From debt to freedom...

missymoo81

Aw Hun sounds like you had an amazing day! Well done for paying off the trip too! I hope you have a lovely evening to top off your day x

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you Missymoo.

The weather has been dry here today so I've been able to dry 2 loads of washing including a load of towels, so am very happy to have been able to fold it all and put it away. Drying wet washing in front of the fire, as I did last weekend, gets a bit tricky.

I did meet a couple of friends for coffee today so spent a little on the coffee though I did have the smallest possible.

I did ring HMRC today to ascertain what the position is about the money they said I had to repay. Unfortunately this is still the case. I'm still not quite sure why but they won't apply /allow for the fact that whether a joint or single claim, according to their calculators, I'd be entitled to the money I received between Oct and July. So I have to repay. They did say at this stage that 50% would be sought from me and the rest from the ex. I've felt quite gutted really that it's a case of one step forward and two or three back. Gone back to the stomach churning feelings of the summer:(. I can't fault the man from HMRC I was talking to. He said that they have seen this situation before and he did seem genuinely sympathetic but their rules and ways of doing things are as they are and it will have to be repaid.

missymoo81

Late night for you honeysuckle. That's rubbish about the repayments. I know there's rules to follow,but if would have still been entitled to the money, it seems ridiculous! Bless you.

Well done for getting your washing dry. I have lots to do today again!

Honeysucklelou2

I was hoping that yesterday would have been a NSD but I had to get two parcels sent up to DD1. Both contained clothes that she had forgotten to pack! So £6 spent on postage. DD5 has her birthday later in the month and is very keen to have a party. We have a farm park type place that is a short drive away so I've paid a deposit and booked a party. She can only have 10 friends as a maximum and she knows it is a BIG treat. She went there last year and has spent the whole year talking about it and wanting to go again, so it's booked. We don't go on days out to such places except for the younger children's birthdays.

I had what felt like a huge baking session yesterday. Made pasties for tea as per DS1's request and topped up the snack tins with vanilla muffins and chocolate blueberry muffins. I also made a sponge that is a belated cake for DD3. With work being so busy I didn't get a cake done midweek for her actual birthday so will decorate today and we'll eat later. I had the idea of trying to do a nail varnish bottle as her cake design. I have some pink fondant icing, so will try and sandwich the layers of sponge together with jam or butter icing and wrap the pink around it. The top might have to be a utilised kitchen utensil!

I have started to try and do a main shop on my day off now, My day off coincides with a new tax credit payment day so makes sense. This week the menu is

Sat - pasties
Sun - Sausage and cider casserole
Mon - macaroni cheese, garlic bread and salad
Tues - Tuna plait and jacket potatoes
Wed - children eat with the ex
Thurs - Lasagne

Hopefully just a couple of batches of muffins should keep packed lunch boxes filled.

Honeysucklelou2

Also made a Dutch apple cake which went down well last Autumn. I was given a bucket of apples that I need to use and peel and chop the remainder for the freezer which I must do today. I hate seeing apples go to waste.

Years ago I won a book in a raffle called "Bake" which has been invaluable for recipes such as the Dutch apple cake . Recipes that don't cost much to make but ideas to do, to put in the oven at the same time that something else is cooking. Might have to see if DD3 feels like making biscuits. There is a simple recipe for lemon and poppy seed biscuits which sounds good.

Busy_Mee1

Hi Honeysuckle just wanted to drop in and say hi and thank you for the great hyacinth idea on TOPMs thread.

I am really sorry about your TC situation and wonder whether it would be worth talking to CAB about it. I think you said that when your husband first left you were unsure that he had gone for good , so that your official separation date could actually be deemed as later ? I certainly think it might be worth a chat to CAB. They may be able to help negotiate a smaller repayment figure. Good luck with it, it seems really unfair x

Honeysucklelou2

:wave:Hi Busy Mee1, thanks for dropping by.

My dad suggested the same thing when I was chatting to him about it. I'll have to look into it and see if I can get an appointment on my next day off.

missymoo81

Busy_Mee1 wrote: »

Hi Honeysuckle just wanted to drop in and say hi and thank you for the great hyacinth idea on TOPMs thread.

I am really sorry about your TC situation and wonder whether it would be worth talking to CAB about it. I think you said that when your husband first left you were unsure that he had gone for good , so that your official separation date could actually be deemed as later ? I certainly think it might be worth a chat to CAB. They may be able to help negotiate a smaller repayment figure. Good luck with it, it seems really unfair x

That's actually a really valid point. Definitely go hun, would really help your situation.

Can I be really cheeky, can I have the poppyseed and lemon biscuits recipe and maybe the Dutch apple cake? I too have a bucket of apples that I need to use!

Love your enthusiasm, you're an inspiration. X

Honeysucklelou2

Of course!

Dutch apple cake

2 eggs
6 oz sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
3oz butter
21/2 floz milk
1 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp baking powder
5 oz plain flour
2 apples

Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla essence until the mixture is thick and mousse like. Melt the butter in a saucepan with the milk. Pour into the eggs whisking all the time. Sift and fold in the flour, spice and baking powder. Pour into an 8" square tin that has been lined with grease proof paper. Peel and chop the apples and drop into the mixture. The mixture should be quite batter like and the apple will sink to the bottom when cooking. Sprinkle a little caster sugar on the top of the mixture to give a slight crunch. Bake for 10 mins at 200c, then reduce heat to 180c for about 20 mins. I usually put everything in at 190c and check it when I can smell it, which works well. I always forget what time I put it in because I've usually gone on to deal with the next thing on my list, so rely on the smell check!!

missymoo81

Wow thank you for taking the time to post that, I really appreciate it. Going to have to stretch my budget to include eggs this week I think