The simple life

Tink_04

Hi tea!

I will have a look at shoppix as RH does take forever! I have £20 now from prolific so that will be counted towards the EF £50 to raise once I cash it out!

Really need to focus these next few months and get into better habits.

Tink

teafor2

Morning Tink Definitely look at Shoppix. I thought I'd mentioned it but obviously not. I can cash out on there twice as quick as RH so really worth doing. You get little surveys and scratchcards as well that you win on - I never win anything on those blooming slots on RH :mad::rotfl:

Your debts don't look so bad written down into 3 headings but you're definitely right to pay the loan off first. Although that 10.4% looks pretty good compared to the 26% I was paying :eek:

Have a lovely weekend. xx

Tink_04

Thanks tea, things have been tough the last few months and I'm no longer getting paid from work for my sickness (I have a chronic illness and have been off a long time) I'm hoping to return to work in the next few months but it's a long process, this is why the EF is so important to us.

Anyway yesterday was spendy as took DD out to get some back to school stuff and it's not cheap! I had some money put aside but it's still a big chunk gone!

Today will be an easy day, going to take it easy and get sorted for next week. Only 2 weeks left at school for the kids so will need to organise holiday activities. We are not going away over the holidays as is so expensive but have some lovely things in our hone town and surrounding area so we can always find things to do.

Need to sort a meal plan out and organise a top up shop too.

Will see how I manage the holidays as it's DS birthday then DD the following month.

Tink

teafor2

Hi Tink Sorry to hear you've been struggling health wise. Hope things get better as time goes on.

I think being organised is the key to the summer holidays with children. And also remembering sometimes just lounging around at home is all they want to do.... I was always happy to oblige the PJ day request :rotfl:

Keeping on track is hard and boring sometimes but it will be worth it in the end. xx

Tink_04

Well it's one more day to the weekend! Had Loads on this week and it can't come quick enough!

Got the SC in with jacket potatoes in and have to bits to use in the fridge as toppings so that will clear things out a bit.

Need to take a step back tho as I'm getting all muddled up again!

DH pay day changes this month and need to do an account review to make sure there is no DD missed out. It's also added a week on to the shopping so I now have 2 weeks left in the month rather than one and already have nothing in. Think a freezer inventory is needed.

For the holidays I'm 'trialing' packed lunches. If I can make sandwiches (frozen in buns) or a big tub of Pasta (Tuna/Chicken) then I can just add snacks and things to it and fill up a water bottle. I'm hoping this works so I can have a cheaper and more organised school holiday. I managed to get some sausage rolls ys the other day so I cut them in half and froze them too wondering if anyone else does things like this?

The kids break up next week and I have been doing well with the uniform shopping which comes out of that pot, it's very low now tho so need to sort out EXACTLY what is needed. I did well tho and had got underwear packs in the next size up reduced to £2 in A$da the other day so that is something else ticked off my list - still need...

* jumpers / cardigans
* Out door PE kit for DS
* Shoes & plimsoles
* Water bottle for DS
* Hoody for outdoor PE for DD

I have done well, just need to plan my 6 weeks on the board so we all know where we which week and we will be fine.

Always so busy!

Tink

[Deleted User]

You are sounding extremely organised - well done!

I had no idea you could put jacket potatoes in the slow cooker?! :eek:

Tink_04

Yeah you just put a bit salt and oil and wrap them in foil. 4 hours on high. If you want to crisp them stick them in the oven or under the grill for 10mins

It's all going on here, we think we can move the loan & OD onto a 0% card, this way everything will be on 0% and we can pay more off. We have been looking at the bills and this will make things simpler and save us some money too

Things are so tight at the moment as I now have zero income so are totally on one wage until autumn when I can get back to work then we are going to use my wage to pay off the debt so we we be used to living on one wage then when the card is cleared we can then add this to the savings fund as I will at some point be leaving work or at least cutting my hours back further

Shepherd's pie for dinner today and I'm going to make a chilli for through the week as have some mince that needs using up.

Last week at school for the kids so it's hopefully going to wind down. I'm trying to use up things from the freezer as 11 days until payday so I'm trying to hold out and only get essentials.

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend :j

Tink

teafor2

Hi Tink Agree 100% with SSDD23, you really do sound organised and on top of your game.

DS is quite a fussy eater so even during school holidays it's still a packed lunch for him and then evening meal as normal. I wish he would eat something on toast for a change but he's having none of that malarkey :rotfl:

That's a good plan to use your wage for debt payments. A lot of people would struggle on one wage these days so you must be doing something right with your budgeting :T

Have a lovely afternoon. xx

Tink_04

I'm just all over the place as thought I had final numbers but have to wait again. It is good if we can move things to 0% as that will take the pressure off.

I have been off work for a while due to disability and although I want to go back I have to complete further treatment and physio etc if I would just not recover. We are trying to get used to living with one wage as with my health issues my wage is not always guaranteed. It's all a bit complicated

Tea Mine will eat anything really it's just having things in and ready to eat for them. I often start with great ideas but then life gets in the way and I'm lost again! My slow cooker is a great asset tho - definitely my favourite kitchen appliance:)

Tink

Tink_04

I'm still a bit all over the place! This heat is totally not helping me at all either.

We made it through the month and everything is set up for the new pay date so my month runs from 25th now.

We managed to put the loan and the OD on 0% which is great! Cancelled the OD so we can't re use it and just waiting to cancel the loan once the payment is updated. It means all the debt is now on 0%

We probably paid more in fees as then we transferred the 0% CC onto our other card which is a longer 0% but it's done now and all the debt is together on 1 card with a decent 0% deal

The roof is a whole other issue .... we repaired what was damaged and thought we were good. Turns out not so good, we have had to replace a large bit of the flat roof ... this has hit us hard but it was either do it now or risk winter when it could be so much worse.

I feel very ashamed writing this, mostly because I feel I achieved so little when I started clearing my debts.

We now have £6158 on the CC with a possible £800 - £1200 depending on the state of the roof when it comes off to go on. Gutted is an understatement. But this is what it is

Tink