The Golden Goose's Quest For The Golden Egg - AKA A Debt Free Life!

boredofbeingathome

Nice to see you around and about GG- congrats on baby gosling. Sorry i missed the event, really don't know how that happened I am sure things can be sorted- start with Martin's budget planner, it is a brill eye opener and you will be able to spot instantly where you can save on things.
As FF said, Quidco is great for a lot of things i shop for all my big stuff there now, it all adds up.

Keep on going

Lurker1972

:wave: Hey GG, good to see you again

staying focussed can be so hard...it was almost easier when I was out of work!!!

fingers crossed for slightly more regular updates and news of gosling

x

The_Golden_Goose

The Latest Update


A quick one whilst the Gosling [STRIKE]chucks his meal everywhere[/STRIKE] enjoys his tea.

We've had a nice family day out and took a picnic! Go us! Did treat myself to a coffee and an icecream for the Gosling so spends were a minimum. Certainly makes you feel good not constantly shelling out all the time.

I will look into using Quidco a bit more as it seems I'm missing a few tricks here. I guess things like direct debits for policies renewing themselves automatically means no Quidco earnings?

Keep toying with the idea to shop around for mutt insurance but don't want to tempt fate.......

I also bought a Slow Cooker recipe book which I'm going to use as much as I can esp as I can freeze leftovers on most of the dishes. I'm also hoping that this will help with keeping the food shop bill down. However it's not the food part of the shop that pushes the bill up its all the other essentials such as loo roll, cat food, shower gel and I'm never brand loyal unless my fave brand is on offer yet I can easily spend over a ton each time. I'm going wrong somewhere.

Lovely to see so many familiar faces!!

When I return to work I'll be taking pack up's and when I go out at lunchtime I'll be window shopping only and leaving my purse behind. That's the plan anyhoo's. This time last year I couldn't wait to start my maternity leave and now its nearly over.

We've not had a holiday this year and whilst I've missed it I know that going away with a small person in tow is not quite the same as before so that has helped with not missing it so much.

So much for a quick update........

Happy Saturday night y'all !

Til the next installment.........

mooomin

The_Golden_Goose wrote: »

I will look into using Quidco a bit more as it seems I'm missing a few tricks here. I guess things like direct debits for policies renewing themselves automatically means no Quidco earnings? *faint* Renewing automatically?! Not the MSE way at all! You too need the hell of annual renewal quotes. Go to the comparison sites via Quidco and earn £1.50 just for doing the comparison!

Keep toying with the idea to shop around for mutt insurance but don't want to tempt fate.......How would it tempt fate? If it's cheaper, woo! If not, stay with the same provider.

I also bought a Slow Cooker recipe book which I'm going to use as much as I can esp as I can freeze leftovers on most of the dishes. I'm also hoping that this will help with keeping the food shop bill down. However it's not the food part of the shop that pushes the bill up its all the other essentials such as loo roll, cat food, shower gel and I'm never brand loyal unless my fave brand is on offer yet I can easily spend over a ton each time. I'm going wrong somewhere. Indeed, but where? Do you have a membership to somewhere like Makro? I stock up on loo roll there when it's on offer so only have to buy it every four-six months. Last time they had a good offer on Mr Fresian thought I was going to build a fort out of it I bought so much :rotfl: Ditto cat litter. My little b*ggers only use Catsan (tried downgrading and there was a dirty protest!) and last time it was on offer in Costco I stocked up as it was £6.40 a bag there instead of £8.95 in Tesco.

My thoughts are above

Other things to think about...

Are you buying things on offer because you need them or because they're good value? I haven't bought shower gel this year because I had so many by the end of last year. I still have about another four to use up this year for me, and one is a MAHOOSIVE Soap and Glory one which I'll be using until October at least!

Is your kitty a Value cat or a Branded cat? Ours were on Go Cat (£2.20 for 1kg) until I tried them on Aldi cat biscuits which are £1 for the same amount. They seem to really like them, especially the fishy ones. They're still using Felix wet food, but only because there was a good offer in Pets at Home so I stocked up on the senior food for them. They will soon be Aldi Cats completely

Do you use a list when you go to the shops? Next time post your list on here along with how much you spent on each item and what you bought that wasn't on the list. We might see patterns that will help.

Hope this has been useful, just a couple of things I thought about

Lurker1972

flying_fresian wrote: »

My thoughts are above

Other things to think about...

Are you buying things on offer because you need them or because they're good value? I haven't bought shower gel this year because I had so many by the end of last year. I still have about another four to use up this year for me, and one is a MAHOOSIVE Soap and Glory one which I'll be using until October at least!

Is your kitty a Value cat or a Branded cat? Ours were on Go Cat (£2.20 for 1kg) until I tried them on Aldi cat biscuits which are £1 for the same amount. They seem to really like them, especially the fishy ones. They're still using Felix wet food, but only because there was a good offer in Pets at Home so I stocked up on the senior food for them. They will soon be Aldi Cats completely

Do you use a list when you go to the shops? Next time post your list on here along with how much you spent on each item and what you bought that wasn't on the list. We might see patterns that will help.

Hope this has been useful, just a couple of things I thought about

Best piece of MSE advice ever - LISTEN TO AUNTY FRESIAN, she is the wisest of wise owls.

