My diary... becoming debt free whilst still having a life!!!

savingholmes

rubydoiwannabee wrote: »

but anyway, I was reading the ebay item and it showed these lovely seagrass baskets:


and it said including 'bean bags' and I thought what on earth would you need a bean bag for!!!!??? Then I realised it was the lovely thing sat in the basket to put everything on..... drrr.

SH, you are doing amazingly well with freebies and competition wins, how do you find the time?

YB, SC & SH, and HTGDF, I hope you are all enjoying your weekend.
How is everyone else doing?

My basket frenzy addiction has wained a little now that I have the basics in place and I have decided I will buy ONE last item for each now to personalise, so will be working on finding those between now and xmas.

xxxx;)

Hi Ruby - thanks for the positive comments. Time - that's time I should be doing housework:rotfl: I left my grass to grow for 3 weeks witing for OH to do it for me - in the end he gave in :rotfl: The freebies board have things like free make up Ruby and perfume - you could use that to personalise the baskets. Hello to to YB, SC and HTGDF and all those lurkers. I've ordered personalised wooden spoons for each of my kids - you just have to join a cooking club in their name...

Anyway off for a shower now and church - so may "see" you all later!

Ruby - go for the NSD - no slacking. You've been ill - spent more - you're not ill now get back on the program! :cool: There does that help?

rubydoiwannabee

Thanks SH, it does help. I WILL HAVE A GOOD MSE WEEK!!!

I have got a free wooden spoon for DD too, but find the 'freebie' board a hard slog, probably just because it is so big. But will try and give it a go later today to get some freebies, thanks for the advice.

Have a good Sunday.

sistercas

Hi all
I am finding the MSE thing a bit of a slog at the moment. I love it though and dont think i'll ever go back to my old ways. Its just very time consuming meal planning ,shopping ,cooking everything from scratch and dealing with the finances OH just buries his head in the sand when it comes to his account (we have separate accounts) which is why its so far in the red. I am happy to take it off him because he stresses out about it . so now I pay all the bills and deal with all the cc payments etc. just sooooooooooo time consuming.
i have to say on a positive note. the debt is going down and its lovely to see that happening. I have halved the food bill but still spend around £60 a week for food( 2 adults 2 teens) and household stuff so I am aiming to try and reduce it further if I can . how are other people doing?

rubydoiwannabee

Sistercas, it sounds like you are living my life!! OH is a complete nightmare at the moment!!! He was doing so well and has slipped back into his old ways, take today for instance, he has just left with DS to go to the pub to watch football!!! he insists he will only buy one pint and a coke and that he can afford it out of his weekly money.... I know otherwise. Even on a good week he overspends from his weekly money not to mention when he does this!!! This is the 3rd weekend he has gone to the pub to watch footie, I am thinking it would be cheaper to get sky back!!!!

Aggghhhhhhhh.... I'm sorry and I know it is a generalistion but 'men'!!!!.

Meanwhile I have the bl**dy ironing to look forward to not to mention entertaining a 5 year old that really hasn't been 100% healthy for weeks and is currently blocked up and hot and insisting on doing nothing but lying down and not alot else.

I think I might coax her out of the house for a walk to the park.... I need cheering up.

Oh and I cancelled my hair colour with hairdresser that comes to the house because I couldn't afford it, instead I put a semi-perm of my own (mousey) hair colour on and it looks pants!!!

Grrr..... is it too early for a glass of wine??!! (only kidding honest)

sistercas

Ruby thats cheered me up knowing i'm not alone. Men are difficult arn't they?. talking of sky, OH will not give it up and it costs £60 a month:eek: ,he wont consider cancelling the papers either thats another £20 a month. it seems all the savings/cutting down are coming from me. still he is good in other ways (just cant think of any right now:rotfl: )
anyway must go DD2 is in a swimming gala and I love watching her even though entry and programme cost an arm and a leg

mousy brown hair in common too I just leave mine alone will do something when it goes grey ( which wont be long) lol

~Yorkshire_Belle~

No wonder I'm so at home on your diary Ruby - my OH shares the same tendencies as yours and Cas's.
He's not interested in 'doing' the finances, but wants every thing he thinks he needs NOW - and Cas, I completely agree about how time consuming it is. Not just time, but seems sometimes to take over my whole life arggh. Still spending too much on groceries but find it so hard when working FT even though I'm meal planning etc. DS1 def having a growth spurt , just will not stop eating and he's as thin as a lath (sp?)


