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

savingholmes

Was trying for an NSD but had to buy petrol - did save £2.56 in coupons on it tho. Have done a survey for £1.50. House is back to looking like we've been burgled / have a laundrette operating here.... OH is out for the night - nice for him. Day okay at work....

sistercas

SH thanks for posting those threads I will have a look. I have just looked on the basket thread ( pictures only one) there are some awesome creations on there.
YB / IC how you doing?
Ruby not doing so well on debt front, up to date with payments but we seem to be spending more even though I am trying so hard to keep tabs on things. I think its just that stuff is just so much more expensive now
DD2 is 13 in 2 weeks and still doesnt know what she wants, she keeps changing her mind and I darnt buy anything just in case
so in 2 weeks I shall have 2 teenagers under one roof:eek: :eek: actually they are both good girls its just they bicker alot which drives their dad nuts!
on the xmas front I have several presents ( mainly the women) and I am doing a baby basket for nieces baby due november. I have started knitting a cardi for it. (see what you've done SH i'm all artisitic now:rotfl: ) once I complete them I will get OH to show me how to post them on here.
If anyone has an idea for xmas for my BIL who seems to have everything. he doesnt drink I am stuck for him. he always gets loads of toiletries and shirts.
hope everyone is ok xx

~Yorkshire_Belle~

How is everyone else? How are you all doing on the following:

1. Debt busting
As with Cas payments up to date just no slack at all. Feel obsessed with looking at spreadsheets and online banking. Need to put form in at work to move up scale, all helps.
2. Christmas preparations
Well, have 3 presents now and some wrapping paper. Have decided against baskets - we only buy for a small number of people and most are male. I make my own cards and have seen stuff in a craft shop which I will invest in. I have saved a small amount towards Christmas so feel a bit more relaxed. Will do some boys toys via quidco soon.
3. Parenting (I need help with how to live with a teenage boy...has anyone read the book bringing up boys? (not sure of the author).
My teenage boys are lovely most of the time. I have Steve Biddulphs book and also 'How to talk so they will listen and listen so they will talk....' It's not rocket science but is reaffirming. I used to get quite frustrated because I wanted to know what happened, who with, when, where etc and my friends who have girls seem to get to know this stuff and I don't. (I don't get many tantrums either though!) I do however have lovely boys who will talk when it matters to them - and that's who it's about.
4. Creative creations?
Ermmm - 1 scarf so far. That's my limit.

Ok - time for some sleep now - see you all soon.

I know I am nosey but hey we are all friends?
I hope so!

savingholmes

I've spent most of tonight messing with spreadsheets - working out what the impact is of paying more to a CC so I can clear it balanced against an increased overdraft and how can I minimise that increased overdraft. Plus my pay date changes so I have to be extra careful. Have decided to repay a third card this week - but that will majorly impact our overdraft so I will then have to be ultra careful the rest of the month.:eek: However I think I need to do that or all the gains I've made thro cut backs could end up getting frittered away.:o I'll let you know when OH gets paid again whether it turned out to be the right or wrong decision.

I am also weighing up whether to increase the number of days again that DS comes home alone from November. He is managing fine on 1 day per week, he is going to 2 days per week from October (I pick him up 1 day) it's whether I knock after school club on the head altogether from November? Ruby I know you've been in this position - would you wait or would you go for it? Even if I go for it, I then have to decide whether or not to immediately drop my childcare voucher amount as my provider refunds over-payments by cheque when they get too big - which would increase my tax free element... It would also be an indirect form of savings??? Feel free to advise...

chevalier

Hello to all of you
I have just read your thread over the course of the morning. I am very impressed with all of the creativity being shown, and the organisation you are showing so that you are not panicked into buying expensive stuff on the run up to Christmas. I am very lucky because most of my nephews and nieces are grown up now, so that I just write them a cheque and then they are sorted. I would have a clue what to buy them anyway!! They are all so different from each other. I only have a few a couple of younger children to buy for in the family plus my own children.


Please don't take this the wrong way but you all seem to be wedded to the major supermarkets for food. Have a try at Lidl and Aldi and you WILL save money and the quality is pretty good too. Also if you have a veggie market by you have a look there for your fresh stuff. It is often cheaper than in the supermarket, though I agree it does take a bit more time.

