A question about : un-hinged!
Hello 
Welcome to my DFW diary!
Formal introductions not required, take a seat put your feet up of and grab a cuppa, the kettle is never of the boil for very long... biscuits however, are strictly off the shopping list!
ok so a whistle stop tour of the hinge household, Mr Hinge currently unemployed, job hunting for 12months... it's very tough out there. Me I work full time, love my job have a fantastic team and full support from them all, I'm currently on maternity leave go back 1st of june. Miss Hinge, Master Hinge and Baby Hinge complete the family.
Master Hinge is pretty much the boss of the family, He is awaiting a diagnoises and ongoing assessments for ASD, ADHA and dyspraxia. He is due to start school after summer and my heartaches with worry at how he will cope. He is 75% toilet trained during the day at home but still requires 2-3 night changes including bedding, he Loves the water and we swim 4+ times aweek, his routine and activities are set in stone the days we have to amend them/don't do them are very very difficult. He has major melt downs either tantrums or social isolation often hiding himself away, he has 5% verbal communication and we are working on this to relief some of his frustrations.
Alot of your debt has come from daily expenses to stick to these activities and meet his requirements, we have fallen in to the trap of eating out 4-5 times aweek in order for him to eat something, this has decreased to 2 times a week and we are currently working on this.
I am exhausted I have a young baby that sleeps through the night and I don't! The money just wouldn't stretch anymore and I admitted defeat and contacted CCCS. we have started a DMP and first payment is March. The phonecalls have finally stopped and the house of Hinge is becoming alittle more positive.
Below is my CCCS SOA copied from my other thread.
Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 3
Number of cars owned.................... 1
Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 555
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 1679
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 2234
Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 595
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 118 i need to make this 12 payments not 10
Electricity............................. 50
Gas..................................... 55
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 39 this is 10 payments
Telephone (land line)................... 81 this is the allowance for landline/mobiles/internet I pay Ј55 in total Ј26 for the extras
Mobile phone............................ 0 included with land line
TV Licence.............................. 11
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 0 included with landline
Groceries etc. ......................... 480 I could do this for Ј315 now DS is using less nappies Ј165 for extras
Clothing................................ 79 this is also way more then I spend I would say Ј30 Ј49 for extras
Petrol/diesel........................... 130
Road tax................................ 22 this is Ј25ish so Ј3 from the extra bank
Car Insurance........................... 64
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 30
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 48 this is only term time so alittle extra here
Other child related expenses............ 51 this is more like Ј90 so Ј39 needed here
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 38 this is Ј13 so Ј25 extra here
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 23
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 26 this is Ј20.53 now so Ј5.47 extra here
Life assurance ......................... 40 this is Ј16 now so Ј24 extra here
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 0 this is Ј35 Ј35 needed here
Haircuts................................ 32 this is Ј15 so Ј17 extra here
Entertainment........................... 34 this is more like Ј100 so Ј66 needed here
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 34
Total monthly expenses.................. 2080
Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 1200
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 1200
No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts
Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly.. .APR
cccs...........................31326.....154...... .0
Total unsecured debts..........31326.....154.......-
Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,234
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 2,080
Available for debt repayments........... 154
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 154
Amount left after debt repayments....... 0
Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 1,200
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -31,326
Net Assets.............................. -30,126
Created using the SOA calculator at www.makesenseofcards.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using IE browser.
No one stands on ceramony here, everyone is welcome, I will use this as my sancutary, somewhere to escape too and somewhere to keep all my !!!! together!!
Mrs H x
Best answers:
- Welcome - I didnt want to read and run. My debt is nearly twce yours and I have found everyone so helpful that I have stayed focussed for the past two months.
Is tere anything you can do to increase incomings - ebaying, trading books in with amazon etc. I havent made much per item but, in total, I have made just over Ј300 since 1st January and that is going towards my summer holiday.
Keep strong xx - Hello Mary! I love the title of your diary, brilliant!
