Debt free & tidy diary

Lurker1972

Here we go!
As the name suggests, I have been lurking the forums for about 18 months now - before I found the site I thought I was good with my money but the people on here put me to shame!
My situation isn't as dire as some, but it is preventing me have the life I want so i am hoping that a diary will help me as much as it seems to help others.
I have a large mortgage on an ok-ish salary (once you include all the overtime!) but as I work in banking its cheap so am not thinking about this at the moment
I have approx £2k on an interest free credit card which will expire in 5 months & also owe the wonderful bank of Mum n Dad £5k so also interest free. Yikes, thats £7000....over a third of what i earn a year....funny how it seems so much worse when its written down like that!!
Am living with boyfriend (although can't call him that, he's over 40!!), he has ex-wife & their joints debts (grrrr) plus 3 kids to support, so he doesn't contribute a huge amount to our household, but I'm kind of ok with that - once their joint debts are gone it will be an story!!
The bank of M&D doesn't want monthly payments, just a lump sum when its there & I have £2kish of that saved up.....yay me!
I also have some savings in an ISA that I really don't want to put towards debt as we would like to try for a family together but will be needing medical assistance...& neither of us are getting any younger
thanks to this site I've joined quidco, sold cds to music magpie, have books on greenmetropolis so am making some progress to increasing income & clearing the junk.....which leads me to the tidy diary
I AM RUBBISH AT HOUSEWORK & PROUD OF IT but I hate the house being a tip & full junk!!!
So the plan is to record on here what cash I spend each day & what household chores i manage to complete...I can be a bit obsessive at times so will try to post 3-4 times a week......or I won't get anything done EVER

I do have a question though - how much would seem a reasonable amount to be spending on food & cleaning stuff a month? I know this is my weakest control area & am struggling to get it below £200 a month - thats allowing £20 a month on special Kitty food from her vet, have tried meal planning, lists, shopping every 8 days but nothing works......I'm no great cook but am trying to reduce the amount of bought sauces etc but still Mr T gets £50 of my money each week - surely thats too much for 2???

Thats enough rambling for now, chore list for weekend is calling!!

Thanks for reading!

Lucy

lucielle

We are a family of 6, dog and cat as well, our grocery budget including cleaning is £336 per month.
L

Lurker1972

Thats a lot more mouths to feed than I have - even when his 3 are with us!!
beans on toast for the month might be an idea!!!

Jo_R_2

We have a current budget of £200 per month for 2 adults and 2 children. I'd definitely pay a visit to the Old Style board, I've picked up a lot there and stick with the menu planning, be strict but realistic about what you eat, and when, factor in everything, meals, snacks and lunches for work and look carefully at what you buy so you don't need to pick up anything extra in the day, but also enough so you don't go short (my terrible problem at the mo for economising too much!)

I have just started a diary also and find it really helps with focussing myself on what I need to do, if I have done it and as a consequence what else needs doing, almost like an online reminder I suppose! Also the input from other posters is really useful, so keep up the momentum!

Lurker1972

so much for posting a couple of times a week
had nice long ramble middle of last week & then completely lost it all - how completely rubbish is that?!

have had a careful few weeks, no major spends and stand a chance of coming in under budget for food this month (month runs from 15th). The intention is to chop 10% off that figure for next month.
I try & meal plan, but am easily swayed to the chippy....yum....can almost see the chips around the non-existent waistline!
lunches for this week went a little haywire though, so need to make sure have a couple of emergency options available
Am waiting for cheques from musicmagpie & have sold another book on GM, so have made small progress on clearing junk and making few pennies in the process - must try harder though

been long week at work, so think I've time to catch up on my favourite diary- that flying freesian is an inspiration -before heading off to bed.....just me & special kitty tonight, much as I love OH, its nice to share the bed with a purrer instead of a snorer!

have good weekend

Lucy

Lurker1972

Not again!!!!
having proved to be completely rubbish at updating this, I typed out a nice catch up on the last two weeks & hey presto, lost it all again!

Came in under food budget for March by a whopping £7!!:D
Am pleased about it, but have a long way to go!
Have statement on CC & after this months payments, outstanding debt total is £4285.
should see that drop below £4k by end of May - cancelling phone contract saves £20 a month, & selling phone should get me about £30
getting £16 expenses tomorrow so that will go to debt fund, although I am tempted to keep a little back - sometimes think that my weekly me budget is a little tight, but as I'm not at work for the next week I won't be near the shops to buy a treat for lunch...or breakfast....or elevenses....
one more cheque is due from musicmagpie, then have to work on OH cd collection....he wants to keep them........such a squirreler!

Have a good weekend

Lucy

hypno06

So, a good start - coming in under budget is always something to celebrate!!

mooomin

Lurker1972 wrote: »

been long week at work, so think I've time to catch up on my favourite diary- that flying freesian is an inspiration -before heading off to bed.....just me & special kitty tonight, much as I love OH, its nice to share the bed with a purrer instead of a snorer!

Aaawww, shucks, surely not little ol' me (If there is another fresian flying around here I'm going to look like a right t*t :rotfl:)

Bumped into this thread by accident as it was the most recently updated one on the DFW board, so thought I would say "hiya"

Well done on coming in under budget :T

penguin83

Hi Lurker - well done on the shopping budget - £7 under is better than £7 over!

By the way - I too am terrible at housework and almost permanently live in a tip! x x

Lurker1972

ooohhh how lovely, people reading!!! makes me feel all warm inside!

plan for between now & 12 April - food budget of £190...might even sign up for a the grocery challenge if I can ever work out how!

Must do some ebaying over the next week......assuming I can persuade himself that he doesnt need 3 laptops, xbox,playstation PSP, DS & wii (thats staying cos its the one gaming thing i'll use!!)

anyone got any tips on how to convince a bloke theres no need to keep EVERYTHING just in case its useful????!!

penguin83

Heres a linky to the March grocery challenge - good luck! x x