Lastly I am married with 2 children. I iron NOTHING. Things are either taken out of the tumble dryer and folded neatly as soon as the programme stops, or the same done when they come off the line or the clothes airer. My OH shirts if hung up carefully when drying, don't get creases in them, and my children's school clothes are none crease as well. So what do you iron? I am genuinely confused as to how you can have such large amounts of clothes that need ironing? It will save you a lot of time, if you are careful, and also energy and thus money. And it will save you STRESS!

great thread :beer:
chev

savingholmes

chevalier wrote: »

Hello to all of you
I have just read your thread over the course of the morning. I am very impressed with all of the creativity being shown, and the organisation you are showing so that you are not panicked into buying expensive stuff on the run up to Christmas.
Thanks

Please don't take this the wrong way but you all seem to be wedded to the major supermarkets for food. Have a try at Lidl and Aldi and you WILL save money and the quality is pretty good too. Also if you have a veggie market by you have a look there for your fresh stuff. It is often cheaper than in the supermarket, though I agree it does take a bit more time.
I have visited Lidl as there is one near my work - but felt that it was a step too far for me right now... I bought a bike lock from it and some chocs but none of my real shopping. For now I am trying to go down a brand or 2 in my normal shops first. I think Lidl may be cheaper on meat - but it is too awkward to get to as I have a short lunch and live in a different town and have to get back for childcare. Once I've got used to going down a brand or two I think making the transition to Aldi or Lidl would be easier.

I have also been into Aldi occasionally much easier to get to but again their opening hours are really poor - I find their cold meat section good, different stuff stocked but not much different to Asda. I am still wedded to certain brands too - so unless I break that - and when I've tried the food has ended up in the bin on some things which has then made it more expensive. I think some of their freezer stuff is good, love their chocolate and biscuits and their special offers but most things no....

So what do you iron? I am genuinely confused as to how you can have such large amounts of clothes that need ironing? It will save you a lot of time, if you are careful, and also energy and thus money. And it will save you STRESS!
We do have too many clothes particularly for the kids - a lot have been given us. For me this is essential due to working full time, other commitments and not keeping up with all the housework for a variety of reasons. The kids put too much clean stuff back in the wash. I tend to do 6 loads one after the other at the weekend and am not organised enough to get it all hung up neatly to dry. I also don't have enough room for this and our radiators are too small to allow radiator dryers. If I hang something on the line and it is not dry in time, it may stay there until the next weekend:eek:
great thread :beer:
chev

Glad you like the thread - and thanks for the constructive feedback. I like the others on here am still a work in progress. I only joined mid July and will have paid a third credit card off in a couple of days time:j I've brought the date forward. I can only focus on a certain number of areas at once. If Aldi was 24 hours like some of the big 4 it would be a lot more accessible to people like me... Late night opening once a week (a night when I am already committed) is not enough.

irishchick_3

Hi All!
Would I'd have died and gone to heaven with no ironing. I fold as much as I can but there inevitably is ironing as well. Airers or 'clothes horses' as we call them here in Ireland are great at saving money on tumble drying.
Chev your elec bill must be big with all that Tumbling???

Got started on Xmas shoppoing but then down at mums on Sun and she stole what I had bought to give the kids instead!! If its not one thing, its your mother!!! Anyway, dont really mind, saves the kids getting a load of stuff they either dont like or dont need!

Got my Xmas cards and have big plans to write a few each week, as I hate writing them all at once and sign each card as quick as I can get it away! Not very festive of me!

Main thing is, have made £376 with Virgin Vie this month so that will pay for w'end in Edinburgh with family for Xmas present!

Cheap and cheerful Xmas this year all round I think. Not that anyone needs anything. Be honest??

sistercas

chevalier wrote: »

Hello to all of you

Please don't take this the wrong way but you all seem to be wedded to the major supermarkets for food. Have a try at Lidl and Aldi and you WILL save money and the quality is pretty good too. Also if you have a veggie market by you have a look there for your fresh stuff. It is often cheaper than in the supermarket, though I agree it does take a bit more time.

:beer:
chev

Hi chevalier- welcome
Funny you should mention aldi/ lidl. I went on saturday to aldi and was quite impressed. I dont think I could do a full shop there ( after all they dont do 4p curry sauce:rotfl: ) but the cat food was much cheaper and some of the fruit and veg is lovely. my OH loves lurpak and i picked up aldis 'norpak' have to say the name made us laugh but it is lovely and over a pound cheaper than lurpak, so i will definitly be going again.
we also have a lidl nearby so will have a look at that too.
mind you you cant beat home bargains for household stuff
hope everyone is ok x

sistercas

irishchick wrote: »

Hi All!
Would I'd have died and gone to heaven with no ironing. I fold as much as I can but there inevitably is ironing as well. Airers or 'clothes horses' as we call them here in Ireland are great at saving money on tumble drying.
Chev your elec bill must be big with all that Tumbling???

yes I try never to use my tumble dryer now although the kids bung stuff in if i'm not there.
btw I call it a clothes horse too ( thought it was a northern thing)

you have done really well with your virgin vie parties to earn so much well done

~Yorkshire_Belle~

I call it a clothes horse too. I have stopped ironing on environmental grounds - uses too much electricity so am reducing my carbon footprint :rotfl: My children and husband 'body iron' and if I need to I iron some tops for me at work but mostly try to buy wrinkly tops ( sounds so unattractive but you know what I mean!)