From debt to freedom...

Buffythedebtslayer

It does all sound lovely Honeysuckle XX I know the leak is a pain but just the fact that you can get it sorted is such a bonus. XX 

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you SH, Cherryfudge and Buffy.

Half term has gone in a flash! I ended up working 3 evenings at Job 2 but is much more cope-able only doing one job!! 

The day after the mortgage valuer came round, the mortgage advisor rang to say that a mortgage offer was in 🙂. I’ve since had written confirmation, which I am thankful for.  I now need to pay off outstanding debts as soon as possible to tie in with the mortgage so need to spend time planning every penny of my wages/salary and start seeing what is around the house that I can sell so as to get rid of the existing debts.

SO has continued to be amazing...I now have a floor in the bathroom, rather than step down onto concrete!

We managed a couple of days out this week. One day to meet up with my lovely parents at a NT garden. That gave me time outside which I’m always grateful for and the changing colours of Autumn were wonderful to behold. Yesterday SO had a work trip to our nearest city so took the 3 youngest and I with him. We went shopping or rather DD5 spent her birthday money while SO was at work. DD4 now has a very part time job so has money she can spend. It’s been quite interesting hearing her deliberate on whether she should buy something or not. In the end she didn’t, saying it would give us all opportunities for Christmas presents for her 😉.  She had to have a bank account in which to have her wages paid in, so was able to get one whereby she has an attached savings account and we have talked at length about the need to save. So far she has been diligent at transferring money over every payday and I have parental control until she turns 16 so can transfer money to savings too. I did spend about £20 yesterday on a new winter coat for DS3. He has grown out of his last one that has lasted him for a couple of years, so got a new one.

The weather has come in wet this afternoon, so will use the time to get prepped for Job 1 next week and possibly fill the cake tins!

savingholmes

Great news on the mortgage offer. 

Good luck with clearing the debt. 

Glad SO has been helping and making a difference.

Spendless

Oh gosh is  DD4 now old enough to have a p-time job even if it's very part time. You're getting more and more good news all ways round. 

lucielle

Glad you’ve managed a bit of me time and we’ll done to DD to start saving.  

L

Parkyp

So nice to hear so has been a great help to you and your children. 

Hope all goes well with your mortgage. 

Enjoy your baking. 

Honeysucklelou2

Thank you SH, Spendless, Lucielle and Parkyp.

Another busy week has flown by. SO has tiled the bathroom wall so it’s looking so much better and so different from the way it used to be. 🙂

Spent a few hours yesterday taking DD4 to look around a college for next September. It’s weird, I’ve done lots of college open days with my children but it seems more shocking that one of the children that I refer to as “the little ones” is actually leaving school this academic year and off to college in September 😱😵. DD4 is very focused on what she wants to do so was a useful time.

I’ve been much stricter at sticking to a meal plan which has worked well this week.

I enjoy fireworks night so we went to a local display. The colours were amazing. We were having a discussion at home, on Friday morning about when bonfire night actually started being kept...was it right from the time of Guy Fawkes or a few years afterwards? I was going through a children’s book at work and was reminded that it was at the King’s decree that the failure of the gunpowder plot be remembered. How amazing that 400+ years later we are still keeping the King’s decree! I made some sticky gingerbread and when DD3 came home from work, we made toffee apples. It’s started to become a bit of a tradition with DD3 and I...all started when I couldn’t afford to buy supermarket toffee apples one year, so we made our own. I worked out yesterday that 12 toffee apples had cost about £3 to make rather than the £10.80, it would have cost if I’d bought them at Mr T’s.

Paid in £30 of tips yesterday and have used £20 to pay off a debt. The other £10 have been used to get birthday cards. £100 has been paid off a debt too which should hopefully bring 1 debt down to £420. I’m debating whether to ask DD3 and DD1 to make a contribution to food between now and Christmas so that I can divert money to debt clearance ahead of completing on the mortgage.

Kittykattykate

You seem happy and content Lou, and that is so lovely to see. I am glad things have eased for you and that the mortgage seems imminent.

I think it is only fair that the older ones chip in a bit. Times are tough!

Cherryfudge

Your SO is so talented as well as kind and thoughtful! New tiles make such a difference.

Well done on the meal plan. I think it's only fair for any wage earners to contribute to costs - I worked it out as a percentage of bills when my eldest started work. So there were five of us: he paid a fifth. There will be plenty of variations on that of course: you will find what work for you and as they say, 'every little helps'. There may be a way they can pay in kind as well, such as giving lifts to siblings.

You are doing an amazing job on the debt repayments. It sounds as though you are getting close to having the mortgage in your name!  

savingholmes

I would ask - you have little to lose and a lot to gain. 

I expect my DD to contribute - and I've had pushback and did it gradually - but have inched it up over time as you know.