I'm afraid I'm not a lot of help as I don't know much about benefits or how to help in your situation. However, I'd like to offer my support if you need it and have subscribed to your diary.
Piq - Thankyou ladies for stopping by.... must of smelt the kettle and the buzzer has just gone for the first batch of twinks hobnobs!
N820 well done on the Ј300 that is fantastic! I have been following the Ј2012 in 2012 and thanks to mystery shopping, cash back sites and surveys I have Ј55 in vouchers and Ј72 in cash the vouchers are for birthdays/xmas and the cash is sitting in my emergency fund for the time being!
Piq I thought the best way to start my journey is with total honest and the title sums me up perfectly on my LBM I have taken a peep at your diary and lady I take my hat of to you Ј45k repaid is amazing!!
must dash Superman is learning to fly.... Hinge terms that means diving head first down the stairs and belly bumping each step 6 hours at preschool tomorrow may help maintain my sanity or at least collect up the shattered pieces left over from the weekend! - kettles on the boil, older 2 at school/preschool can enjoy some QT with baby hinge today. The little blighter is growing by the day and I seem to walking around in a master hinge shaped fog and missing out on so much.
Not much on the agenda today, must do the food stock take and work on some meal plans as part of the House of Hinge grocery challenge. Do to cash flow with weekly pay and the new DMP this month we are looking at Ј175 for groceries until the 10th of April 44days, 2 adults, 2 children and a baby. we have enough toiletries and cleaning products to last, will need to buy 2 packs of nappies 2 for Ј10 A$da and the rest will go on food. we have a substantial store cupboard so I am not to worried, just need to keep the junk buying underwraps! Mr Hinge is partial to a bread-milk-come-back-with-cookies,-crisps-and-cake shopping trip!
well baby is boobed and asleep so no excuse now to sit on my !!! with the laptop any longer!
Mrs H x - Dredging this up as a kick up the bum, all is changed in the house of hinge and stress levels are rather high at the moment.
I have returned to work part time after maternity leave and following a lot of advice I applied for DLA and Careres allowance for master hinge. Money wise we seem to be on a even keel but this could be drastically improved with some organisation and far few meals out/ take always.
I need to rebook at my SOA's and give mr H a good kick up the bum. He has taken over the reins as full time house parent and although is good with the children housework is not his fortis.
Just a quick check in whilst I had the motivation, I will be back once the monsters are sleeping.
Mrs H x - Hi, I didn't see you diary when you first posted it so I've just caught up now. Your family sound lovely and I love the superman comment! Sounds like my house!!
I really just wanted to say well done for coming back to your diary and trying to get things sorted in amongst the midst of madness. Good luck!
PLMBL Xx - Today is a tough day in the household, Superman has been up most of the night and is an emotional wreck today. Days like this his toilet training go out of the window. And he has weed on everything and anything this morning and is sat naked under the table hiding from the world.
First day of annual leave for me today andi have a meeting at work to discuss the terms of my new job, starting next week a job share promotion. Fingers crossed I get the days and hurs requested.
Must sit down and look at the figures today, I have been a it blinkered the last few weeks and as rent day approaches my tummy feels rather heavy. I however have some bargin purchases due to be delivered that will help no end in my quest to been debt free!
Must rescue the cat from the baby!
Mrs H x - Well it has been a while, the whirl wind that is life and work seems to get in the way of my ramblings here!
12months on since I began my DMP and very slow pogress made. Nether-the-less progress is progress!! Ј1848 paid off Ј22,340.61 left to go. DFD may 2025..... It will be before this I will make sure it is!!
Big meeting coming up next week for Superman, his SEN statement has been in place 4months now and he is making progress at school, small steps and huge smiles for me! Life in the Hinge household is still totally Un-Hinged yet the rollercoaster seems to becoming the acceptable way of life for us.
Work is busy, poorly paid but secure and flexible as needed so can not grumble! Mr H is looking frantically for work but it is scares in these woods.
