Here we go again

cmcavon

Can't believe it's been a week since I last posted. I did actually write a post out a few days ago but the internet crashed as I hit reply and it was lost forever :mad:

The kids finally started at their new school on Friday :j:j. They enjoyed their day so hopefully they'll settle in easily. It's a longer day than they're used to and after 6 weeks off I imagine they'll be tired this week.

This morning we've walked to school, then had a stroll round to Tesco with Little Man, let him walk holding onto his pushchair so by the time we got home he was exhausted. He's now fast asleep, bum in the air in his cot! The house is soooo quiet!

Off to my Mum's this afternoon, she's got a mobile hairdresser coming round so I've asked if she'll give my mop a cut too. It desperately needs doing but I've been putting it off in an effort to save money, it's so expensive! She's charging £15 which is pretty reasonable, apparently she does a good job too. My hair is so thick it can be a bit of a pain to cut.

Had a fall out with my Dad yesterday, we have a very up and down relationship anyway but we've been on a fairly even keel recently. Yesterday he made me feel like a complete and utter failure over something really petty. He actually rang me up and told me my behaviour was unacceptable. I should be used to the way he is really but it still upsets me. I honestly don't think he actually thinks much of me at all! Had a restless night over it and a good cry to myself in the shower this morning and actually feeling a bit more level-headed over it now, if he wants to be a child about things then I'll let him. He lives alone in big house with lots of money and very rarely makes an effort to see me, his loss I guess.

Need a frugal week this week after step-daughter's birthday last week and a few other expenses. Hubby is still travelling 60 miles a day for the next 3 weeks too so that's costing a bit in petrol. Managed to get over £30 in onepoll this morning, it'll still be a while before I have enough to cash out but at least it's building.

cmc x

cmcavon

I'm feeling pretty grumpy and fed up tonight.

The day started out really well, kids dropped off at school, an hour in the garden with the youngest and he napped beautifully the whole time I was working. Went to get some food shopping and actually felt myself feeling pretty happy, it was a lovely feeling.

Arrived home only to be greeted by the lady next door who asked if I'd heard from school. Apparently there was some kind of emergency and school had been evacuated. I'd had no call or text! Dumped the shopping on the kitchen floor and ran round like a mad woman with the pushchair. The teachers were being very cagey and just said there had been a minor incident and school would remain closed tomorrow. Since found out that there was a small electrical fire. They've only been there a few days and now I've got them home again! Can't get rid of them! :rotfl:

Got home just in time to avoid the rain starting, almighty thunderstorm hit which littlest man was pretty scared of. Being scared of thunder myself, I wasn't best placed to reassure him! The eldest two sat googling what causes lightning and were pretty fascinated by it.

Then, phone call from hubby saying he's broken down on the sliproad of the m56. Although when I got to the bottom of it, he was actually moving and thinks his car engine was flooded by the water on the road. He's managed to get it home but he's now going to take the other car for work so I'll be pretty stuck without a car. Frustrating.

Made a little matched betting today, will tot it up in a bit and add it to my signature, sadly not enough to stretch to a new car though :mad:

cmcavon

£9.37 in total from matched betting, not as much as I'd hoped but it's still money I didn't have this morning. I've also completed a couple of surveys on onepoll and i'm now at £31.05, getting ever closer to being able to cash out. I haven't been including that in my daily total as I won't count it as actual money until I hit the cashout point. Also clicked a few adds on clixsense for peanuts!

I've been reading up on a few other things I can do online too and am hoping to progress with those later in the week when the children are back at school.

I currently have just over £140 in my DMP overpayment fund, I keep adding to it as and when I can. I was originally thinking I'd keep it in there until I hit the balance of my lowest debt which is around £1,200. I'm not sure whether I'll get it to £500 though and pay a chunk off, will decide when I get there I guess. I'm just so eager to get rid of that debt.

I've also been toying with the idea of selling the house we rent out, clearing the DMP debt and starting again. We have about £30,000 equity in it. There are a few reasons we haven't gone down this road before though, mainly because I feel that if we did that we'd never get back on the property ladder. As we are now, in 15 years time we'll be debt-free and own a house outright, I think if we sold now and paid the debt off we'd never get there, I'm not sure if my logic is a bit twisted though! Currently our debt-free date is about 10.5 years away, however I'm confident I can get that down to 5 years with the extra income I'm bringing in and the cutbacks we're making. The past few months have been a bit of a blip due to an expensive house move but overall I'm confident we'll shift it sooner.

Anyway, think I've waffled enough now, think I'll head to bed for a sleepless night stressing over hubby's car.

cmcavon

Third post here today, oops! But just had to report another £5 earned, hadn't realised swagbucks have a sale on so redeemed 800 SB for £5 into paypal

cmcavon

Made a little more from matched betting yesterday and today, only bits but it all counts I've updated my total in my signature.

