer you on your way

Brizzle x

Lizloz

Morning everyone and welcome to my new subscribers!


We are now on the cusp of payday week - I should hopefully pick up a little bit more this month than last as it's been a 5 week month but there are only 4 until November payday (not that I'm wishing time away) but November should be slightly easier on the purse!


I'm quite excited for the next few weeks as I get to work out our new budget and with the savings I've made over the last couple of weeks, we should see an improvement in our finances but I would like to use some of those savings I've made to overpay on our debts. I would previously have this little voice in my head telling me, you're ok you've got an extra £xxx amount this week/month so go ahead....spend away!! But not any more...that day is long gone.


I went out for tea last night to a work friend's house. I was told she was making Shepherd's Pie but I naively thought, oh she means cottage pie and will make it with beef mince...but no....she made it with lamb mince...I haven't eaten lamb for well over 20 years since I did my Duke of Edinburgh's award and saw so many lambs in the fields it really put me off. I can't even stand the smell of lamb cooking and my poor husband has to put up with not eating it as I can't even pick up a packet with lamb meat in it, but bless her she didn't know I don't like eating it and I could smell it straight away as soon as she gave me the plate...and I ate it. I have to admit, it was tasty but I wouldn't choose to eat it again. I like to call myself a 'Lamb-atarian'.


I've got some more bar work lined up this Saturday, which I'm really looking forward to but it's one of my husband's mates birthdays so he's going out for that...I feel like I'm going to be working to pay for his night out but I'm not the type to stop him going, I just trust that he keeps our finances in mind while he's out and doesn't go mad.


I've decided to get in touch with the holiday site we stayed on at the weekend to complain about the price of the passes (wristbands) we had to buy when we got there. We paid £20 each (they didn't charge for the girls) and the only time we got asked for it was when we wanted to go in the arcade, which led to the club. Everything at that place was so money orientated it made me mad!! You go in a huge function room where they encourage you to buy family bingo tickets to win a prize worth a couple of quid, they walk around with big character helium balloons at £6 a pop (ours lasted until we got back to the car where it came off the string, much to DD1's dismay!), the drinks cost a fortune, there were extra activities on the site for kids to do which would cost a fortune (even though you've already paid for the van and passes), so I can't honestly see why we were made to pay for these passes when we were barely asked for them (even when we went swimming they were just letting anyone through!). I don't think it will get me any money back but it will be satisfying for me to off-load my thoughts to the management.


We're off to my Momma's in a bit, the dog needs a stroll and DD1 is desperate to go to the park and luckily, she lives right by one!


TTFN.

Lizloz

Dear Diary - is it sad that I am waiting for midnight to roll around so that I can see how much I've been paid this month so that I can figure out our new budget for November??


I really need an early night as well.....

gallygirl

Lizloz wrote: »

Dear Diary - is it sad that I am waiting for midnight to roll around so that I can see how much I've been paid this month so that I can figure out our new budget for November??


I really need an early night as well.....

I used to do that - then found out the money was in my account from around 10.30 the night before :T.

Lizloz

Hi Gallygirl, I did keep checking and ended up being up until midnight anyway as I'm trying to catch up on stuff I've got recorded.


As it turns out, I didn't get as much as I thought, in-fact, it was pretty much the same as last month but because next pay day is 4 weeks away it means I have a bit more to spend each week.


Today has been a fairly low spend day - I didn't get out of my PJ's until 3:30 this afternoon!! DD1 and I spent the morning carving out our pumpkin - it's had a very basic design this year, nothing like the Olaf creation my husband made last year (using a Black & Decker drill!). I thought DD1 would have loved to get her hands stuck in the pumpkin and get all messy and squishy but she made me do all the hard work!! We then had a teddy bear's picnic in the living room (well...it was more like a My Little Pony picnic) and just played for most of the day as the weather here was rubbish.


Although I've got tonnes to do (again!), I'm just watching a bit of Star Wars as I saw the trailer on TV and got all excited so I thought I'd introduce DD1 to the delights of the original (although I hate the new little 'bits' they added when it was re-released). It was quite funny to hear her try and pronounce the names of C3-PO and R2-D2.


I am really really keen to get our house re-mortgaged but finding it difficult to have to wait until I've been back at work for a couple of months as I need some good payslips to submit. My husband is insisting on going through a broker, I think we could manage to arrange it ourselves but it would be nice to have some kind of advice off someone who actually knows what they're talking about!! Lots to think about.


TTFN

Lizloz

Dear Diary - good evening!! Hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend.


It's the 1st November and the first time I can properly update our o/s balances as loan and CC payments have now all been made so here they are:


Santander loan = £3328 / £208/month - finishes Jan' 2017
Nov' 2015: o/s balance £3120
Father-in-law = £9892 / £390/month - finishes Oct' 2017*
Nov' 2015: o/s balance £9502
Barclaycard (in my name) = £6986 / £160/month (0%)
Nov' 2015: o/s balance £6852
MBNA (in husband's name) = £3968 / £148/month (0%)
Nov' 2015: o/s balance £3889
MBNA (in my name) = £1083 / £40/month (29.9% APR)
Nov' 2015: o/s balance £1175 (we had a little spend on this)
Tesco loan = £11,094 / £258/month - finishes Summer 2019
Nov' 2015: o/s balance £10,836


LBM amount: £36,351
Outstanding balance Nov' 2015: £35,374 (£977 paid)


So...not a massive dent but a dent none-the-less.


I'm going to be honest, it hasn't been a great weekend money wise. OH went out yesterday (what is it with men feeling the need to go out from 4 in the afternoon and getting stupidly drunk until late at night?!) and today we've taken the girls out. I did do a spot of bar work again last night but I feel that instead of the OH spending £60 on his night out, he spent £30 as I cancelled out half of it from what I was given....ah well, I guess £30 is better than £0.


I've prepared DD1's uniform for school and in a way, will be glad to get back in to a routine.


Anyway, must go to bed, I'm proper tired!


TTFN.

Lizloz

Dear Diary - oooo, today has been a great day so far!


Popped to the local shopping centre, got my Boots lunch for £1 (even got a triple sandwich pack as Momma was with me so we shared), I had a free Galaxy chocolate bar and an Ella's kitchen weaning book for free, courtesy of my Boots app'. I also got a free Benefit eye liner from Debenhams thanks to O2.


I'm very much looking forward to tonight - pre DD2, I was a member of a choir which I thoroughly enjoyed and tonight, I am returning to rehearsals - it may be a tad depressing as we're already rehearsing for the yearly carol concert but I am looking forward to getting out. Momma has very kindly offered to put towards my fees as my Christmas prezzie so that's sorted.


TTFN

Lacherlich

Hi!


Thought Id quickly say hello before finishing work. Good luck on your journey - it seems you have a similar debt to my partner and I, around £36k.... excluding our car loans though! But shhh they don't count right? ;-)

Its a long slog huh! I've hit the 18% paid off mark, still such a long way to go though, must admit Im not feeling as motivated at the moment, but must persevere!