From debt to freedom...

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you SH, Lucielle and Humdinger.

The last couple of days has been a nice mix of work and relaxation. I’ve been chipping away through tasks for Job 1 and done a shift at Job 2. Yesterday I did, rightly or wrongly, spend £60 on an activity with the children. As I write it it seems a horrifying amount, but was trying to gain quality memory making time with them. As it was DD2 was able to join us and she does love this particular activity so it was a good afternoon, if a little expensive.

On our return I was stunned and pleased to see that the metal had gone 😃. Obviously done while I was out but the items that have caused me frustration had gone.


Today DD2 and I have been able to get out on the cliffs which has been wonderful. It was sunny, the sea was a brilliant blue, the tide was in and although it wasn’t rough, there was enough swell to cause the waves to crash up on the cliff face. I loved seeing the seagulls swooping around below us...it’s good to see them in their natural habitat behaving as they should and not as the greedy dustbin pickers  that they are in some areas. Despite the waves there was a stillness on top of the cliff that was restorative.

On the financial front there has been good news and not so good. 

Cherryfudge

Congratulations on the extra space out in the garden!

It's nice that you were able to do your activity with the children: memories are important. I'm sorry to hear not all the financial news was good (though obviously pleased there is good news). It's wonderful how much things have improved over the last few months and I'm sure they will go on doing so.

lucielle

Great to hear the scrap has gone. Your walk sounds lovely. 

L

janb5

Hi HSL...can you get any back paynents from the CSA? As I  remember it Ex has never contributed to the children's welfare.

savingholmes

Great news the metal has gone. 

Don't feel guilty about money. Memory making is important. Glad you got a walk with DD2.

Hope financial stuff sorts

Honeysucklelou2

Sorry, wrote half a post and then had to stop to go and be a taxi to one of the DCs!

Good news is the extra shifts last week meant a larger than usual pay packet from Job 2 so have been able to send that to Help to Save. The balance is tantalisingly close to £700 which is probably the most I’ve been able to save.

The not so good is calculating that it will take about £300 to replace 2 of the fencing panels that got blown down in the gales last week. That’s to cover the cost of post boots ( that will work around what’s left of the previous posts), new posts, clips, actual fencing panels and a hammer. That’s allowing for me to do the work and not having anyone else in. In light of the cost, it’s  one of the reasons I’m  questioning if yesterday’s activity was the right thing to do or not.

To top it all, despite paying the existing mortgage, I don’t pass affordability criteria. Doesn’t quite make sense but looks like I need to completely rethink my budgeting in a bid to get all debt gone and the mortgage balance reduced...

Jan - I confess that that is one battle is haven’t started yet. It has been such a battle to get to this point, with uncooperative behaviour that I haven’t attempted to rock the boat further.  

janb5

I quite understand but you're doing 3 jobs. The CSA will chase up the £ or am I naïve?

Honeysucklelou2

Down to 2 jobs now, as I increased my hours in Job 1. The ex is self employed and hasn’t fully cooperated with the financial disclosure side as it is. I’d been awarded costs in one part of the legal work before but never seen them ( although this was woven into the consent order in another way) so based on past experience I think it would be an uphill battle to physically see £S no matter what might be decreed. 

savingholmes

Ouch to fence bill. Sorry re mortgage. Have you used L&C?

crazy_cat_lady

You and I could almost be the same person HSL - we've had such similar experiences with our exes and getting rid of them.
The child maintenance service will chase him up on your behalf if you tell them that he's not interested in engaging - they will do all of the hard work for you in terms of looking into his income and how much you should get. It was and is the only way that I know ex is 1. Still alive and 2. Still not working. Plus they were forced to disclose his address to the courts so that they could serve him with papers.
Also feel your pain with the mortgage. In spite of owing less than £35000 on the house now I cannot seem to get sorted with a remortgage. Thankfully my monthly payments are relatively low so I can absorb the increasing costs in interest that have arrived 2 months in a row but I would feel better knowing it was done and dusted once and for all.