Jo_R's debt-free diary, slow and steady progress!

Keeping_Positive

You have my sympathy over babe and sleeping. Im love babies but so glad those days are over.

Eek about cimema costs any chance of taking them on a weekday? Took my 3 to see UP in 3D. Good film but £32.50 for the 5 of us.

Jo_R_2

Hmm could do, I do find that weekdays are sooo hectic and DD2 gets quite tired around teatime so not sure if she'd make it through a film at that time, plus it'd be easier to get OH's mum to babysit at the weekend rather than a weekday evening as she goes to bed much earlier than us!

It's an idea I had for family bonding LOL, OH doesn't get to spend much time with the girls because he works quite long hours and I think it's important especially now baby's here to do more stuff together which reinforces our family unit. We have some odd separated-out family groups between us all, me, OH and baby most weekends, ex, his wife, their baby and DDs when DDs go to stay with them, then me, OH, DDs and baby during the week but it's then that we don't get much time to relax all together.

Got to see if OH's mum will have baby tomorrow, if she can then hopefully can get OH on board, if not then will have to schedule it for another day!

Pretty quiet day today, just got a bit of time to myself for an hour or two, DD2's long morning at nursery til 1pm so having 5 mins on here then getting down to some housework!:eek:

Planned purchase for this weekend is a pair of shoes for me, budgeted £25 but do need some decent ones that will support my back - but look nice! - so been perusing some Clark's ones I like.

So for today:

• [STRIKE]check online banking[/STRIKE]
• wash whites and try to hang out on line if weather holds out
• clear table and wash breakfast pots

Jo_R_2

Got both baby and DD2 at home with me at the mo as DD2's nursery got an inset day. About to brave the supermarket once finished on here:eek:

Checked online banking and my tax credits have gone in already - thing is I budget calendar-monthly so they're technically for December but makes my balance look healthy anyway LOL!

On top of my SOA and running totals, planned purchase of new shoes done online, total of £25.99 including delivery and budgeted £25 so very pleased - decent shoes from Clarks (need them to support my back) and were on sale too, would have been near enough £40 otherwise.

Sort of good news is that I budgeted for my Open Uni payment this month of £49 but got a letter saying my first instalment is actually in December (due to my late enrolment fiasco!) So got that "free" but had to use £10 on diesel yesterday. So transferred £20 to overpay my Virgin cc and the rest for just in case, and if don't use it will transfer remaining to my Virgin cc at end of month.

It gets complicated as because I've withdrawn from the course but not in the first four weeks (or something similar) I still technically owe half the fees:eek: So will still have to pay but on reduced monthly instalments, which hopefully I should be able to pay off using the PPI money when it arrives. It does mean that if all goes to plan and I re-enrol next year, I will have to pay again but will get a discount of £216 (course was £360 in total.) Bit of a kerfuffle and a shame I still owe but hey ho, put it down to experience and hopefully I'll be on the ball and able to use some Tesco Clubcard vouchers next time along with my discount to pay for the course.

Anyway got to get that darn shopping done so see you all later!

bevan840

Good luck with the shopping Jo x

Jo_R_2

Shopping got done but spent £66:eek: Varies from week to week but it hasn't been that much for a long time. I do a shopping list and meal plan as well so bit peeved, but I know some of the things I buy regularly are either a) a bit more than they could be but is my choice, or b) "offers" that aren't as good as they seem.

For example, I buy organic milk, and cordials that don't have the artificial sweeteners in, which do tend to cost more than the cheapo versions that are drenched in aspartame and whatnot:eek: I have been buying the "any 3 for £3" bags of crisps offers but it's more worth keeping an eye out for the offers that come up on the super-huge bags of crisps or even buying a box I think.

Still need to work out where I can cut down but tbh it's not as if I splurge at all really.

Off to do a bit of housework whilst baby is asleep then going to make my first purchases on (gasp) Quidco. Got a couple of DVDs I want to get on Amazon for the girls to start off my Christmas shopping so going to try and get to grips with that.

Also I have officially made a decision... We *need* to get furniture. Need need need it. I currently have a stack of DVDs sat on the floor in front of the TV cabinet that have nowhere to go, and even though I sorted through all my old paperwork last night and filed stuff to keep and threw away a stack so now have an empty box that has been sat on our living room floor for months, I can't fit the folders on the integral shelves so they're now sat in place of the box.

Been having a look round, as I was a little while ago, and I think it'll prob be a case of buying things bit by bit. A bookcase is a necessity, a sideboard would be great, and a new TV cabinet would be nice at some point.

Luckily I know OH's mum and grandma are giving us money for Christmas so we were talking about using it for housey stuff so that could really help, as was thinking of maybe waiting until post-Christmas sales.

