From debt to freedom...

lucielle

Good news on the cheque.
L

savingholmes

Great news on the cheque. Glad home schooling going well

Cherryfudge

That cheque seems to have arrived quickly! Though I suppose that's me as a distant observer and you may know better.

I hope it can take a chunk out of the window loan but are you putting it all to that straight away? I'm just wondering if the car or something might stake a claim before your next pay day?

Juggling the homeschooling and Wifi sounds like a logistical work of art, but I am sure all your children will have an advantage just through having you as their mum. I bet they can all write well, your older DDs are able to earn their own money and understand the value of it, they have the stimulation of the nature walks and the exercise will be an advantage over those children who stay in front of screens all day... so they do have a lot going for them.

Spendless

Just catching up - again. My DS (a computer student)set me up so passwords were easier to control allegedly, it seems to be having the reverse effect. I'm sure he'll insist it's me though.

That's a shame about DD1;s plans but better than if she went and found herself stuck in a room restricted all the time. Hopefully they'll be more positive news soon.

Fantastic about the cheque. Are you able to 'sideline' it for a couple of weeks? I'm with the others however tempting it is to get rid of this debt, you don't want it to mean you then struggle financially  in other areas. Good idea re meal planning. Was always a sense of frustration for me when DS ate something I'd earmarked for a family meal. I resorted to putting sticky labels on stuff, saying it was needed and not to eat.

Have to say I'm envious of how you've got your older ones through driving. Such a handy skill for the future. DS learnt and passed not long after going to Uni (had to come home weekly for first 2 months to keep up lessons) but I cannot convince DD to start them. I don't envy you juggling the home schooling though. If I've been grateful for anything in all this it's that I'm not teaching my kids younger selves. 

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you Lucielle, SH, Cherryfudge & Spendless.

Cherryfudge - Thank you for your words of encouragement.

Spendless - I did smile at the passwords having the reverse effect. Technology eh?! I must admit I have found myself being thankful that I only have the 5 to think about education wise. I’d have struggled more if the pandemic had hit 3 or 4 years ago.

Today has been a muddled day, not helped by a continued lack of sleep. I went to work, videoed a couple of lesson introductions and uploaded them before I realised that my top was on inside out 🤦‍♀️. The rest of the day went on ok after I’d rectified the wardrobe problem until I got all the way home and realised I’d left my computer tablet from home at work. Since all my alarms are on there to wake me up and keep me alert to the time in the morning, I ended up going back to get it. That’s an hour’s extra driving I wasn’t expecting!

Hopefully payday tomorrow from Job number 2. I haven’t touched last week’s pay but kept it as a buffer until this week’s is paid, then hope to split between debt and H2S. It won’t be huge amounts on either but taking the point of view that every little helps and the H2S needs building up after needing to dip into it for the garage bill before Christmas.

I’ve not been out for a walk for the last couple of days and can really tell the difference. It’s been dark by the time I’ve returned from work and I’ve got caught up with marking work online. Hoping to get out tomorrow for a walk.

savingholmes

Hope pay goes in ok tomorrow. Juggling well as ever

crazy_cat_lady

Hope you've been paid and you can get out for a walk later. I feel the same in terms of not being able to get out - I'm busier than I've ever known.

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you SH and CCL. I have been paid from job no 2 today which is a relief. The pay day seems to have changed since furlough started, from Thursday to Friday, which was a bit unnerving at first as it looked like I hadn’t been paid, but it’s happened again this week so I’m guessing the day has just moved! I’m just thankful for furlough pay.

I got back home from work ( main job) slightly earlier yesterday but that gave me enough daylight to be able to get out for a walk. It was only a couple of miles in a circular route but it made such a difference to feel the wind in my face and to be able to be outside.

Today I’ve been able to get out for a longer 3 mile walk. We have to time it so that we are out of the house and walking while DD3 has her online lectures. It helps her to concentrate. DD1, DD2 & DS2 came along with us. We saw the first snowdrops I’ve seen this year and we spotted some primroses nestling at the base of the hedgerow. The route we took today, we have done about 3 times in the last week, but the flowers weren’t there then. I love to see the first signs that Spring isn’t too far away. DS3 was very excited to see an array of rabbit holes in the hedgerow that had been exposed by some earth falling out and onto the road. I wondered if a bigger animal had perhaps scrambled up the hedge and knocked the earth down but the sight of the rabbit holes caused excitement for DS3!

Finances wise it’s been an interesting week. This next bit will sound odd but bear with me! Many years ago, I had a little bit of money spare and invested it in a savings bond that was a 10 year fixed term thing. It actually matured 8 years ago but I’d moved house since opening it  and forgotten to tell the company so I hadn’t received any of the correspondence relating to getting the money out 8 years ago.  When I was preparing  figures for the Form E, 18 months ago, I thought I ought to try and find out how much was there and find out to withdraw this money, so finally got round to it in October. It took a while as so many forms had to be completed as my name and address had changed but it finally hit my bank account this week. It’s not a huge amount but it has enabled me to put £1k away in my EF and I’ve been able to pay £ 235 off debts. It’s certainly helped me to now have a bit more of a buffer that is put away but accessible if I need it. 

£125 of the £235 was sent to the first window loan bringing that down to £321. By using money from the 2 council tax free months I should be on track to clear that by 1st March.  I was ridiculously pleased to find that the debt manager app I use, showed the first window loan as being 80% cleared.

sashybo

That's great news about getting your savings bond money (at last!) which gives you a bit more security knowing it's in the EF and you will feel amazing when you've paid that first window loan off, not long to go at all. 👏 

Seeing the first signs of Spring sounds lovely, I have a lot of bulb shoots appearing, just hope they survive the frost and snow. 🤞 My DS would be delighted with the rabbit holes as well, he loves Peter Rabbit. 😊 

savingholmes

How lovely on the savings bond. So glad you have an EF - I truly believe it will help you sleep and give you peace of mind. Glad you've almost kicked the window loan into touch. Not long now. Walks sound gorgeous as always.