Single, six kids and going to be debt free!

camz2017

As long as you are within budget that’s the main thing - don’t worry too much about the odd week where you can’t make extra debt payments

Glad to hear the house is looking good. Mine also - our cleaner came back after Christmas, omg I’m so glad!!

Mumoffourkids

Oh yes still in budget and the fact that I have savings pots now is a very good thing.

I wouldn't necessarily say my house was clean, but it is tidy and would pass an unexpected visitor coming round! There wouldnt be much point me getting a cleaner as it would mean I would be manically running around tidying and almost cleaning before they came round!

So today has been a few spends out of the £10 a day but they were to treat DD3. She had to have another eye test today and they put drops in to relax her eyes. She said they stung so I treated her to a cake in Gregg's next to the opticians whilst the drops were taking effect. Upshot if the eye test is that she has to have glasses for school, reading, watching TV, anything that she has to concentrate on. I have managed to persuade her to have the free glasses though so no expense there!

I think I have sold something else on FB so that will go on Friday and I am planning on making another payment off the target debt then. I have £62 already to go to the debt but will have another £15 on Friday. I might even round it up!

Still trying to research cash for clothes and someone that will collect as I reckon I have about 20 bin bags full of clothes, shoes and bags to get rid of!

Tomorrow is last day of work for the week, and the weekend will be spent looking for things to sell and going to rugby as well!!

camz2017

If it’s specsavers I’ve always found the free glasses useless. I’ve been going for 11 years now, definitely worth paying the extra in my view, as a child I used to get designer for like £40 extra and they wouldn’t drop to bits.

The free ones are weak and overtime they kinda stretch out wider and wider until they don’t fit on your face, hard to explain. The screws also come out the glasses after a month or two and I was always down the opticians sending them for repair.

I’ve got a pair now which were £130, they would be £40 as a child I think, had them 2.5 years, I also got a cheap pair for £25 which I’ve only worn once as they dig into above my ears so much it gives me headaches and makes me feel sick.

See how she gets on but maybe budget for having to get another pair in a few months if they prove to be super uncomfortable.

I’ve worn contacts for 10 years also, so my glasses don’t even get used too much.

Good luck!

joeyjimbles

As an alternative, and remember you get to shop around, Vision Express 'free on prescription' glasses have been absolutely fantastic for DS1 - trendy, robust and they gave two pairs so have been brilliant.

Alternatively, get the free ones from wherever as back-up then go and look at Glassesdirect or Goggles4u and input the prescription. Search google or HUKD for discounts and you'll turn them up especially for new sign-up.

Just bought DS1 (now over 18 and so no free prescriptions any more) two pairs of fab glasses for £25 including delivery, anti glare and scratch resistant from Glasses Direct. A quick bit of research suggests that these are designer without the name, and our experience is that they look amazing, are robust enough to cope with a teenage boy's usage and the prescription is true. Last year, I managed to get him a pair of glasses and prescription sunglasses for £17 as a new customer.

Mumoffourkids

Thanks for the advice re glasses Camz and Joey. It’s actually boots opticians that we have been to. I have told her that she gets the free ones to start off with and we will see how she goes. She is only 7 so I am not sure how well she will look after them. Once I know how she gets on then I may pay for a pair for her. But good advice about going online.

She has to go back in three months for another test to see how she is getting on, so I’ll reassess then.

Mumoffourkids

Today has been a very long day. Work followed by taking the girls to gymnastics classes. In between housework and feeding kids.

This evening I have had a chance to look over my forecasted budget for the next six months. In order to get through to end of august, I need to find around £400. This could come from extra income or could come from savings in expenses. In addition my ex husband normally gets a bonus around Feb/Mar time and he normally gives me a percentage of that. But I won't rely on it so that leaves me £400 to find.

Tomorrow I will be finding things to sell from round the house and/or looking into finding a part time job that I can do from home.

Also tomorrow will be spent cleaning the house. The landing needs tidying and clearing. I also have a bit of rubbish to go to the tip. I need to sort a to do list really as I haven't been doing them and I have been getting distracted!

Honeysucklelou2

Can understand the feeling of constantly working, be that housework or paid work. I try to remind myself that with a larger family, particularly with the laundry, I'm doing double or triple the amount of housework as the average household. That helps me to not feel quite so bad at not getting absolutely everything done. There is only so much energy and hours in the day!

Mumoffourkids

Oh yes honeysuckle, the housework and definitely the laundry is never ending. The days I work I am particularly tired as two of the days, the kids have clubs in the evenings as well. It does get me down if the house is a mess but I think I need to let it go a bit more.

Mumoffourkids

So I have been thinking about how I have been getting on with my January goals. I though I would copy them here and update how I am doing so far.

January 2018 Goals
Pay off debt - £215.29/£2200 (biggest amount will be when ppi payment clears off one of my debts)
Lose six pounds in weight - 2.5/6 (doing well so far, just need to keep going)
Make an extra £100 by the end of the month - £80.58/£100 well this will be after this morning as I have to drop off some toys
Manage 15 NSD - 1/15 (this isn't doing too well as I always seem to need to spend in something like bread, milk)

wishingthemortgaheaway

Are you good at just getting bread & milk or do you buy other things too?

You could bulk buy and then freeze, taking it out as and when you need it. But, we get our bread and milk delivered by the milkman, it's a little bit more expensive, but cheaper than all the other things I'd also buy at the same time.
I've got a bread maker too, so one sliced loaf a week from the milkman and the rest from the machine. I can add extras to the delivery up until 9pm the night before it arrives, so perfect for last minute 'forgetfuls' (although I rarely do)

Within ynab I have £30 a month set aside for 'milk deliveries' but standard cost is £4 a week, so always a good op at the end of the month. Bill paid by direct debit, so don't even have to have cash waiting.