Single, six kids and going to be debt free!

beanielou

I think you are amazing. 

I don’t know how you do it! 

Drawingaline

You are good. No way either od my two smalls would do two hours work with me! Today I think it was 10mins for the smallest and half hour for the 11yr old. They are happy, safe and healthy. That's all I am going for atm. 

Moneywhizz

I often read your diary but haven't commented before. You do an amazing job working, running your home and looking after your children. This lockdown is difficult fore everyone but for those with children at home I think it is particularly difficult. I know my daughter is struggling a bit with having two toddlers at home 24/7 and cant wait till they can come back to Gran's. I just wanted to comment because I think you are putting yourself under too much pressure to keep up with the schoolwork for all the children. I am sure your children's teachers will understand that you can only give each child so much of your time and really the work that is being set should be revision so if it is not covered it shouldn't be too much of a problem. I can see that having work set could be helpful in keeping the children occupied but when it is taking up so much of your time I think you should cut back a lot on what you are trying to cover. You need to look after your own health and well being in the midst of all this and shouldn't be stressed by trying to get all the school work done. Hope you don't mind be following along with your dairy. 

Mumoffourkids

Thank you guys for your lovely comments. I don’t feel like I am coping and today I feel guilty. I spoke to my family support worker earlier this week and he encouraged me to contact the kids school and ask them if they would take my kids into school. I did it and four of the kids went into school today for the day. Do you know what I did. I relaxed. I watched a tv program I had on record, I went for a walk and I had a nap. But I feel so guilty about sending the kids into school. My support worker said if the support is available to me, then to take it. Three of them are going in tomorrow as well. Tomorrow I plan on getting a bit more done but today was a chill out day.

In money news, today I received a cheque for £12 from my old T3sco credit card. Apparently they have changed the way they charge fees and have sent me £12 as a gesture of goodwill. This isn’t anything to do with my complaint as the letter is dated before my complaint, but it’s a welcome £12 into the pot and into my emergency fund. I also cashed out £5.37 from prolific today. Apparently once I get to £5 I get the option to instant cash out, so I don’t have to wait until Tuesday or Fridays now, which is great. Another £5.37 to my emergency fund which is growing nicely now and will hopefully be above £500 by the end of the month. I am hoping to get to £1000 by December. But this in addition to my other savings pots which are also growing nicely.

I have put an order in for school clothes for my youngest. She is tiny and the age 2-3 cardigans I bought her in the preloved sale are far too big for her, but I am hoping she will grow a tiny bit between now and September. She doesn’t grow much though bless her. So now I think I only have to get her a few more polo shirts and some pe cycling shorts and maybe another skirt or dress and she is done. 

Then I did a list for my oldest boy as he starts secondary school September. For him I need pe t-shirt, pe hoody and maybe some trousers but that is it! I am very happy I am organised and the local supplier of school clothes is actively encouraging ordering now and they will exchange if it doesn’t fit in September. So that is on my list of things to do tomorrow, to order his bits and then I will leave it for a bit.

beanielou

I am in full support of you taking whatever support that is out there for you.

Mumoffourkids

beanielou said:

I am in full support of you taking whatever support that is out there for you.

Thank you. That means a lot.

Drawingaline

Glad you got some support. And I imagine the kids enjoyed some space apart too. 

Mumoffourkids

Yes I think the kids enjoyed it. I got on and did some bits around the house today. Still got loads to do, but it didn’t get messy in a day. 

I read a free book on amazon kindle about how to increase productivity. It’s mainly about work but I have transferred the principles to my home life. I now have a list of projects and then a master action list which is everything I can do on my current projects or just general things to do. So far I have crossed an awful lot of things off my list and I only started Tuesday. So I think when I think I haven’t done much, I need to look at the list and see what I have actually achieved. I am getting sorted with paperwork as soon as it comes in rather than leaving it and then sorting it out at the last minute. I do need to reorganise my lists slightly but that shouldn’t take long and then I will keep on track for each of the projects. Some are small projects and some are much larger!

In money saving news, I have cashed out another £5.48 today from prolific which has gone to emergency fund. Also I had a reply from my complaint about my T3sco credit card. They have admitted it was their fault and I should not have been receiving statements for almost four years now. They are going to send a cheque for £50 compensation in the post. Another small win which I never even thought I would get. Another top up for my emergency fund when it arrives.

beanielou

Good news on the 50 quid 

Mumoffourkids

That £50 needs to come sooner rather than later! I’ve been missing for a few days as trying to get organised for eldest’s birthday which is tomorrow. It’s her 18th so we are throwing her a mini cocktail party with slushies and mocktails for the kids. I went food shopping today and completely blew my budget, so i need to have a look and see if I can make up the money somehow. In theory though we have enough food for at least a week and my daughter will have a decent birthday tomorrow. Not the one she hoped for, but a decent one all the same. Downstairs is decorated ready for the morning, the younger ones are off to school during the day, so me and the older two are going to do an online escape room and then we are going to have a party in the afternoon/evening with takeaway pizza for dinner and caterpillar chocolate cake for dessert.

I have also set my daughter up with her own budget on YNAB as she is due to get some money from an account I have for her and her grandparents set one up and I don’t want her to waste it all on food. She seems to like the idea and has downloaded the app onto her phone already. I’ll go through some bits with her tomorrow as her dad has sent her some birthday money as well today.

Right I need to get some sleep as will probably be woken up early tomorrow and then as the downstairs is tidy, it gives me a chance to do some sewing and sort some of the upstairs.