But we are always trying, reviewing, reassessing, changing the bits that don't work and leaving the bits that do. However - one bit hurdle is the main male in this story. MyMan and time management, prioritising just don't happen. Starting to make things really hard on the reliability stakes or full family participation type stuff.
But we've got through some of the crappiest situations before - this is a piddle compared to other things. In my mind it is more a habit that has formed out of disorganisation, inabilities, disabilities and avoidance... I say there's no stress about the state of the house ~ and I do mean that on one level ~ it's got to the point of embarrassment through lack of consistent or even slightly regular tidying over the past two years. Yes, I could have, should have picked up the whip / slack earlier but I'd like to think there is no real point in saying who got it to this point - let's get it past this point.
We have decided we should budget our income around what our entitlements would be if we had to rely on benefits, giving ourselves the 'bonus' of rent assistance applicable against the mortgage payment. Sure, we'd not get this, but we'd not be spending so high on fuel, fares, food and pocket/sanity money – so we are giving it as a bonus, of sorts...
This works out to be around $725pw and we currently earn/receive $1155pw take home, this can fluctuate a little and can include per diems, allowances, part benefits, allowances, top-ups etc. There would be no fare or fuel costs if we were not working, so we are taking that out of all equations. That's about $200pw as hubby works 1.5-2hr commute one way from home staying in Melb two nights a week and Wednesday is his unpaid day off (UDO).
Clearly this is 'ball park' figures, although the amounts we have at the end are the real thing. A difference of $230pw and until the end of June, that is applied two ways – between the mortgage and credit card. Blasted plastic has had a beating – don't know why but I do know who so that must get a good lump back in – 10 x 200pw extra should have that almost square. We had been paying on what we spent, however there were a few extra things that hindsight says we could have done without half or more, but... *shrugs*Uugggg ~ gonna gonna - - I've started and Friday & Saturday I had better get a heap of pics taken because I might look at this eBay or something like the Ballarat Trade Centre to sell about 3000 items cluttering up the house which have FINALLY been priced and sorted.
It's late - again....
Night
