The grand plan for Catzpaws ... can it be done?

Catzpaws

Hi Honeybear!

Thanks for pointing me over in the right direction... Feel really good about it at the moment and really positive. Need to carry on in the same way... Everyone seems really supportive - but, yep, bonkers too! :cool:

CP x

Catzpaws

This diary is the best form of therapy ever! So far, it's doing a great job of keeping me on the straight and narrow. Free therapy - if that ain't money saving, I don't know what is! :money:

Popping to Lidl at lunch to buy some bargainous Brocolli, Iceberg lettuce, Baking potoatoes, Carrots and Bread (all these are on a deal this week). Also need boring things like dishwasher tabs and kitchen towel. BUT, I'm disproportionately pleased that brocolli is only 29p! How good is that!

Catching up with a friend tonight. Instead of going to the pub, I've offered to cook dinner... Aw, love cooking for friends and family!

CP x

Lemon_Tree

it's good that you find the diaries usefull, i never had an interesting enough life to justify one but i wouldn't be without posting on others, it's made me friends, makes me stop and think before i buy stuff and i get to vent or say yay as i go along.

Catzpaws

I'm not quite sure that my diary is all that interesting at all TBH! But, I'm glad of the outlet for my inane outpourings ("29p brocolli!!! woo hoo" etc.) - otherwise, I would risk alienating all those around me.... and that would be a bad thing, of course.

Reading other people's diaries are also great too as, you're right, they do make you stop and think before buying stuff. You should do a diary, Lemon Tree, you have done brilliantly well according to your sig. It's amazing how well you've done, actually. Would love to hear your story!

Catzpaws

Groceries - £14 and work collection - £4.50.

Total - £18.50

Catzpaws

Weekend is nearly landing... :dance:

Right, in a bit of a quandry about weekend plans. Had agreed to go out tomorrow night with OH's family. But, last minute, sis has said my family are arranging a lunch out on Sunday - which would take us over weekly entertainment budget :think:.

What do I do?

(a) Say no to family meal (even though not seen family for a while and this will only cost about £15 - for both OH and me)

(b) Go both - but only have 1 drink on Saturday night (as this is what the budget will allow)

(c) Say 'sod it!', go both and have fun - and try to pull back in other areas.

Decisions, decisions.... :think:

Lemon_Tree

i would go to both, offer to drive so you can use that as an excuse not to have more than one drink, and then just have water when you're sat down eating. I always say i'm really thirsty and only water will cut through it, which then means i only pay for the one drink.

ZiggyStardust_2

Yeah do both like you say, i'm sure you could make cut backs else where if you want to stick to your budget

Catzpaws

^^ thank you for replies! ^^

Yes, I have decided to do both and try and make cutbacks elsewhere. But - and this is confession time - I also went to the pub last night... Bad CP! Well, I ended up working late and by the time I got home, OH said that he really wanted to go to the local. At least we didn't go for an impromptu meal as well, hey! Cost £10.

I had a personal NSD yesterday, though OH bought drinks in pub and bought some sweets/biscuits from the shop on the way home. I think I'm going to claim it as a NSD for me anyway! Cost £2.

Went shopping today with a list - got stardrops (lasts forever. Love this stuff), potato peeler (how on earth did we manage to lose our potato peeler????), some ingredients for some biscuits, and cheese (£1 on a deal). Figured that I'm going to start baking to try and satisfy OH's sweet tooth to try and stop him from venturing to the shops to buy sweet things. Also bought 2 packets of Tesco Value Bran Flakes as we're out of cereal. Honestly, 78p for a big box of yummy cereal - it's a complete bargain. It's cheaper than Aldi's and bigger too. Groceries £8.

Also bought some make up - £3.90. Well, a gal's gotta look good!

CP x

Catzpaws

Hello diary

Further spends yesterday: car wash - £2.75, night out - £11 (cheap as only OH went in end as we had a bit of a row - one way to keep more MSE :rolleyes:)


Today:

Had meal with family. Really glad I ended up going as won't be seeing them for a fair few weeks - £20

BIG bag of rice/soy sauce/big bunch coriander from china town. Worth stocking up on rice as the rice is MUCH cheaper than supermarket and will last for ages. And Tilda thai rice is completely yummy. Put coriander in freezer to add to curries, etc. - £14

Electric toothbrush for OH - in hope that rot of teeth will be stemmed and thus save expensive dental treatment - £40 (half price in sale in Boots)

CD + Book - £14. Hey, thought I'd treat myself!

The Wire boxset - £0 (well, was £20 but OH had voucher to spend).

Ham - £1 - for OH's sandwiches for work

Eyeliner - £2 (used £5 Boots voucher)

Total spends today: £91 :o:rolleyes::o


I noticed that some of the cheap brocolli (29p @ Lidl) had started to look a bit old, so made soup, which I've had for healthy dinner tonight. Enough for a few more light meals later this week . Also, baked some biscuits today, which were totally scrummy indeed *wipes crumbs from chin* But, I'm not sure it's very MSE - as the butter alone was £1 (well, it was lurpak. Sure I could get cheaper butter...).

Plans for this week:

- Minimise spending on groceries
- Keep up booze free weekdays
- Keep up other healthy habits
- OH to chase up credit card. I think we'll accrue £80 interest on his card this month as balance transfer may not be done in time :mad:
- Minimal spending this weekend as following week is sister's b-day weekend
- Sort out joint bank account
- Have at least 3 personal NSDs

Well, that's it for now... Off to eat more biscuits!

CP x