Clever cloggs is doing awesome at school and the summer brings her 9th birthday, an occasion we have always marked with a camping trip, not sure the finances will allow this year, working hard on surverys to boost the pressy pot to meet the pleas for Monster high and anything girly!
Little man is toddling round, up to mischieve and in to everything. We anxiously wait and see if he will show any difficulties like Superman as he approaches the age Superman had his regression. 2 days at playschool gives him plenty of socialisation and all seems well..... touch wood.
More focus is needed on saving money, eating better and being more organised. Summer is to be filled with carboot sales to clear the junk ahem unused items in the loft Little man will be the last baby Hinge so all baby clothes/toys and equiptment will go. The house is bursting at the seams and I need it to be my purse that is full!!
I have lbs to lose and Ј to gain and know this year will be better then the last!
Mrs H. slightly less un-hinged then last year. - Hiya, I haven't been around for a while so missed your diary the first time. So good to hear about the SEN measures starting to help with your son. My son has Asperger's, and getting the right support in place can be a huge battle, but makes a major difference. It's lovely when they start to have good days at school and you're not terrified of what their teachers will say whenever you pick them up.
I had the same worries about my daughter as she got to age 2/3. I was watching all the time for evidence of rigidity of thought, sensory issues, lack of social skills...haha, well sometimes she definitely has the latter, but otherwise she seems fairly neurotypical. Inevitably, she exhibits some autism-y traits, but many are copied from her brother, so it's hard to tell.
I hope you will continue to post. You have a lot going on, and having a place to vent when you are having bad days is really helpful, as is having a group of people kicking your backside encouraging you to do the car boot sales and things. - Hello and welcome snaggles to this mad house humble aboad
Superman fights school every morning yet appears to enjoy it once there. He does however kick up a stink on the way home about things he isnt happy with during the day at school, this is getting easier now he has a little more speech but headbutting the floor, stripping naked, refusing to budge until he has eaten his packed lunch that he wouldnt touch at lunch time and generally refusing to walk are regular school run encounters! I'm sure you get "it" as many people don't!!
We find out Superman's "label" early next week but have been told it is just a formality as everyone is agreed he has ASD and SPD. He had speech and language delay and abnormal speech development. I'm dreading the meeting but thankful we will finally have some answers/closure and life will just continue on the same daily rollercoaster ride!
Snaggles, Little man and Superman are identical in more ways then I would like! that's another bridge to cross if we get to that point!
i enjoy doing carboot sales when i actually get there but the thought of them
Mrs H x - so a update of things so far ....
Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet
Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 3
Number of cars owned.................... 1
Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 625 (plus enhancements but these vary form month to month)
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 1821
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 2446
Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 595
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 75? Awaiting new bill will CT Benefit
Electricity............................. 60
Gas..................................... 61
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 41 over 10 payments
Telephone (land line)................... 81 this is the allowance for landline/mobiles/internet I pay Ј55 in total Ј26 for the "extras"
Mobile phone............................ 0 included with land line
TV Licence.............................. 11
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 0 included with landline
Groceries etc. ......................... 480 struggle with this always good intentions but faddy eaters and several bottomless pits
Clothing................................ 79 this is also way more then I spend but gives alittle breathign space elswhere
Petrol/diesel........................... 150
Road tax................................ 22
Car Insurance........................... 64
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 30
Car parking............................. 50 no more free parking at work but they do pay 50%
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 128 this is only term time so alittle "extra here"
Other child related expenses............ 51 this is more like Ј150 but superman has DLA that isn't included in my income which pays for his activities
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 38 this is Ј13 so Ј25 "extra here"
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 23 this is now Ј35
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 26 this is Ј20.53 now so Ј5.47 "extra" here
Life assurance ......................... 40 this is Ј16 now so Ј24 "extra here
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 0 this is made up of survey vouchers
Haircuts................................ 32 this is more like 10 as i rarely get my hair cut, i cut clever cloggs' hair myself
Entertainment........................... 34 this is more like Ј100
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 34
Total monthly expenses.................. 2205 (2129.53 so a small amount of breathing space here)
Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 1200
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 1200
No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts
Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly.. .APR
cccs........................22,340.61.....241..... . .0
Total unsecured debts.......22,340.61.....241.....-
Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 2,446
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 2,205
Available for debt repayments........... 241
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 241
Amount left after debt repayments....... 0
Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 1,200
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -22,340.61 ( Mr H wouldn't enter in to a dmp and as our finances are seperate this is my total debt)
Net Assets.............................. -21,140.61
so this itself will reduce the length of my dmp as i will be paying Ј87 a month more then the last 12months.
