Buying a little piece of Middle England; Manifesting my way to mortgage free.

debtfreewannabe321

So I've finally filled out the forms for fostering. I've had them ages and honestly the pile of paper made me just push them to the side. But I've had a couple of prompts to fill them out so I did.
Then I had the issue of posting them as two post offices were closed in a row that I tried. Wondered at that point if this was a sign not to bother 🤣 traipsed across town for a third and final try and found one open. I thought I may as well seeing as though I went to the trouble of filling them out. 
I'm not sure me or DP will get a glowing report from our ex's and both will be contacted for references. So I've said, it is what it is. 
I just can't imagine myself being at the job I'm at until I retire. So thought I may as well try this. I always thought by the time you're my age you'd have life sorted out 🙃🙂 haha how naive was I. 

Off to get DD and drink some caffeine and try to stay awake for DS birthday dinner! 😁

daisy_1571

Good luck with the fostering process  🤞 

Dxx

debtfreewannabe321

Thanks @daisy_1571 I think it's worth a try. I'm not holding out much hope of even getting past good references from both our ex's 🤣 but whatever it's worth a try. 

Today I have a two hour round trip to the orthodontist for DD brace tightening. Might stop and have a wander around the town while we're there. We're usually rushing back for school/ work so this can be a bit of a slower more purposeful trip that doesn't feel like a wasted day.

Yesterday we spent just under £100 on food, mocktails, games and pool which I thought was actually really cheap for all four of us and a good 3-4 hours out. 

DS and I had a chat in the end as he came to sit with me yesterday afternoon. I'm not sure if he will stop parroting dad but I hammered home how unthoughtful it was what happened the other day.

He was telling me of all his plans to do martial arts, rugby, and gym etc at his dad's house which I thought was nice as he likes to keep fit it's always been his go to hobby. I couldn't help but also think, £50 for that a month plus a kit and license, £35 for that one, £20 + kit and membership for that one. 🤔🤭 Been a boy mum too long and know the drill .....dad doesn't as he's not ever done the budgets so he's promised it all.....and I hope he sticks to it now. But he thinks DS is cheap to keep and he will be quids in when he stops paying me 🤭🫣 ex already told me DS had emptied the fridge and freezer and cupboards and eaten everything 🙂.

Oooo sorry. I'll stop. For now. I shouldn't be like this. But it's too funny. 

Anyway back to our house. The money shuffle has been done. Budget is starting today as we are absolutely broke on the July budget. August will be a very tight month to be honest and I've already used money from August to pay for July 🫣🙈. Hopeful not to dip into any more pots but that might be unrealistic considering we haven't officially hit August yet 🤣.

However no uniform cost for me this year nor school shoes or replacement of lost PE kits and broken bags and more stationary. 😌 I realised this is the first year since ds1 started school that I've not had these costs and he started with school uniforms in 2001...! I feel quite relieved and happy about this. 

DD got her first wage pack but was disappointed. They didn't put one shift on and the cut off point was much earlier than she thought. She will get a proper wage next month though. And it isn't like she needs it for more theory test bookings (like she thought she would) and no driving lessons as we've paid for the insurance for her. 

Right suppose I ought go get ready for taking DD out now. Hopefully back later with minimal spends. 

skint_spice

Good luck with your fostering application.

daisy_1571

So funny how ex is getting, and is going to get, reality check on how much things actually cost you over the years for the 2 of them lol.  I can see him coming asking for half of things.  Get a note ready of all the things he never paid half of so you are prepared! 

Dxx

debtfreewannabe321

Thanks @skint_spice 😄. @daisy_1571 so ex has been messaging me whilst I was out. I've just sat down and responded to him. He wants to pay only half maintenance this month. Well considering I thought we had one child each now and it would be nil I'll take it. His maths is off though and it's not quite half at £230 but I'm not going to argue in case he figures it out ...his excuse was ...I have uniform to buy and other bits for ds. 🙂 Yep. Yep you do. 

I spent around £23 out today which isn't very good considering I wanted to spend none. However after parking costs (all free spaces gone!) and grabbing DD some food (and I decided to get DS and DP something too) we popped to some charity shops and I bought DD a new duvet set (well new to us 🤣) and I got some dvds and a SW vegan cookbook some new mugs so I can get rid of the chipped ones.  So actually considering all I got the spends wasn't too bad 🤭🫣.

I'm tucked upstairs with a movie from my new dvds and some pineapple and water. My leg started playing me up out and about and my kneecap was moving around like it was having a dance off 🤦🏻‍♀️. Need to stretch it out I think. My neck is also hurting and I think it's because I had the fan on in the night. It's causing a horrible headache every time I move. So any jobs or anything that involves moving too much has been written off for today.

