Making money make sense

Franalamadingdong

So i feel a bit cheeky being here as I'm not in debt with credit cards etc. I have a student loan, but I don't earn enough to make payments and I appreciate the view point of seeing it like a tax so it doesn't concern me. I did recently have to pay back £2.5k in housing overpayment, and thankfully as I had about 6k I could just pay it off in one go and not worry about it. All that said, I don't really have any savings or real plan for my money, which I'd like to change.

I was here a few years back, probably what has kept me in the black :A since then I have changed jobs, increasing my hours and an increase in hourly rate, and just a super environment and gotten the most amazing boyfriend.

The boyfriend should be moving in at some point in 2020, which will change/end various benefits as I've been a single working parent for years. He's looking to move out of teaching, but isn't sure what into next, he has lots of skills and a real hard worker so I'm not overly concerned, but I do want some cushion to help out during that interim period of him relocating, getting a new job and setting up business over here (75 miles from where he currently lives). He likes to leap into things, and I'm an overthinker; he makes me a little braver, but because my son has pretty much only had me I like to make sure I don't do anything to jeopardize that.... Ok I'm a bit braver but still a massive overthinker!

I discovered the budget mom a week or two back, which I found inspiring, and as I bullet journal I've been setting things up - this had taken a back seat this year whilst I've been all loved up! Actually a lot of things (other than my son of course) have taken a backseat as my boyfriend is only with us Friday night to Sunday at about noon and he's usually exhausted from work that he just wants to relax. I've managed to get on top of the housework, including decluttering everywhere - yes, even the understairs cupboard! I want to increase my physical activity, as I'll be looking after my parents' dog in the new year for 3 months while they're on a cruise that should be ok! And now I'm aiming on sprucing up my finances so that it can take the initial hit when the boyfriend moves in.

I have a few savings goals:
I already have the £1k saved, but it's just sat in my current account doing nothing; I'll fix that when I stop telling myself "but you might need it" - anyone know how to stop that voice?
I have opened a H2B... Now I just need to put money in it :rotfl:
I'm a keen sewer (quilts and homewares mostly) and the boyfriend has been encouraging me to develop this into a business. I'm a baby steps kinda gal, and I know that many people don't make money on physical items, but I think a blog would be good, if I can control my ramblings, and I do already like to draft together new patterns for myself. The downside is that I really need a computer, ideally a laptop, for this, which I don't have. However, if I can keep building my skills in something I already do having another income source would be amazing.

Anyway I have a laptop saving pot,
A new phone pot, (£77 sitting in top cashback already)
a new flooring pot for the living room (it's getting bad)
A holiday pot (I cashed in £120 of pound coins that have been collected in a jar at home, the boyfriend is very good a topping that jar up!)
A Christmas pot (for 2020, I do this every year and I'm confident with this one, it's even already got £50 in it)
A birthday pot (using the calendar method)
And an events pot (thankfully I'm boring so this isn't too high)

I think I'm going potty!

I hope no one minds my having a wee diary on here. I promise I'll be good

[Deleted User]

Hi Franalamadingdong,

Welcome aboard!

Love the username

Pmo2
xx

Franalamadingdong

Thanks pmo2 I've been reading your (new) diary. Was so happy when I saw your DH got good news re job and health!

I'm Fran for short

I've not got much by way of income and the child has swimming and cello lessons, so it's good I'm rather boring because it frees up the funds for those things. He's just gone up to intermediate level 2 for the new year and he'll be swimming with school in the summer term (I will still have to pay), but then I think lessons will stop by the time he's ready to go up to advanced.

I have decided to sell my saxophone and guitars next year and use that money to purchase a cello rather than to continue to rent one should he wish to continue to play. So I have a few longer term plans for those outgoings. Swimming I just wanted him safe in the water as we live by the sea and it's a fun skill to learn. Cello was his idea and I've said that for as long as he enjoys it and puts the work in we'll keep up the lessons.

Thinking on to Christmas things that still need sorting. Teacher is getting handmade sweets (marshmallow, peanut butter fudge and honeycomb- just the honeycomb left to make) and TA is getting a sea-ceramic necklace. We get lots of seaglass and ceramics on one of our beaches. The boyfriend's brother is getting the sweetie gift too and a friend is getting one of the necklaces I've made for her birthday in February.

I love giving handmade gifts. Mum asked for one of my quilts for Christmas and dad asked for a lanyard (I've bought him a new hat too). The boyfriend wanted a lanyard and a laptop sleeve. I've got a little to finish off, but it'll all be done before the big day.

Franalamadingdong

The delightful son had worms... There so needs to be a sick face here. So at 10pm we get dressed and drive in the fog to Tesco... Not the near one, that has no pharmacy and shuts at 10pm, nope 40 minute round trip one that shuts at 11pm. Urgh. And £8.40! I told him if he gets them again I'm chopping his butt off!

