Lucielle's daring debt free journey

lucielle

This debt busting is sooooo tiring. OH had a fantastic wage this week. Is there anything left? Nope burger all. Can't afford to go to Lidl. Went to ride and got fruit and veg on the way home £27.50 also went to the Co-op as I needed some bits for DS2's cake £20.92. So far my grocery budget is £336 a month for everything and in total I have spent £171.98, leaving £164.02. Where is this money? I haven't a clue. I still don't think I have got a handle on budgeting. By the time all the bills are paid there is nothing left to put to one side for the shopping, rent etc. Should I just pay the minimum so that these things are accounted for? Also paid 2 cc today a total of £115.45. Once again I am going to be cutting it fine for the rent, this seems to be happening more aften. Part of the trouble is OHs wages are never the same each week, sometimes it can be feast or famine.

Asked OH if he could get some more of the BOGOF horsey feed and he came home with the right bags but had paid full whack for them! Couldn't get cross as I know he is worried about his mum.

Not heard anything re job so I think thats me out of it. Going to get some dinner, wrap presents for DS2 and then wash bedroom carpets. Working tonight. Could've worked all this weekend but OH will be away. Sorry feeling a bit of a moany knickers, must be lack of chocolate.
L

Piquant_2

The food budgeting is a nightmare isn't it? and everything seems to be soaring in price, some days it's a steeper climb than others.

Am sending you a big hug, unfortunately it has no value, so you can't ebay it.

The only way I can keep a handle on the food shopping, or any shopping come to that, is to go armed with a list and not deviate, no matter what tempts me. It's so very boring.

I think some months you do have to just pay the minimum on the the cards and make up for it when you can, even if it's only a pound here and there.

love to you

Piq

Seaxwyn

Hi Lucielle, Gosh I do sympathise. We are the same - the amount we earn varies so much that budgeting is just a game really, it doesn't relate to any reality. Most months I just pay the minimums, or a few pounds more to make myself feel better. I tell myself that once my loan is paid off (just over four years to go) I can pay off the CCs faster. That's if we don't go under meanwhile. It's so hard isn't it? Moan moan.

Now tell us what kind of cake you are making and cheer us up.

lucielle

Hi to both you regular supporters. Its not so much having a list (I have 1 in front of me) its having the money to pay for it when you get to the checkout. I would love to have a line of jars and put x into each 1 every week, unfortunately all they would collect is dust (which I have copious amounts of).

I am making the traditional hedgehog cake. I use flakes (they aren't cheap anymore) for the spikes and the chocolate icing is double cream whisked up with nutella and spread all over. The hedgehogs usually look like they have had a run in with a vehicle and the vehicle won but they do taste very yummy and will hopefully help with the chocolate craving. Thanks for reading
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lucielle

Finally got the bedroom carpets washed, 2 loads washing drying out side;) which after all the wet weather is a miracle. Managed 4 hours work last night and came home expecting to find OH packed and ready for the off this morning to find he had changed his mind and would go during the week:eek: I could've worked this weekend:eek::eek::eek::eek:
Never mind lots of annoying jobs need doing this weekend and its chance to get them done. Still to make DS1s cake which I will do later.
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the_harrys

Just read through your thread for the first time, very enjoyable and lots to inspire me on the cooking front. I notice you and I share the same birthday and my OH/I have just celebrated our anniversary too!

The horsey bits are illuminating: as I suspected it sounds that moneysaving and horse ownership don't go together too well. I have a pony-mad DD (has been for 4 years and I keep hoping she'll grow out of it, but not looking likely!) and the cost of lessons are bad enough. How much do you think you spend per month on food, vets, farrier per month? DD saves all her pocket money for her pony fund and we have told her we will seriously consider getting a pony in 3 years but the thought terrifies me TBH.


It's inspiring to see you can keep working away at debts but still enjoy what is important to you

lucielle

Hello the Harrys, thanks for reading. I think on the horsey front its not getting one when I was a teenager, so in a way I am re-living my youth! When I got my boy I was in full time employment and as he needed a bit of sorting out so he was resonably priced other wise no way could I have afforded one. However that said I was lucky in friends at the riding school sorting him out for me (as I am still quite novice) in return for work. The friends were selling up and emigrating and 'left' the children one of there old boys (he is lovely) but not up to carrying me.

With regards to costs, it depends how you want to keep them and the amount of time you have. The cheapest is to DIY and then it goes up to full livery, you would have to shop around. Shoes are every 6 weeks. That said the pony you might get might not need them or just fronts only etc. The older started off with a full set, then went down to fronts and now he has none and is ok. They would still need a regular trim. My old boy is the only one who gets food as he needs to keep his weight on. Mine is similar metabolism to me, he just looks at a blade of grass and I have to let his girth out a notch. Touch wood vets have been ok, I have had their teeth done as I felt it was important and mine has injections once every 12 months. I can't really comment on costs as I'm not sure where you are if you pm me I will give further details. Sorry for the long post and hope the info helps.
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lucielle

How old is DD?
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the_harrys

DD is 10, so we thought that at 13 she may be old enough to do most of the looking after herself. We live in a rural area, so no shortage of fields and bridlepaths, but I need to do a lot more research over the next couple of years about what is really involved, part-livery may be the best answer given my lack of experience.

I sympathise about the rabbits: the rose I planted this year looked like twigs within a week. I know there is an obvious food-generating solution, but I would never hear the end of it from the children either.

the_harrys

Oh and thanks for all the info, will PM you once I work out how to do it :-).