Missy’s full time working mum juggling act MF adventure

missymoo81

Hey I hope you’re all ok, thanks so much for the lovely holiday wishes, and thanks @joedenise. We did just that yesterday. And ate out at lunch time although I think OH had a dodgy mussel as was not feeling well All evening. I’m still struggling to switch off. I have been reading and watching a lot of YouTube. I’d like to live slower, rather than this fast paced life and I love watching all of the videos but no one seems to work full time and live slowly, I need to find a happy medium as I love my job and wouldn’t want to cut hours etc.

i need to find a way to make life less chaotic. I think living more simply and being more organised would work.  I’m going to think more about it

fionaandphil

I work part time most of the year and only full time for about 12 weeks when it's busy. I find the key is being organised. It is a pain but making sure you've done a shop for the week and got a meal plan works best for us. I generally dump something in the slow cooker in the morning so it's ready when I get home. For things like pasta I stick it on, and prep the following nights lunch or tea while it's cooking. If I sat down with my phone I'd never get it done. Have a look for some nice 'dump bag' recipes you can make and freeze so you can have them ready when you're short of time

I also don't sweat the house not being immaculate, as long as kitchen is wiped down each night, dishes done and bathrooms reasonably clean it will do until I've got more time or energy. Now DS is a teen I also give him more to do like bringing washing basket down, hanging it on the line, cleaning his bathroom, stripping his own bed etc He is also doing a meal once a week during the holidays in preparation for when he is leaving home and the challenge this summer has been to cook some new things - very out of his comfort zone 😀

You have to find what works for you and your family and get everyone on board. 

Try to relax while you are away, no point you having a holiday and going home exhausted.

jwil

It's hard to live slowly and work full time, plus juggle fairly young children!  Don't beat yourself up about it.  Organisation really helps, lowering expectations, and I like to try and do as much as I can on the days I work, so I have less to do on the days I don't.

missymoo81

So had a very lazy day as it rained, but was much needed. Am slowly beginning to organise myself in my head, have come up with a months meal plan, hoping to bring it all in for £230 a month. Swapping cheaper meats for nicer and baking my own bread and not having cheap sugary yoghurts etc. 

missymoo81

Ok so have fallen IN LOVE with a house in France, now all I need to do is find about a million pound and someone to look after it until I retire….. erm…

missymoo81

Hi, hope you’re all well, I’m still on holiday. Trying to get my head straight before I get back. September has always been like a new year start for me, so
I’m trying to sort myself out. Usually holidays help me do that, but I’ve really struggled here, I think it’s maybe because we’re going from place to place. We’re staying somewhere lovely for a few nights so I’m hoping that will help.

I have spent quite a lot of time sorting money in my head when I’ve been on the back of the bike. I have decided that as neither of us have much of a pension (at all) we really need to make things happen. As OH is nearly 45 and self employed,
I am nearly 43 and employed but for less than a year and it’s a bit shaky as to how long I will have my job for….

So my plan, mortgage deal is up in mid 2026. What I would like to do is when we remortgage, remortgage as much as possible and buy a rental property. Obviously I need to look into all of this and tax etc. but it’s a while off. This also means that we really do need to throw everything at the mortgage
before that time to afford a rental. 

I need to be careful though, this holiday has taught me that I really do need to slow down in life. And don’t want to be rushing at a million miles an hour all the time, so I’m not going to take on anymore work unless it’s something I enjoy, like the photoshoots which are very sporadic anyway.

If I were to look at my bank statement.( I don’t need to look, I know!) I spend pointless and sometimes rather vast amounts of money on:
coffees
vending machines at work
meals out
top up shops from corner shop

these go into the hundreds each month. I should really look at my bank statement to see just how much…. Might check…

Subscriptions wise:

I use everything I have. Disney+ I won’t auto renew but will pay for with Clubcard at the end of the year. We have Netflix and sky but we’re happy with those. 

Mobile phones are £12 each, for me and the 2 children, we’ll haven’t set Mays up yet but she’ll
need it for September. I do need to change my car, as fuel and Insurance are stupid so will endeavour to do that when I get home.

On less stressful things I am sat outside with a cup of tea, watching some horses, in the sun. Right just going to check my bank statements and make a plan for being more organised.

jwil

Have you checked your and DH's state pension entitlements?  It's worth making sure you've both paid enough contributions to get the full SP.  If you are in LGPS it might also be worth looking at AVCs whilst you are still employed.

One thing I've started doing this year is tracking all my spending in a spreadsheet.  It just takes a few minutes each week to update.  It's been an eye opener on what I spend, and more importantly, it gives me a clearer idea on what exactly I need to live on which helps for my pension planning (and knowing the minimum amount I need to earn if my job goes).

missymoo81

Erm…..
I have just checked my bank statement for July….

I spent £200 on groceries. Which is actually pretty low.

but I spent a massive £250 on random food and coffees and this doesn’t include the 5 days I was away for work…..

I don’t know if it was a one off, or whether I need to check other months…. I spent about £50 on books and things for the children which I really don’t begrudge. But honestly. What an eye opener! I am actually hanging my head in shame! 

Right i Need to make a proper meal plan. 1 I can stick to.

missymoo81

and here’s one I made earlier….. (showing my age here, any old school blue Peter lovers on here) I came up with this meal plan the other day and have put 2 weeks of it into Sainsbury’s and it’s around £50 per week.

Monday Bolognese pre-made on Sunday as cubs 

Curry slow cooker Tuesday 

Wednesday pizza hm

Thursday Burritos

Chilli made on Sunday 

Chicken and potato thing

Enchiladas

Bolognese pre-made as cubs 

Stew

Stew

Pizza/ omlette 

Thai curry

Chicken and rice 

Hot dogs and corn

Pasta bake

Sausage and mash

Pizza/omlette

Curry

Sausage bacon and potato stew

Sausage bacon and potato stew

Chilli tortilla chips nachos

Chicken tacos

Creamy chicken pasta

Chicken cacciatore with rice or mash 

Pizza  

Shep pie

Sausages and potato salad

Calzone

Now I need to look at this to see in which order I do them, I’ve done the first week. I was going to try and make all bread and wraps etc. but I think wraps will take too long to roll out etc as if need about 20 odd for the week, but I will make bagels as I think they’ll be fun. I’m going to start getting the shopping delivered on a Sunday. I have a Sainsbury’s pass and buy a lot of the value stuff, I don’t know if Lidl etc is much cheaper now?

missymoo81

Ok plans to not spend, make do or make some extra non stressful money.

Sell clothes and shoes on Vinted. Have plenty so hopefully target of £100.

No need for new clothes for me, although could do with losing half a stone so things look better.

Surveys, see if log on still works.

Reschedule dentist appt, as can’t make it and don’t want to be charged for missing it.

Get OH to ring PB as account locked and can’t remember log in.

I need big cooking pot. I bought a cast iron one last year but it goes rusty so I need an enamel coated one. Any ideas on where to get a big 4litre ish one cheap, rather than buy the ‘m@ggies chicken’ bag things etc. 

I might sell one of my winter coats as I don’t need it. 

Read the books I have and go to the library more.

Make treat meals and breakfasts at home rather than go out. 

But children’s stationery at Tesco as much cheaper than WHSmith. Look for coupon codes for school stuff.

sort nectar points card as for some reason it won’t register to my account.

see how many club cards points I have.

check fuel prices and see where cheapest as pass by a couple when at work.