I have decided that time is a great weapon in the debt-busting war. but finding it isnt always easy - especially with a baby I would imagine!!
If you can find the time, list everthing that you have the cupboards, freezer etc. meal plan for a week around these items. create shopping list based on what is NEEDED to complete the meal plan & see what happens to the bill.
Do the same with toiletries. use up what you have before buying more.

do you have a Savers nearby? I find their prices on loo roll pretty good - kleenex are £1.99 for 6 (have given up on the cheaper brands, just to damned thin!!:o)

Which shops do you use? Are you a voucher queen? I've saved about £20 this month from them....and Mr T isnt fussy about taking vouchers intended for other stores......

& in between all this listing, and planning, and cutting of vouchers.....the most important thing is to have the time to cuddle your gosling (& Mr GG too)

x

The_Golden_Goose

The Latest Installment


Well well well........... I love MSE. Thanks to my good pals the f_f and lurker ! As soon as I can I'm going to make a list of what I have in the cupboards and then scour the forums for recipes.

My local supermarket is Asda and it is the cheapest. MrT is quite a drive but whenever I am passing one I make the most of it. Also Lidl is in another town so driving there is counterproductive. I always forget to use my vouchers/coupons and I forget where I put them. Saying that I did try to blag it in the supermarket the other day and the cashier clearly felt sorry for me and said he could take about three of the vouchers! Its all about the small victories debt busters! £3 saving today - it could be millions of £'s tomorrow.....! Unlikely but let me dream won't ya?

I used to feed the mogs the cheapest cat food but one of the neighbours has been feeding one of the cats and now MrGG has decided to put them back on the good stuff and now they turn their nose up at anything else. Dry food upsets their tums and so its wet food. Our cats eat better than we do!! I really don't mind if the neighbour does want to feed the cat, saves us some pennies!!

I only buy stuff when I need it mainly. Though yesterday dried macaroni was on offer and I've seen a couple of recipes in my book that use it, so I thought I'd grab some whilst it was reduced.

As you would expect I LOVE toiletries and I've got a cupboard full of shower gel that we are working our way through, however I only buy stuff that's on offer!

I'm trying to sort my life out before returning to work. There seems to be so much to do and not nearly enough time to do it in. I need to sign up for the childcare vouchers asap too.

MrGG is working hard as he always does. I can honestly say that having a Gosling has been the best thing EVER but also the hardest thing EVER. I'm sorry if I'm repeating myself, I think I am, its my post preggo brain.

Hard in many ways - physically, emotionally, financially. In fact the works. Its been equally hard for MrGG particularly as he sometimes doesn't "get" that my life/priorities have changed. Not saying that his haven't changed but being a mum is amazing and it does change you and I know that fellas also find being a dad a change yet they not necessarily in the same way iyswim. Any other mothers reading this I can see you nodding wisely in agreement. So we need to spend a bit of time working on "us" and the financial strains are not helping us if I'm honest.

MrGG has a large CC debt to pay off and its a massive APR and his payments are basically not even clearing the interest so its a Catch22 and its getting him down. He can't get any other BT's or LoB cards as they won't touch him. I'm not sure what to suggest. Other than I take some of the debt if I get offered an opportunity. We're married after all and my debt is his debt etc etc etc.

The only way I know how to help is to not spend, keep the shopping bill down and not ask him for money unless I really need it.

Every little gesture that MrGG makes to help work on "us" that costs I tend to bat off the radar as I can't stand to waste money when I know at the end of the month he'll be scrambling around to pay his car tax. He did make me laugh a couple of weeks ago when he kept going on and on and on and on about going to the cinema for Orange Wednesday and then I told him that we couldn't go as we're not with Orange! He can be such a blonde at times. Bless.

Apologies for the marathon entry, let's hope I don't lose it when I hit post.

Til the next installment...........

Happytogetdebtfree

Hi mrs gg :-) Glad to see you posting I did the dreaded snowball it was not pretty :-) I thought for mr gg card for everything you don't spend or save chuck at his card? If you save 20p on a shop do the pad eventually it will add up? You could try ringing up and grovelling although doesn't always help I know the financial institutes like to say no grrr big hugs keep posting and keep going xx

Lurker1972

keep an eye on quidco - there are sometime offers on where you actually get paid to get an orange sim card....pop it in your phone & hey presto, orange wednesdays!!

we did that a little while, but so far have never used it....dont even know where the stupid thing is.....at least it didnt cost us anything

put vouchers with shopping list. or in purse next to chosen method of payment. basically in a place where you get reminded to use them when you are about to part with your dosh....

date night at home - snuggle on sofa after gosling in bed, talk, maybe play a game.....we are trying that one (without the gosling part), but friends keep scuppering plans & wanting to come & see us....

Happytogetdebtfree

Date night at home is really cool :-) nice films nice chats and no taxi fare home lol :-) x

Lurker1972

I have warm fluffy memories of having picnics at home, inside during winter. Mum would get 'dressed up' and we would eat using our fingers.....it was a real treat and I loved it.

I mentioned this to mum a few years back - she laughed & told me thats what they used to do when they were totally skint - a picnic of random finger foods to use up what was left or created from storecupboards....they would then pack me off to bed .....I covered my ears to the rest of her story....

date night. us time. quality time. what ever title you put on it, its all about making the most of NOW, enjoying being together, no matter the state of the bank balance.

you & Mr GG will get through this, and the gaggle of goslings will be none the wiser and will grow up happy & healthy with a balanced approach to money because thats what YOU BOTH will teach ( although, to be fair, the goslings will probably make a few of their own mistakes - just to learn from of course)