Cheesecake wants a bigger slice of the pie!

Fire_Fox

If you run a search on the forums you will find advice on which cheap nappies are decent, how to get money off coupons and even freebies for baby stuff or where is doing a special offer on your preferred brand. :money:

lemoncheesecake

Thanks FF!

I have purchased some Aldi nappies for the tots. £5.69 for 44. The kids seem fine in them so far - no distress, suffering or signs of imminent diseases starting. I wonder if I'm the only mother who somehow has fallen unconsciously into a mindset of Pampers=good parent? Maybe its the advertising!

Anyway, off on training today (yawn) so aiming for a NSD as daily goal. Am waiting for kettle to boil for thermos of tea and toaster to pop for teacake. I shall sit piously outside the motorway services whilst colleagues gorge themselves on usual coffee and muffins breakfast happy in the knowledge I have saved at least £5 doing this!

Lunch provided so should be able to do this one (although not brave enough yet to leave wallet at home)

Have a good day!

edinburgher

Lunch provided so should be able to do this one (although not brave enough yet to leave wallet at home)

Don't worry - you're not alone. I even carry my wallet if it's empty and a week to payday

lemoncheesecake

it's like a security blanket!

lemoncheesecake

hello diary

managed to achieve a NSD yesterday as did Mr Lemon :money:

Been uber busy with work so not had a chance to think about a goal today so was just looking at what's left over on my weekly tasks....still need to get new life assurance, check electricity bill and look at switching TV license to monthly payment, oh, and sort out bank statements or reclaiming charges. But, I have started a spending diary, renewed tax credits and opened an ISA.

Managed to do my weekly shopping for under £60 - all from Aldi - will have to see if it lasts until Tuesday....I have menu planned but a bit of a lack of creativity when thinking of cheap, easy meals that everyone will eat.

Fone bank emailed to say the cheque for my phones was on the way (£48.00) and my mum has given me 2 more saying I can sell them for some money!

and saved the best for last (desperately trying not to get too excited) but Mr Lemon has been offered an interview for the job he applied for:T More money and prospects so fingers crossed for us cheesecakes!

edinburgher

You've got loads of your weekly tasks out of the way :T

Be sure to shop around for your life insurance - I recently looked to take out a policy and the price difference between some of the big insurers and some of the smaller firms for identical cover was inexplicable - I suppose we help pay for their advertising?

Switching the TV license to monthly payment won't make a huge difference, but my GF and I found that it was a lot easier to budget for as you effectively pay for it in advance. Fewer, smaller payments are always good, so it's probably worth investigating.

Fingers crossed for you cheesecakes (although I've still not forgiven you for the fact that I've been craving lemon cheesecake all bloomin' week!) :rotfl:

lemoncheesecake

Thanks Edinburgher. I think i can get life, house and car insurances cheaper.

Haven't written in my diary for a few days; been busy at work but also having some non-MSE thoughts. Have managed to accumulate the £500 contingency that I was aiming for which is fantastic but in true lemon form that money is burning a hole in my pocket.

I find it quite cathartic to price compare, shop for great deals, use cashback sites, recycle phones, make money on ebay, cut bills, menu plan etc etc etc............................but the real test for me is to then actually put that money we have saved towards the debts..............and not spend it on wants.

The plan was to get the £500 contingency as an emergency fund and then start chipping away at the debts. On a DMP so no access to more credit was a worry as in the past emergencies have gone straight on the plastic not so fantastic.

I think I've lost sight of what is and isn't a frivilous spend when you owe 9.5k in debts have a huge mortgage you are only paying interest on and are on a DMP.

This is a list of what I have been considering spending that £500 on:

- highlightes and haircut £85
- new hen house £140
-bunk beds for the kids £245

could get all 3 for £470

plus to make matters worse I told Mr lemon we had the £500 we wanted for contingency and he's started looking at new laptops on the internet.

must stay strong

edinburgher

But the fact of the matter is that it's a contingency fund, not just spare money. I think that deep down you're probably both aware of this.

None of the things you've listed are essential (bar maybe the bunk beds) or can't be done cheaper or more sensibly without eating into your fledgling emergency fund.

Highlights and a haircut - £85 is a lot of money for a couple who owe £9k. Put it into perspective - it's ~1% of what you owe! Isn't there a salon near you where they need models, or a college or other place where a trainee could do your hair for a fraction of the price (but where there'd be a seasoned practitioner on hand to resolve any disasters)?

New hen house - over 1.5% of your debts. Don't you have a hammer, saw and pair of pliers? I'm interested in self sufficiency and it seems that a vaguely DIY savvy person could make their own from cheap/free wood, nails and chicken wire! Take a look for plans and guides online and track down some cheap wood (or free on Freecycle or from a skip!)

Bunk beds for the kids - 3% of your debts. Ok, this may be an unavoidable purchase, but shop around. You might be able to find bunk beds on Freecycle (kids grow awfully fast) or what's wrong with the cheaper ones on Argos (for example), which start at ~£160 with free delivery and you'd be able to get cashback through one of the many cashback sites for?

I know it's tempting to spend money where you've been diligent and managed to save up. If you can't resist maybe you'd be best putting it towards the debts?

Be strong!

lemoncheesecake

oh I know you are right! Thinking logically about it, the bunk beds can wait. They have perfectly adequate beds for the time being. Ditto the hen house - I just want a bigger one so we can get more chickens.

As for the hair cut, I agree it is expensive. Trying to justify by saying I spend very little on clothes and make-up , but really I'm just a precious about my hair!

lemoncheesecake

OMG OMG OMG OMG

Tax credits have credited my account with £3331.10 today - can't get through on the phone to ask them whats going on. Awaiting postman to see if he brings my renewals.