YB, you are going to have to follow suit now??!!:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

By the way - you are joking about this one! :eek: I'll have a go and post my paltry efforts and you'll all feel sorry for my lack of artistic talent Can find a mean bargain gift on t'internet usually though

1_step_closer

Hiya! I am doing slowly as well but have car expenses this month, however my washing is outside in the breeze, hubby has gone out with a mate to watch him spend money, the dogs are gnawing bones in the garden and no kids round here seem to be screaming....yet!

My xmas ideas will come from the internet through cash back sites as I am disillusioned with the whole thing (we were meant to be going away but had to cancel) and my heart isnt in it for once! I used to love christmas but each year its more and more expense, more and more driving people (family) here there and everywhere, more people just dropping in and expecting to be entertained and fed............get my drfit! lol

so this year time for me and hubby and his daughter and nuts to teh rest.

Off soap box now!

savingholmes

~Yorkshire_Belle~ wrote: »

No wonder I'm so at home on your diary Ruby - my OH shares the same tendencies as yours and Cas's.
He's not interested in 'doing' the finances, but wants every thing he thinks he needs NOW - and Cas, I completely agree about how time consuming it is. Not just time, but seems sometimes to take over my whole life arggh. Still spending too much on groceries but find it so hard when working FT even though I'm meal planning etc. DS1 def having a growth spurt , just will not stop eating and he's as thin as a lath (sp?)


YB, you are going to have to follow suit now??!!:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

By the way - you are joking about this one! :eek: I'll have a go and post my paltry efforts and you'll all feel sorry for my lack of artistic talent Can find a mean bargain gift on t'internet usually though

We expect to see your creations no matter how pathetic - if its useless it will be funnier. However I am sure you can do it. My DD expertly did the elaccy band bit and the eyes and pompom so I am sure you manage - she is 5!

I agree with you a) this is very addictive and time consuming - I just look at it as replacing an unhealthy shopping addiction with a more healthy one and b) yes cooking - really time consuming. I've just gone thro a couple of cupboard and thrown food out that was 3 years :eek: out of date - oops! We both have addictive personalities so this new obsession is working out quite well - he loves our reindeers and likes the fact I'm getting involved in crafts again.

I have just had a success with OH - he went on quidco as requested and has saved a massive £55 on his motorbike insurance (he was just going to renew) and got £20 cash back:j :j :j. Also got him to pay on our main account so no new debt!:cool: So I've aced my challenge and made a start on getting oH to join in... Hopefully get him to sign up to the bingo sites too and get some more free money! (See the loophole thread for more info). Oh has just realised we could have got £50 for TT if he'd gone thro quidco so hopefully he will explore some more and see other possibilities!:rotfl:

I asked if he wanted to take the next step and join up here - he said no or he'd just follow me round - posting my wife's like that each time I criticise him:eek: :rotfl: :rolleyes:

We didn't pay for DD's swimming lessons quick enough so we've lost our place for now - but that will mean I can take 2 kids swimming for the price of 1 lesson so all is not lost... DS is trying to drag me to the pool later - we both need it!

Today I have done some 30 degree washes - clothes drying on line - run out of pegs - making some progress slowly:cool:

savingholmes

Oh no:eek: he just joined as other half of Savingholmes:rotfl:

savingholmes

1_step_closer wrote: »

My xmas ideas will come from the internet through cash back sites as I am disillusioned with the whole thing (we were meant to be going away but had to cancel) and my heart isnt in it for once! I used to love christmas but each year its more and more expense, more and more driving people (family) here there and everywhere, more people just dropping in and expecting to be entertained and fed............get my drfit! lol

so this year time for me and hubby and his daughter and nuts to teh rest.

Look at festive fivers thread, gift in jar, and finished baskets thread for fab ideas that don't cost a lot but show a lot of thought. Discover a new version of Christmas...