My new 'no spending/get myself organised' diary

pixiechick99

talliedebtbuster wrote: »

HI Milly!!!

I will subscribe to your post and keep in touch! Im just having a quick nose before bed. I have to get up 4.30am for work! i think your doing great with the girls and managing. The only things i can see are like the insurence and satelite telly that you could get rid of. A freeview box does just the job!

The only other thing i would say is any extra cash you have...pay off the loan. Earn some interest on it this year and pay off that loan as soon as. The quicker your clear of debt the easier it is to save from there. You're much more motivated.

Keep at it!!

Tallie

Hi Tallie,
4.30?! Rather you than me!! I have thought the same about the Sky box, but the girls use it a lot...and to be honest I hardly ever take them out to cinema or have takeaways, so I think I might just let it stay for now. I am meaning to reduce it to the minimum package, which I think will be £19 for us. I looked into the Freeview boxes, but all the channels they love aren't on it...
I do have about £3k left from the house sale, which I've opened an ISA for - I'm thinking of saving some, maybe £2k, put £1k at the loan and then I have money for the car I promised myself, earning interest til I buy the car. Thinking of doing that next year as my MOT ok til Feb. Or may wait til the car gives up! If I don't save the money I'll never have it spare when the car does give in. I don't know though, still thinking it all over really...so any opinions always welcome;)

pixiechick99

RAMBLER wrote: »

Hi

Sounds as if you are doing well....but an extra tip, get your dr to prescribe calpol for your children, they are under 18 and are intiteled to free prescription and medication, every penny counts!!!!

I should have asked that...thank you. That's 2 bottles at £3.29 each I've bought since last Thurs, an expensive business!

pixiechick99

Well that's the end of the weekend, but the last Sunday night rush for school for a while as we're nearly on hols, woohoo.

We've had a very nice day....watched Emily's gym competition this morning, and ended up spending almost £5 on drinks and cakes for the 3 of us. Also I'd promised Em a new leotard, which they had on sale...arghh! Managed to talk her into one of the cheaper ones, £18!! And then she wanted the tiny velour shorts to go with it, £10!! Arghhh, oh well. We then picked up a few bits of fruit/veg for the week in co-op, used some vouchers and spent £8, not bad.

As Georgia has all recovered from the earache we nipped into town this afternoon....oops. Spent £16 in M+S - shorts for them both, 1 pair of PJs (bargain at £3) and vests £3. Then went to Next and spent £54. That was lots of stuff for them, tops, hooded jackets (good for autumn). All I got was a £4 work top and sunglasses for £5 as mine broke. So I dont think we did too badly. Last year I think I spend £200 in the sale!!
Didn't buy any snacks or drinks in town, and my friend gave the girls £10 each as her daughter used poorly G's High School Musical theatre ticket yesterday!!

I've sold more bits on Amazon...5 parcels ready to go tomorrow. Running out of things of any value to sell. Poor girls need to hold on tight to their dvds and wii games or they'll be for sale!!!

So back to work tomorrow...5 days to go thank goodness.:j

pixiechick99

While I remember here's what I need to do tomorrow...if I post it here I'm more likely to get it done and not put it off!!

• Go to the council office with all my housing benefit claim forms, id, proof of incomes etc. Apparently I'm entitled to about £40 a week towards the rent..it all helps.
• Take back a necklace I bought georgia for her fab school report...it broke 1st time she wore it.

Ok, that's all I can think of for now...

pixiechick99

The housing benefit forms are all in and they've copied all my id and prrof of income, so hopefully it wont take too long!
Also spent nearly £5 on postage of Amazon parcels yesterday, £3.50 on tissues, nail varnish remover and hot choc (didnt browse the other stuff in sainsburys, v pleased!). Oh and £1.85 in the baker on a cake each for girls and can of drink to share! So, not too bad.

Today I've done well and only spent 66p on postage on another Amazon dvd that sold. Needed milk but forgot it.

Ah I forgot, last night I ordered a fab looking cookbook off Amazonabout feeding the family cheaply - had a look on the 'search inside' bit and it has loads of child-friendly meals that my 2 might actually like! We just seem to eat the same things, so not very exciting. New ideas always good, and if cheap then even better.

Only 3 days of school left, thank goodness. then I can really get stuck in to ebaying lots of bits and bobs, and get my college work going. I'm doing NVQ3 Teaching Assistant and have 3 units to do over the hols, so must get going.

Ok, time to get the girls in and showered. They're out on roller skates in the lovely evening sun...hope it lasts for the holidays....!

pixiechick99

Today I spent £6.95 on lunch at the pub,ooops, but I haven't been for a few weeks - it used to be a weekly thing, but since my LBM I've avoided it when I can. And it is the last week of term!
What else? Postage on Amazon sales again - £4 yesterday and £3 today. Bought a few of the lovelyTesco Cath Kidston bags, one for me, one as a thank you end of term present for teacher I work with and 2 to sell on ebay! Bought a pen and notebook for my daughter's teacher and plant for another.
I'd been eyeing up this gorgeoussparkly kitchen wall clock for months, it was £15 and promised myself I'd buy it for our new house. But when we moved in I didnt want to part with £15 so didnt buy it. Saw it today reduced to £11 so bought it. My mum did give me £50 as a house warming present and I only spent £30 on a bean bag, so I figured I was allowed it.
Not much else - bread, milk, few bits of fruit £7 yesterday.

