Time for a new start

Drawingaline

So it's time for a new start for my diary. Previous diaries can be found here.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5585379/drawing-a-line-under-the-debt

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5754979/drawing-a-line-under-the-debt-take-two#latest




2023 is going to throw up some financial challenges, so I really need to get back to being more accountable.

For anyone new to my diaries, we are a family of 6, one daughter at uni in London, one son at sixh form college, one son at secondary and one son in juniors. The younger two are both autistic, with the smallest having quite a few challenges around his schooling which has led to me being self employed working school hours to ensure I am around for pick up and any school meetings. This year is the application for secondary which is throwing up some new issues which also hinders my working hours.

Anyway, I am off to tidy up my subscribed threads, and I see some new ones I may subscribe to myself.

lucielle

Happy new diary!  

L

TallGirl

Love a new diary 

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Yay!  Happy new diary

savingholmes

Good luck for 2023!

Drawingaline

Well so much for my new start!

So I need to update my signatures I think. We got debt free last year, but atm I am carrying a bit of credit card debt. It is broken down as £200 left to pay off our holiday that is booked for August. This is at 0% and will be cleared by the end of this month. Then I will be saving £100 a month towards spends for it. We are going back to Cornwall. Just me hubby and the small two. The boy will stay home with the cats, the girl may be home, but she may still be in London depending if she gets a job this term or not. Her accommodation is paid up until the end of August.

Then there is £300 to pay towards my glasses. I went for an eye test before Xmas and glasses were a very unexpected expense. Even the optician said I didn't really need them from my eye prescription,  but I have been struggling for a whole so agreed they may help with reading, even if the issue was slight. A weird blemish was found and she urgently referred me to the eye clinic at the hospital. Had a letter saying I am on a wait list. So much for urgent. May need to chase that up. 

There is £300 left that was towards bulk buying driving lessons for the boy, so that is being paid off monthly and will be gone soon. 

Then there is £1100 which is left over from the summer holidays last year, and from kitting the girl out for uni. 

So there is £1900 all at 0% until 2024, all being paid off.  I am trying to pay £233 a month, with an additional £100 towards the holiday (until next month) and any extra going towards it too. Am hoping it will be gone by the summer holidays, but there may be some stalling if anything big crops up.

I need it gone before September really as we are going to have to pay more to the girl next year at uni, she really needs to get a job. The hubby has 1k in savings which is our proper emergency fund, we may need to use that to help with accommodation next year, deposit etc as she will most likely need the money before her loan is paid in September. London is expensive. But she had to take the opportunity to go to the best for her degree. 

Overall I am not too concerned about the debt, but do want it gone ASAP. We should be OK, but are having to really tighten our belts a bit after a few good years!

Managed to reduce our energy dd by £1 this week. It keeps creeping down.

Definitely need to start posting more.

Drawingaline

Tough work day today, am shattered. Tomorrow is another busy one. Then when I get home I need to get the smallest packs as he is off on a residential with cubs. Will have to drive him there, its about an hour away. Then straight back to a Guideing meeting, then will have to get the boy from work at 9pm. Not going to be much time to sit down before then! 

All accounts looking good, have managed to avoid buying lunch this week, one of my biggest downfalls. 

Cats have both had dodgy stomachs this week, so we have cut the wet food out for a few days, seems to have worked, saved us a bit of money too 😆

Still going to try and post mors, and keep more up to date on my subscribed threads. Already falling at the first hurdle!

And finally, have lost 3Ib this week. Just from being back at work and trying not to eat too much. I need to shift a bit, mainly for my health and budget, clothes are getting somewhat snug! And getting out of breath climbing two flights of stairs is not a good look.

lucielle

Well done on the weight loss.  Sounds like a very busy night, hope it all goes according to plan.
L

savingholmes

Well done on the weight loss. 

Keep going with the rest - things will sort eventually.

Drawingaline

Busy busy day today. Milkman has started coming after 8am, which meant that when we ran out of bread this morning I couldn't make my lunch 🙄 so had to stop-off at @sda to pick up a sandwich. Also needed to grab a couple of bits for the smallest to take on a cub weekend he has gone to.

So full on day at work, only just managed the afternoon school run. Got home, unloaded the car, packed the smallest bag for cub camp, grabbed a quick coffee, then drove 50mins to drop him off. Drove back, 10 mins to get changed, then off to a meeting. Picked the boy up from work at 9pm, finally got home.

So had to spend a bit of money this morning, frustratingly. 

Honeysucklelou2

Happy new diary! Is your DS1 looking at uni courses?