Mrs H - :waves: kettle is on, grab a pew and get comfortable I think this maybe a epic post! Help yourself to Lemon drrizzle cake that the little hinges destroyed my kitchen lovingly made.
So hectic week last week, Meeting went well, ASD diagnoised for superman now time to move forwards. This week has been about acceptance and feeling very blessed then dwelling. Time for alot more PMA!
Money is very tight for the next 10days, the budget has been battered by a hefty car repair, suprise tax bill and new shoes for Miss Hinge. Need to be very creative with the food we have in stores and will be shopping from home!
Meal plan looks alittle like this:
Sunday beef stew and dumplings with y.puds and mash (plenty put a side in the freezer for baby Hinge to have as lunches.)
Monday chicken fajita's with some left over rubber chicken
Tuesday Hm pizza and over chips
Wednesday pasta bake with Hm garlic bread
Thursday bottom of the fridge soup and sponge pudding
Friday egg chips and beans
Saturday chillie and rice with Hm naan bread
Sunday left over chillie on jacket potatoes with cheese
Monday freezer jackpot, using up the left over fish fingers, nuggets, hash browns,etc.....
Tuesday sausage casserole with y.puds and roasties
Wednesday.... will have money to go shopping!!
pack ups will be inventive, ham, cheese and jam for sandwiches for the littlies and tuna or sandwich paste for us. Lots of twinks biscuits and home make fairy cakes, banana and sultarna bread and apple and cinnamon muffins!
On the plus side I have switched house insurance and saved Ј3 a month and got Ј50 cash back renewed the AA and got Ј45 cash back switched the pet insurance and got Ј34 cash back and Ј2.85 cash back frrom a online order! I know it will take a while to come through but it will certainly help with christmas and birthday presents
2 birthdays this week all sorted from the bargin box filled in the post christmas sales, smellies for my friend and a peppa pig toy for her little princess, all 75% off and just less then Ј12 in total for both .............reminds me I need to run up some crayon rolls, and kitchen sets (aprons and oven gloves) to have to hand as we enter birthday party session at school Superman wants a party again this year at the same sports hall, Ј80 room hire and all entertainment/bouncy castle/sports games and toys provided. then food and party bags to find. Not sure it is possible but will wriggle aound the numbers and see what is doable.
have dug out some work in progress projects and have:
a cadigan for Miss Hinge half knitted, horrid repeat pattern with mulitple cables, moss stitch and blackberry stitch, must finish this for her birthday in July.
a scarrf for Miss Hinge 3/4 finished, this is my take with mr none thinking project
Mittens for Baby Hinge 1 finished another half way there, I hate making mittens!
1 pair of Longies for Baby Hinge next size up to go over his cloth bum at bedtime... saved a small fortune since we stopped buying nappies!
Time to make the pack ups, load the dishwasher and settle down with one of the above!
Mrs H x - Another day and here I am again! Ever get the feeling your talking to yourself?!
so today...
dinner done and dusted, stretched out the chicken fajitas with some tomato pasta bake packed with frozen veg, filling but cheap!
must look at the figures, have been offered some voer time at work for the next couple of weeks, not sure the affect it will have on benefits so will look in to that before signing up.
