From Nightmares to Dreams come true!

MeandThe2

Hmmmm isn’t this strange typing my life onto a blank page for strangers to read. I’m not quite sure why I decided to do it but now I’m here I’m going for it!

A bit about us?
I’m a 33y young single mummy to a daughter who is 7 aka little miss and a son who is 3 aka rat pants. I work 3 days a week in the admin department at my local hospital. Little miss is at school and rat pants private nursery. Little miss suffers from CVS (undiagnosed but more on that later!) Rat pants has a list of additional needs by mainly autism and I have PMDD (it’s real, it’s horrible and it has almost claimed my life on several occasions, but I am still fighting the good fight!)

I have stated this blog to try and keep myself on the straight and narrow hahahahahaaaa when little miss was born in 2009 I was around 15K in debt, in February 2010 I took out a plan with step change (CCCs then) between 2010 and 2015 I worked hard to clear it, during that time I met a man, was made redundant, got married, had rat pants, separated from my husband….yet I continued to pay and do what was needed. In March 2015 I became Debt free…..bloody proud is an understatement.

Fast-forward to today and I have around £2k credit card debt and £500 overdraft. This is mainly due to moving house (50miles south) the move was quite quick from deciding I was moving to moving was around 2 months. I left my job there, we moved and we started a new life as we needed a fresh start (long battle in court with the ex costing £2.5K! and 2 children with extra needs in and out of hospital had driven me crazy never mind the PMDD!)

Due to all the crap (there really was a lot and some days I am not sure how I survived the last 3 years!) I booked a holiday. This will be the first time I have taken the children abroad and the first holiday since 2015. We are off to Disneyland Paris…squeal! I am so excited I can hardly think straight. I am not telling the children just going to the airport and seeing the reaction on their faces when we get there!

This leads me to my goals –

• Clear Debt by Dec 2017
  • Slightly prioritising Disney holiday over Debt…I know not very DFW but its manageable debt that isn’t affecting our life and we all deserve the holiday!
• Save for Holidays
  • Disneyland in May
  • Glamping in August
• Better budget, keep to budget and curb my shopping hobbits

My current financial to-do list –

• Do a SOA / Budget
• Pay Council Tax…missed it last month and got a very angry red letter through the door (was an honest mistake with the move!)
• Chase up Ex for maintenance…not a usual thing to have to do, despite his lack of effort to see the children he has always paid, I just change the account he pays into and I also made him mad when I moved so he’s playing games this month
• Look into changing energy companies to a green energy/not big six…OVO possible?

My current none financial to-do list –

• Order prescriptions
• Find out where I am going Friday at the hospital…little miss has an appointment but I don’t know where the hospital is here yet!
• Ironing…my cleaning and ironing lady left 2 weeks ago and I have not found a new one…debating not finding a new one…not sure we’ll manage (between work and my sons additional needs there is little time to do anything!)
• Catch up on sleep…yes this is a real to-do item! I need 8 hours a night min and I’ve had about 5-6 for the last weeks so I am running a deficit

I think that's enough for now although like talking I could go on forever!

MeandThe2

Home form work whoop whoop!

Letter from council to say I've been under paid HB, they owe me £174.70 and my 4 weekly payment will increase by £69.88. I am going to put the £174 towards paying my over draft of an the extra £69 every 4 weeks towards my credit card. I figure I have been managing without it so I can continue to do so. Total of £838.56 towards paying off the CC over the next 12 months.

Also checked the bank and the maintenance money is in the new account...so glad as I didn't need that argument today!

Working on my budget but it's slow going but as soon as its done I will post

More soon

MeandThe2

Well hello there


Yesterday I arrived home to a letter form the credit card company telling me that I was so good at spending money I didn't have that they were increasing my balance by another £1k on the 9th of November. Cut up the card...problem half solved!


