A year to make a difference

A question about : A year to make a difference

Hi all

I've joined because I am looking at ways to top up my income and get so.e savings in place.
My credit isn't brilliant but I am working on that.
I currently have a doorstep loan with clc finance. They have called today to offer me more but I turned it down. I owe Ј70 and once that is gone that is it.
My credit report is rubbish due to problems a few year back so I am steering clear of any credit and concentrating on creating a healthy saving pot.

I do one poll and I am looking into other sites to help.
Any other suggestions are welcome
I am registered to do the cpunts at elections and I did one last year which was actually quite enjoyable. Met some nice people.

I have three children and keen to get into meal planning and any ideas for keeping tjem occupied in the school holidays.

I will pop in regularly.

Thanks

Best answers:

• Just checked my online rent statement and I'm in arrears. It isn't too bad as I am due a housing benefit payment tomorrow so it will leave me in arrears of Ј21.29
  Yes it isn't a great deal but its my rent and I prefer not to have anything outstanding. So I will see what I have avaliable after doing the food shop tomorrow. Hopefully I can clear it.
  Got two outstanding council tax bills also.
  One is for Ј120 the other Ј112
  Both should be cleared by end of February as on a payment plan
  Water rates are coming directly from benefits. Lost my job before Christmas so it's been a pain trying to get straight with everything.
  Tumble dryer blew up before xmas also. It's been a nightmarevwith three kids and the rubbish weather.
  Won't be ordering my credit report this year. I get it every year so I know what is on it. Hopefully just leaving well alone should get rid of all tje searches and sort it a bit better.
  Have started looking for another job so fingers crossed i find something very soon.
  In the meantime I have alot of personal things to tale care off particularly relationship wise but I won't bore people with that
  So once I get this rent and council tax sorted its full steam ahead with savings.
  Although I will stick to my PAD even if its just Ј0.10p a day
• As boring as this diary is I feel that personally it will keep me on track so I am going to try and post something every day
  So I have paid the rent but not been shopping yet so don't know if I can pay anything off the arrears.
  Better round the children up
• Good Luck! Sometimes you just have to write things down to put it all in perspective. Fingers crossed for you on the job front!
• Well I have paid Ј4.77 off the arrears which leaves Ј16.52p. Hopefully clear that next week. Just been sorting the house. I love xmas but the garden was full of cardbpard boxes and binliners I couldn't squeeze in the bin so tip run no1 done. I'm a bit ocd I'm very much if you don't need it or use it get rid.
  So once I'm on an even keel with rent I can work on getting this council tax sorted.
• Just made another tenner selling some old curtains.
  Forgot to mention that I owe childcare fees for my son when I was working
  The balance outstanding is Ј433.63 and I'm paying Ј20 a week to clear it. Hopefully can up the payment when I clear council tax and rent.
  Need to clear shed. And sort out tools. Also look for other stuff to sell. Every penny counts this year to reach my target.
  I am also doing race 4 life this year. Did it last year and loved it.
• Lazy Sunday.
  Not much to report. its my grandmas funeral tomorrow so I am largely concentrating on getting through that
  just a Ј1payment to the savings account today
• good luck with your journey fighter.
  I'm sorry for your loss
• Bern a long day. Didn't sleep at all last night thinking about my grans funeral today. I managed to get 3 hours earlier bit I seriously need more but I have a 3 year old whose sleep patterns are so out of sorts I don't know how to put them right .
  Ј6.52 In rent arrears now. I know its not much but believe me my landlord would kick my door in to get it. Will pay it tomorrow I need to move some money around in some accounts.
  At the moment I am making a PAD to my savings bit I'm thinking to make a PAD to my council tax bill instead. I'm sure they will love the odd 50p here amd the odd Ј1 there
  Cannot wait to clear them.
  Hopefully next time I'm on I would have gotten some needed sleep and feel better.
• Welcome to the boards. Well done on realising that you need to get yourself sorted. I really hope that you get something workwise, now that xmas and new year are out of the way. What line of work are you in? There maybe someone on here who can help you tweek a cv.
  chev
• hi fighter
  nice to see someone else just enjoying being able to have a diary to keep on track. I started a new one on jan 1 to hopefully do the same as we start an iva and learn to live without credit to "save" us. I've subbed to see how you get along. good luck
• I'm up!! I say i'm up but I never went to bed
  having serious troubles getting my three year old to sleep at the moment. he is so full of energy and I've tried everything. just got back from taking him for a drive and he's finally gone to sleep. shame I can't. My new Tumble Dryer is coming between 7am and 10am. be so glad to get it. my old one broke before Christmas typically. my mother came to my rescue and ordered me another. although its taken nearly 2 weeks to get it here I have some serious washing to get through.
  so I have been thinking a lot about me lately. I don't think about me very often but I am certainly set on doing so now. off course my kids will always come first but I had my forst child 12 years ago and I kind off lost myself. I do find myself asking myself 'who am i'?
  so baby steps, going to get my eyebrows waxed later if I can get an appointment. yes I could save money doing it myself but I am trying to improve my appearance and I honestly cannot pluck my eyebrows. I am terrible at this beauty stuff
  obviously I have bigger plans for my overhaul, but I won't bore you with the details. I just think that within myself, I am not a happy person and to be a happy person I need to start with me and remind myself that yes I am a mother but I am still a person, I am me, and I need to take better care of my health, although this sleep deprivation thing absolutely sucks
  I made a Ј1 payment to council tax earlier just to annoy them. we don't have a good relationship, mainly due to the lies there employees tell but i'll say no more
  off to get a brew and to try and relax before I wake the other kiddies for the school run
  have a great day everyone
• hello Fighter - hope you have a good day even though you have had little sleep! Sleep deprivation is awful especially if you have kids to look after. Do you have any help with your 3 year old in relation to his sleep?
  I completely get the 'loosing me' bit when you have kids and work etc do you have any good friends that can socialise with? or any interests you can do that would get you feeling a bit better (cheap of course!!)
  Can you address the anxiety that is stopping you work?
  Keep posting a diary does help me focus on what I am trying to do
• I should have called this diary the ramblings of....
  My son is asleep so vety shortly I shall be in dreamland and I should hoping to get a good 8 hours tonight. He starts nursery on friday so it was imperative that I get the little monster settled properly.
  I have made a Ј6 payment to council tax today shared between both bills.
  Panicking because my rent statement is saying I'm Ј500 odd in arrears because the hb payment hasn't hit yet I hope its all ok. II'm sure it is I paid through allpay as always and I have my bank statement.
  Right bed for me
  Take care
• Hope you get a good rest