Family of 4, paying back £50k in 4 years whilst trying to live eco friendly

jwil

Hope you manage to get some rest x

PurpleFairy26

Hope you’re ok. If there is so much going on, just try and focus on 3 things at a time might help rather than trying to have a massive list. 

missymoo81

Thank you all so much. Really helps having your support. Not quite sure why I’m flailing around so much at the moment. I think it’s because I’ve thrown an extra activity in the mix (swimming for the children) which has coincided with the children’s dad going away. So I’m back to having them full time for 5 weeks (which I love) but it’s more than hectic trying to train 4-5 times a week, run a business and be my version of super mum! 

Going to spend some time trying to get my head organised tonight and see if next week will be better.

Suffolk_lass

You are a bit quiet - hope you are doing OK x

missymoo81

Hi Suffolk lass! Thank you for checking in on me.

Well the world has changed so much since I last posted. I hope everyone is doing ok? I haven’t had much time to catch up with everyone. 

We’re worrying quite a lot this end. Business is shut. The government has done an amazing job trying to make sure everyone gets paid but  We don’t qualify for much unfortunately. But hopefully we’ll survive! Currently doing classes online for everyone (in the hope at least some people will pay their membership) so we’re working a LOT of hours, whilst trying to home school, which is a nightmare. Thank goodness for the good weather as we’ve all been spending time outside. 

Shopping is something that is really making me worry. I’m not really an anxious person but going to Tesco at the moment is really causing me to panic. I haven’t ventured in since lockdown, I’ve been nipping to the coop but I never seem to catch it right and more often then not it’s lacking in the things I need. Tempted to go now to see what I can get but even the thought is making me worried. I hate myself for worrying about it so much, as I’m not one of those people but it is bringing me to the edge of tears each time and I don’t want OH to have to go as he’s super stressed by everything. In fact he’s got a lot more stressed after tonight’s announcement and is in a very negative place and won’t stand for reasoning. I’m trying to be as positive as possible but he’s on the other end of the spectrum. It’s so hard especially with the kids here all the time to chat properly. 

Good things though, I’m managing to get lots of washing done and dried on the line. I’m cooking from scratch again, which although time consuming I do actually enjoy it. Mind you I didn’t hours making a curry and flatbreads and OH just ate it and said he was going to bed. 

Have watched a film and played the game of life with the children today  which was nice. I’m sat watching midsommer murders and drinking a cup of coffee. 

Suffolk_lass

Re your homeschooling, I reproduced this on someone's diary on Friday as they were finding it stressful too - 

"I read a long post by a head teacher of a primary school last night (on my (ex-teacher) DH's FB feed, he had shared it) - the man said you can't do everything. This is not homeschooling, it is a suspension of school. The work set is all stuff they have already covered so a form of revision. Teachers were also in a panic when setting the work so many threw the kitchen sink at it and shared all the work prep they had done all year.  He stressed this is not important. The key things to do a bit of are:

• Some reading
• Some creative stuff,
• Maybe get them to write a diary
• If you have time do a bit of cooking with them and get them to weigh everything and work it all out 
• And give them plenty of downtime.

He also said you cannot possibly work from home at the same time as directly teaching or supervising your children so forget multi-tasking and just spend small amounts of quality time with them."
I hope you find this reassuring  - you are doing everything you can

missymoo81

Thanks Suffolk. I’m trying to do at least something every day. They’re v good at watching children’s educational programmes on TV too.

Eating from the cupboards and fridge is weird, I didn’t realise how much we ate out! It’s hard because I don’t always have the time to make things and often can’t be bothered but have to. So today we’ve had toast and hot cross buns, yogurts hm cakes and fruit. Thinking of making lasagne for dinner but need to get the mince out of the freezer and I can’t really be bothered to do anything right now. Might do sausage and mash..... hope everyone is ok. 

jwil

I've found that going later in the day to the supermarket helps.  It seems to be busiest in the morning.  It's still hard to get some things but much better than it was.

missymoo81

Hey everyone I hope you’re all ok? I’ve been working and just living each day as it comes. I’m spending an absolute fortune on food at the moment as the supermarket doesn’t have the normal things I buy. I’m trying my best but it’s all I can do. So I am looking to the future for when things normalise and I can shop normally in Tesco rather than going to the COOP! So I am writing a list of meals and ingredients and costs of things that are out of stock which I am assuming will come back into stock when this is all over and trying to stick to a budget. I’m not sure what it will be yet but I’m trying to make it as small as possible!!!!

missymoo81

Ok......
so I haven’t done a full menu yet or a full list but I put a sample day of what I could eat cheaply, ie: porridge and tinned peaches for breakfast, sandwich or pasta for lunch etc..... into my fitness pal, and I’ve easily met all of my macros...... including my daily amount of protein!!!! I just assumed I’d be well under! But it’s all good! Going to play around with lunches and dinners and breakfast will pretty much be porridge. I’ll share as soon as I can work it all out x