My 2 year battle to try to keep our home

savingholmes

Fantastic news on the straighteners too. Hope you recover from covid quickly

Tiredbutdetermined

Bizzywizard said:

Hi,

I've just read through your diary, you are doing so very well.

Congratulations on the mortgage front! Sounds like you have had an awesome advisor.

I have just started a 'help to save' account. its through the government website. Martin Lewis keeps talking about it on his show.. You pay in a max of £50 a month for 4 years after that 4 years the government give you an extra £1200! This is as long as you have paid the max in each month otherwise the bonus is smaller. I assume you get working tax credits or some sort of top up. If not check out the site its helptosave. you need your ID found mine in an email from the government ages ago! I litterally started it 2 days ago, thinking of the free money in 4 years! Just thought it might help you on the long run.

Ps My dad ran off, so understand how tough it is (I was 19)

Bizzy

That sounds amazing but I am not entitled to any benefits

Tiredbutdetermined

Feeling grim with the covid and keep finding myself browsing Amazon trying to buy random stuff to cheer myself up. Must resist!

£5 in rewards from my bank has just cleared so paid that plus £0.75 PAD over to my credit card. Excited for payday and the new month where I can finally pay the credit card off in full.

January budgets have not gone well in the food and household category but at least I can re-assess going forward as they were my first attempt.

I have £4 in the bank to last until payday on Monday but I shouldn’t need anything and I can’t go anywhere. I have also been using my £250 overdraft every month up until now so quite proud to be on +£4 at this point. Also my budget started on 31st December when I should have been paid but I was actually paid on 22nd December.
This all goes to show that February will be amazing 🤩 

Suffolk_lass

Tiredbutdetermined said:

Bizzywizard said:

Hi,

I've just read through your diary, you are doing so very well.

Congratulations on the mortgage front! Sounds like you have had an awesome advisor.

I have just started a 'help to save' account. its through the government website. Martin Lewis keeps talking about it on his show.. You pay in a max of £50 a month for 4 years after that 4 years the government give you an extra £1200! This is as long as you have paid the max in each month otherwise the bonus is smaller. I assume you get working tax credits or some sort of top up. If not check out the site its helptosave. you need your ID found mine in an email from the government ages ago! I litterally started it 2 days ago, thinking of the free money in 4 years! Just thought it might help you on the long run.

Ps My dad ran off, so understand how tough it is (I was 19)

Bizzy

That sounds amazing but I am not entitled to any benefits

As a single adult in your household you are entitled to 25% off your Council Tax which is not means tested

Tiredbutdetermined

Oops yes, I have the 25% discount

I am so excited to start saving but it is frustrating how many schemes I don’t qualify for particularly the LISA, nothing like being told you are too old

Tiredbutdetermined

Feeling grumpy today. In my mind I was going to be semi productive today but I feel totally wiped out. Stupid blooming covid.

I need to have a look at reasonable paying surveys as 10-15mins here and there should be doable at the moment so I at least feel like I am getting something done

joedenise

I do Populus Live surveys - they're not that regular and you have to get to 50 points before payout but the surveys range in time from about 5 minutes up to 20 minutes depending on the length.  If you only have 10 minutes to spare then you'd obviously ignore the ones that say 20 minutes!  Have to say they usually take a bit longer than they say:

Link here:  https://www.populuslive.com/Home.aspx

Joey05

Hi, just read all your diary in one.  You have done amazingly well! Congratulations on the mortgage.  I was in your place 6 years ago. I now have my own house, the kids have grown up and  left and I wouldnt say im debt free ..but getting there.
Even on the worst days, just remember you are doing this for you  

Bizzywizard

Tiredbutdetermined said:

Bizzywizard said:

Hi,

I've just read through your diary, you are doing so very well.

Congratulations on the mortgage front! Sounds like you have had an awesome advisor.

I have just started a 'help to save' account. its through the government website. Martin Lewis keeps talking about it on his show.. You pay in a max of £50 a month for 4 years after that 4 years the government give you an extra £1200! This is as long as you have paid the max in each month otherwise the bonus is smaller. I assume you get working tax credits or some sort of top up. If not check out the site its helptosave. you need your ID found mine in an email from the government ages ago! I litterally started it 2 days ago, thinking of the free money in 4 years! Just thought it might help you on the long run.

Ps My dad ran off, so understand how tough it is (I was 19)

Bizzy

That sounds amazing but I am not entitled to any benefits

Hi,

The only benefit I get is £140. 60 every 4 weeks (the old family allowance), I'm not sure what its called anymore. Do you not get anything for your two that are still at school at least?

Bizzy

Tiredbutdetermined

Child benefit I do get..just!

Had a letter from the water company this morning and you get the branded envelope sense of impending doom but my bill is going down by £4 from March so very chuffed with that. It reduced in August when I packed the hot tub away but that is a £4 saving as a result of my boys being filthy
Go boys