Debt support thread #2

[Nerfmother]

Here we are! Can't be bothered to think of an exciting title, sorry

Mum2Fergus what a nightmare, I hope you get sorted quickly. Can you leave early and drop him at work (or vice versa) if there's nowhere that can sort it today? Or one of you work from home for a day or two?

MissAnnersley well done on the debt payments! Setting up this month's minimum plus £10 is a great idea.

Nerfmother great news on the builder payment.

Lisad that sounds so difficult. Do you have enough to see you through any payments this month, or will it all be debt? We are having to accrue debt at the moment (I am on a very short maternity leave and didn't put any enough by before I stopped working) and have accepted that some debt is inevitably and have been looking at ways to minimise it instead.

I have just realised our (smallish) chest freezer is literally brimful, despite me vowing I was going to empty it out along with store cupboards. Some of it is just bread/milk, but quite a lot is full meals (i.e. batch cooked lasagne, stew etc). I really want to get some baskets made when we have more money, as we have things lurking in the bottom of the freezer that have been there since about five minutes after we got the thing! Annoyingly we will have so much help here after I give birth that most of the meals won't be enough, so pointless saving them for then. Will be a month of repeating what we ate last month instead I think!

It's hard isn't it? If it was me and dh I would want to do nothing, live on beans on toast and clear things quickly but the dcs need a balanced diet, shoes, school trips, etc.

Normally working from home isn't an issue for me, but have visitors all next week for workshops so really need to be in office...for DP to drop me at work, DS at nursery then him get to work on time we'd need to leave about 6am, and DP would still be late for his registration class (teacher). We've found a couple if garages not too far away who can look at it today, but if it needs parts it will be Monday.

We've known it would need replacing so have been putting money aside but hoped it would last til summer so have 'car' money that could go towards repairs, or just bite the bullet and top up savings with an OD that I can repay in full from bonus. Just means I wont clear CC1 in March which is/was my current goal. Also means will have less choice of replacement car given reduced budget....hmm decisions decisions.

So true Nerf, though think Id need to do without DP too lol

Good luck sorting the car. Hopefully it can be sorted fairly cheaply to tide you over for a few more months!

Thanks Ellie, his is an old car with high mileage, I fear the repair will be more than its actual value

Oh dear! Good luck for damage limitation then! Just paid £20 towards a £920 debt. Not a lot but it's a start and I'm happy! Plan to pay off more as the month goes on.

Hi All,

I have been reading this week - but too exhausted to post!

After being poorly and off work on Monday I managed to get into work on Tuesday even though I had two intense coughing fits while teaching (and had to send students out to get water) and nearly fell asleep at lunchtime. But I was very glad to be back in as I hate being off work - it's so stressful.

Good News! They aren't going to write off DH's car but fix it which is a big big relief.

I have gone over my weekly budget this week as bought a hot curry take away for medicinal purposes on Tuesday and then still bought some make up from Boots on 3 for 2. In my defense, the tiny tester tube of Clinique foundation that I have been squeezing the life out of had finally given up the ghost, and I have been grumpily using a quite frankly disgusting Aand clumpy mascara since Christmas ... so I have finally replaced it with a shiny new one. I can wholeheartedly recommend No7 Lovely Lashes - really glossy and natural. I got a face mask as my 'free' gist but it was quite scary to use and nearly pulled my face off so not too happy about that one.

In other money news I now only have £80 'spare' money to last for the next three weeks. I can do it! I hope.

Hope you feel better Golden. I've been in all week with a stinking cold and it's really hard work. Had to interrupt the Head teaching a lesson in my classroom to get my cough sweets as I've was spluttering all the way through AS. We've got inspectors next week, so couldn't be off but I'm shattered and now grafting through working weekend (which is why I'm arsing about on here rather than marking...).

Hopefully will be a good money weekend, though DCs are desperate to go to Lego movie, but I do need to work so might put this off. I am full of resentment over the stupidly expensive tickets, though do have some clubcard vouchers I could exchange.