I had a veg and fruit box delivered last week I don't think I said. It was a half price odd box one. However that combined with a glut of cucumber and courgettes and also not cooking very much means I have too much at the moment. So fruit bowls are going to be featuring in our puddings very strongly and I've just searched up with the other ingredients what to make. On the menu later is courgette and butternut squash lentil bake 🤔 sounds odd but I'm going to try it anyway 😁. I'll report back. 

I'm still shopping as and when we need food rather than big shops. We are missing our larder cupboard and also three large kitchen units now (taken out to channel through the floor for drainage 🫣🤣) so I do need to go shopping later.
Might send DP.
Need bin bags. Pasta. Potatoes and some tinned bits. Got plenty of fresh in though. 

Right the adverts have finally finished on the dvd 🤣 off for a chill and then will crack on with some bits when painkillers kick in. 

daisy_1571

I wombled 2 huuuuge courgettes from some sitting on a bench outside the village hall where we were doing an activity.   Made a huuuuge pot of soup,  26 portions squeezed into the freezers today 

Dxxx 

debtfreewannabe321

daisy_1571 said:

I wombled 2 huuuuge courgettes from some sitting on a bench outside the village hall where we were doing an activity.   Made a huuuuge pot of soup,  26 portions squeezed into the freezers today 

Dxxx 

Do you have a recipe?

I ended up making a roast dinner 🤣 I had too many ingredients missing for the other one. DP ran out to get sausage to go with it as I thought I might be pushing it a bit with just veg on the plate for two kids. I did beetroot that came in the odd box, new potatoes, courgette - of course - butternut squash and the sausages. DS ate it all and said he really enjoyed the beet which I was glad about as I've actually never cooked it before now. DD pushed it around her plate and left every courgette/ squash and beet 😒 unsurprisingly though I think DP and I knew that would happen. 
I've had a headache all day now. And now DD has one and DP is saying he feels a bit off ... please please don't let it be another bug 🤦🏻‍♀️🙈.

Oh I had one beef tomato off the plant today, lovely and red and ready to be eaten tomorrow 😁.

I still need to go shopping tomorrow as DP literally got sausages. I have a 10% off voucher at Mr L which I will use. 

daisy_1571

literally just courgette,  white onion,  a bit potato, water and whatever stock u enjoy.   I use chicken and veg.  The potato make it a wee bit thicker soup.   I cook it then smush it up with the stick blender.  You get wee flecks of dark green from the rind and it doesn't look an appetising colour but I love it.  It freezes great.

I do have a proper recipe with proportions but now I just chuck it in pot, I've made it so often I just judge a bit more potato, half an onion or a full one, one veg cube or one and a half etc depending on how big the courgettes are.  I can get you proper recipe tomorrow if you want to start with that

Dxx

debtfreewannabe321

Thanks Daisy!

Morning all, well I slept okay as I took painkillers before bed. Today I MUST stretch my leg out the clicking knee is driving me mad now as I can't walk very well on it. 
Need to also have a tidy around. In my front room I currently have pots, pans on the floor, utensils on my windowsill, ironing on the sofa, a drawer on the floor full of herbs and spices and about two square metres to actually walk in left 🙈. I have to find somewhere else for this stuff.

Need to go shopping too.
My neck is still hurting and I'm struggling to turn my head properly but I think I can manage the one minute drive to the shop. 

DS is going to his dad's on Saturday. I asked ex when he was thinking to collect him. He said Fri or sat. I said let me ask DS what he thinks. I needn't have bothered because they'd already spoken and planned this themselves anyway. I wouldn't have known until he turned up to collect ds on Saturday if I hadn't of asked. 
Today I want DS to clear out the car port with me. It's his home gym. But there is a leak and I noticed there is lots of bits he's not used in ages so I thought we'd have a tidy up of bits he doesn't use and put the rest nicely to the side waiting for him. General tidy up really. 

DD isn't working today so she should really start her coursework but I think she's feeling a bit burned out tbh. Same as ds1 is when I messaged him. I was hoping to get over to see his new house soon but he has barely replied to my messages so I've not had notice of when he was off and it turns out he's off now! Not sure I can get over in the next few days. 

The beam for the chimney breast turned up. And as with everything to do with this kitchen project there is a bit of an issue with fitting it. The brackets which are pre set into it are narrower than the chimney opening. So DP wanted to put the shelf higher than the opening but I think this will look wrong/ silly. So we don't know what to do now aside from pull the beam apart. Sigh. 
DP was up a ladder till 10pm last night steaming off wallpaper from the ceiling just one strip where the extension will meet the kitchen and it took him three hours. They had glossed over the paper and the steam wouldn't penetrate it and the scraper wouldn't get under it. 🤦🏻‍♀️
I have a bit left to do today as well. 

Plasterer hasn't turned up though so I think it will be Mon now he comes followed shortly by the electrician. We should get the whole thing signed off soon enough I think. And not a minute too soon so we can have a front room back 🙈🤣.