We are now both knackered and he's off to a pantomime with school and I'm off to work later. Might get some sneaky quilting in-between drop off and having to go to work.

[Deleted User]

Oh dear poor DS. At least he's better now. Hope he enjoys the pantomime.

Have a lovely day xx

Franalamadingdong

He is. It's remarkable how quickly it comes into effect.
I had forgotten to put my car into service last month! Whoops! I did remember that every year my mechanic laughs at me and tells me off for booking in a full service and to book it for a mini service - I don't do much mileage. I called this morning and they can fit me in tomorrow. I'll drop the car off after work and walk to my son's school from there. Dad said he'll pick me up for work tomorrow morning. Glad I've gotten it sorted. Shouldn't be more than £100.

I found an old gift card, that did have £25 on, but it's been taking 90p off per month for the past 4 months for managing it so it's £23.40. at lunchtime I'm going to pop to WHSmith I know I need 4 birthday cards and a new baby card in the next few months, so I may as well get then now and spend up this card before it charges any more money for not using it! I will post my brother and his girlfriend's card and gift too.

Franalamadingdong

So I didn't get out at lunchtime as mum popped in to see me. She needed me to set up WhatsApp on her phone and create a group with her Wednesday coffee wenches so she can update them all on her travels in the new year. She came with homemade cantucci though! It meant I could ask dad to give me a lift to work this morning and to (hopefully) pick up the car this afternoon as it's due to be really bad weather.

It's still so super quiet at work so I've brought mum's quilt to work on. I'll be glad to finish it as I'm sure it's what has injured my shoulder - it's a big quilt that I'm hand quilting so there's a lot of weight constantly pulling on that arm.

I didn't have any spends yesterday, but expecting the car bill to come in and I want to use that gift card on some upcoming expenses, but that's it for today.

Will also be bringing in the homemade gifts for the teacher and TA and I'm eternally thankful to myself that I didn't let my parasitic son help make the sweets! That would be a gift no one would want! Blurgh.

Other than the car I've not got any expenses planned until Monday when the food shop gets delivered. Need to run through meal plans with the boyfriend before then, but all seems well. Mum and dad are doing Christmas and I'm doing boxing day. Not got anything planned for my birthday (28th) and I'm not a new years eve fan. The boy and I usually go for a beach walk on New year's Day and as I have a free parking spot with work I get to park in town for free (woop). I think a treat of popping into a cafe to warm up will go down well though.

All the presents for Christmas are bought, I need to wrap some clothes for my son, put together his scooter on Xmas Eve and sew together the laptop sleeve for the boyfriend (pieces are all cut out). I still don't feel Christmas-y at all. Where has the magic gone?

Franalamadingdong

Car came to £117.91. a little more than I was expecting but a lot less than the full service I did keep getting!
Managed to get birthday cards for mum, dad, my friend my son and my brother's new baby due end of February and a Christmas TV guide and still have some money left, I'll think about what to use that on before the end of the year, but I'm glad to have the first quarter birthday cards covered.

Franalamadingdong

I bought lunch in the first time for a very long time today, it was a really nice treat, even if it was just a meal deal from the supermarket. I adjusted my online grocery order for next Monday, adding on loo roll and cleaner and removing lots of other things I don't need. Hoping to do a proper meal plan other than Xmas and boxing day which are planned, today or tomorrow. Feeling rather pleased that it's currently less than £60, but I need to make sure that's realistic with the boy being home from school and the boyfriend coming over.

Homemade burgers for tea tonight as a treat, mince and buns from the freezer, the mince was even a yellow sticker deal. If the boyfriend doesn't come tonight then I'll use the left over mince to make meatballs so I/we can have pastina for lunch tomorrow.

Planning on baking mince pies with the boy(s) tomorrow. I have everything we need to make them in stock and it should be good fun. We have no jobs we have to do this weekend and I'm looking forward to a pottering at home weekend. I have some sewing I want to do and that's it really. Looking like a no spend weekend coming up.

Blackcats

Hi Fran, thanks for popping in to my diary.
Yikes to the "parasitic son" although that description made me laugh out loud. Especially if he had helped with the cooking!
You sound very creative. Perhaps you will be able to earn some money from your creative talents.

Franalamadingdong

Thanks blackcats. Kids truly are so gross. But we seem to be on top of it now.
My boyfriend is keen on me developing my skills into a business, he thinks I should just leap forward and I want to plan the crap out of it �� haha. I'm thinking of setting up a sewing blog, hence the desire for a laptop, at a level where I can run software for my own designs. So that's one of my pots