Had a bit of a spend day yesterday, both kids need a full new winter wardrobe of clothing. Went round all the charity shops and picked up some bit for them and then a few for me. Got a few more bits in the sale at the supermarket too...no idea how much I spent...spending diary may be needed especially whilst I am in my OD



To-do list Update -

Financial to-do list –

• Do a SOA / Budget - Working on it...harder than I thought
• Pay Council Tax…missed it last month and got a very angry red letter through the door (was an honest mistake with the move!) - Lost the bill...hunt for this tonight!
• Chase up Ex for maintenance…not a usual thing to have to do, despite his lack of effort to see the children he has always paid, I just change the account he pays into and I also made him mad when I moved so he’s playing games this month - Done
• Look into changing energy companies to a green energy/not big six…OVO possible? - on the back burner until I have time

None financial to-do list –

• Order prescriptions - Done
• Find out where I am going Friday at the hospital…little miss has an appointment but I don’t know where the hospital is here yet! - Found letter, have post code for Sat Nav...win
• Ironing…my cleaning and ironing lady left 2 weeks ago and I have not found a new one…debating not finding a new one…not sure we’ll manage (between work and my sons additional needs there is little time to do anything!) - Hahahahaha enough said
• Catch up on sleep…yes this is a real to-do item! I need 8 hours a night min and I’ve had about 5-6 for the last weeks so I am running a deficit - Now urgent!

MeandThe2

No a lot to report money wise

In other news had a trip to the hospital to meet my daughters new consultant, lucky for her she'd done her home work and knew what my daughter was suffering. I have been fighting with the old consultant for 4 years to get a diagnosis of CVS as she meets every one of the diagnosis criteria but she would not listen to me. New consultant has started the process of diagnosing her by ordering all the 'process of elimination' tests. Although the tests will suck and put my daughter through some discomfort it is positive news.

Started my spending diary as of Friday, I start my financial week on a Friday as this is when I get my tax credits and do my weekly shop (supposedly!)

Friday -
£3 Lunch meal deal (Friday treat!)
£3.20 Hospital Parking

Saturday -
£1 Parking
£40.99 Vape smoking supplies (around 2 months supply and new batteries)
£20.07 Company shop (discount food shop for NHS staff)

Today I need to do an online food shop for the week!

This week I need to get my money straight as it's financial month end for me Wednesday. I get paid the 20th so my money month goes 20th to 19th. Works for me so I'm sticking to it!

MeandThe2

As explained my month runs 20th to 19th so today is month end for September pay...make sense to me anyway!

Numbers -

Over Draft £390.20
Credit Card £1700ish (to be confirmed when I find the bill!)
Car & Emergency Fund £50
Holiday Savings £0
Savings £0

Not paid this months council tax again...really need to get a direct debit set up for that along with finishing changing all the addresses from the move in July!

Rubbish but could be worse!

MeandThe2

In
Pay - 772.27
Tax Credits - 1332.4
Carers - 248.40
Child Benefit - 137.60
HB - 334.96
HB Back Pay - 174.70
DLA - 220.40
CSA - 205.00

Out
Rent 675.00
Child Care 640.00
Car 375.00 (MOT due this month and Insurance Jan)
Savings 175.00 (holiday, Emergency fund, xmas)
Everything Else 160.00
Food 160.00
Car Repayments 150.00
Kids 130.00
Credit Card 100.00
Council Tax 82.00 x 2 (last months and this)
Petrol 80.00
Gas & Electric 61.73
Water 30.91
Internet/TV 30.91
Mobile 22.62
AA 22.43
Phone 19.00
TV 12.18
Home Insurance 12.00
Netflix 5.99

Start -390.20
In 3,425.73
Out 3,026.77

= 8.76

Things I know happening this month -
Little Miss Hair Cut £15
My Hair Cut £85
Tickets for Show £60 (2 x £15 little miss's best friends in a show 1 x £30 I think, best friend split up with boyfriend so said I would have ticket and go with)
Rat Pants Birthday £20 gifts already sorted but need cake and birthday tea (McDonald's will make his day thankfully!)
Partylite £16
Swimming lessons £82.40

Will come out of Everything Else and Kids fund in budget, most of these things I committed to before I really started looking at money. Next month I will be more careful with making commitments that involve money!

