Like a rubber ball !

hypno06

I too had a good night's sleep - may there be many more of those to come for both of us!

Sending positive vibes your way

savingholmes

hi DC nice to see you back - I struggle with my grocery budget too - meal planning helps but then I resent the cost of toiletries and house hold cleaning product!

Different_Corner

Hi SH Been catching up on your adventures. If you go ahead with the creative writing I'm sure you'll enjoy it, I dropped out of the 10 pointer with the OU, head not in right place. But a friend of mine loved it and has gone on to bigger and better things.

Really do have to pull it together and stop making excuses re budget, this diary has been going since July and still I procrastinate.

48 hours until I see any funds go in my account...just get through it...

40somethingmum

Different_Corner wrote: »

.

48 hours until I see any funds go in my account...just get through it...

And you will.... somehow:)

Have a good day , sweets;)

40SMxx

hypno06

indeed you will.....

The grocery budget has been the biggest of my failings throughout my debt free journey, and it is only in the last few weeks since OH left that I have really been able to get my act together a bit more. Early days yet, but so far so good. I have tried so many "methods", weekly budgets, monthly budgets, big monthly shops with small top ups for bread and milk, shop as you go only buying what you need each day etc etc, and it is really hard to find something that works!

turfy6

Hi DC Im sure all will be ok. Just got a call from the opticians yesterday to say Mr T's lenses are ready to collect, more money to find that I hadnt accounted for. I do ok with the grocery bill but hate meal planning even though I know its the best option and really works. Have a good day.

scrooge2008

Great to see you back posting DC. Missed you.

I tend to use the grocery budget to balance everything else out. We usually start the month eating totally organic, with lots of treats thrown in and we finish it with me standing at the Tesco reduced section, at 10.00, at night, as they do their final mark downs.

Menu planning and lists work well for me, but I have to have a couple of weeks a month where we indulge, or it's too much like hard work, and I go off the rails completely.

Different_Corner

Ugh, what a horrid day at work. If I could I'd just let 'em have my notice. There has to be a better way to earn a living than listening to the powers that be moan and groan.
Ah well have tea, local paper job section and 30 minutes before the hungry hoards are home.

Different_Corner

I hit a low point yesterday afternoon, the day sort of catches up with you sometimes. And as us girls know sometimes when TOM is approaching things just feel bleugh.

Stepped back, deep breath, and decided to be kind to myself. Bath, and watched Gordon shouting at some Americans who couldn't cook fish.

Utility bills been playing on my mind, for all my good intentions a few pages/months back the last leccy bill was touching £300, gas was £160.
Already had a reminder so I've phoned then and said I will pay Monday. No problem.

It's another reason the get hold of the budget by the short and curlies.

It's obvious I'm still floundering around in no-man's land.

Fish, slap !

hypno06

So....take a deep breath, grap a pad of paper, and write your lists for the next few days: Have headings.....

Urgent

Need doing by end of March

Should do but can wait

It will hopefully focus you on what needs to go to the top of the list, then you can get it done without getting caught up in the less important stuff.

Also, something that I have found useful, both at home and at work, is that each week (or each day if I am up to date with everything - which is rare!) I will tackle one of those "old chestnut" jobs that I have been putting off. You know the ones, that have been glossed over in the past, with promises to do them "next". By saying I will do just one of those a week, it doesn't seem so daunting, and they are, bit by bit, getting done!