Winds of change

WildflowerWind

Thanks for the helpful suggestions everyone.

I have thought about batch cooking but we don't have loads of room in the freezer - I'll try and use up some things to make room for at least a few meals. I'll have to think of some one-handed meals too 😂 I made a veg and bean chilli tonight, using up some pretty tired veg, and froze a double portion so that's a start! 

I mentioned to DH about going out for a walk and asked if he wanted to come (he moans about not exercising enough). We went out while the chilli was resting and had a lovely stroll around the village, even came home with a few blackberries 😊

Plan for tomorrow is to sort out the bags of work stuff and start packing our hospital bags for baby. Not sure what I'll cook yet, we have some leftover roast chicken that needs eating, so maybe risotto. We've been trying to eek out what we have in this week as the joint account was very low on funds. I'm usually alright if I have the time to make stuff, we tend to have pretty well stocked cupboards. 

WildflowerWind

Ok so haven't updated the diary for a bit - not much action on the debt busting front I'm afraid. We did have a conversation about managing money over my mat leave, DH suggested he pays a bit more into the joint account each month which is good but he'll need some in his own account too. I've become a fan of the YNAB style budgeting (didn't really get on with the app tho) and giving every £1 a job. DH worries if the joint account gets towards 0 at the end of the month, but I've tried to explain thats why we allocate money to pots, and have the emergency fund. It will be interesting to see if this time of having little will change how we see money. I would really like us to be better at budgeting and saving for the things we want, maybe we'll be forced into better habits!

Otherwise preparing for baby is ongoing, I've got stuff into hospital bags - still need to buy snacks! I've also been washing all baby's things and that's nearly done. We bought some cloth nappies to use and these need a couple of washes to be properly absorbant. I'm anticipating using some disposables, especially at first, but it made sense to have everything ready to go.

I've also been putting away a few meals in the freezer. I cooked a curry last night and enjoyed properly taking my time, letting the flavours really develop. Now we have a tub of dal and one of chole to enjoy another time 😁

Need to keep up with the walks, DH and I have been out a few times - which is lovely. I'd go by myself during the day if I know he's not going to have time in the evening but he's not always great at letting me know what he wants to do. I'll have to decide when I'm going and he can come or not.

One week till baby's due! 

WildflowerWind

Well its been over a week now and little one has still not made her grand appearance 😂. I'm torn between being happy to get things done and getting impatient to meet her (and very much done with being pregnant)

I've been putting more food in the freezer. DH cooked a ham hock so made pea and ham soup. Then I did some wraps which are wrapped in foil and can be easily heated up, half taco beef with rice, salsa and cheese and half halloumi, veg and cous cous.

We've also been given loads of apples from our neighbours so I've been stewing apples, sometimes with plums or rhubarb. I also made apple tarts and apple syrup to use as a kind of cordial. I make vinegar with the cores and any peel or bits so got another jar on the go now. 

Partly due to moving and the pregnancy we've not done much with the garden this year and grown very little. It's nice to have a few things to use though, we have herbs and spinach and had strawberries and the rhubarb. At least I'm not overwhelmed by a glut, and we still have plenty of plum jam and chutney from last year!

We had a bit of a chat about money again, DH is still worrying but I'm trying to reassure him we can do this. I've looked at our income and outgoings and as long as we're careful, we will have enough. We just won't be able to make those little spends that add up over the month without checking, no lunch out here, no materials for the next DIY project there... Its going to be hard, the last thing I want is to always be the one saying no so we have to be on the same page. Here's hoping 

WildflowerWind

Well I had thought I'd be coming back to post that last week DH paid the last of his course fees so we have one CC paid off - two to go!

But of course little one decided to finally make her entrance so we've been a bit occupied with her 😂

Just made an appointment to register the birth and have all the forms ready for child benefit claim once that's done. I've also started receiving my maternity allowance so that's a relief to see it paid in!

Had a lovely visit from her very proud grandparents, who also brought loads of food so we can put off a shop until after the next pay day. Family have also been great at asking what we need for her so we've had useful gifts and not just tonnes of soft toys/impractical clothing (although there's been some cute things too!) 

Hazelnutty

Congratulations!!!! I was just catching up with your diary and then read your last post

Aspiration

Congratulations!! It’s also great you can just about get by, that in itself is a huge achievement and testament to your commitment to improve your financial position!! Well Done 

AntoMac

Congratulations! Happy Days! Enjoy every minute 

WildflowerWind

Well its been 4 weeks since she was born - it's certainly gone fast! Thanks for the lovely messages everyone.

Its been a mixed time, we've had some visits from very excited grandparents and aunties and lots of lovely cards and gifts (so many cute knitted things!). We've enjoyed walks and small trips (eg the garden centre) and even a couple of lunches and dinner out with family. Mostly we love spending time just the three of us. But we also both got a sickness bug which was horrible, and I had to have some antibiotics for an infection. Little one is also struggling with reflux and doesn't settle well at night, not that I expected to get much sleep of course! But it is a bit relentless at this point. Trying to just go with the flow really. 

Money wise we're doing OK, I've not used any of my maternity savings yet, we've had quite a frugal month. Family visiting have brought some food and things which has been very gratefully received and saved us a spend. I've also had time to cook and have been stretching out our existing stocks before getting a delivery in. We have around £200 in our joint account to last until payday and there aren't many things due out, we've just done a food shop so I think we can last until then which would be great. 

Today I went for a walk with DD, just the two of us as DH was at work - he's mostly wfh but in the office once or twice a week at the moment. It was really lovely, I felt a lot more like my normal self, I really need to keep it up and ease myself back into exercise - I really miss running and my sports and would love to get back into it soon. 

savingholmes

Good luck on your journey. Congratulations on the birth of your DD and in making your £ stretch. Have fun along the way...

WildflowerWind

As it's the start of a new month I thought it's a good time to review some numbers. It's been a reasonable month, debt has gone down and savings only used when needed.

At the start of my diary:

CC 1 - £1736 0% until 30/06/22
CC 2 - £2388 0% until 31/07/22
CC 3 - £334 0%  until  01/11/22

Now

CC 1 - £1616
CC 2 - £2188
CC 3 - £0 - paid off!

There's now £1500 in the maternity savings and £440 in the baby fund.

There's a lot of temptation to spend at the moment, baby things (too many cute and some useful things), things for myself (flattering and practical nursing clothes, toiletries etc) and now Christmas presents - I keep having to stop myself from buying stuff! I've bought a few baby things from charity shops and am looking at making Christmas presents etc, we only buy for family and mine are used to homemade. DH usually gets something we need for the house!