The Best Is Yet To Come

slm6002

Been going through the bills and seeing what can reduced.  So far I will reduce our netflix package to the basic one. I didn't realise it was basically the same, just with adverts. The kids will just have to put up with them. Only saves £6 a month but better than nothing.  I think the best way to reduce our costs are on the food budget.  More detailed planning is needed and shopping around to get the best prices.  Make more use of olio. Home cooked rather than takeaway when I am tired - keep some bits in the freezer for such occasions.  Reduce electricity costs by using the appliances when the solar is working well.  Now the older 2 are both at home, they can press go on the machines while I am at work.  The slow cooker can go on rather than the oven too.
To bring more money in I need to do the surveys more, even if I am a little tired

slm6002

OK washing finally started - 3 loads completed.  More still needed but at least I have made a start.

I have made a meal plan with things we already have in, making sure the meat is used up before it goes off (something I haven't been very good at lately, I'm ashamed to say).  I will also be making some treats for the freezer (so they don't all get eaten on the same day) and treat box tomorrow.  I would like to have a go at making wraps too as DS goes through several packets of these each week.  I am sure homemade would be better for him as well as cheaper.  I would need to work out how long they keep for and how often I would need to make them.

I have some lettuce seeds that I need to plant tomorrow.  We can stop buying that then too. I have some herbs that my uncle bought me too that need planting in bigger containers.  Lets hope for some sunshine.

Mum is now on the plane and heading back home.  It has been lovely seeing her but exhausting trying to entertain at the same time as everything else has been hard.

DD2 had a photo of XH out of bed walking around the hospital having physio.  He is still having troubles speaking, but it looks like he is doing better than we expected.

slm6002

More washing completed today - almost at the end of it (and half term too).  Tomorrow I hope to get it all finished.

Chicken curry is in the slow cooker and I had frozen naan bread and bhajis in the freezer to make it a feast.  It smells good so hopefully will taste ok.  I froze the chicken not needed for todays meal so it will be ready for next time.

The only cost today is £2 for DD2 to go to club later.  She is being taken by a friend and I will collect her, so I get to enjoy dinner first.

No news on XH as even though DD1 has been asking, there has been no messages back.  She is really not keen to visit as doesn't want to see him like this, but it may be the only way that she gets any information.  I have said that she can probably get an update by ringing the ward (although we don't know which ward he is on).  All I know is that it is not helping her revision for exams next week.  I have let the school know, but not sure it will help.

slm6002

Lots of rain this morning - its not stopped.  I have popped out to collect some bread and treats from olio helper down the road.  A few pennies saved there.  No more plans to go out for the rest of the day so hopefully we can have a chilled day finishing school bits off and relaxing before going back to school next week.  Tonight we are having homemade pizzas.  I am thinking I may split the dough so there is another portion that can be frozen.  We are all needing to loose a few pounds so this will help that as well as give us a spare pizza portion for the freezer for when we are feeling lazy / tired.  I may even do a second batch of dough tomorrow to split up and pop straight in there.  

I am expecting royal mail to collect some parcels and the window cleaner to come and give me a quote.  It is wages payday today and in theory child maintenance day too.  I have a feeling XH does it manually each week rather than setting up a DD, so not expecting to receive it.  He is now sitting up and able to feed himself and can walk around.  Sounds like the only problem he is having is speaking.

Will do my payday shuffle tomorrow when I can pop the money into the right bank accounts.  I am looking through threads on here and some of the blogs that I used to follow when money was tight.  Hoping to refresh the money saving ideas that I used to follow.  It is amazing how quickly we can revert to spending - not big spending, but allowing the odd treat in the food shop or takeaway which turns into a weekly treat that is expected and the norm.  It needs to stop and we need to go back to our old ways

debtfreewannabe321

I am sorry to hear of your ExH I bet the kids are confused and upset and not wanting to show it too much for fearing they are being disloyal to you. My kids were the same way when my ExH had a tough time lately. I had to sit them down like you've done with yours and say it is okay to feel like this and to be sad and to want to help him etc etc. I hope that you can sort the finances out well enough so that any dip in money isn't felt too badly. Do your older kids give any money towards housekeeping? My eldest used to as I couldn't afford food at one point after losing child benefit and tax credits. Could it be an option if they are working?

slm6002

Thank you @debtfreewannabe321, I've made it very clear to the kids that they can talk to me even though XH and I don't talk and I don't think much of him.  He is recovering well and I think they will go back to not showing much interest in him, but maybe I will be proved wrong?

As for money I am still getting child benefit for them all at the moment.  I have said that once they leave school I will need some rent from them, although no amounts have been worked out as yet. My mum used to charge me 10% of my wages, but never actually needed the money.  It was more to teach me. The older 2 have Saturday jobs and  pay for most of their clothes and any wants while I still cover their needs.  DD1 also pays for all of her car expenses - fuel, mot, insurance.

DD1 has got interviews soon for 2 apprenticeships and 2 uni courses.  I have told her that we need to look at money if she intends to go to uni as I wont be able to contribute much / if at all.  Her friend has received full funding and her family is better off than us so she thinks we will get the full amount, but then that doesn't cover the full cost.  She has no real concept of costs re food / washing powder etc.  She likes to comment...'Ooh there is a costa on site' and I comment 'that is lovely but you wont be able to afford it'.  The uni courses would send her into medical careers which is her ideal job (at the moment, but no guarantee that she will like it),  but the apprenticeships are more business related and would offer her a wage from the start allowing her to buy her own home sooner (also a dream of hers).  She really is torn.  I don't want to put her off either as it is her life and she needs to enjoy it, but having never done either how will she know.  Watching greys anatomy doesn't make nursing a good career

debtfreewannabe321

"Watching greys anatomy doesn't make nursing a good career" 😆🤣 this is so true.

My friend's son has just taken on an apprenticeship and absolutely loves it, feels really grown up really quickly and is on a great wage whilst learning and they are also paying for him to go to college which leads to good qualifications...he's on around £24k already (engineering apprenticeship) still living at home...but I've other friends kids who've gone to uni and are absolutely loving having some freedom from home and partying (I'm not convinced a lot of learning is going on 🤣) and are always poor....but I guess they won't be forever so really I guess both options are great and dependant on child. 

Also I guess that if they don't like what they chose initially they could change paths! 

slm6002

She was very much anti uni for quite a long time and in the past 2 weeks has changed her mind.  This means we haven't looked at any (other than the 1 she went to with her school).  She had to enter a ucas form for school as everyone has to do it, and went for paramedic, but was turned down as she didn't do the full biology A Level.  She is also not that keen on blood in real life, but figures that she will get used to it.  I'm just not sure if it is for her, or a rose tinted idea she has from watching tv shows.  I can however see her in an office enjoying bossing people around and still getting her degree that way, while enjoying being able to afford things (she has always had expensive tastes).

It will be good if the interviews whittle down her choices, and then fate will have given her the one that she will like and do well in.  The other option is all 4 will give her an offer and we will have sleepless nights doing pro and con lists lol.

joedenise

It might be helpful to her if you involved her in some of the meal planning and shopping with a budget.  Perhaps you could at least let her plan, shop and cook a couple of meals a week but have to stick to a particular budget.  It might open her eyes a bit!

My DGD went to uni and basically lived on rice and pasta dishes because they were cheap and easy to cook!

slm6002

She does cook quite a bit and knows that side of it, but normally taking food that I need for another day, so the meal planning and shopping is definitely something she can learn about more.