sj`s diary

savingmummy

Hi Pinky (love the name)
Yes decorating one room does make others look in need of a splash of fresh paint/wallpaper

I have loved being a SAHM. Miss money though i have not had a purse since i left work!! I am hoping to return to work in the future and will be saving ALOT!
I do wish i had continued to work but doing P/T but it wasn`t an option at the time.

I have been on freecycle and have not been very lucky unfortunately - although i did get a hall carpet (off cut from a new carpet) for the flat we are in at the moment. I have however given lots away to people on there. xx

savingmummy

:TI have just signed up to YouGov not sure how good these are but you get £50 cheque doing surveys (points per survey), SO could be a long haul!

Signed up for pinecone tonight thank you L Hopefully i hear back from them x

We have just seen the housing book and we are able to bid on 1 house tomorrow. Will then find out next Thursday.

Fingers/toes crossed and i am praying quite literally

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So people can have some ideas on how i become df quick i am going to bore you with what i did and how i did it.

* I got rid of my mobile - didnt miss it and still dont have one!!
* I cut my childrens hair and DH`S. My hair i get done once a year (treat from mum).
* I stopped using buses - walk everywhere despite living in rural area!
* Groceries i stick to a strict list of what we NEED, dropped brands, used vouchers, bogof`s, halved my meals and used other half to feed 2 children so in reality only cooking for 2 adults, soup before main meals, bulked food out to make it go further, have 2 meals a week at parents, NO meals/takeouts - we spend £150 a month on food:T no extras inbetween food shop days!
* Started earning from surveys - used these for xmas/birthday for DH he gets a cd for each occasion lol! He loves it though especially it being FREE!! i only buy for children noone else and spend £20 each!
* I don`t buy clothes for myself or DH we use what we have, get clothes for birthday/xmas off family, get donations for DD from nursery friends and so only buy for DS (his wardrobe consistes of 3 trousers 5 tops) about £20 every 6months we spend on him. He does however wear PINK pj`s :rotfl:
* Saved on electric by being careful, candles at night, reducing tv/pc time, turning everything off at main switch, charging DH`s mobile up at work, reduced tumble drier useage, hand wash when appropriate, ES lightbulbs.
* incoming calls only on home phone so only pay line rent no call bills.
* make my own bread, yoghurts, biscuits, cake - kids enjoy it too!
* DH saves on petrol by only using it if he HAS too - mainly to and from work! cycles to shops etc.
* Don`t pay parking, park where its free and legal.
* No shopping trips out - can`t remember the last time i visited a mall.
* NO holidays. We just have days out which are FREE!
* DH takes his flask and lunch into work.
* NO newspapers/magazines - use online
* Got DD clean day and night :j
* Stopped sky
* Stopped birthday cards and just send email/text!
* Sold on ebay - this alone paid one of my debts in full!:beer:
* Carboot last summer - paid part of our water bill!!
* Used spare paint family had to decorate 2 rooms indoors.
* Asked for money for xmas/birthday:rotfl:it worked!


I have cancelled ALL catologue accounts (these were my debts) and STOPPED this now!! NO going back
AND we are going on our 1st ever holiday in May (butlins better then home) got it half price lol x

If i think of more i will add x

savingmummy

Last Night i opened my sealed pot (I am doing the SP challenge on here) NO not to spend it To count it up lol!
It was bugging me that i hadn`t kept tabs on it, so i emptied/counted it all up and transferred it into a complete sealed tin (need a tin opener to open).
:TI was VERY happy to find Since Jan i have saved £61.70:j

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Thank god it is Friday:rotfl:
This week i have spent most of it cleaning, tidying up a million times after my two little terrors and worrying over money and saving.
I am beginning to hate the word `money`:D

Weekends i tend to close my diary, hide the savings chart on the wall, put close the calendar and relax lol! Might even stay off of MSE if i can - who am i kidding!

On April the 21st we will be able to order our wardrobe hopefully. I say hopefully as i was supposed to get it in November, then end of February and as yet i have not got the money in full. SO this is now a top priority - working it out i should have the full amount on 21st April!
I have the bedside caninets and the wardrobe matched this as part of a set so it is a must really.
I asked DH to ask his dad for a loan until April but he is too afraid to ask, i`m so worried April is too far away and the seller may not have any :eek:

savingmummy

Quite a stressful weekend unfortunately
All 4 of us woke up with colds on Saturday and the weather has not helped!!
Yesterday my father had a nasty fall and has badly hurt his leg/hip.

My younger brother (living with my parents) announced he is moving away up north and wont be coming back (maybe a few times a yr!) Internet love drove him to this - big mistake imo!

Roll on next weekend hoping it is better!!

