A Fresh Start, a year of growth and balance.

BudgetingBelinda

DS 2 better DS1 ill! One in one out! It’s been a rough week.
£1200 in EF, not quite anywhere near where I wanted to be at £2000! 🧐😬🥴 I am trying to be cautious and realistic about how much I’m putting in there as the upcoming month has a lot of outgoings. 

Chores done today- shopping, car wash. I’m so looking forward to a mega chilled weekend! 

BudgetingBelinda

Loads of gardening. Ordered myself a pressure washer to jet wash the patios which is my Mother’s Day treat to myself! Quite looking forward to that and it’s inspiration for sorting out more of the garden. If I dig in over the Easter hols I think the garden will be looking lovely and be manageable and a lovely space for the summer. Very much looking forward to some nice time in the garden. Felt the sunshine today and was lovely! Haven’t done the floors but the rest of the chores are up to date. I’ll do the floors at some point! Outdoors won today. Once garden a bit more sorted I’ll get some nice plants for my pots! Owww middle age ✅❤️🥳

BudgetingBelinda

I don’t know why I’m awake at 5am. Actually I do, Mr 🦡 badger was outside my window having a noisy bin breakfast!

Yesterday I felt like I needed a whole day in bed! I was so tired. I got out of bed at various points of the day when I got bored and; walked the dog, did 4 loads of washing, changed a bed, painted garden table and two chairs, baked a cake, cleaned all the floors.. and cut my hair. 

Every time I am determined to have as few plans as possible it seems to trick my brain into being nicely productive. I’ve made a list of things I want to get done in the next couple of weeks ideally, but I’m going to do no pressure mindset so hopefully that mentality will help get it done rather than, pressure, guilt, feel bad, chill.. repeat! I also jet washed the patios on Fri pm. Made a great difference to the garden. 

Finances wise.. eldest birthday this week, already covered that mostly. Looking tight money wise. Not really where I want to be with EF goal, spending too much on groceries still, & eating too much!!.. need to look at finances again and budget especially with no financial contribution still from DS’s dad…

CMS said they haven’t been able to take the money from his bank account because they can’t find one?! So they are going to take him to court, that process can be 22 weeks. So I’m not holding my breath there. He’s around 1k in arrears already now. 

Two weeks off owwwww marvellous! Feeling quite satisfied and only a few very small plans. Hopefully it stays that way! Now back to sleep for a bit I think. 💪🏼

debtfreewannabe321

🤣 at the middle age comment...I'm so there with you 🤣.

Hope you have a good couple of weeks off. I'm off too and it didn't come a minute too soon! 

BudgetingBelinda

Ahhh, it’s been a while! Work and life has been so busy!
Now I’m just settling in to the summer hols and having a little re group I thought I’d update here.

I re did my budget yesterday. Taking into account the current situation. The ex aubergine 🍆 got up to £1600 in child maintenance arrears, having not paid all year. Then got hit with a liability order and now says he earns £13 per week (has his own business and works full time, showcases his work across social media but CMS say they can’t do anything really) so he now pays £7 a week child maintenance! Although he has missed a week or two of £7. And the arrears have been recalculated and gone down to £160 ish and the £900 liability order. What a pathetic individual. Also there are two days I’m back at work before the boys and he is not going to have them the extra two days as he’s at work. 

Sole financial provider and single working mum 💯. But I have not achieved what I wanted to financially this year. The above hasn’t helped but also I’m overspending still on groceries mainly. 

Meal planning is back. Budget summer holiday activities are on. 

I have a bit of savings/EF and luckily the car passed its MOT is the good news, the bad news is the bathroom floor is not good after a bad leak. 😬😮‍💨 very scared how much that will be and how long it will last and being a one bathroom household it will be a nightmare I think. 

I’ve got back to feeling a little normal after some restful days this weekend. Did some journaling and sorting which is making me feel better. I really don’t want to have to get a loan for the bathroom so I hope I can up my savings and it will last a bit longer. 

My plan is to make some small steps with the savings and be much more mindful. The challenge is it’s never ending stuff to pay for! Just planning a night away in the summer and having guests for couple of nights is going to be tight. And then DS2 birthday in Sept, October 2 week school hols, then two months til Xmas! 🥴 Trying to keep in mind the little steps and not be too overwhelmed about all that! 😅 
The grocery budget is way out of control so that is going to be my biggest priority right now. 

Freezer tapas all summer!? 

😬

Pottering a bit today, a little family dog walk and hopefully a no spend day! 🎉💪🏼

slm6002

I am really sorry ex-idiot has got away with paying such a little amount.  I will say mine did the same until he turned up to a family party in a works van and I was then able to get him reassessed.  He will slip up eventually.

Like you the food budget has gone out of the window for a while and I really need to get it back on track.  Planning and portion control are the way forward I am thinking.  Any treats need to be that rather than the go to snack in our house.

Enjoy your time off and good luck

BudgetingBelinda

slm6002 said:

I am really sorry ex-idiot has got away with paying such a little amount.  I will say mine did the same until he turned up to a family party in a works van and I was then able to get him reassessed.  He will slip up eventually.

Like you the food budget has gone out of the window for a while and I really need to get it back on track.  Planning and portion control are the way forward I am thinking.  Any treats need to be that rather than the go to snack in our house.

Enjoy your time off and good luck

Thank you! Yeah he’s purchased a newer van- cost the £1600 he owed in CM! I’ve reported to HMRC. As he’s in his first year CMS said not much really they can do until he submits tax return, he’s done this before and paid no tax then dissolve ld company and starts another. He is and always has been deadbeat vibes financially. Hopefully it will catch up with him at some point. Can’t believe it’s even remotely feasible that they will think he is earning £13 a week, works full time, and no benefit's… Should surely throw up some red flags somewhere you’d think! Glad you got somewhere eventually. I’ve lost hope atm.

Planning and portion control very much needed here too ✅ 
nice cheap day here of dog walk in the forest with the DS’s today! Hopefully another NSD tomorrow 🤞🏼