I want to believe I can do this!

enthusiasticsaver

pidge04 wrote: »

Thank you.

I have just written to Barclaycard to see whether they would consider reducing the interest rate.

Fortunately, my husband is not into presents at all and I do not want to teach my daughter that she needs to buy something for either of us for Mother's Day or Father's Day. I feel that you show your love by making breakfast in bed for someone and making a card. I picked up a card for my Father in a shop and she said to me 'I am going to make one for Daddy.' I felt very proud.

There will be an expectation, however, that I treat him for lunch or something. I absolutely cannot afford to do that. I shall make a picnic for the 3 of us from things at home. He loves picnics.

The expense of Father's Day will come from my family. They are buyers of presents although I know that they would not like it if I spent a lot of money. I think I will buy a small gift and write a thoughtful message in a card. I know he would really appreciate that.

To be honest, I struggled for years with the whole splitting the bills right down the middle. Especially when there was a period when he was earning £800 a month more than I was and I was REALLY struggling. It stemmed from when we both worked full time but for the last 7 years I have worked part-time because of our daughter. He has paid for all the food this month. He paid for a prescription for me the other week. There would have been a time when I would have given him the money but I just said thank you this time. We have never been a 'team' unfortunately in anything. We should have gone our separate ways years ago but we have settled into a warmish friendship.

I can't wait to break the 10K mark....

If you work part time to care for your daughter then your income is obviously reduced but you are saving on childcare. That is a shame he does not see or appreciate that. I won't comment further on your relationship as only you know how much value to put on that. I would just say value yourself and your contribution both in terms of things you do for your family and financially. If you do the bulk of the housework, cooking, shopping, childcare etc and work part time then you are working every bit as hard as your husband full time.

I worked part time for many years while our daughters were small. My DD2 also does a similar number of hours as she now has a baby and a toddler. We had a system which sorts out the disparity in incomes when one is doing the bulk of the childcare. Joint account for all bills and household expenses and travel etc. Joint savings for home improvements, cars, gifts and holidays and a personal account each with a set monthly amount for each of us to cover clothes, personal expenditure, hobbies and personal entertainment. If your husband does not see you as a team there is not much chance he will adopt the same system but it shows you there are ways this can be sorted so it is not unfair on the person doing most of the childcare.

pidge04

Not too much going on here. Pay day on Friday so I will pay £150 off Barclaycard and £130 off 2nd CC.
I have been selling a steady stream of bits and bobs. I have paid the money into my current account to cover bills. I have a week off coming up and there are still some bits I will put up for sale. Would be great to put the money towards my debt but again I think I will end up using the money to cover my costs.
I think I am going to try and go all out in the summer holiday and try to earn £2000 in 6 weeks. It will be hard but the thought of being able possibly to pay off my Barclaycard is extremely appealing. The time will go quickly and I am lucky to have this opportunity.
I am struggling a little bit with not having anything in my diary to look forward to and having the same old clothes and worrying about money a lot but I keep thinking this is the worst it is going to be. When the Barclaycard is paid off, I will be £150 a month better off.
And in Summer 2020, I will be £227 a month better off with no loan to repay.
I am heading in the right direction.

pidge04

I have gone over my mileage allowance so I cannot change my car until next year when I shall be back within the mileage allowance again.

pidge04

I feel as dreary as anything, folks.

Need my holiday to come next week so I can get selling more bits and can pursue my side incomes.

Someone told me today that they will have paid off their mortgage in ten years time aged 50 so they will be able to work part time.

I, on the other hand, have been ridiculous with money and will be working forever.

Wish I could go back and have a conversation with my 25 year old self.

Actually, I would go back to when I was a teenager and I went out with a friend and spent about £10 on earrings and other such things. My older brother said he could not believe that I had done that at a time when apparently my parents were
struggling.

I would say to my younger self ‘you do not need to spend every bloody penny you have on things’ and I would say ‘if you do not have the money to pay for something, then you cannot have it.’

I will rid myself of this debt and it will never happen again but I think I shall never have a home of my own and my financial future does not look promising.

Sorry for the depressing post.

enthusiasticsaver

I think many people would say the same and wish they had been a bit money wiser from young. Attitudes to finances do seem to run in families so surprising your brothers attitude was different to yours although some people do rebel once earning after seeing their parents struggle through their childhood and once earning their own money seem to want to spend spend spend.

No sense looking back though, just learn the lessons and move on as you are now doing. Once you have sorted the debt get into the savings habit and things will turn around for you.

pidge04

Pay day tomorrow. I am still feeling dreary. It is hard, isn!!!8217;t it?
I have updated my figures to show I will pay £200 from my debt tomorrow morning. I finish work tomorrow for a week and my plan is to do lots of selling (would love to make £50) and preparation for boosting my income in the summer and autumn/winter. I need to make sure my monthly budget is shipshape.

pidge04

My pay has increased by £125 a month! That feels like a lot. My step might be a bit springier today!

cocalls

morning
a lurker here you're doing so well-well done on the extra income and if you pay £26.01 you'll be in the £9000s!

pidge04

cocalls wrote: »

morning
a lurker here you're doing so well-well done on the extra income and if you pay £26.01 you'll be in the £9000s!

Oh really? Unfortunately, I have 2 overdrafts (£1000 and £750) but yes, I shall pay £26.01 right now and then at least my loan and credit cards will be in the £9000s! Thank you! You have made my step springier still!

pidge04

cocalls wrote: »

morning
a lurker here you're doing so well-well done on the extra income and if you pay £26.01 you'll be in the £9000s!

And now my Barclaycard is in the £1500s!