Carboot sale planned for sunday, will sell all the baby clothes and bits we no longer use, have 3 childrens bikes and 2 scooters to go aswell. all ЈЈ made will go in the decorating kitty, have decided it is time baby Hinge moves out of my room so will be putting Miss Hinge in to the loft conversion (currently a office space barely used as it is full of for mentioned junk exciting carboot sale treasure
would need 3 tins of paint, a new mattress, a large rug and a chest of drawers to give the children a bedroom each and oodles of clutter clearing and elbow grease on a tiny budget. would be looking on free cycle and chairty shops for the drawers and shabby chic them hinge style!
I will instore order and organisation on this madhouse delightful household!
time to soak my bones I am frozen solid and stiff as hell!
Mrs H x - I'm considering popping round for dinner. Your meal plan sounds much more well thought out than mine!
It's a pity you're not in Edinburgh, as we currently have a small child's bed in our living room waiting for me to take it to the charity collection place. In the meantime, it is useful as a clothes airer. I will quite miss it when it goes!
I am very envious of your ability to make gifts for people, and also of your foresight, buying things in the sale to give throughout the year. That deserves a round of applause. - Hello Snaggle, kettle is boiling and the little horrors are strangling each other playing nicely!
Miss H is out to Sib's group I love that she has a place to go to vent about the unfairness of living in this caotic household and for Ј2 she gets fed and entertained for 2 hours!
Bread machine has given up the ghost so it is pizza dough made by hand, I have battered it to a inch of it's life and relieved some much needed tension! my arms will be like Hulk's if I keep this up!
It smells good, I am getting a tinsy bit about how empty the fridge is but all bases are covered.
Today the planning has been done on "mission bedrooms" and I think it is going to be hell on earth for 2 days a tad confuddled! Looking forwards to the carboot sale though, will rummage around for the entry fee as money is tighter then a ducks behind this week..... weighing up the ethics of selling a Ј20 gift voucher for a over priced clothes shop that is ment for Miss H as could get her a whole "new to her" wardrobe for that not just 2 pairs of jeans!
Our wedding anniversary today, very MSE we swopped cards we bought for our 1st anniversary and added a new message. How did times get this hard?!
Snaggle the gifts are something I have always been determind to be prepared, as a little girl presents were very scarce and often meaningless. I enjoy making things and seeing the faces when the gifts are opened. crayon rolls are simple and far superior to Јshop gifts in the same price range, not all people like handmade my step mum is the snobbiest going but i know she likes posh smells that are in abundance in the 75% of sale at b00ts so pick up enough to cover her birthday and christmas. maybe next year i will pluck up the courage to save my money completely and not buy the snobby c0w anything
I guess I will have to find a new hide hole for all these gifts as the loft will be out of bounds..... suggestions most welcome to kiddie safe hiding places!
Snaggles our clothes horse tends to be anything that stays still long enough to get something put on it i must check out the flylady thread!!
Well the oven buzzer has gone so bed go dish up!
Mrs H x - I hide Christmas presents in the boot of my car...or the airing cupboard, as I can absolutely guarantee that no-one will go in there for fresh bedding, clean towels, or to put anything away (other than me)!!
- Pull up a pew, we don't stand on ceremony here... what a pig of day!!
Chillie, rice and hm bread for tea, switched the plan around, Mr H thought it would be helpful to get "something out for tea" not paying attention to the huge meal plan drawn on the white board!
have decided to go through my wool fit for bursting, takes up enough room to house a small family stash and list the good stuff on ebay and the rest to the car boot sale sunday. still making lists of things to route out for ebay or bootie, I'm hoping things sell well as I'm short on money and space!
Have found 2 tops to return to Asda no receipt but should get a gift voucher Ј19 would give some wriggle room and fill the fridge and cupboards a little until payday. More cakes baked today but no eggs left now and the fresh fruit is all gone.
Ј20 claimed in survey vouchers today, they will do nicely for the presents budget! and a inbox full waiting for me to do after once the horrors are in bed.
Mrs H x - Hello
Just found your diary and gonna subscribe Don't have time to read everything and get caught up tonight, but will be back tomorrow
- 1327 reads