Our forever home

bellevie

Car insurance renewal quote came in at less than last years, so although it's a tad lazy I'm not going to do a comparison search I'll just let it renew this year.
I can feel myself running a little out of steam so much to juggle this feels like an easy win already.

Still to do this month, nursery form, CB form, and possibly a back to work interview - came as a bit if a surprise needing to do it soon but manager said its just to secure the change in hours, not increase or decrease just adjusting start / finish times a couple of days a week to reduce childcare cost. Thankfully she's offered to come to me at home, so grateful I feel like a walking zombie most days!

Nights are still going well feeding wise but loosing DHs help with a few feeds, winding and changes during the day has had a noticeable impact. Im burnt out by 3pm most days regardless of how I pace myself! 

Dd has an unexpected school trip abroad 4 months to squeeze £700 from somewhere! I do want her to go, she's thinking of taking Spanish for gcse, it is one of her highest grades strangely enough - we have French family and Welsh family she's not picked up or shown interest in either language, but Spanish she's top of the class in! 

6 week check booked for mid Feb, 2 weeks later little man's immunisations start poor little thing, I'm not looking forward to those. That said he's been a champ at the blood sugar tests when he was born, didn't flinch at heel !!!!!! test maybe he's made of stronger stuff than dd was!

Hoping once I reach the 6 week mark I'll regain some energy and will get out a little bit more.


Family visiting Saturday, Sunday will be a long awaited rest day, no visitors, no  apts, no plans phew!

bellevie

Turns out an infection I though had cleared had not it had gotten a lot worse, a new area weeping blood as it was opening up. I only went to gp second time as I had a fever I knew that couldn't be good.

Stronger antibiotics for 2 weeks, and nurse is going to dress every few days. Went in for my repeat dressing today its already looking better. Hopefully I'll start feeling different soon.

Payday Friday, its also DHs birthday, he has a couple of small gifts from me, from dd and ds, I'm getting a takeaway. On Saturday we are going into town where he will have a budget in his chosen shop, he had decided on 2 clothes shop but I know he's also partial to a mens gadget shop so will see what he decides on the day. 

I've downloaded a free office app, my uni one has expired and I can't renew it until I re enrol, had a bit of a panic about my spreadsheets until I remembered they existed!

Cb form posted today. Still do do nursery form, no update from manager re back to work meeting.

Kakiste

Sorry that you've still got the infection. It makes everything that bit harder- rest as much as you can. 

Enjoy the takeaway tomorrow.

bellevie

Dh had a lovely birthday, enjoyed dinner and a shop and a nice breakfast the following day. Birthday budget blown, restarting fund this payday!

Whilst in town I picked up something to help clear ds nose, the snot sucker in his grooming set is pants. He got a few more baby grows in next size up.
 I had enough points on my boots card to get roughly 2/3 weeks nappies and a months worth of wipes, that saved a few pennies.

Another bigger buy from my savings is a compact travel cot - with bassinette to save our backs! Shopped around for the best price of the one we wanted.
Ds is fast outgrowing his moses basket with his long legs, after debating what to use for daytime naps we agreed a travel cot would slot in nicely and could be used when we visit family, go on holidays etc. Its compact but suitable for up to 3 years so hopefully we will get our moneys worth. Will list the moses basket for sale once its here and we / ds are happy with it, I wasn't sure if he'd take to it instantly or need to ease into it.

Money set aside into savings and childcare fund.

Manager is visiting this week so will have childcare forms ready to submit once we've agreed long /short days, that'll be peace of mind once it's all sorted.

With dh home sharing feeds this weekend found time today to update spreadsheet and create a 3 week shopping list and meal plan. Week 1 will usually be most expensive but I've got a few things to carry over so might not be too bad this month.
I'm sure I had a £10 off voucher in my emails too that'll help, I'll order delivery to prevent me going out and coning back with too much, can see that would easily become an issue.

I might get my bread machine out this week and see if I can use up some of these bread flours I brought before the gestational diabetes diagnosis! Tentative on that, if I have the time and energy will see.

bellevie

It's Thursday already and not once did I find time to get my bread machine out! 
Maybe the weekend when DH is home.

I've ordered dh anniversary present, 3 years of marriage is leather so I've ordered a personalised belt, he loves his belts as is so slim things just drop off him. Hopefully it'll be one our dog number 1 doesn't eat 😅

Infection is cleared, still to finish course if antibiotics will be checked at 6 week pp. I feel so much better. Done my first drive only 5 minutes to gp but packing oram, getting ds in car etc felt like such am achievement  was so pleased. 
I realised I was physically ready to drive when I heard a bang and ds screaming in the night, I jumped out of bed and raced down stairs, pretty sure i jumped the last few stairs thinking DH had dropped DS! He hadn't, he'd just shut the living room door and was winding ds, in my half asleep state I was so confused although I could see ds calmly against his shoulder!

