Aiming for single, sorted and solvent

maggiesmummy

Hello,

Sparkly new diary here - long time lurker, occasional poster and now aiming for debt free diarist!

A bit about me - I am a single mum of three gorgeous kids - aged 7, 9, 12 who are with me full time, along with a menagerie of cats and dogs. It's a crazy house and I'd probably be a lot richer and living in a much tidier house were it not for the animals but they make me very happy most days, so they are stopping.

So I am not in loads of debt - been there, done that and paid a huge chunk off. But I am finally sorting my divorce (which has wiped out my emergency fund several times over) and my mortgage, which I've just agreed in my sole name, but will see me paying it off till I am 67 if I don't get sorted.

This and the prospect of raising three children who are eating me out of house and home on a daily basis and are getting more expensive by the minute has inspired me to start this diary.

This month should see the last major divorce related expenditure with £300+ going on legal fees for the mortgage, then my new budget kicks in and it's just my salary, some Child Tax Credits and Child benefit as the ex gave up his equity in the house in return for not paying child support.

So setting some short term goals (next six months) I need to:

• Pay off Next Directory (somewhere around £800 at the moment)
• Pay off Tesco Card - £500 at the moment but I will need to use it over the next couple of months
• Start saving for Christmas - daft when I have debt but I need to factor it in
• Ebay anything that moves
• Meal plan and stick to my budget and plan
• Use up my stash of beauty stuff and do not buy any more (looks guiltily at lipstick that's just been delivered)
• Do a proper 12 month budget - I keep getting surprised by school trips and extra costs

I don't expect to be joining the Mortgage Free Wannabe board any time soon as funds are limited, but I do want to live within my means, stop acquiring stuff I don't need and financially educate my children so they know what we have to spend and feel part of the process.
So that's me - will try posting SOA soon! Pop by and say hello!

maggiesmummy

A late night update after a very MSE day. Only spends were essentials and a couple of bars of chocolate for the kids' teachers. The class collection is £5 each and I literally don't have that this week - so £2 per child felt a lot more reasonable.
I also chased up a couple of pet and health insurance payouts so £255 is heading into my bank account, where it will be eaten up in seconds. And the final part of the emergency pot was cashed in for solicitors fees - I really wish I earned that much per hour!
Tea was a pea, bacon and leek risotto supplemented by at least three bowls of cereal for my eldest - I think I'm going to have to buy shares at this rate.
The next few weeks will be a juggle - three birthdays, two weddings and summer childcare to cover but I am going to have to wing it a little bit - story of my life!

Butti

Welcome.
I remember my brothers eating like that. I still panic occasionally that somebody else is going to eat my food.

B

maggiesmummy

Thanks for the welcome Butti - I remember my brother eating half a loaf of bread with tea so it's not a surprise - but the amount of food with mysteriously disappears is wrecking my meal planning and my budget!

maggiesmummy

Morning all,
So today started with a very hot dog walk - loving the sunshine but the mutts are less keen. Now I have a day of finishing up all the loose ends at work before a week off (so, so needed) but I also have a list as long as my arm of jobs to do.
So - buy the end of today I will have:
Baked birthday cake
Shopped for party bags/plates/cups
Wrapped a pass the parcel parcel
Come up with some back up games if the thunderstorms hit and I can't do bouncy castle
Started to tidy house - vac, polish, clean bathroom,
Persuaded someone to mow my lawn
Poo patrol out the back

It's not going to be a NSD at all but I am going to stop my youngest planning a Kardasian scale party and try and stick within a budget.
Wish me luck!
MM

dawnybabes

My DS has hollow legs I make him huge bowls of popcorn to try and fill him up. I find if I can keep,him busy and distracted he "forgets" he's hungry

maggiesmummy

Ooh my lot love popcorn and we make it at home so I might restock! Not a MSE day at all with party planning going on - I think half the spend went on Haribo!
But a fab session watching Eat Well For Less with the kids - they were so switched on to how much cheaper things could be - I've trained them well!
Plus I had fab and healthy ice cream by freezing over ripe bananas and then whizzing the up with a teaspoon of peanut butter. Very MSE and very Slimming World friendly (yes I know it's a tweak!)

moneyonmymindsam

Loving your diary - you sound so strong and focused


Wishing you all the best in your Journey




Sam xx

maggiesmummy

Thanks Sam. Trying my hardest to be focused - this month feels a bit overwhelming- we have a holiday booked, I have just sorted DDS birthday and am heading for DS1s plus summer childcare so I need to keep on it. I am very good at happy go lucky head in the sand - but I think it might be time to grow up financially - still 23 in my head!
Now officially collapsing on the sofa - 14 children for a party has left me totally shattered!

moneyonmymindsam

Holiday will do you the world of good I imagine its been a rough time so glad to hear you have this to look forward too.


P.s now your here we are going to support you right back into the black
Sam x

maggiesmummy

Having just a bit of a wobble tonight. Not entirely money related but just the challenge of being a single mum. My kids are amazing and I love them more than the world but sometimes the weight of responsibility weighs very heavy. I don't intend to badmouth their dad , I've managed a couple of years without doing it, but he takes so little responsibility for them, no overnights unless I go away, and financially doesn't help out with any of the extras.
Today was one of those days when everyone was a bit tired, a bit moany and every conversation seemed to be about what they needed - new shoes, new shorts, can I have?
They are by no means grabby kids, but they are going through clothes and shoes like nobodies business and now that we are hitting adult sizes (in shoes anyway) it's getting more and more expensive.
Sorry late night venting - it would be great to have just a little bit of slack!