Debt in Dizzyland

Dizzy_Imp

So.....this will be my diary of debt reduction, income increase and lifestyle change.  I'm fighting a relentless tide of debt and money issues, despite having a good family income. I've come to the realisation that the situation will only becoming increasingly dire if we just totter on as we are currently doing, so after a month of collating all the necessary information and paperwork, I've decided that December 1st is the day I take back control...the first day after payday.

I'm scared and nervous about what this means for me and my family, but hopefully keeping a diary will enable me to stay motivated for the next couple of years until I arrive where I want to be financially. 

This time, six years ago marked the start of our financial crisis with a major house flood when the nearby river broke it's banks, reaching an all time record high and since then we have never really been in control of our money.  It seems right that on the anniversary of our crisis, I start a final plan to conclude our money concerns.

Wish me luck, offer suggestions and ideas and join me on what I'm sure will be a rollercoaster ride.

WinterWarrior

Good luck @Dizzy_Imp.
have you done an SOA to work out what is coming in and out and where you may be able to make changes? These diaries are full of amazing and helpful people. I am constantly in awe of the lovely friends I have made on mine. 

Dizzy_Imp

Thanks Winter Warrior ... I'm going to need it!

I have done an SOA which makes for grim reading, but hubby and I had a real heart to heart last night about things and have agreed that we need to turn everything on its head over the next two years to get to where we both want to be.  I've taken on the task of meal planning and getting our grocery costs right down and he has agreed to get the wood pile and barn under control this week,  so it can be used more productively.

So, meal planning done for the next 10 days to make best use of the mountains of food in our freezers and cupboards.  I actually love cooking, so this shouldn't won't be a chore.

I've also signed up for some night shifts, which means I can earn a few more pennies over the coming month and I've also been offered extra hours in the salon leading up to Christmas, so I'm excited about that too.  I'm doing a set of nails for a friend at her house this evening after Tiny comes back from gymnastics.  DH will babysit Small and Tiny plus feed all the animals (8 dogs, 6 cats, 6 pygmy goats and 350 chickens) while I'm out.  Dogs and cats are raw fed, so I've spoken to our supplier about shifting down a brand cost-wise, and have week's worth of another batch of food for them all to trial.  None of the animals are fussy eaters, so hoping they won't notice the switch lol

TTFN x

Dizzy_Imp

Day 1 has been cold, boring and rainy, but I have managed to wrap five Christmas presents and make a list of baking to be done tonight once all the visiting dogs are collected and a random school friend of Tiny's goes home.  I offered to feed the extra child, but he is super fussy and didn't want shepherd's pie, so his mum will pick him up before we eat.

So, plan for later is to bake flapjacks, chocolate cupcakes and a lemon drizzle loaf, which should keep the hoards happy for a few days.

Thursday to do list
Box hamper bits up for Zoe
Junior football discipline response
Order Rocket plants
Online prescription for Monty labrador 
Raise invoice for Valentine greyhound
1/2 hour ironing
Wrap 3 x Christmas presents
Buy 2022 diary
DINNER = Chilli con Carne and rice

Quick cuppa now then a quick blitz in the dining room...

Lifestartsat40

It sounds like you have made a good start - I bought all the stuff to make a couple of trays of flapjacks this week as hubby is always rooting around for a little 'treat' to have in the evening with his cuppa.
I don't know how you manage all those Dogs though, I bet your house is crazy busy! I have a working cocker spaniel he's nearly a year old and he keeps me busy enough

Dizzy_Imp

Day 2 is a crisp, freezing start - I had to defrost the windscreen to get to my Breakfast Club shift with my boys on time, so I was slipping all over the driveway first thing.

Only got the flapjacks made last night as I ran out of time, but will endeavour to cook some cupcakes this morning.  Flapjacks are a fave in this house LS@40 and they're quick and easy to make, so win-win, I say! I've changed our dinner menu to chicken and white wine pie as my friend delivered some of her homemade goodies yesterday and everyone loves her pastry, so one less thing to worry about

Invoice raised for the greyhound daycare, although I've  emailed it over as her owner is off sick today and not bringing her over to play.  Large cup of earl grey tea before I start the day proper...no doubt all the water outside is frozen, so I'll be traipsing back and forth with a kettle to melt the ice in the water troughs.  Note made to ask the electrician to run a current line through the water pipes to the static caravan to avoid burst valves like last winter...

