About time I sorted myself out

poppytattoo

I have been offered a new job! Verbally and via email, I'm just waiting on the official job offer with figures which I will receive next week. 

I'm so excited. I have been ready for a change and this should hopefully mean a little bit more cash. Potentially a lot more stress too, but they do say a change is as good as a rest... 

Can't concentrate on anything today. Too excited/nervous/worried about having to resign from current place...

poppytattoo

Hello everyone! Life update - it took a little longer than planned but I have officially taken the new job and resigned from current place. Only a very minimal - negligible - increase in pay, but I was so ready to get out of the old place. However, the career progression looks much better and my bonus rate has more than doubled! 

So otherwise not much has changed. It is my birthday this weekend, we're going to have a picnic (just the two of us and the dog) and we're going to get a takeaway in the evening. I am still saving more money than I thought possible whilst not travelling anywhere, buying anything etc, and then jointly putting that in an emergency fund/paying off debts. Feels like things are on the up. 

Wishing everyone a wonderful day. 

poppytattoo

I AM BACK!
It's once again been a shockingly long time since I've written on this site. This year has obviously been horrible for everyone. I have been in a bit of a funk - new job is great but have had some issues with it, and my chronic health problems have flared up massively in terms of physical symptoms. I've been struggling a lot mentally in terms of anxiety/feelings of guilt/stress but I guess that is what a pandemic will do to you. 
One thing that has really helped me over the past few years is posting on this forum. As an anonymous outlet and place for support, I've found it invaluable. My new year's resolution is to get back into the habit of posting here for my own mental and financial wellbeing, and I'm starting with this little update to get myself going. 

This weekend I'm hoping to take some time to go through my debts/accounts to update my signature as that always makes me feel really good. It's been a mixed bag in terms of finances - OH lost a good chunk of his income and I've not been able to bring in the bonus payments I was hoping for - but we did manage to save a little bit earlier in the year which has gone towards paying off my overdraft. I have racked up more in dental bills but I can't really help that - the work needs doing and will be worth it in the end! 

Excited to reconnect more next year and get myself back on track. Merry Christmas everyone.   

poppytattoo

BIG NEWS! 

I have just found out that we're expecting! It will be a few weeks yet before I can go for a dating scan but I am guessing I will be due around early December. 

Absolutely over the moon but also a little bit terrified about how on earth we are going to manage financially. 

I will only receive statutory maternity pay, and that will JUST ABOUT cover my share of the household bills, mortgage, food etc with a few pounds left over. 

But my current debt stands at £21715 (not including mortgage). I have been doing well at paying it down over time but more dental bills and an emergency car issue added a bit back on. 

Currently I pay just over £850 a month in debt payments. There's obviously no way I'll be able to do that on mat pay, and I don't think I'll be able to save enough between now and December to cover it. 

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Anyone got any thoughts on what I can do? I did look at consolidating them all with HSBC to get lower monthly payments as I'm aware babies do cost money as well as me just paying my bills and debts (I've had a loan with HSBC that I've been paying off for five years and is now nearly paid off) and was led to believe it would be fine and I'd get an instant decision, but then I had a message saying it could take up to 24 hours and then I got another one saying it would take up to 10 working days so I'm a bit concerned that it will be a no and I'll have dinged my credit report for nothing)

poppytattoo

Crikey. It's been a while. That last pregnancy ended in a missed miscarriage. 

However, happily we are now expecting again and hopeful that this is our rainbow baby. Currently 15 weeks along and got our fingers crossed with all our hearts. 

Saving as much as we can ahead of maternity leave, waiting for boss to confirm if I'll get anything above statutory maternity pay (we don't have a mat policy, I'm the first employee to get knocked up). 

poppytattoo

I'm back! 

Rainbow baby arrived and is now three months old. I'm so in love with him - I knew I would be - but it's indescribable. Makes me want to do better at handling cash for him. 

We're just about managing on stat mat pay but crikey am I noticing how things add up (a coffee with other mums here, petrol to go and visit my family there...) 

Would really appreciate any tips of ways to earn/save whilst on mat leave, if you have any, good people of the forum...?

DancingInTheRain

Aww congratulations 😍 good to see you back x