Diary of a 30-something idiot

foxandflowers

MAYGLOTHLING IS PAID OFF. NEVER AGAIN. £35 a month back in my pocket. Mr Fox credit card also fully paid off. £10 back a month. Have overpaid on my phone as well, so no longer on payment plan with them. Back to £35 a month. So all in all, about £60 a month better off than I was this morning. 

Weird conversation with Prowaste who think my debt is paid off, but my banking thinks it definitely isn't. Should have kept my mouth shut. He's going to double check with accounts and ring me back.

Money has been sent to PBs and split between my savings pots. (@uralmaid - between top up shopping, buying my daughter much needed bits, putting money into various pots (including putting money aside for the van needing tyres if it doesn't sell soon) etc there is less than £800 unaccounted for. And that is going to sit in my account until I decide what next.)

Spoke to Specsavers and they are reducing the frame price to £50 and swapping the lenses for me. Could cry with how excited I am to be able to see again. Will shortly be leaving work to redeem parents wedding rings and purchase sight aids.

Kim_13

That so much was lost on the car has me even more concerned about the house... and that's on a much bigger scale. Were the house to be taken off the market within a certain period (change of heart, other house sells before you can sell yours and nothihg else suitable) there'd also be fees to pay. More money that's just not there.

I think you need to reach out to someone before doing anything else. Buying/selling/moving is stressful at the best of times and it really sounds like it could be the final straw at the moment, because something will go wrong along the way, it's just a question of when.

Everything crossed for you that there's nothing wrong with WBAC.

Cherryfudge

I've been reading and am finally caught up - great to hear those are off your back! I can feel your relief.

I had a thought that I don't think has been addressed so far. You mentioned the high travel costs for your husband to keep contact with his children, and if I've understood rightly, they are adults living at a distance from you. Might it be possible for him to stay with one or the other of them, perhaps alternately with them coming to you? It would make it easier for them all to get to football and give them more time together, as well as cutting costs. If he can't stay with them, could he get a B&B for less than the total travel costs?

foxandflowers

hi @Cherryfudge 2 of the kids are grown ups - the other 2 are 13 & 14. So it's not going to be forever, but is for the foreseeable. I look forward to summer when they are with us for a week at a time and football is off haha.

Cherryfudge

Well, being 13 and 14, I'm not going to expect them to host their Dad! Sorry I missed that in your posts, I'd only picked up on the adults. Is there any chance of him staying overnight with one of those sometimes to cut down on trips? I've no idea if they're in a position to host or not.

So glad you are getting your glasses by the way (as well as all the other things you've paid off). I would have such a headache without mine. I hope they come through quickly.

slm6002

Are the visits every week?  Could they maybe go to every fortnight for a little while, just to catch up on things a bit?

Have you checked out the clothes swap for your DD rather than buying all brand new.  Just because the money is in the bank doesn't mean you need to spend it if there is a cheaper option.  Get OH to the community shops in the area, they are for times like this.

One reason for moving was to be closer to work and not so much of a commute.  Will moving 2 miles down the road really make that much difference.  I wondered if the long commute was because it's a bus wiggling in and out of estates and villages?  If so would a little moped be a better option.  I don't know for sure, but lessons and licenses I believe are a little cheaper than a car.  Still an expense but probably not as much as moving house to be closer.  

stymied

How did the universal credit convo go? Also the Vinted stuff you were listing a couple of weekends ago?

MFWannabe

foxandflowers said:

MAYGLOTHLING IS PAID OFF. NEVER AGAIN. £35 a month back in my pocket. Mr Fox credit card also fully paid off. £10 back a month. Have overpaid on my phone as well, so no longer on payment plan with them. Back to £35 a month. So all in all, about £60 a month better off than I was this morning. 

Weird conversation with Prowaste who think my debt is paid off, but my banking thinks it definitely isn't. Should have kept my mouth shut. He's going to double check with accounts and ring me back.

Money has been sent to PBs and split between my savings pots. (@uralmaid - between top up shopping, buying my daughter much needed bits, putting money into various pots (including putting money aside for the van needing tyres if it doesn't sell soon) etc there is less than £800 unaccounted for. And that is going to sit in my account until I decide what next.)

Spoke to Specsavers and they are reducing the frame price to £50 and swapping the lenses for me. Could cry with how excited I am to be able to see again. Will shortly be leaving work to redeem parents wedding rings and purchase sight aids.

Ref your mobile; are you in contract? If not your be better off going sim only; would be much cheaper and save you approx £25 per month 

warby68

Well the car deal is done, for better or for worse.

Now is an obvious time to do things differently than ever before  and not blow it all at once. Remember its your capital not an income boost. Just a suggestion, but I wouldn't top your pots up by more than 6 months of your planned budget contributions. This gets you ahead should the need to spend kick in before you've had chance to pay much in but is not a 'silly' overly tempting/indulgent amount. Then lock away unallocated money so its quite hard to touch. An old fashioned notice account or something. It forces thinking time upon you. You have a huge urge to spend the minute you have an idea and need to get away from that. Oh and stick your fingers in your ears should Mr F come up with any spending suggestions.

Get back to your budget and see if it works now you have cleared some things. Don't put it off until after another possible house move (which would be better not happening anyway). The house move won't make anything easier as regards budgetting.

Spend in proportion to your income not whats in the bank today. Your daughter's restock will be a good test. Can you do it on a budget per the suggestions or will you have a blowout ? Really try Fox, its the secret to it all, living to your income. And don't give in to those takeaways and carry on cancelling the luxury subscriptions etc. 

MeandO

Please take Mr Fox’s credit card away from him too. In fact, close it down!