TTFN

Dizzy_Imp

Large G&T poured (yes, on a school night!) and feet up after a busy day. All the dogs are looking at me with anticipation of tasty leftovers in their dinner bowls, but sadly for them, the pie was troughed in record time by the boys.

Spent much of today repairing fences following Storm Arwen and I've decided that its definitely a blue job and hubby should be doing it.  That was after I caught the smallest goat who was blundering around the paddock with a chicken feeder stuck on her head, stupid creature...

Thursday tasks all completed, which is great, and a miserly £10 of diesel put in the van in the village garage as they are charging a fortune compared to the supermarket garage in the nearest town, but I was running on fumes, so had to do a splash and dash.

Electricity supplier have reminded me that my monthly direct debit of £450 is due in three days...good luck taking that, as I'm already up to my overdraft limit and the tenant's rent won't clear until 8th.  As I'm £800+ in credit with them, I feel my email asking to reduce my monthly payment should be accepted.  We aren't running heat lamps for baby goats this winter, so our costs this season should be much lower.

Friday to do list
Order raspberry canes for kitchen garden
Get whelping box sorted for collie pups due in about 10 days
Remember to put commercial bin out for collection!
Wrap 3 x Christmas presents
Clean out woodburner and restock logs.
Make meringues to trial drying in the dehydrator rather than the oven.
Ring Dad to check in - ah!....buy new land phone, as last working one was chewed by a dog last week !!!!!!!

Hubby now moaning I've put too much ice in his glass and he's got the chills...seriously?

CL21

Following along! Wishing you the best of luck - I’m exhausted just reading your list of jobs 🤣 

Dizzy_Imp

So, Day 3 started wet and wild...chasing the wheelie bin down the drive was fun!  Luckily it was empty and I didn't have to retrieve any rubbish from the hedgerows.

The wind kindly blew the enclosure gate open, so all the goats and sheep were, and still are, grazing in the back garden.  I've not got the energy to chase them all back in...I'm sure when it gets dark, they will seek the warm shelter of their sheds, so I'll send hubby out to lock up then.

Raspberry canes ordered and gooseberry bushes also fell into my online shopping cart (which was unexpected, but will be enjoyed in the summer). I am proud to announce that i resisted joining the "Growing Club" (for a small annual fee), as I'm not sure I'll need to buy much again from the supplier for a while. The lure of a 10% discount on future orders was not enough for the new, money-saving me.

Two labradors have just arrived - their owners are off to Lapland to get married, which sounds wonderfully romantic! Lady looked radiant and excited, whilst Lord sat patiently in the car while I was told all their plans lol.  Daisy, their old lab is in love with my young male Ridgie, which is hilarious, as she really perks up when they see each other....love is in the air this week, for sure!

Anyway, log burner cleaned, lit and roaring away, so once the blind spaniel is collected at 5pm, I can relax a little.  Need to plan the spring kitchen garden tonight in view of my additional purchases...

TheAble

How come you spend so much on electricity?

Dizzy_Imp

Day 4 .... the weekend.  No rest for the wicked, even now.

Lots to do outside, and, typically,  its grim, cold and wet. Both boys have footie today and DH will be coaching and refereeing, so I might get some peace for a few hours.

Saturday to do list
Cut back rambling rose - maybe take some hardwood cuttings?
Move resin tubs inside to avoid frost 
Order skip 
Empty and move large galvanised trough into kitchen garden
Unload chicken pellets
Ring and organise sheep to market.

I also need to do some housework, as the cobwebs are gathering in all the corners and I don't want to spray them white and pretend they're Christmas decorations!

Our electricity bill is very high as usually we run lots of heat lamps and incubators for chicks and baby animals.  We have decided to cut back and only raise animals for ourselves for the foreseeable future, as energy prices have skyrocketed,  but livestock sale prices have not, meaning we are starting to make a loss, which when considering the hours of work, food costs etc. isn't viable.

Anyway, another labrador is due to arrive, so I'll check back in later x