Also been contemplating all things marriage, and despite the plans for a winter wedding next year, I'm seriously debating whether to just go down the register office and just do it:D I don't know, I go from 'nice winter wedding' to 'just get it done!' about twenty times a day:o

bevan840

Jo_R wrote: »

Also been contemplating all things marriage, and despite the plans for a winter wedding next year, I'm seriously debating whether to just go down the register office and just do it:D I don't know, I go from 'nice winter wedding' to 'just get it done!' about twenty times a day:o

I remember doing that too, except for me it was, do we have a reception and invite people? Or Not? I would change my mind every week, until Sis Wedding and then decided I wanted to do it after all, only problem was as I'd left it so late no-one could make it! :rotfl: We estimated that 20 came to the breakfast, were expecting another 20ish for the evening and about 5 turned up! :eek: Needless to say we didn't need as big a buffet as we planned!
But, we didn't let anything spoil the day, including my Gran who refused to come because I wouldn't invite her to the Ceremony, the only people invited were my Mum and Dad (Dad obviously otherwise I'd of walked myself down the aisle) Sis was Maid Of Honour, and BIL was DH's Best Man, we had invited his Mum but she doesn't like to travel and couldn't get the time off work. We only wanted a small group in the Reg Office and only 'close' family. She was invited to the breakfast but refused, even came to my workplace twice! To 'talk' but also to put the guilt trip on, I think she knows now not to bother as when my mind is made up, there's no changing it My other Gran thought she was just being silly and I got a lovely photo of me and that Gran Will get framed once I find one good enough

Wow that was a bit of a ramble lol sorry xx

Jo_R_2

Aw yeah I need to decide! Keep flitting between waiting and having a reasonably nice do, or sort it out more quickly.

I do think that I'm only gonna have one wedding so we should make it what we want it to be, even if that is spending a bit of cash to have something a bit 'more.' Not for the sake of it but so it can be everything we want it to be.

Luckily I know I do want the winter wedding and a nice red dress but on top of that...? Nothing outrageous or anything that will cost over the odds really. Oh I don't know!

Jo_R_2

Things are pretty quiet moneywise at the mo. It's the usual second half of the month waiting, DDs and whatnot have come out, pots are being updated when I spend anything but not much to do with transferring money around until month end and I know if I have anything left over.

Have a box of baby clothes to get on ebay this evening or tomorrow evening all being well. Not sure whether to use any money made to overpay or to keep in reserve for Christmas, but will decide later when the money is actually there for me to use!:D

Didn't tackle Quidco yesterday as didn't have time but hoping to get a chunk of time on t'internet later as OH usually goes out for a couple of hours of a Wednesday evening so nice quiet time for me:D


So things to do today:

• [STRIKE]check online banking[/STRIKE] and cc - can't get on cc website, will try again later
• [STRIKE]withdraw money for DD's nursery snacks and Friday lunches[/STRIKE] and pay any outstanding - got cash, just need to pay tomorrow
• Quidco for DVDs for DDs for Christmas
• [STRIKE]succumb to tumble dryer for whites washed earlier on as weather terrible![/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]clear table and wash pots[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]look at application form for DD2 starting school next year (shes only 3 - how did that happen?!!)[/STRIKE] - going to fill in and hand in rather than online I think

Jo_R_2

Just off for my first foray into Quidco to buy a couple of DVDs... Think I've got into the swing of it but will find out I suppose!

Also was working on December's SOA earlier and provisionally have just over £100 surplus... *scratches head* I do need to wait on what the phone bill will be (it was rather cheap this month at £18 which was pleased about but suspect it will be a little more though being very careful about using only evenings and weekends where poss) but could potentially mean I have a few extra pounds to play with for Christmas pressies if I need it.

I don't want to be a complete scrooge, I have £120 for Christmas presents and was planning on just buying for the kids then hopefully a little something for OH but was hoping to get the parents a small gift and my sister - nothing crazy but something thoughtful for them all as parents do so much to help us out, and my sister is a great support too.

Not sure who OH wants to buy for or if he has anything in mind but there'll be his brother and his mum and dad, will question him about it later.

Jo_R_2

Bit of a rush today, done school/nursery run (boy will I be glad when can drop DD2 at school with DD1 instead of having to do school then separate nursery!) but going back to school at half ten for DD1's class assembly then pick up DD2 at half eleven - I run my life by the clock like this every day!

Bought two DVDs through Quidco last night - not sure what happens now? I understand that nothing shows up straightaway as can take a few days for it to show? There's quite a few Christmas bits I want to buy online and go through Quidco for but want to make sure have got the hang of it first!:o

Been trying to think of activities to do with DDs (in particular DD2 during the day) that are low-cost or free. I prob don't venture out as much as I should with DD2 and baby during the day. We did go to playgroup every week at the children's centre but has become apparent most groups are in the morning - we need afternoon groups please!



So (quick list):

• [STRIKE] check online banking[/STRIKE]
• update running totals for pots using receipts
• ebay baby items (aiming for 5 items to do this evening)
• [STRIKE]wash one load[/STRIKE] and hang out to dry (v. blustery!)