Nothing much to report really, got no news or anything that's MSE important.
I`m feeling really poorly and head is like a brick

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Last night we took all our boxes out of the storage room and re checked exactly what we had and what we need.
It looked a lot but when you repack and place the boxes neatly it don`t look much lol!!

List as follows :
DD`s
wardrobe, dresser, bedside
wall shelf (large)
clock
light shade (pink chandelier)
wall hooks
bunting
bed canopy
door plaque
notice/photo board
rug
wall dec`s (name in 3d card from vertbaudet - need to be decorated - not sure how)
Lined Wicker underbed storage x 2

DS`s
light shade
stickarounds x 2 pks
bed throw
notice/photo board
door plaque
wall plaques x 3
wall shelf (small)

Our room
ornate curtain hold backs
ornate wall shelf x 2
Gold satin bed runner
Gold cushion covers x 4
Bedside lamps x 2
bedside cabinets x 2
Headboard
picture frames
Ceiling Light

other
BBQ and accessories set (saw this on sale for £6 had to get it lol!)
Bathroom light pull
Kitchen ceiling light
bathroom ceiling light
Pegs and peg bag
candles/candlesticks other bits like photo frames and vases.
teddies (me2you collection`s) for dd/ds`s room
Hall light shades x 2
curtain pole x 2
Living room side curtains
bedroom side curtains x 2
living room light shade
Garden strimmer

sunny-2009

Thats awful that all 4 of you have the cold! How unfortunate! I hate having it, hate the feeling of not being able to breathe through your nose! Im very proud of myself for saving as much as I have, I havent been great with money in the past, hence the debt, but its going down very well so cant complain!

You are doing amazing with your savings, well done you! Wont be long until you get your new place now! You have loads of stuff gathered up so thats great! Goodness, I hope things work out ok for you, I have a brother who moved over to london with his girlfriend and it didnt work out and he had to move home and re-start things, get a new job, van etc cos he had sold his belongings! nightmare! But fingers crossed it works out for your brother!

Pinky15

Wow great list - you are very organised. I got some great bits for my outdoors from the local carboot sale eg strimmer, sand tray and some plant pots. All bargain basement prices lol!

savingmummy

sunny-2009 wrote: »

Thats awful that all 4 of you have the cold! How unfortunate! I hate having it, hate the feeling of not being able to breathe through your nose! Im very proud of myself for saving as much as I have, I havent been great with money in the past, hence the debt, but its going down very well so cant complain! :T

I think us all sharing a bedroom don`t help, one gets it we all do.
Last summer we all had the sickness bug - not good lol!
Feeling a lot better today so hoping it is going.

You are doing amazing with your savings, well done you! Wont be long until you get your new place now! You have loads of stuff gathered up so thats great! Goodness, I hope things work out ok for you, I have a brother who moved over to london with his girlfriend and it didnt work out and he had to move home and re-start things, get a new job, van etc cos he had sold his belongings! nightmare! But fingers crossed it works out for your brother!

Sorry to hear about your brother
My brother has sold all his belongings and sent her the money :eek: She is currently decorating `her` flat and his moving in with her. She is not very nice and is trouble - he can`t see it! He will when its too late.

savingmummy

Pinky15 wrote: »

Wow great list - you are very organised. I got some great bits for my outdoors from the local carboot sale eg strimmer, sand tray and some plant pots. All bargain basement prices lol!

I have always been organised with material things :rotfl:
We have however had 4 years of knowing we will be moving so been getting bits as we spot them.
DH found the strimmer laying by a wheelie bin in the box!!! DH took it home and it works fine - very odd.
Carboot sales dont start round here until April and i will be hunting for bits and pieces, as you say they are full of bargains and i`m hoping to get most our garden bits from them.

savingmummy

Just claimed a £5 Argos voucher through Ipsos - my first claim since i have been with them :j

SO i will have £15 to spend in Argos (£10 one from Valued Opinions) may get childrens curtain poles for their rooms OR tools. Not keen on Argos tbh but it will be free, and won`t be out of our pocket :T

savingmummy

I have just paid for our little break away which we are having in May.
It actually killed me to click `pay now` and took me a while to press the button.
It is a treat really and i suppose we do NEED it, we have never had a holiday or break of any kind and have been together since 1996, married since 2004!!
DD is starting to ask about holidays and really is looking forward to it.
I myself could go without and could of used the money in a more `material` way ie, a carpet or wallpaper/paint lmao!

ANYWAY that is paid and done = our 1st lil family break.
I booked this lil break out of the blue one day and as it was £240 off i thought oh sj go for it! Butlins isnt an ideal location but heyho!
I have NEVER been away before, even as a child the furthest i went was a local essex beach for the day so not been used to it at all.
I do want my children to have holidays though especially when they are a bit older and hope to travel yearly to different places.

Car tax is being paid on Friday - the 2 mths council tax break paid for this, we are getting a yearly one too which is a 1st for us!!