Are we nearly there yet?

Pauper1

We made 2/3rds of one side of the fence, ran out of the chicken wire that was left on the plot, and DS2 was grumping, so we came home for soup Haven't got enough boards either so will need to pop back to the industrial estate at some point, but we've got enough to be getting on with. DS1 wants an orange shed but as we haven't got one yet I think I might get him to paint the "fence", should keep him busy.

I just bought a Frankie & Benny's voucher on Groupon, hoping to use on Mothers Day, need to see if I can book. It was £20 for 2 adults to have 2 courses etc. I used Top Cashback so will get 16% cash back, and then when I finished it offered me a free digital copy of a Conde Nast magazine, so I got Homes & Gardens Total bargain all round.

Going to take the boys swimming in a bit, but we just have time to make cakes!

Pauper1

Can't use the voucher on Mothers Day so probably going to use it on the day before DS2's first birthday (sob) as DH has the day off and we're going out for the day. Made the cakes, just need to ice them before we leave today

Going up to the allotment this afternoon, stopping by Wickes on the way to get an orange tester pot for DS1.

Sorting out the money this morning and discovered one source of the "extra money". I'd marked £25 as spent on my spreadsheet for nephew's birthday present, but it won't come out of the account until next week, so good job I didn't see all the spare money and get excited! Haha. There's still another £38.39 unaccounted for but I'm sure there's similar reasons.

£63.83 still left in weekly spends. I paid for swimming using money from bits I've sold this week.

Pauper1

Didn't get the tester pot but did put £30 fuel in the car (that's way too much for my car, I usually put in half that tbh! But blame DH) Yesterday was a NSD, and no lotty time too rainy and windy. Hoping to spend a bit more time there today. Anyway, £33.85 spends left until Wednesday.

I messed up my spreadsheet again, and it puts us slightly over budget which is annoying because we were coming in under budget! But because it's a short month it catches up with itself on that "spare" week, and puts us about £20 under budget. Frustrating because I was hoping to have a spare week buffer.

This week:
5th March Chiropodist - find voucher as this was a birthday present (also need to remove nail varnish tonight, I reckon) - done
Book haircuts - done
9th March £89 for AA renewal - need to make sure I move money across on Friday - done
9th March - £25 nephew birthday present - move across from birthday savings on Friday - done

Longer term to do list:
Return parcel in the pantry that should have been returned 4 months ago - done
Make cards for bestie's birthdays (again, 3 months ago... gawd.)
Food shopping list for Disney (use Tesco, £4 delivery saver voucher and the club card coupon) - done
Phone OU and defer - done
Wrap SiL and DB birthday presents - DB done
Start packing for Disney - done
Mother's Day present and plans - done
Find frames for all the snapfish photos and hang on wall
Finish DS1's bedroom
Sort out paperwork that is all over the house - started
Make DS1's memory box frame
Find things for DS2's memory box frame
Buy a memory box frame
Book F&B's for DS2 birthday - done
Birthday present for MiL
Birthday present for DS2 - done
Book birthday party for DS1
Arrange the date days with the Christmas presents we got
Book another treatment using my birthday voucher - done

Pauper1

I have been smashing my to do list today! Visited our allotment briefly this morning but hoping to get a good stint in tomorrow. I ordered DS2's birthday present earlier as well, I actually cannot believe he is going to be one! My parents are going to chip in for it as it was quite expensive and there's not a lot he really needs. I also booked his birthday tea using the Frankie and Benny's vouchers I bought.

Booked a few other things - free therapy next week, haircuts, research project appointment (where I receive love2shop vouchers for just chatting!), Indian head massage for just before holiday (using vouchers from birthday). Tried to book DS2's blood tests but they don't book appointments on Thursdays..... weird.

Ate a Disney related frog that I'd been putting off for months! That feels good. Also a DS1 related baby frog that I'd put off for a few weeks.

DS2 has fallen asleep on me, so think I'm going to start on my Disney food list now.

Pauper1

Still around, still plodding on. Debt is down another £100 from signature. We sent off a F&F offer last week, of 20%, so I'm expecting it to be rejected but it starts the conversation and I'm getting desperate for it to be sorted now.

Disney was brilliant and came in under budget. What do I do with the leftover €80? Take it back to where we originally exchanged?

Frantically trying to improve our credit scores in case we do manage to settle, as we might have an opportunity to buy, but I'm trying not to get my hopes up as there's probably a 2 month delay in us being ready financially compared to when the house would be ready!

I've not been to the allotment in ages. I'm hoping MiL will have the boys this afternoon for a bit.

