Sashybo - Back Again

sashybo

Thanks all, if my work start messing me around again then I will probably have to go off sick but hoping it doesn't come to that. I'm also kind of keeping that option in reserve in case my mum gets worse or needs to go into hospital again. I hope not as it was really stressful with her being in hospital and trying to visit and take things up to her along with just dealing with daily life. My aunts were really helpful though and visited and took her washing away which was a big help. She was getting very depressed stuck in the hospital and was in a room with 5 dementia patients for most of the time which was stressful. My brother and sister both visited once and didn't help with anything or feeding her cat etc which was irritating but I didn't really expect much of them tbh.

DH has been stressed out as well with everything going on and had an incident at work, so now he's on a medium risk plan and can't make any more mistakes. 😩 He is exhausted with the shifts and it's really impacting his health. He has been thinking of trying to get another job but it would be difficult to find one that pays as well. Job share might be an option for him if we didn't have debt and if he could get some other work on his off days. Lots to think about and we're going to look into things.

Worked late shift on Hogmanay and it was fine, got away just after half 10 so back home in time for the bells. DS stayed up but DD was too tired and DH put her to bed at 9pm. Had a peaceful New Year's Day and went for a run, managed the 8km but hips a bit achy afterwards and still sore today.

DH made our steak pie this year and it was lovely, we will definitely make our own again rather than buying in, had it with mashed potato and carrots and had an apple and pear crumble for dessert.

sashybo

Starting Debt Totals 2026

Car loan 1 - £231.38 pm interest rate 3.9%, 3 years left
Jan 2025 starting total £12,230
Current total £9707, paid off £2523 over the last year.

Car loan 2 - 0% cash transfer until Jan 2027, aiming to pay £200 pm
Starting total 2025 £7,891
Current total £4500, paid off £3,391 over the last year

CC - 0% until June 2027 - flights for this year's holiday, should be paid off by July 2026
Starting total Nov 2025 £1649
Current total £1549, paid off £100

Debts paid off completely in 2025

CC £3105 - varicose veins treatment
CC £1128 - legal fees for joint wills & POA


Total paid off in 2025 £10,247

Current debt total £15,756 - £14,207 in car debt & £1549 0% balance transfer for flights for 2026 summer holiday

Last year's debt total was £23,021 so I think that's a reasonable reduction considering we had a couple of holidays, including our first time abroad with the kids. This year we have a UK holiday in April and a holiday abroad in July - we have already paid the accommodation for the UK holiday and have saved the spending money so are now saving towards paying off our holiday abroad. £100 already paid off the flights which is a start.

Last year we finally replaced our carpets on the stairs/hallway and in the bedrooms as they were 11 years old and totally worn. That cost quite a lot but again we had saved for it and managed to make up the difference with income.

This year's money aims are to save up and pay off the July holiday before going and then to pay off the smaller car debt as it's on 0% until Jan 2027. We will leave the big car loan ticking over until/unless we have extra money, paying that off will probably be a 2027 goal. Ideally I'd also like to start saving for a new bathroom but it's not a priority and with the prices of everything the way it currently is I doubt I'll manage it.

We also stayed out of the overdraft in 2025 🥳 and moved the kids savings to stocks and shares ISA's. Part of their birthday and Christmas money goes into savings for them and they weren't getting much with savings interest rates so we decided to move them and are pleased with the growth so far. It's not huge amounts but hopefully by the time they're 18 it will be something to help them out a bit. DH also moved a small pension from a previous job over to a moneyfarm account and it's doing better than it was with the previous pension provider.

beanielou

Work sounds dire for both of you. Most people have car loans so don’t worry about that too much. 

I would focus on the credit card more just as you are doing. 

No chance of any dosh from the outlaws? 

Keep plodding xx

sashybo

Thanks Beanie, we have been given random cash amounts from the outlaws the last 2 years but no idea if they will do it again this year. 🤔

It would definitely be helpful! As usual they would try and dictate what we do with it though - pay it off the mortgage. That would be fine if we had no debts or kids but really the money can be used in a better way for us at this point in time. They would never see that or agree with it though even though we use it sensibly towards debt repayment and for things we need for the house or an easier life! So we just nod and agree and tell them it’s been paid off the mortgage.

Have just edited my last post as completely forgot we had also paid off the legal fees for our wills & power of attorney documents last year as well which were also on 0% credit card.

beanielou

How are you doing? 

sashybo

Hi Beanie, I'm ok, keep meaning to update and then don't get round to it. Still finding everything a bit stressful and wishing I could just do my usual shifts at work. DH & I don't really have much time together anymore, especially without the kids. I'm also having to work more early shifts which I really don't like, 5am alarm is not for me!

I'm taking a couple of days off next week as it's DH's birthday and my mum is going to watch the kids so we can go out for dinner. She will have to feed them and get them to bed, probably a max of 4 hours dealing with them so it's a sort of test and we can see how she copes. I'm hoping she can help out with at least some of my shifts from March onwards but will have to see.

I have another meeting at work in the next few weeks to see if I can extend swapping my shifts if required. There was still some muttering about owing them hours! They can whistle for them, I won't be working them back and if they dock my pay for it I'll just go off sick. They are ridiculous and don't treat (certain) other people like this.

My mum is getting on okay and has started to go back out and about a bit, she is still stressed and worried though. She has been getting some good support from a local brain injury charity and the workers go with her to groups or activities she wants to try so she doesn't have to go on her own. She has found a choir group that she really enjoyed and it turned out there were quite a few people she already knew there from working at the hospital. So she is going back to that group which is good. She is very social but since retiring has really struggled to socialise outwith her sisters and build structure into her days. Her mental health wasn't good even before the brain aneurysm.

I managed to run/walk 10km last week for the first time, it took 1 hour & 15 mins so not very fast but I was just happy that I managed it. Still struggling to force myself out for a run most weeks, I hate the cold.  :'( It's fine after the first 10 minutes but making myself get out is difficult.

My car passed its MOT and had a small service without any issues which is good but it cost over £200, not so good and I have to renew my car tax as well by the end of the month. DH then has his MOT and service next month, so good timing by us with that.

beanielou

Glad to hear that your mum is progressing.