I kept the grocery shop under budget this week.

Yesterday for the first time all week feeds worked out that I was able to get a head start on dinner before dh got home rather than waiting to hand ds over to start.


Ds then woke for his feed early, as he had done all day, I worked out by bringing his feeds forward 30 mins -1 hour at his request, he'd managed a 6th bottle that day. His last feed was at 10pm, he woke for his next feed at 4.30 am fed really speedily, winded like a pro down by 5am and slept til 8am - what a champ! If he had gone down at 11pm I would have managed 5.5 hours sleep! He fell asleep at 12am, I had asked DH to let me take over at 11 as I felt he was overtired. The stubborn man refused, I quite firmly told DH at 11.45 it was enough, he had work and I felt rested enough to sit up as long as it took. Low and behold 5 minutes on me he was winded and asleep. I sat up with him until 12.30 to be sure he wouldn't be sick or want another feed then put him down to sleep.


Its been a few nights now dh has struggled to settle him, I think dh excites him in between screaming there are lots of smiles and cooing, DH is always restless, moving changing position etc, I'm a bit more calm, maybe quite boring really at that time of night anyway so he settles quickly with me. I've suggested I take over from 11pm, so dh still gets a couple of feeds with him but I hopefully get him to sleep a little earlier so we can both sleep better.
We will see, could have just been pure luck but it's been niggling me for a few nights now so I'd like to give it a try 

Manager visited hours all sorted, 2 short days 2 long days, so will save money with the short day childcare price. Feeling proactive that day I got my forms into the nursery right away and emailed my blue light card and nct number to get the additional discounts. All that's left to do nearer the time is open the tax free childcare account. That'll be the absolute cheapest I can get it for now until he turns 3. If my sums are right, we've saved 340 per month and with the 166 'tax free' top up, it'll now be just a fraction below our monthly mortgage cost. Still a lot, our second highest bill after our mortgage but much better than we were initially expecting.

Not much we can do about it really, childcare is a necessity so that we can work and pay the bills. I'm hoping when I qualify in 2 years with the payrise we can consider reducing my hours a fraction either to a 4 day week or 5 shorter days. I know time goes so fast it makes me sad to loose that quality time with him. I know I'll adjust eventually.

bellevie

Finding my 3/4/5 am feeds cause me to be on my phone sometimes spending (!) Well this morning I was spending but in a good way technically just shuffling money around.

Looking for junior cash isa for DS as dds provider doesn't offer them anymore.

 I found the one I could apply for online was with ns&I. Got the application in, then I stumbled on premium bonds. I've never really given them a thought before. Well by 7 am this morning, I had £100, dd had £25, ds had £25 - well pending approval etc.


I'll still primarily save in their isas but like the idea of getting more for their birthdays and seeing  if anything comes of them. If I understand rightly dd will get hers in a couple of years so I'm debating topping hers up a lot more, she will get hopefully around £4k in her isa at 18, I'm only thinking maybe £300 / 500 in premium bonds in the hope she'll leave them for a bit longer. I'm not convinced her money would remain saved in a normal account at 16, they still might not in this case but she might give it some thought if she's had some prizes. I'll think it through some more.

bellevie

I walked to tesco yesterday, spent just under half our shopping budget getting lunch things, topping up a couple of meals and 1 full meal.

Dd comes home then with a list of ingredients taking our mince planned for chilli con carne and needing to go back to the shops for more. She's making 4 burgers from scratch ingredients have cost £7, not counting sauce, seasoning, lettuce and egg.

 Dd is under strict instruction not to share the food out with friends but bring them home for dinner as it was planned for a meal I'm quite determined to keep our budget as low as poss it's half term next week and guests staying for one night too so I'm not sure we will stick to budget, will be good to have some flexibility if I've saved this week.

bellevie

Just seen for the next few months my main bank is offering 5% cashback on grocery shops up to £10 monthly maximum, takes 6 weeks for cashback to clear, not quite as quick as chase but 5% far outweighs 1% so will need to remember to move the shopping budget around. 

Made me wonder if the main bank would consider a long term cashback initiative.

Half term started today with an inset day, dd will love being home around ds, she really misses him when at school.

Listed moses basket for £10, gutted to be getting rid so soon but little one is a very tall baby just like his sister was. At 6 weeks both are / were 59cm! Ds is 4lb heavier at the same age though, and gosh do I feel it, baby carrierbis in daily use to try to spread his weight for my poor back. I'm sure my age plays a big part to be fair!