Things not budgeted for (yet!) but will need paying -

Gardener £34
Beauty £ 25
Daughters Spending Money £20
Sons reward chart treats £10
Anything else that crops up...usually a lot with kids!

Will need to work these into the budget next month and find money for this month. I might have ditch the savings although Xmas is coming and the Holidays are booked. I really don't want to be in my overdraft at the end of next month but might have to settle for halving it instead of clearing it?

Enough for now as my brain is tired from thinking !

System

Hi Meand The2,

Hope all is well.

ab_saver

Just dropping by to say hi - and that it sounds like you know exactly what you are doing - I'm amazed at what you have tackled with so much going on in your life!

chevalier

good luck with making a start, keep going
chev

MrsTinks

MeandThe2 wrote: »

In
Pay - 772.27
Tax Credits - 1332.4
Carers - 248.40
Child Benefit - 137.60
HB - 334.96
HB Back Pay - 174.70
DLA - 220.40
CSA - 205.00

Out
Rent 675.00
Child Care 640.00
Car 375.00 (MOT due this month and Insurance Jan)
Savings 175.00 (holiday, Emergency fund, xmas)
Everything Else 160.00
Food 160.00
Car Repayments 150.00
Kids 130.00
Credit Card 100.00
Council Tax 82.00 x 2 (last months and this)
Petrol 80.00
Gas & Electric 61.73
Water 30.91
Internet/TV 30.91
Mobile 22.62
AA 22.43
Phone 19.00
TV 12.18
Home Insurance 12.00
Netflix 5.99

Start -390.20
In 3,425.73
Out 3,026.77

= 8.76

Things I know happening this month -
Little Miss Hair Cut £15
My Hair Cut £85
Tickets for Show £60 (2 x £15 little miss's best friends in a show 1 x £30 I think, best friend split up with boyfriend so said I would have ticket and go with)
Rat Pants Birthday £20 gifts already sorted but need cake and birthday tea (McDonald's will make his day thankfully!)
Partylite £16
Swimming lessons £82.40

Will come out of Everything Else and Kids fund in budget, most of these things I committed to before I really started looking at money. Next month I will be more careful with making commitments that involve money!

Things not budgeted for (yet!) but will need paying -

Gardener £34
Beauty £ 25
Daughters Spending Money £20
Sons reward chart treats £10
Anything else that crops up...usually a lot with kids!

Will need to work these into the budget next month and find money for this month. I might have ditch the savings although Xmas is coming and the Holidays are booked. I really don't want to be in my overdraft at the end of next month but might have to settle for halving it instead of clearing it?

Enough for now as my brain is tired from thinking !

I know you've not posted it up for comment as such but obviously the council tax is the priority here Definitely get that one taken care off asap! DD is the way forward

Child care looks high! Yikes! I assume the small rat pants gets free sessions? Is there a cheaper child minders around? Worth checking at least

If you use the SOA calculator http://www.stoozing.com/calculator/soa.php and format for MSE it's way easier and it makes sure you can list everything on there

MeandThe2

Well I started this diary with really good intentions and then all hell broke loose!

After my last post Little Miss had a horrible CVS episode that ended in a hospital stay and then I got meningitis! Yes meningitis the really horrible type where you end up in an ambulance in the the middle of the night and spend a very long time in hospital isolation. It was a horrible and I am still seeing a neurologist for ongoing health issues.

Due to an extended absence from work and having to get through the last few months best we could my finances and everything else are in a bit of a mess. I also had to cancel our holiday to Disney We lost about £250 but at the time my health was worth more and I had to let it go.

It's time to get back on track! These are the 3 areas I need to focus on -

Finance -
Where am I financially?
What is my debt and how do I clear it?
Preparing for financial changes in the future

House, Home & Family
Simplify and get organised
Keep on top of cleaning
Get a better balance work/family time/house duties

Health
Lose weight
Get the operation I need (won't do it until I lose weight)
Get more sleep!

the what, when, how is still to be worked out!