The DFW Diary of a Mogchops!!

Keeping_Positive

Tired just reading that!

pixiechick99

Oh hahahahahaahaa:rotfl: I just pictured you brandishing the broom!!:D
Gave me a giggle this morning...hope you've scared it away for ever!!

mogchops

Glad forums are up & running!! Been a bit lost without it all this weekend!

Still good news with DH, he is maintaining the reduced beer level, and more importantly, is not moaning about it! :j He has gone from having 4 x 440 ml cans every night to 4 x 284 ml bottles - so its a really good start. I am really proud of him and have told him so - which hopefully will inspire him to carry on!! ( I have promised *ahem* "rewards" as well......hey ho needs must!!!! :rotfl::rotfl:)

Had a good weekend, not spent very much, had a lovely free swim with the girlies at local David Lloyd gym this afternoon as they were having a family open day. Very nice indeed!

I think I am going to run out of month before getting to payday though, iyswim. This is my first month of MSE DFW budgetting, and I seem to have miscalculated somewhere along the line but I wont need to use the dreaded credit card, as I put separate money away for xmas/bday fund, so I would rather dip a bit back from that than put anything on the CC. Then hopefully next month I will work things out a bit better.

Its all a learning curve - and look at me curve!! :rotfl:

firesidemaid

that's great news re. the beers - if i have done my sums right that has reduced by more than a third x

mogchops

Still going well with the beer!! :j I bought 2 cases of the 284ml bottles for £15 in Tescos today, so the 4 bottles a night equates to £1.60 odd. So as well as cutting down the quantity, its getting cheaper as well! :j Am very proud of him. He's got a couple of days off from tomorrow, so am prepared it may slip a little, but even 5 bottles is still less than the original 4 cans. (doesnt half make the recycling box clank though!! :rotfl:)

Good little shop at tescos, picked up some reduced bargains (apples & carrots) and hot x buns were on special offer - 30p! Used MOCs so very pleased with totals.

Am so proud of myself - this is the first proper budget month - and yes although its been a bit wonky I WONT HAVE TO USE THE CREDIT CARD - which for me is such a major achievement. It will be the first month in ....goodness knows how long that the card has not been used!! :j Long may it continue!

Seeds are all doing well, DH is planning to dig part of the garden to make a proper veggie patch, that will be lovely!

MellyB_2

Hi Mogchops,

Just read your diary and just wanted to say keep up the good work!!

You seem to be doing really well - it's amazing how positive you can become by reading some of the threads on here!

I'm well on with my meal planning and it's a godsend! No more going to get a takeaway becuase there's nothing in to cook (there's usually plenty but I've not taken it to to defrost...):rolleyes:

Had to laugh about your cat story....:rotfl:

x

rubyslipper

Hey Mog!

It's been a while so I thought I'd stop by and say hello. Good news re OH's beer intake reduction and I was just having a good old chuckle about the cat story!

I too am hoping to make this the first month in...well years that I don't use credit for anything. I may not be able to save a penny but if I don't go over my OD or use a CC I will be a very happy girl. Good luck for the rest of the month!

Ruby x

mogchops

Still hanging on in there with the budget - WILL make it to pay day at the end of next week without using CC!! :j Great feeling!

DH has been a star last couple of days - he has dug a veggie patch in the garden!! I put a Wanted on freecycle for some topsoil - and DH collected today from a local farm! So we now have a veggie patch ready and waiting for our lovely seedlings. I hope we can manage to grow them and they dont all get eaten!!

The cat is currently eyeing up the lovely new veggie patch - I suppose in her eyes its a giant luxury cat toilet - just let her try!! :rotfl:

Meal planning still working, am turning the heating off more & more as its getting warmer, in fact am turning off everything if its not being used!

DH still being good with the beer, says he's got into the swing of it now! Yes he has had a little extra on his days off, but thats ok, and he will be back into the reduced amount tomorrow as he is working earlies on Sat. Love him to bits!

mogchops

*note to self: update diary more often!* :rotfl:

Hmmmm. Budgets. Look good on paper, then what happens at the end of the month? Its all gone pete tong, or whatever the saying is!! :rotfl:(but look - at least I'm laughing about it, lol!)

On the positive side, we have NOT resorted to the credit card, and I am very proud of us for that. It would have been very easy to say "ah, sod it" and stick stuff on the CC. But we havent, and for that I pat myself on the back!

On the not so positive side, I have pretty much taken back what I had set aside in the "car tax, birthday, xmas, etc" fund and spent that instead. So what I need to do now, is analyse where it went, work out where we went wrong, and redo budget for coming month! (btw, end of month for me is this week, as get paid then - so not as bad as it sounds lol)

And we havent frittered it - I'm darned sure of that! Have bought stuff for garden though, but was necessary for the new veggie production, so long term investment is how I look at it! Beer - DH has actually come in under budget for that - for which I salute him! He is still on reduced rations on work days, & little extra on days off, which is fine.

Petrol - over budget on that :eek:was quite a fright, havent really gone anywhere!! Will have to work on that!

Groceries - about even, but will have to try & cut down more. Am experimenting with Value brands at the moment - tuna & orange squash - good. Toilet paper - bad.

Veggie patch is looking very healthy, broad beans, lettuce & cabbage all doing well! Have taken slug advice from Fay of the land of sparkly socks and Olive of the land of Oyl, so hopefully the sluggies will not DARE to venture into my domain! :rotfl:

Meal planning is going really well, am finding that part really easy.

Hi to anyone who drops by!! :hello:

rubyslipper

Hi Mog!

Just wanted to say WELL DONE to your OH for coming in under budget on beer, that's SUCH a great improvement already! :T

I'm really impressed you're acknowledging and managing your budget so well. It's ok to be a bit wobbly in places as its still early days but generally it sounds like you're really doing well.

Good luck with it!

Ruby xx