We've managed to stick to a meal plan this week aside from the chilli / burger shuffle. So have planned meals for the next 3 nights and Sunday then will go through cupboards and plan for week ahead.

 Tonight is our usual Friday easy meal fish & chips - oven not take away. I do love fish & chip take away but the last time we got it for the 3 if us it was £35!! That's out through window for a while sadly. I do miss the days of a £5 takeaway, I remember being on a hairdressing apprenticeship in Central London, I'd always stop at the chippy on a Friday night afyer getting my weeks pay of £80 in the little brown envelope and buy a fish dinner as a treat for my nan. Those were the days.

Well maybe not, I worked Monday to Friday in that hairdressers and Saturdays and Sundays in woolworths to make ends meet purely because of the apprenticeship pay. Every photo of me taken over those couple if years I was asleep, at the table, on the sofa. I handed over most of my money to my nan, kept a small amount for my travel card, lunches and toiletries.

 I remember topping up £10 on the gas and it would last the week in the height of winter.
Last week our smart meter showed we used £53, the week before £75 for gas alone!! Granted its a bigger house but its really quite gutting isn't it.

So any which way we can save money or reduce spending we are doing it. Takeaways we've agreed to take turns on pay day, dh done last week, I'll do end of Feb etc.
I've been using the 1% cashback card for everything I can think of and am tucking the cashback to savings. The chase savings ac has been really responsive to the interest rates rising, upping theirs I think maybe 3 times since I've held the account. Although it'll be disappointing when the cashback ends on the 12 month anniversary, if the savings rate stays good for an easy access account I'll keep them.

We've also got to think of ways to reduce our waste nappies are rapidly filling our bin. We've scrapped buying kitchen roll to wipe down sides, will use sponges instead.  We recycle everything we can.
I'm thinking of trialling reusable nappies but not entirely clued up on them. And I'm not sure how you'd go about cleaning for example explosive poo nappies!! I'll need to read into it more, I'm not keen on investing alot and failing- like the breastpump what a waste of money that was! I'd rather start slow test out for a couple of changes, build confidence etc.

bellevie

Grocery shop today £50.90 of £70 budget.

I think we will get through the spare £20 for DHs lunch top ups and nappies later this week. Will see 

 That got us 6 main meals including a luxury one for our anniversary, and a top up of lunch bits. Everything had gone up, it's the first time since before baby was born I've been very aware of prices some really took me by surprise, I worked out roughly 10 % eggs, 45% dds chosen pizza, 12% a pasta sauce packet she likes for lunch at weekends. 

I downgraded DHs crisps, abandoned fizzy drinks - squash had gone up, 17% (already downgraded brands). 

I didn't notice much change to veg although there seemed a shortage in some areas.

I've been sticking to the supermarket in walking distance but might need to venture out further next week see if I can make it stretch a bit more.

bellevie

I've sadly started to bag up to sell little man's outgrown clothes, he was out of  most 0-3 clothes by 6 weeks due to being so long. I held out with some things but just couldn't anymore.

Debated between small or large bundles, decided smaller bundles to collect only and 2 sold right away! That was an easy £4.50  for me and a great bargain for the buyer I think.

Will give the other small bundles a couple of weeks, if they don't go quickly will consider a bulk box sale. There'll be a few Christmas bits I thought I'd list around September when December due mum's might be starting to think ahead.


My lovely sister in law sent me her baby carriers, I had 2 one more hard and outdoorsy, the other just a superhuge scare shape that I can't get to grips with. Hers are soft material but easy click into place so best of both worlds. DH has claimed one, he like baby wearing when little one is struggling with wind - though since his recent growth spurt (now 12lb5!) He seems to be improving with wind.

Attended our first baby weighing clinic, he was looking around listening to the other babies, made me think maybe I will look for a baby group, they are not my cup of tea generally but he might enjoy it. Will see what's around.

His pram is up for sale, outgrown the carrycot and the main seat isn't recommended until 6 months. Was so annoyed with myself for not thinking this through sooner. I toyed with the idea of buying a foam insert, then had another fight with the seat and frame outside the GP and I just lost it. I dipped into savings to get a from birth pram, it's a smaller version than mine, faces both ways but can fold with seat, so much easier than dismantling it! My old one should cover the cost of it or at least 90% when it sells. No hurry could always pop it in the garage if it lingers around, it is suitable to 25kg so might find ourselves using it when he's older, certainly won't be throwing it.

Dds Spanish trip was cancelled, she's so disappointed, the school hope to rearrange for next year. There were not enough takers I think giving parents only 5 months to find £750 was the issue especially with the way things are at the minute. It would have been much better planned with 12 months notice.