Drawing a line under the debt. Take two.

doingitanyway

I love skygarden. Sounds like you had a fab trip.

Drawingaline

So, holiday is paid off :T using the tax credits. New tyres on cart premium this time as I do alot of short journeys and definitely noticing the wear on the budget ones. And I had the funds budgeted. Managed to get teem done as had a cancellation today, next month's money is going to be short :eek: anyway, plan is to clear the 0% credit card by the end of March. Will be tight, but is doable. Have looked over next month and need to out money aside for my daughters trip to London to see a band, and for half term, nee to pay the teens for either working with me or looking after the smalls. But otherwise nothing else extra needed. Just can't book anything interesting :rotfl: going to be a quiet month.

Am in the process of switching one of my current accounts to the n@tiobwide one that pays 5% interest. And been looking at the n@twest one that does cashback for our joint one. Need to decide next week for that one. Been with thq black horse bank for 25years,but am fed up with my teens getting interest on their n@tionwide accounts and I get nothing. Now I use ynab I have a decent balance, makes sense to get something back.

Drawingaline

Been to work for an hour today. Boss has some jobs lined up for me to replace the clients that have left so from march I should be back up to 30houra a week. Much as I am enjoying the extra time off it is a worry.

Been bssy at home, never ending laundry, need to cath up with cleaning and the porch needs sorting out desperately! May have to do that later. Also need to hang some shelves this weekend.

It's going. A quiet one though.

Drawingaline

Been a while! Last week was all about surviving to half term. Quiet weekend, did a tip run and also took loads of stuff to the recycling and clothing banks.

This week the boy has done some jobs with me so has earnt money. Had yesterday off so drove to catch up with a friend with my sister and another friend. And a variety of kids. The girl stayed home to revise as she has her year 10 exams starting next week. The boy went to my mums for the night, he loves having some quality time with her. The day out was fun, cold but sunny, the small boys really needed a good run around after being cooped up all weekend. And it was nice for the four of us to catch up too.

Been buy working, boss is lining jobs up faster than we can do them :rotfl: looking at March should get a decent amount.

Money wise half term is always hard. Spent a bit on the credit card, but will clear it next month. The interest free one is at 1k, have set up a standing order to clear it in 5 months with the tax credits. Which will be reduce after April as hubby has had a promotion with a 4k payrise. Which is great if we do decide to either remortgage or move later this year. Atm I have set up some goals in ynab to save for the holiday and kids week tickets and a couple of weekends away I am planning. The loan will tick along for the time being, it will appear that debt busting will be slower for a time.

I am still trying to be careful though. I entered a couple of west end lotteries and won cheap tickets for a show next week. So taking the boy, but total including train will be less than £50 for two band A seats, so I am not saying no! :J

Anyway have two very busy days lined up with work, and am hoping for at least one day out this weekend.

Drawingaline

I have fallen off the wagon.

My credit card has taken a bit of a hit. Am so annoyed at myself. This is what I do, pay off loads of debt, feel deprived, spend on card, pay off too much.

He set some goals up in ynab, set s/o up to clear main credit card in five months and am leaving the loan to run atm.

In other news, hubby got a promotion, the extra money will be useful when our mortgage term is up as to what we might be able to borrow if we do want to move. Day to day a little bit extra a month to help out too.

Went to london with the boy on monday to see school of rock. Total bargain seats as won the online lottery. He adored it, it was fun, but not one I am in a hurry to see again. Got stuck at Waterloo trying to get home due to an earlier issue, ended up on the stopping service so got home at 12.30am, on a school night :eek: Tuesday was hard :rotfl: but the boy needed the one on one time, he has been struggling a bit atm.

Anyway that's it atm, quiet weekend planned I think. Hubby was out last night so don't think he will be up to much :rotfl: :beer:

Drawingaline

Been a bad week financially and the smallest had an awful few days at school. He wasn't excluded but he headbutted his teacher. Its been months since he was this bad which almost marked it worse. He did turn it around at the end of the week but still makes me so sad which doesn't help my impulse spending.

My bank account swit all went through and I have a creiit card with n@tionwide. So am xfering the small balance from lloyds onto it. MBNA one is now at £800 interest free, four more payments left on that. Tax credits got screwed up as I changed the bank details to the new account. Luckily the operator warned me so I logged into the online account and could see how they were splitting the next two payments. It totals the same but they are paying it weirdly. But overall its all OK.

This week saw another London trip. This time to wembley to see the girls favourite band. I ended up goig with her (hubby was supposed to but with starting the new promotion job he said he couldnt get time off!) it was an experience :rotfl: not my type of band, but watching her having the best time of her entire life was worth it! Budgeted money for it and came back with £6 spare :T doing it all again for her and her friend for her second favourite band at the o2 at the enof the month :eek:

It's her birthday next week, presents all bought, and have £10 cash to buy a cake.

Going forward I am trying my hardest to plan better and m resigned to having the debt longer than planned.

doingitanyway

You sound a bit low. I hope things are looking up.

Drawingaline

Right, need to get back to being accountable!

Financially I am at around 8.5k of debt. Credit card interest free, £200 a month going to it. Loan will just run atm.

Goals all looking good in ynab, and I feel more in control. £250 a month being saved into a 5% savings account. At the end of the twelve months should be 3k in it. Which is basically my emergency fund.

Went to the O2 with the girl and her friend. Ws an experience, and stayed in budget. Been to Brighton for a day trip this weekend, again stayed in budget. Have a theatre trip planned on Tuesday with the big two, have funds set aside. But am going to enter a couple of theatre lotteries for next week so may end up a little over for the month, but it's Easter hols so have more time spare.

Not taking time off over the holidays, but have had to budget to pay the big two. The girl stays home with the small ones and the boy comes out with me. It is nice that I don't need to worry about childcare though. And they have to save 10% of earnings.

May be away next weekend at in laws, but it's the smallest boys birthday in May and he wants to go camping, so may leave it and camp up near in laws in a few weeks instead.

Tight budget for the holidays so will be doing some cheap and free stuff after work most days, weather dependant of course!

Anyway need to get back into the habit of posting more regularly again. Stops the impulse spending.

doingitanyway

Well done for getting back in the groove

Drawingaline

Today's after work activity was not cheap, £90 spent in lidl, a bit more than usual tbh. Main months shopping being delivered early tomorrow morning, then just top up shops from @sda throughout the month.

Tomorrow I will get out early to do my jobs. The girl will be in charge. Once I am home I will try to get the little two out to the park for a bit, then off to London to see everybodys talking about Jamie. Saw it at the cinema back in January and the girl has been desperately trying to get me to book it since. Got her tickets for her birthday. £20 each for me, her and the boy up at the top. Typically a new cast member has been announced for a short run in may/June who is one of her favourite drag Queens so may be revisiting it in June :rotfl: but it is an awesome show and really good for their age group. Told her I will wait until we have seen how these £20 seats are and if they are OK will book them again.

Anyway signing off for the night now.