AimeeMum's Debt-free challenge

aimeemum · 19 February 2019 at 12:00PM

Happy Tuesday -

Achievements for today -

Nipped out for milk and bread - only spent £3.50 so still have £1.40 in change to give as pocket money this week.
Wrote my to-do list for the rest of the week ready for MIL visit.
Sorted the washing pile that had been steadily building the past week......should not leave it to do that!
Yesterday I finished my Tesco order for the week. Only thing I couldn't get was a FR chicken so hubby will have to call in and get one on his way home one night this week.

Not a lot else happening. Mum didn't get her CT yesterday so hopefully she will get it this morning and be allowed out...she's been in since Friday with no actual movement medically which is frustrating.

abba1772 · 19 February 2019 at 5:22PM

Fingers crossed your mum has her ct scan today xx

aimeemum · 19 February 2019 at 7:45PM

abba1772 wrote: »

Fingers crossed your mum has her ct scan today xx

Thanks, she got it done at lunch time and has now been released. She has a large ovarian cyst and so needs an operation ASAP, so will wait until she is back in the UK next week (she arrives Saturday) to get that booked in.

aimeemum · 20 February 2019 at 3:09PM

Lots of phone calls made today.

1. Ovo energy to set up my payment plan. I have set it up for £55 a week (currently paying £25 which covers my usage but isn't really making a dent in the arrears) from 1st week of April. I can actually more than likely afford to pay £100 a week but I'm happy now that they're not going to start collections processes.....last thing I need.

2. Council to find out how much I'm still owing this month and when the bills for next year will be through. I have £303 (less than I thought) left to pay, and bills will be out next week. I found this years structure online and it looks like monthly DD is going to be £131 a month if none of my arrears are rolled over onto next year. Will possibly allow up to £100 to rollover as I know my budget can cope with up to £140 going on CT. Have to call back in March to arrange this and get a new bill to reflect it.

3. Water board - couldn't actually speak to them about payment structure as I'm not named on the bill but they're sending me an up to date bill and I'm to call back and make a payment (and possibly send them permission in writing to speak to them in the meantime).

Don't feel that great right now. Sick of dealing with constant bills etc but good to see some progress being made. I'm in that crappy stage of the week/month. Still, payday tomorrow so that's something to look forward to at least. :j

aimeemum · 21 February 2019 at 10:32AM

After I posted yesterday the whole day wen to pot. I got a phone call from school telling me that middle-born had been sick. I managed to catch the bus 3 minutes later and went and got him, and we were home just in time to pick the other two up off the school bus. We had a friend's little boy over for tea last night too so the boys were occupied while I caught up the stuff I was supposed to do in the afternoon.

Payday today - only managed a payment of £60 off debts today - needed to keep some money back to cover half term. I'm hoping to keep the costs right down but I'd rather that I kept it and had it than needed it and it wasn't there. Hopefully I can not spend it and then send it over to hubby's credit card later in the week........we shall see.

Tesco order coming today. I have middle DS off sick for the rest of the week so no peace and cartoons on the TV......no excuse for not getting my jobs done! lol

aimeemum · 22 February 2019 at 10:58AM

Done my daily bank account checks. Hubby's CC has been updated for the month and the interest was 50p less than expected. Not a lot but it all helps

Looking forward to next week for lots of reasons:

CT arrears will be significantly lower and I'm so excited by that prospect!
Half term so no school runs!!
Taking my boys to the cinema for a long awaited trip to see Wreck it Ralph 2 - got to love Mini-mornings! Going to make them a 'goody bag' each to take as that will be a lot cheaper than buying sweets at the cinema. Thinking a bag of sweets, a chocolate bar, a bottle/carton on drink and a pack of crisps - maybe a 'saver menu special' from McDonalds for lunch if they're good. Should cost less than £20 for a trip to the flicks which isn't bad value really

****Just gone onto Tesco to update next week's basket with the goody bags. Have added:
3 x Choc milkshake cartons - £1.25
4 x Galaxy bars - £1
4 x Fruit Pastilles - £1
10 x Space Raiders - £1
3 x Haribo bags - £1.20
6 x 'Bunny Bite' crisps - 89p
Altogether - £6.34 but there will be loads left over for the rest of the week and I'll let them pick their own contents to take from that little lot. I think that's not far off the costs of a small popcorn and a drink for 1 lol.

Best go and get some housework done...I'm feeling so rubbish with conjunctivitis in both eyes and a cough/cold I've been generously given by DS2, but must crack on.

aimeemum · 22 February 2019 at 1:55PM

Accountability for today/this afternoon:

DONE
Upstairs bathrooms x 2
Clear floors upstairs
Put up bed out ready
Washing x 1 load out to dry
Beds all made
Dishwasher loaded and surfaces wiped
Swept and mopped kitchen floor
Wiped all Kitchen cupboard fronts
Steam cleaned the cooker hood
Dining table cleared and wiped clean
Folded and put away all dry laundry
1 load of towels out to dry, other in the washer and will hang out once dry.

TO DO:

aimeemum · 22 February 2019 at 1:58PM

Accountability for tomorrow (Saturday):

DONE:
Vacuum whole house
Tidied and dusted living room
Swept and sorted porch
Cleaned downstairs toilet
Eldest cleaned and vacuumed his room
Downstairs windows cleaned
1 load of washing out on the line to dry!
Tidied front and back gardens - cut grass in the back.

TO DO
change sheets ready for houseguest - will probably do in the morning as eldest wants to sleep in his own bed tonight.

aimeemum · 23 February 2019 at 2:48PM

Well what a busy day. Hubby left for work at 11 and since then I've been non-stop. The boys have helped a lot so as a reward we're going to the park and going to do some 'slime science' using a kit they were given at Christmas. Now I've cleared my kitchen table I can actually have them doing crafts!

We even managed to put a lot of washing out on the line to dry! Can you believe it's still February!

In other money-related matters - the requested water bill arrived and the usage was lower than I was expecting it to be - £90 a quarter when I thought we were over £120. I've decided to meet them half way and put my new SO to £35 a month and then stick to my snowball to cover arrears. The good news is that the arrears will be gone faster if we're using less than I was anticipating. I was expecting to have my SO at £50 a month post arrears had all gone so £35 is a lot better

I'm shattered and the conjunctivitis isn't shifting....on the plus side with the sun out the windows and doors are open and the house is nice and aired. Kids were even out on their bikes while I was gardening. Feels a lot better all around to have them active rather than stuck indoors all the time!

MIL arrives tomorrow - for now I think it's time to chill out and enjoy the unseasonable warmth.
Also forgot to mention that we were visited by a newt last night/this morning. Locking the door last night he was trying to get out under the door. I managed to get him safely outside and I thought that would be the last of it. This morning I went to unlock and joked that he may have come back.....and he had. He was again stuck trying to get out of the front door, so I picked him up and took him to the bottom of the back garden. There is lots of over-growth down there and a little beck too, so it's perfect newt territory. We have had frogs and toads in our garden before too....but I feel we need to 'newt-proof' our front door! lol

aimeemum · 26 February 2019 at 11:17AM

Still loving the warmth. Just about to go and put some washing out on the line again....love it!

Money wise it's not been too bad a week and seeing as today is the first of 3 big 'pay days' this week (CB, UC and then hubby's wages) I know I can get a big chunk sorted this month

So exciting! For today though a lazy day at home and a quick trip to the Dr's this afternoon is what is in order. so far have only spent £15 this week on half term. Hoping to keep it below £50 total including a planned trip to the pictures....ambitious but worth a go!

AimeeMum's Debt-free challenge

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