Trying to keep on top of it all.Busy,crazy ,life!

Blackcats

Well done on the extra hours at work - the extra money will help.  Perhaps you can use it to build up an emergency fund and a Christmas fund?  Most people here would advise that an emergency fund is the best place to start and that would help with coping for example if the windows leak (fingers crossed they don't).  

Catty89

Payday tomo and trying so so hard not to splurge the first few days. 
I only have one birthday in October and iv already bought most of it. The kids need a few winter bits of clothes and new trainers but will see if I can get a good sale. Won't go wild just a few bits each. 
Aside from that the biggest expense this month will be Halloween....not that itl be expensive but want to have some people round for a little kids party, iv got things to make games out of boxes. Have saved up a months toilet papers for them to paint and make into bats and a few cheap and cheerful games. It's more the food....but I do love Halloween so it is something I like to celebrate for the kids. We've got a spooky night out planned which I payed last month so luckily not a heap of expenses coming this month. 

Catty89

I messaged  Tescto see if there was anyway they could lower the interest rate on my loan now that my credit rating is much better than when we originally took the loan out. They can't and there doesn't seem any other alternative way to lower it. They said interest rate would be slightly less if I pay more per Moth  but that's not achievable as I'm currently paying £415pm which I already find high.


Work wise iv managed to get some shifts at my second job - last Sunday 11-6, last Tues 4-7.30 and then tonight 5-8pm and Friday I have a nightshift 10-6am so I will get that in November so majority of it will be xmas present money but it's nice to know it's coming from there rather than our normal money. I will keep trying to get extra shifts here and there. Kids will be off for 2 weeks soon so trying to think of things we can do. There normally happy just having friends round or going to the park so that's cheap and cheerful. 

Catty89

Iv totalled up all my bills etc and for the rest of the month I will have £500 after iv paid all bills and my petrol. It doesn't really sound that much considering we've got food to buy.

This month so far I have bought - both the girls trainers that they needed.
Finished DD2S birthday presents, her birthday is November

Already bought my sister's present that's this month.
Iv bought Halloween costumes and have bought trick or treating sweets each week with my shopping

Got down my Halloween decorations and there's more than I remember so don't need to buy any.
Iv bought £40 of meat from freezer which will definately last the Mon but possibly even longer, meaning weekly shops will alot of the time just be top up and snacks as my cupboards and freezer are bursting. 
Paid for DS football camp in the holidays 

Bad things - booked MOT and I think it might be alot!
Holidays coming and like to have money available but don't have a heap. 

Catty89

Been pretty bad with spending this month. 
Just rubbish really bits for the kids, Halloween activities, bits to put away for Xmas. Iv £300 left for the month and have a day out booked and paid for so it's not to bad.

I took the plunge and cancelled 2 of Dd1 dance lessons. She now goes to 2 types of dance rather than 4 saving around £40pm only problem is iv now enrolled Dd2 into another dance class so they both go to 2 each. So basically 20pm saved. 
Still happy with myself as these types of things I never do and just add more and more on.
Ds1 swimming lessons aren't great and he is in with kids 4 years younger than him despite being there for 3 years. So will have a word with them and if that's his level il be removing him can teach him more myself if that's the case. 
Month of October I will have made around 300pm so far at my 2nd job and 200 more in my main job which I will get in my November pay so that will be nice will pretty much go straight towards Xmas like to get most of it done before December comes.

RobM99

I've found keeping a spreadsheet of where my money went was certainly - er - informative!

£25 a week on coffee/breakfast out?!   Hmmm... that's going to be cut!

savingholmes

Good luck on your journey.

Well done on the £20 saved on dance lessons but for the age the kids are - you have a lot of expensive activities. I would be refocusing on that rather than adding in the extra lessons. Swimming is a life skill so a priority in my book but yes I would definitely make sure the instructor was effective. 

Great news on the extra 10 hours work.

On the loan - even if Tesco won't lower the rate - could you move the balance to a different loan company to improve your rate that way? Or even move some to a lower rate CC as that can be more effective debt payment wise. The Credit Club on here would show you who might be willing to accept you and at what rate.

Also look at the DFW challenges to see how you can up your income with surveys and the like. You said you liked buying on Vinted but then you mentioned giving away kids clothes. Could you sell some? Similar for kids toys.

It is possible to clear debt - we've come down from around £70K of debt. It does sound as if you are still stuck in a lifestyle trap of I ought to be able to afford to... and spending accordingly. Things only turned around for us when we knocked that thinking on the head and made radical lifestyle changes. It has been worth it... I should be debt free by the end of this year.

I think £17 for a kids birthday party present is too much. I set a limit of £5-10 each... At that age they go to so many parties... 

Catty89

RobM99 said:

I've found keeping a spreadsheet of where my money went was certainly - er - informative!

£25 a week on coffee/breakfast out?!   Hmmm... that's going to be cut!

We haven't had that in a while since I started this diary really and the reason we did was a waiting period whilst some kids were at activities. We've since cancelled these activities so yes that is cut. I can't lie I do miss a nice coffee at the weekend but it is now more a treat. 
Also I do have a spreadsheet and I check my bank multiple times a day, my problem. Is I don't stick to my plan with my spending but I am trying.

Catty89

savingholmes said:

Good luck on your journey.

Well done on the £20 saved on dance lessons but for the age the kids are - you have a lot of expensive activities. I would be refocusing on that rather than adding in the extra lessons. Swimming is a life skill so a priority in my book but yes I would definitely make sure the instructor was effective. 

Great news on the extra 10 hours work.

On the loan - even if Tesco won't lower the rate - could you move the balance to a different loan company to improve your rate that way? Or even move some to a lower rate CC as that can be more effective debt payment wise. The Credit Club on here would show you who might be willing to accept you and at what rate.

Also look at the DFW challenges to see how you can up your income with surveys and the like. You said you liked buying on Vinted but then you mentioned giving away kids clothes. Could you sell some? Similar for kids toys.

It is possible to clear debt - we've come down from around £70K of debt. It does sound as if you are still stuck in a lifestyle trap of I ought to be able to afford to... and spending accordingly. Things only turned around for us when we knocked that thinking on the head and made radical lifestyle changes. It has been worth it... I should be debt free by the end of this year.

I think £17 for a kids birthday party present is too much. I set a limit of £5-10 each... At that age they go to so many parties... 

Yes I think that's the problem I still want the life I was having before but the difference is I don't use credit now so something has to change! 

I will look at that with the loan thank you! I just can't quite get my head around the loan would I get the interest money back that I haven't paid so it would reduce what I owe? I need to have a look into it. 


Well done what an amazing amount to pay off! 
I feel like I'm doing well and then I look and look and realise I'm still not doing that well.

Catty89

Yesterday we had someone round to price us up for blinds, I should have known it was a bad move that they don't have pricing on their website. Anyways we have no blinds in 4 of our rooms I got priced for 2 and it came to.... £487 that was with an apparantly 40% discount. 
I am not going to pay that and said we would call back but I can totally see how easy it would be to fall into it- we need blinds, they were really nice so just buy them mentality.
Anyway I am going to get from blinds 2 go or similar and size them myself, it's going to be my Xmas pressie as I can't cope with not having a living room blind anymore.
Today was a NSD - went a walk then took the kids to the park, brought our own snacks. Then went to DS football training. Everyone is knackered as am I.