Only one day at work to go, I can't wait. It'smy eldest daughter's last day at primary tomorrow so got her leavers assembly to watch which I think might be a bit emotional - especially when they do their final goodbye song, aaaaaaah. The children areoff in a limo after school , then to Pizza Hut, then a disco in the village tomorrow night, so thats my night out as parents have to be around!

ENough rambling for now....

pixiechick99

:rolleyes: Hello all, just having a quiet afternoon pottering about. My girls are away at their dear father's this weekend, so I have lots of time to get on with things.

The last day of term on Friday was lovely, Georgia had a great day. In the morning was leaver's production - they did 'Oliver' and it was fab. Bit emotional when they sang their 'last song together as Year 6' (their words!). In the evening there was a disco at the local cricket club, so I got an evening out in the bar with some other mums. I only spent £15 too, so not bad.

Yesterday I didn't buy much. Drinks at gym club £1.50, co-op on way home, £4 I think on cheese, bread and a paper.

Today I nipped out to Tesco 1st thing and was surprised at how busy it was! I bought my NOTW so used the £5 off coupon. I seemed to buy quite a lot and it was only £43 after the money off. So really pleased with that. Not happy with the price of minced beef though! I noticed 2 weeks ago the lean mince had gone from 2 for £4 to 2 for £4.50. Now I see it's 2 for £5, ridiculous!!! I found 2 reduced packs of v nice mince though, reduced to £2.39 from £3.20 so bought 2 of them instead. I'm buying loads of value stuff now, I cook a lot more and Emily in particular has loved baking with me, so we're doing ok.

I've had a tidy up today, cleaned bathroom, hoovered the girls' room. I have the ironing board out but have yet to tackle the rising pile of stuff!!

Have listed 2 Cath Kidston bags I got in tesco, kept one for myslef and one for a teacher I work with. Going to see what clothes I have to list on ebay too - they'll need ironing before taking pics.

Anyway, better get on. Just thought I'd keep a record of what i've been up to....

pixiechick99

Well I've had a busy day with the girls. We went into town this afternoon for a few bits. Got the last few things that Georgia needs to go to secondary in Sept - so much PE kit it seems, but I did get a bargain and found the astroturf trainers for £6. Also got white trainers £10, shorts £2. bootbag£5. Then to WHS where she got some stationary she needs, £7 in there. Took some bits back to Next, £22 refund. Then got Emily's school shoes £34!! Argh. Her feet have grown into Bootleg sizes in Clarks, so more expensive of course! Mind you, she has to have Clarks, she'd wear everthing else out in a month. I also bought them both a sausage roll and coke on the way home, £2.50.

Not too bad actually, now I see it written down! It felt like more at the time!!

I need to get tidying up a bit tomorrow, my bedroom is still upside dwon from when we moved in in June. The rest of the house is pretty organised now though.

I think we'll go to the cinema tomorrow, girls want to see Mamma Mia. I have one free ticket from the coke zone competition and as its Wed we'll get the Orange 2 for 1, so will only pay for 1 ticket - bargain!!

I really need to get organised though, I can feel my motivation slipping to be honest, compared to how good I was in May/June. I tried to start a spreadsheet on excel the other night but got thoroughly confused and gave up. I want to record my grocery spends, misc stuff, postage etc. Also want to note postage so I can work out profits from ebay/Amazon as right now I just see the money I make in Paypal or on Amazon but thats not all profit.
I'd love a signature on here but I just seem to have the discipline to keep track...

Please someone send me some magic motivation dust!!!:p

pixiechick99

Had a nice cheap trip to the cinema for the 3 of us today - £5! Had a coke zone free ticket and used Orange 2 for 1, what a bargain. Had to spend £4.30 on popcorn for G though. Took our own cokes and sweets from co-op though.
Also got G a nice top for next summer, £2 in New Look, fab. And a top for E, next yrs size £4 in Next. Sadly got school shoes for G at £35, but they'll last (unlike cheaper ones we've bought before) - and more to the point she really likes them!!!!
WHat else - oh a barbecue in Asda, reduced to £3, then had 75p off!!! New duvet cover for me, only £12. SO even though I've spent £72 today I have bought things we needed, and saved money at the cinema.

Just added up what I've sold so far in the summer hols on ebay/amazon and it's £54.50 so far, with £80 on its way from Amazon, just need to deduc postage from that.
Doing Ok I think, getting a bit organised!!:p

Chip_Hazard

Hi Milly,

I've subscribed to your thread, I didn't realise you had one going. I'll look in regularly to see how things are going..

Good luck and best wishes

Martin