Kinky, it's dh' big birthday and he has suggested the money we save on the water (45) to go to the Lego movie today instead of previous ideas for a party or trip to London. Plus frankie and Benny's tonight, kids eat free so we will only pay for three adults and he will get his free as it's his birthday. (Online club)
So we are spending money to celebrate, but the change in attitude means we aren't increasing the debt. If we didn't have dcs I think we would do nothing except .
Wait til it comes on at the kids club am thing - if you start doing that and never see it full price, they still get to see new stuff just a bit later. So for us, Percy Jackson is on.

Well, I am on the coach with some over excited teens. It's a long journey but we're leaving the UK shortly, at dover right now.

Have miraculously had a NSD so far. Made a flask of coffee this morning, filled water bottles from filter jug, and heated up left over Chinese at 6.30am to put in my food flask for lunch (always tastes better the next day I find!). Am munching on grapes and carrot sticks which feels very virtuous, so have resisted expensive service station coffee and snacks (although my colleague did buy us a bag of Krispy Kreme's to share - amazing!)

I expect I will spend on the ferry though, but having just eaten my Chinese at least it will just be a few quid on a coffee and not a full on lunch.

Am exhausted already! Have a good weekend everyone

Have a good weekend.
I'm feeling really good this month because the careful thinking means we won't increase the debt unless were unlucky.

lisad
if you live outside a big city, go and talk to your local parish council as they may know of a local educational charity who will be able to help with trip costs
the school may know as well
do not feel guilty about asking for charity funds - that is what they are there for.

scruffyhound posted at the end of the last thread
come and join in, then you'll be a little bit less alone

Hello, thanks for the new thread. It seems to have moved on really quickly so far! I didn't get time to post yesterday and feel like I have missed loads of news.
I did my first weekly top up shop today to supplement the monthly lot. So far I have done £18 in Home Bargains for the months cleaning stuff and toiletries, then this morning £11 in Aldi and £10 in tesco topping up. I am hoping we will stick to budet this way.
Dh is treating us all to The Lego Movie tomorrow afternoon as he is away all next week with the school. We thought it would be nice to do something fun together before he goes.

£32 in Aldi this morning, about £10 worth of groceries still to get which are all things Aldi didn't have. That should last us two weeks as we're running down the cupboards.

I can't believe it's taken me this long to discover Aldi, it was half the price I would usually pay for the weekly shop!

Hello TiP that's good advice about school trips. I mistakenly asked on our local school mums forum if the PTA helped out and it launched ww3 over people should help out at the PTA and then maybe they'd have more funds
Wish I'd asked the school first, but we just paid.

Ale - how did the monthly shop go? Do you think it will be better? How did you plan all those meals )I have no imagination)

Well it's all good here. Early days but envelopes still seem to be doing well. DP on board. Just sold DS's micro scooter on FB within a few minutes of putting it on...

Having a lazy NS afternoon which is really difficult for us! We're used to going out for a pub lunch and walking the dog. The dog has been walked this morning, and he keeps looking at us like he's missing out!

The envelope idea is based on You Need A Budget. There's a few threads in their own right about the system.

I'm doing the trial but actually don't get on with it that well. Nive goy my own 'version' on excel, and TalkinPeace has done something similar.

It the idea of putting a set amount into allocated budgets so you know where every pound is due to go.

*I've got my

I seem to have made a little progress with DH, he is going to focus more on paying his debt that is having interest added and also put 25 a week in a jar to save for whe needed (birthdays, uniforms etc).

I'm here just marking my spot

Great news thewildones, hope he can stick to it

Major budget birthday present today for a friend of DS1 - £3.99 on a really nice sticker book plus £1.99 on a card. Wrapped the present in tissue paper and ribbon I already had, so under £6 for the first birthday of March!

We have also been complete tightwads for the wedding we are going to tonight and have only given £20 of JL vouchers (a tenner of which I was sent thanks to JL credit card. Cringe). I feel bad but they are good friends and know we are skint, so hopefully not too awful.