After cashing out on Swagbucks on Tuesday I'm already up to 202 SB which for me is good progress in a day. Also, completed a few more surveys on onepoll yesterday and getting ever closer to that magical £40 when I can cashout. It'll be the first time I've cashed out with them, taken forever but £40 will be a nice amount!

As well as making money and slashing debts, I have a constant battle with my weight and diet. I have been feeling frumpy for a few days and last night decided enough was enough and I'd weigh myself this morning. I'd joined slimming world in April and lost just under a stone, then when my Mum got her diagnosis I couldn't find the time or the energy to go to meetings. This morning, true to my word I weighed myself. I'm exactly the same weight as I was after losing that 12lb. I had convinced myself I was about a stone heavier than I actually am! Pretty chuffed with that! The kids school is still shut following on from the fire so we've been for a long walk to the library, into town and then to the park. We've all had some well-needed fresh air and exercise.

Time for a few surveys and clicks now, eldest two are having an hour on their tablets and little man is chilling in his mini armchair watching cbeebies, they deserve a rest!

cmcavon

Today has mostly been spent working, Fridays are always busy and today was no different. Little man did his usual and had a mammoth sleep, 3 hours which perfectly coincided with me working. School was still closed today following on from the fire. Eldest had a day at the high school with the rest of his year, little miss got another day at home. Sadly with me working she spent a lot of it on her ipad, don't think she minds though! She had a good couple of hours playing football though after we picked her brother up so at least she's had some fresh air!

Had a decent sized "win" on a risk-free casino offer and withdrew £175 profit :T . Added that to my total which takes me over my monthly target for September already .

Ended the week with £15 still left unspent from this week's budget, I've moved it over to my Christmas fund. I've got out of the habit of adding to that and am nowhere near my £1,000 target, really need to get back on track with it now.

Done a few surveys on onepoll and not have £32 in there, would love to withdraw before the end of September.

Going to have a browse on swagbucks and clixsense for a bit now an see if I can bump them up a little.

cmc x

chevalier

well done on getting the DMP date pulled so much closer. 30 years down to 10 years is not to be sniffed at. As for saving up to pay off a debt perhaps it would be a plan to have built up a car fund for before doing the next lump sum payment to the DMP.

so sorry to hear about your mum that must be very very tough.

and sorry that your dad is as he is. Mine was the same, and I never got to the bottom of why really.

like you we have a house rented out and are trying hard to hang onto it. Might want to see when your last rental review was, maybe a small rental increase would help with the debt busting.
chev

cmcavon

Thank you for reading chevalier

We have an emergency fund which if needs be will go towards fixing the car or getting a cheap replacement. In the short-term we can manage with one car with me working from home and school only round the corner. Mum has also offered her car temporarily too but it's been sat on her drive for about 4 months so not sure it would actually start! We need to give it a run for her anyway really.

Our current tenant has only been in the house since March, I don't really want to increase her rent as yet, I think we could do it after six months if we wanted to which is actually this week thinking about it.

DMP overpayment fund is currently sitting at £141, not earth shattering but better than nothing!

Today we need to go shopping for trainers for my eldest and also pick up a birthday present as my daughter has a party tomorrow. Feeling pretty groggy this morning so we won't be rushing out. Think I'll call in and check on Mum too, she hasn't been great this week.

cmc x

cmcavon

The kids are finally back in school after the fire last week, feels so good to be back in the old routine. I'm working this morning but it's pretty quiet so whilst little man is snoring I'm pottering around online catching up on surveys. Onepoll is now at £32.30 :T.

I've got an online food shop coming this morning. I always spend less and actually buy what we need when I do the shopping online rather than walking round and throwing a bit of everything in the trolley. I've also bought a delivery pass which was only £7 for unlimited deliveries for a month, I think that's a bit of a bargain.

Mum has had a horrendous weekend and text me at 6.30 yesterday morning saying she needed me. After a few phone calls backwards and forwards with MacMillan nurses and 111, the doctor came out to give her an anti-sickness injection. It hasn't helped unfortunately. She was due to take her last chemo tablets for this round on Saturday night but couldn't so they've advised her to hold off until she speaks to someone today, the sickness has naturally subsided now she's off the tablets. She's due her last IV on Thursday but it's doubtful they'll do it with how she's been.

Ooh shopping has arrived!

cmc x

cmcavon

Went round to see Mum after work, took her some ginger biscuits and ginger ale which she did manage to keep down. She looked a little better today and was definitely brighter, think she enjoyed seeing little man for an hour.

Made a grand total of £8.50 today matched betting, added that to my totals, things are steadily moving in the right direction. Don't have much budget left for the week but we have enough food in the house, may need a small top up shop but shouldn't be much so happy with that.

The kids both came out of school pretty grumpy tonight, guess it was bound to happen at some point, it's a big change for them both starting a new school and with the fire they've not had a straightforward transition. Little Miss said she didn't have anyone to play with at playtime or dinner time so she just walked round the playground on her own . I may have a quiet word with the teacher on the gate in the morning after she's gone in.

Going to spend a little time online again before bed bumping up my points on various sites.

cmc x