Missy’s family of 4, paying off debts, saving for a house and just trying to survive!

missymoo81

Ah thank you all, lovely people! I really appreciate your kind comments. Feeling a bit better today. Havent managed to train but I went back to bed after the school run this morning and feel better for that. Have worked today and done a few things around the house. I did the lunches last night and also did the dishwasher before school so that made the kitchen look better. We’ve just got so much stuff that just seems to build up over time and I hate it all being in the house. I need to go through everything and be ruthless. I just feel like it’s weighing me down! 

No more news on the mortgage. Broker is taking an age. Says he’s going to apply for an agreement in principle but he doesn’t seem to have done that yet! So
I guess that’s after the weekend now 🤦🏻‍♀️.

jwil

You always achieve stuff, even when you think you don't!

Have a lovely weekend.  I agree about the 'stuff' weighing us down.

Queen_of_the_Hive

Good luck Missy & don't underestimate the power of just giving yourself time to relax.  

missymoo81

Hey. Can’t sleep as sat thinking about bills and things. Looked at my SOA I did last month and I don’t know what I was thinking but it’s quite far out from what I can workout 🤷🏻‍♀️. So I’ve re done it, also had a look at future things I need to pay for, and huge things which include my £2.5k tax bill at the end of July and my £5.5k tax bill in January. Sooooo...... I need to find £1250 by the end of June for half of my tax, I’ll have to find the other half in July. I have some. Included on that is if I send my leggings etc back which I obv need to do. And if I don’t spend any money from my account on food shopping until June. I’m not sure how much I’m going to get paid from the business I’m hoping it will cover the majority of that, But I really don’t know, but think I’ll be around £300-£400 short...... I have a little money to play around with in the budget but not that much. So going to see what I can sell and see what I can do for surveys. I really need to do something. As I literally can’t pay my tax bill without it!!!

rugbymadfamily

Hi Miss, whilst it won't help you with this tax bill, can I give some advice (I am an accountant....). Open up a separate bank account called "tax bill" and everytime you get paid, you need to deposit anywhere between 15% and 30% of the pay (depending on what you tax rate normally roughly ends up as). This is something I advise everyone who is self employed as it means that each time the tax bill comes, you should have the majority of the and aren't tying to find it all (might need some depending on what you put away). Enployed people pay their tax monthly as part of their pay cheque so by putting the money aside each ime you get paid you are then doing the same thing.

missymoo81

Thank you @rugbymadfamily great advice. I just always seem to be on the back foot with it. I have set up a separate account for it now. But I’m playing catch up, so it’s not easy! I’m trying to have more ‘pots’ set up to make it easier to keep track of things.

I’m checking my Tesco points and my cash money to see how much I have to live on food wise for the rest of this month. Have only budgeted £200 for food next month too. So need to be super tight with it. 

Have a super long day at work today. Just about to go in and teach a class. Then off to drop May at dancing,
then back for an hour of cleaning at work. Then another class to teach. Then more cleaning then should be home between 3-4. 

Really need to sort the washing out, well the stuff in the spare room, it’s all mine and needs putting away. 

I’ve managed to make the children packed lunches for today, rather than spending £8 on meal deals, so that’s a bonus. 

OH will working into the evening at home. So that’s my time to sort stuff.

Hope you’re all ok x

rugbymadfamily

Well done, thats really good that you've started now as means hopefully future tax bills will be easier.

I hear you on the washing, ours has really piled up. We just don't have much inside space that works for drying (it's a draughty old house!). Just need it to dry up and stop raining!

missymoo81

Ok have just sat down and worked out how much money I need to put aside for my tax bill and for repayment of loans. God it’s tight. I don’t even know if it’s doable. My tax bill is so high and my wages are now super low due to some of my PT’s cancelling. Need to sort Ex paying child maintenance again. But dreading that conversation. 

I’m £514 short for June and £726 for July. I don’t know how much business will make or pay out. Really hoping that it will cover this. But I really don’t know. There is a tiny bit of play in the budget in the sense that I have allowed £100 for food which is £50 for every other shop as OH gets the other weeks. And £100 misc. so for coffee, sweets for children, cinema trips or anything I need. I could possibly bring both of those down, with a lot of effort...... but I’m going to have to do what I have to do. I’ve made budgets and pots for everything including Christmas and Birthdays and clothes and hair cuts etc. So I don’t get any unexpected bills etc. It’s going to be super tight until January. When I have to pay the £5.5k tax bill. After that it will get much easier. 

So it’s going to be about battening down the hatches, selling everything that’s not needed. Doing extra work when I can, Finishing my nutrition course so I can start picking up more clients and generally trying to save money wherever I can.

So as it stands I have scoured the house from top to bottom to find cash to buy May’s final birthday present. It’s her birthday on Tuesday and I’m still to sort a cake too. Although I need the cake for tomorrow as BIL is coming for brunch. I have £10 in Tesco vouchers so I think I will buy one with that. Although thinking about it, If I get up early enough I can make one....... Other half said he’d go and get brunch stuff so I don’t need to worry about the cost of that. I do need to get the food shop for next week though. I have £25. But I need this to last until the 1st. I’m hoping I can make the food we have last until Tuesday Then go shopping then. I will need to bake some banana bread though as we haven’t got much for lunches for Monday and Tuesday. 

Ok going to write shopping list. 

Would love your support with this. It’s you lot that help me stay on the straight and narrow. It’s going to be a very long 6 months! 

joedenise

@missymoo81 check out the Grocery Challenge on the Old Style board for loads of cheap recipes.  You might find some inspiration to use up some of the stuff you already have in your cupboard.

Check out if you have a Community Larder (or Community Pantry) in your area - you can get a family bag of food for £28 a month (at least that's the price in my area - assume it's the same everywhere) which will give you lots of basics as it's mainly tinned food.  Definitely worth a look.  I've just found out that there is one in my area but haven't actually used it yet.  The biggest problem of course is the fact that you have to go during a specific time slot - ours is open for 3 hours on a Wednesday morning but suspect it's different in each area.

Definitely chase up child maintenance with your ex.  He owes you quite a lot by now with not paying for his children.

Good luck.

jwil

Good luck with it.  Also have you tried Olio and To good to go?  You might be able to get some stuff on there.