A fresh start on the long and bumpy road.

WinterWarrior

I resisted a kindle for a long time, insisting I only like real books. Then I cracked and got one to try and now I prefer the kindle! It has a night light mode for reading in bed when I’ve turned the lamp off and if you drop off and bonk yourself in the face with it, it doesn’t hurt like a hard back 😬. 

I can’t recommend it enough, often the books are cheaper on kindle. I’ve also found if you sort by low to high price order there are some very good free books. Generally the first in a series so they suck you in to buying the rest if you enjoy them, but if you can stop at the first one it would save a lot. Also if you have Prime you get a free kindle book every month on the first reads offer, there are usually 6 or so to choose from. 

charlies_tribe

Thank you Sam and Suzanne. I'm definitely going to get one I think as trying to read on my phone can be difficult. Suzanne, I did spot last night that some books are free on prime, never spotted them before. DH won't let me cancel it as he watches films so I can get some use out of it too (other than shopping 🤣). We have so many books, I have boxes of baby books that I can't part with so would definitely save adding more clutter.

I've just updated all the accounts as got behind this week. I've finally had a message to say they are refunding the home Ed subscription. I was starting to think they wouldn't. This month seems to have gone so fast.

There was more to write but my sister rang after I wrote that last sentence (we're just waiting for 'that call' about grandad after being told earlier there's nothing else they can do and she was checking I was ok) and I've completely forgotten. 

moneyonmymindsam

Great news about the refund. 
So sorry to hear your news about GD thinking of you and sending you my love.
Your doing just great if you ask me, so keep doing what your doing 😁

charlies_tribe

End of February update
Bcard £5650.50
Mcard £1880
Cfinance £178.62 (2 payments left!)
M2card £10276.85
Total debt 1/06/2020 £23415
Total debt 31/12/2020 £18556.51
Total debt 28/02/2021 £17985.97

A bit late updating this month. 
That call arrived at lunch time on Sunday and it still doesn't feel real.

Other than food I haven't spent anything but I may have to get school bits at the weekend. We have missing pencil cases and calculators,  possibly new shoes needed and need to get them to try trousers, they were short before Christmas but hoping to make them last until they wear skirts after Easter (if it stays mild I can just buy thick tights for the skirts now).
DD2 is back on Tuesday afternoon and DD3 on Wednesday.  As DS2 is in an adult class (rather than a 14-19 class) at college he won't go back until after easter but he's home Ed anyway so used to him being home.
Laid in bed with my hot chocolate, hoping to get an earlier night.

moneyonmymindsam

Just thought I'd check in, make sure you are eating when you can and where you can. So sorry for your loss. 

I am so excited for you about finance that will be another soon to bite the dust 😊👏
Sam x

charlies_tribe

Thank you Sam. Spoke to my Gran a few times and to know she sounds okay makes me feel a bit better.

I have been majorly naughty! Left booking may half term way way longer than I should have (this was planned with my dad over a year ago) I could cry watching that amount pending to leave account! No cheap caravans left and we couldn't even get on the same site.
Reminder that next time I plan something sort it straight away. I'm not even brave enough to post how much it was on here.

I've still been toying with the idea of paying any savings off the cards every month. Theres a good few thousand all together in holiday (well not now) emergency, yearly bills, house, etc accounts. If I paid it all off my debts it would reduce them to about 9k. After everything that comes out monthly at the moment we would have about 800 left for that month to pay minimums on cards and anything else that is due that month, car tax, car insurance, birthdays, clothes etc which are all now budgeted a bit a month. And then anything left at the end of the month put to the cards again. I wouldn't have an emergency fund as such but the 800 each month to fall back on.
I don't know, I don't know if that even makes sense.  I'm just so desperate to see them go down.

25 to mcard and 102 to mcard2 paid this week. Lots of snacks bought. New pencil case supplies! How on earth they've both lost a pencil case I don't know 😕 think half of it is spread around the conservatory.

Need to check shoes and trousers today ready for Tuesday.

charlies_tribe

Well I've decided to leave it as it is for now. Once I've taken out the roof money we've saved from the savings that the app tells me I have, plus the rest of the money needed for this month, that gets counted as savings until spent, it doesn't actually leave much. Just over 1k in the yearly account with £500 car insurance due soon and £300 in the occasions account. 
I'm not going to mess with it yet as I know every penny is accounted for and I'd feel bad if I messed it up now.

Had a chicken dinner,  dh has gone to work so I'm sat in bed with a hot chocolate hoping the children go to sleep soon. Not looking forward to the busys starts.

moneyonmymindsam

I think given the current climate that you are right, savings best left as savings as things always change over time.
I wouldn't worry about what you've spent on May break as its a family break, this is probably much needed and will be worth every penny. Life is for living so don't kick yourself too hard! 
I know what you mean, and you do make sense, I think you are very good at the juggling. The debts will come down as you keep plugging away.
What is it they say? slow and sure wins the race 😂
Chicken is good for the soul apparently, so forgive yourself the holiday spends🤣
Sam x

charlies_tribe

Thank you Sam. DD has offered their share, or she will pay for a day out when there. 

I thought children being back at school would be great but I'm so not ready for those early mornings. Spent 2 afternoons asleep on the sofa.

More spending this week, DH has done some 'little' shops that definitely weren't little. He buys way to much junk food (that I then need to eat 🤣). And we've bought a set of dog clippers from the grooming fund that hasn't been used over the last few months. If we can do it ourselves it will save £50 every 6-8 weeks. No idea how we'll it will go though! We had to cut his fringe today as it was touching his nose and he couldn't see a thing.
Money just seems to be running away this month.

DH has gone to work so laid on the sofa watching Your Honor, the adverts looked okay.

moneyonmymindsam

You must have needed the rest. March is really is a month where money sprouts legs and runs away 
Maybe have a look on you tube for dog clipping but good luck with that sounds a job and a half 😂
Have a good Weekend - hope you enjoy your programmes along with lots of cups of tea. 
Sam x