Pauper1

Spoke to PRA Group yesterday who said they wouldn't be interested in a settlement offer for about 6 months, so that's that. I can't stay with my parents for long enough to get it sorted, so we'll last as long as we can, to build up some savings and then move out in the summer probably. I'll be working by then and we're going to look for a cheaper rental than last time, so I'm hopeful we'll still get to buy in a few years.

Also, I got up to the allotment but the ground is so compacted that I couldn't do any digging!

Pauper1

Soooooo, it's been a while again, huh?
Quick catch up of the last 20 months - I moved house, started working part time, left my husband, started claiming benefits, moved to my bachelorette house with my sons during a pandemic, met a new man, started working full time...
And now it's a new year, and I've got plans for 2021.
Financial

1. Pay off my remaining debt (£5,864.48)
2. Get a 1k emergency fund
3. Carry on saving £50 a month in the Help To Save account

Personal

1. Get divorced!
2. Lose 1 and a half stone to finally get to my target weight
3. Run a 10k

Pauper1

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information

Number of adults in household........... 1

Number of children in household......... 2

Number of cars owned.................... 1

Monthly Income Details

Monthly income after tax................ 1363.1

Partners monthly income after tax....... 0

Benefits................................ 1140

Other income............................ 330.33

Total monthly income.................... 2833.43

Monthly Expense Details

Mortgage................................ 0

Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0

Rent.................................... 775

Management charge (leasehold property).. 0

Council tax............................. 130

Electricity............................. 45

Gas..................................... 45

Oil..................................... 0

Water rates............................. 111.92

Telephone (land line)................... 0

Mobile phone............................ 35

TV Licence.............................. 13.37

Satellite/Cable TV...................... 7.99

Internet Services....................... 16.23

Groceries etc. ......................... 300

Clothing................................ 10

Petrol/diesel........................... 100

Road tax................................ 2.5

Car Insurance........................... 43.16

Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 20.83

Car parking............................. 0

Other travel............................ 0

Childcare/nursery....................... 18.75

Other child related expenses............ 0

Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 10

Pet insurance/vet bills................. 39.69

Buildings insurance..................... 0

Contents insurance...................... 6

Life assurance ......................... 0

Other insurance......................... 0

Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 50

Haircuts................................ 8

Entertainment........................... 20

Holiday................................. 50

Emergency fund.......................... 20

national trust.......................... 10

play therapy............................ 40

whirli.................................. 14.99

!!!!!!..................................... 9.99

adobe................................... 9.98

Tesco delivery saver.................... 6.99

ynab.................................... 9.25

Total monthly expenses.................. 1979.64

Assets

Cash.................................... 975.58

House value (Gross)..................... 0

Shares and bonds........................ 0

Car(s).................................. 1200

Other assets............................ 0

Total Assets............................ 2175.58

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts

Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR

Capital One card...............26.67.....5.........30.34

Next...........................954.28....45........23.9

Natwest........................4883.53...50........0

Total unsecured debts..........5864.48...100.......-  

Monthly Budget Summary

Total monthly income.................... 2,833.43

Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,979.64

Available for debt repayments........... 853.79

Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 100

Amount left after debt repayments....... 753.79

Personal Balance Sheet Summary

Total assets (things you own)........... 2,175.58

Total HP & Secured debt................. -0

Total Unsecured debt.................... -5,864.48

Net Assets.............................. -3,688.9

Created using the SOA calculator at www.stoozing.com. 

Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using other browser.

Pauper1

I've just applied and been accepted for a 0% balance transfer card, for my Next account. I pay £100 a month off it at the moment, but I was paying £450 a month off other debts which have now cleared, so I should be able to up that quite significantly now. But it should save me around £18 a month in interest switching to the card. 

For the Natwest loan, the interest is currently paused with the PRA group. I'm hoping that both my ex and I can raise enough money to offer a settlement. I think we'll aim for a 60%, so for my half I need to save £2930.12.

Pauper1

My car failed its mot yesterday, and the garage quoted me nearly double what I'd set aside for it (knew it was going to fail on a couple of things). Luckily I know someone who can do it for half that, so it shouldn't muck up my budget too much. 

I came super close to ordering a suspension trainer on Decathlon just now, literally got to the bit where I put in my card details. Then I closed the tab. Exercising my restraint muscles! Haha

I've not been able to go to work for the last 3 weeks, and similar to the spring lockdown last year, I'm noticing a huge difference in the amount I'm spending. My coffee and lunch habits were costing me a fortune! I need to be aware of this and pre-plan, for when I go back to work.