From debt to freedom...

Honeysucklelou2 · 10 November 2017 at 3:46AM

It's been a busy week again at work. I went into work today (Thurs ...whoops that should now read yesterday) reminding myself of the menu plan. I told DD4 what was on the plan so that when we were driving home, she reminded me preventing a repeat of last week. Unfortunately though, I did have a pizza night repeat on Wednesday evening as the ex didn't turn up for the children. I usually just have a bowl of rice pudding or something similar on a Wednesday evening and the children eat with their dad so I don't plan or buy food for Wed. This week I did get pizzas, just to have something to feed them quickly.

I took my dog to the vets yesterday as his cheek still didn't seem to be healing. The vet put him on a dose of antibiotics to get rid of any infection near the wound. Another unbudgeted spend of £46.:(

DD2 then wanted her driving theory test arranged so another £23 went out.

It these unbudgeted spends that are frustrating as well as throwing out planned spending.:mad:

I need next week to be a low spend week if not a no spend week. On the plus side I was able to stay away from Tescos for 3 days as the menu plan worked well last weekend.:). I've still got to make the promised carrot cake for DD4 so will try and do that today so they can enjoy that over the weekend, not that it will last a weekend! DD3 is doing DT food, following in DD2's footprints, and made a tea ring this week. It's tasted like an adaptation of a Chelsea bun but done in a large ring rather than individual buns. I've suggested that she might like to practice the recipe over the weekend:D.

Last weekend I did get some dried fruit ( though might have to top it up after the tea ring took a chunk) and the smallest, cheapest bottle of brandy, so will try and get the fruit soaked to make a Christmas cake at some point this weekend!

MeandO · 10 November 2017 at 9:16AM

I'm in awe of your baking HSL and the toffee apples - I remember making those once with my Mum when I was small. what lovely memories you're making together. xx

Cherryfudge · 10 November 2017 at 12:38PM

Your DD is welcome to practice the tea ring in my kitchen! I might even offer to do a taste test.

I bought a bottle of Mr T's cheapest brandy last year for the Christmas cake and most of it is still there so I've used it for this year's cake too. I wonder whether value brandy becomes better over time?

I hope the antibiotics do the trick and your poorly dog is soon better. Yes, unexpected costs do throw a spanner in the works...

Hope DD2's driving theory goes well! How long is the waiting list?

Honeysucklelou2 · 10 November 2017 at 2:28PM

She's got a test booked for the end of November, but I was surprised that we had a good choice of days.

I have used Mr T's cheapest gin before and filled it with blackberries and apple as flavour. That was about 3 years ago. I drained the fruit off and the gin is potent I'm told. Daren't try it!!

Spendless · 10 November 2017 at 7:18PM

Honeysucklelou2 wrote: »

I reminded the, that I was their mum and not a multiple choice restaurant:D

Haha, love it. Some years ago I invested £1.99 in a notice from The Range that reads 'Dinner Choices 1: Take it 2: Leave it'.

It's hung on my wall near the table. It worked well for a while, then 1 day last year DD came home from school announcing she was now a Vegetarian, a faddy one, who doesn't like most veg...:huh:

I can see the occasional but quite a large chunk unexpected expenses are causing a bit of a curve ball.

Are you in a position to build up say an emergency £50/100 just to be dipped in to now and then when something crops up?

I'm guessing tax credit situation still isn't sorted?

Honeysucklelou2 · 11 November 2017 at 11:11AM

The emergency fund in an NSI account is standing at about £300 at present but takes a week to get any into the current account, which is a good thing in one sense that it is a considered transfer. I do have a savings account that I can use by phone that has about £20 in that I could build up to £100 as a mini emergency fund account....
Thank you Spendless, that's a god idea.

The tax credit situation is sorted in the sense that the single claim has gone through and payments are happening but I still need to find time to get to CAb to ask if I can contest the amount HMRC say I have to pay back. I did tell 2 IRL friends about it yesterday and they were horrified.

I did do a menu plan yesterday and included a back up plan for Wednesday in case the ex doesn't show up again. I've found a useful help is to tell DD4 what we are eating and she reminds me on the drive home. She has also helpfully copied out my menu plan onto post its and stuck it to the kitchen cupboard at eye level height so that everyone knows

Fruit for the Christmas cake is now soaking ready to be made, perhaps tomorrow.

Am hoping to take the children to a free exhibition today that is only there for another week, connected to Remembrance Day. The only cost will be the train fare there but since we rarely go anywhere by train, that journey in itself will be a treat!

louby40 · 11 November 2017 at 8:55PM

In awe of your baking skills. I’m rubbish.

My eldest son has just passed his theory test (4th attempt!!!) he has his test on the 4th January.

His dad has bought him a cheap car and I have his insurance saved, it was a child trust fund thing that I saved into for about 10 years, it matured in February so I’ve just been keeping it safe (and borrowing from it occasionally)

So excited for him and praying he passes. Oh to be 18 and free!

Honeysucklelou2 · 12 November 2017 at 1:29AM

The theory test is quite hard isn't it ? A friend showed me the hazard perception part which was an interesting experience! Not quite the 4 questions on the Highway Code at the end of the driving test, that I remember! Hope your DS passes on the 4th Louby.

Honeysucklelou2 · 12 November 2017 at 1:42AM

We caught the train, and made it to the Remembrance exhibition. It was poignant, effective and sobering in equal measures. DD5 was excited just to be catching a train. I think this was the second or third railway journey in her life. The toddler is quite seasoned in comparison having been taken to London a couple of times when I've accompanied DD1 to interviews and open days.

It is interesting to go somewhere very different for the day. I'm usd to rural living and only shop in Mr T's for food or small local shops for other things. It's always quite a shock to visit a city and see how vast the choice of products, the size and variety of the shops and the number of people! I don't have mains TV either so don't see adverts which is very useful at this time of year as the children aren't exposed to lots of Christmas marketing but it makes me realise how easy it would be to spend if that was my daily or regular environment. It certainly made me appreciate my area anew.

Honeysucklelou2 · 12 November 2017 at 1:49AM

I had my annual statements for the home improvement loans, arrive in the post. They make for frustrating reading.:(. I pay £76 a month of which £19 is repayment of capital. Over £50 a month is interest. I hate these loans...they were taken out for double glazing, but have a whopping 24%APR.:mad: I need to redo my budget to see if I can make some kind of regular overpayment to bring the capital down at a faster rate.

From debt to freedom...

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