Staying positive!

Stepbystep1

I’m a long term lingerer on the forum, but determined 2019 is the year I start posting and making a difference. I’m a mum of 3, currently on maternity leave. I have £19, 800 of debt. Slippery slope of debt started when paying credit cards off got delayed, then had a run of bad luck and it mounted. Add to that one of my children being in hospital for several months and my husband being ill (he also has debts) and here I am. I have £9200 on Barclaycard (with a low rate until the loan is repaid). I pay £270 a month, £50 interest. I have just managed to transfer 2 cards onto an interest free card. I was paying £85 and £255 on the two cards, but £175 was in interest. I’m hoping to leave payments the same to make maximum impact.
I return to work in July and from September I will be paying £1400 in childcare. 🤦!♀️ I’m hoping to use the next 12-18 months to retrain to something that will pay less, but also mean I need much less childcare.
We also want to move house in 12 months.
As my plan to win the lottery never panned our, I’m going to put my effort (& £s) into debt repayment instead.
My biggest weakness is food shopping, I do buy at Aldi, but need some more ideas for batch cooking (to fill freezer) to stop me buying expensive ‘quick’ meals, when I can’t be bothered to cook. (I cook curry/spagbol/corned beef hash/beef casserole) bonus points if I can bulk out with hidden veg!
Thank you if you’ve read this far. Any tips/advice welcome. I’m hoping to pay off about 30% of my debt this year.

blue_eyed_girl123

Do you have a slow cooker? Hands down the best food based purchase I ever made. Also, two massive pans from Asd4 in which I usually cook large batches of chilli and curry

Stepbystep1

I do have a slow cooker, but I feel I under use it. I do casserole in it and that’s about it? 🤷!♀️

enthusiasticsaver

Sounds like you have made a good start by transferring 2 cards to interest free.

Why not post an soa on here? My three tips for decreasing debt. Budget, budget and budget, you need an emergency savings account so you are not tempted to turn to credit when you have an unexpected bill and most important of all spending diary or someway of recording what you spend and on what so you can see where your overspend areas are and either work on decreasing them or adjust your budget to account for them.

Stepbystep1

What’s an SOA? I’m hoping to try the no spending days too.

Stepbystep1

So today I’m trying an NSD. Although it’s half way through the month I’m going to see how many I can do and aim to beat it by 1 next month. Then repeat every month. (Although if I’m rubbish at it I may have to just set a target!) I’ve read a few other diaries and figured out what an SOA is, so I’ll try and get mine done this weekend.
Today is assembly to see my daughter getting a prize, a funeral, housework and entertaining a 3 month old who just wants to sit up!

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Happy new diary, good luck!
Being nosy, what are you hoping to retrain as? I'm always looking for career change inspiration!
I know what you mean with childcare, we have 5 children.... now our youngest gets the 30 hour funding and my 2 eldest are at secondary, our childcare has decreased to £300 per month, but that's only for 2 days a week (I then also work Saturdays). It's the least it's ever been, I dread to think how much I've spent over the last 15 years!
Is it worth you and your husband pooling resources; debts and income? My husband and I found it much easier to budget control that way as you work as a team.
An SOA is useful as it becomes clearer where your 'weak' spots are, then combined with a spending diary, you can adjust it every few months.

Stepbystep1

I’m a teacher and I work with SEN children. I’m planning on getting some BSL qualifications (I use it anyway!) and then offer it to schools as peripatetic teaching or clubs. I would also sign up to supply teaching to keep my hand in. Eventually when the kiddies are older I could become a TOD, or use my BSL in another way, particularly if I am able to get to L6. (Which would allow me to be N interpreter) I may also work with the local council to support parents who have children put on EHCPs. All self employed however.
My husband and I do pool all our resources, we have a joint account but our wages go into our own accounts. He earns more than me and pays more in,m to our joint (where bills etc come out) we want to open a new account and pay our wages into one account, but I’m holding off in this for now, partly because we are hoping to get a new mortgage next year and I don’t want to lose the long standing account as it looks better on file. He has made a spreadsheet on his laptop, with various charts to show where our spending goes. We should have more money left than we do, but we need to rein in the takeaways etc at the weekend! 😳
I’m focusing more on my debt on here, mostly because if I finish full time work I don’t want him to have to cover my debts as well as supplement my expected drop in income. Not that he’s made an issue of this, it’s for myself.

Stepbystep1

So, I have NO reason to spend money today. Yet, having decided today will be my first official NSD, all I can think about is shopping! ��!♀️ Just like going on a diet and obsessing about chocolate!

enthusiasticsaver

Stepbystep1 wrote: »

What’s an SOA? I’m hoping to try the no spending days too.

You can find an soa here http://www.stoozing.com/calculator/soa.php

Format for MSE.

Stepbystep1

Today was our treat day (a posh coffee out) We get 45 minutes basically child free, in this time we discuss how we are doing financially and how plans are going (without constant interruptions!) I also needed to get some presents for my children to take to 4 parties they’ve got coming up. I managed to snag some remaining Christmas gifts reduced from £7 to £3.50 and 10 cards for £1 so that’s them sorted. I also needed some clothes for breastfeeding in, and found some bargains in Lidl. (£22 spent) Just need some butter now for tomorrow - it’s my mother in laws birthday and rather than pay for a meal out, I’m cooking a special occasion pie, chicken, ham and leek pie, (with double cream and white wine). It’s delicious- though not the greatest for our waistline! Don’t even need to buy any wine as we have saved some Christmas gifted wine for treats.