I can't beleive how easy it can be

Kitchenbunny

Wow, just wanted to say that I am going to be following your diary with interest. You're a real inspiration, and while we all have little setbacks from time to time I know you'll get past it and back to progress again.

This is my first serious month on the Grocery Challenge and I'm really enjoying it. I love the thought of using every little thing I've got in the cupboards before buying new!

All the best

K xx

Bonglecat

alioops78 wrote: »

There's always the possiblity of going too hard too soon. By the sounds of it the first part of your post reads as though it was all covered by savings.

Is there any chance you can take the clothes back if you're that annoyed with yourself?
Alioops x

Yes the decorating stuff is covered by the savings and that was what they were there for, it's just that I wanted some left at the end and now that won't happen. I guess I should have waiting on the decorating until my fund was larger but given that July will mark 6 years in the house and DH has refused to do anything at all on it, I just got so frustrated I had to do something!!

As for the clothes they still have the tags on and I've got the receipts so I could return some or all of them. I'll decide by the weekend and act accordingly.

I just have to keep telling myself 2 more loan payments and the penultimate payment will be on next Wednesday. :j

Had a look in the freezer last night we have plenty of food to keep us going until pay day but I think there may be some unusual combinations there.

Bonglecat

Kitchenbunny wrote: »

This is my first serious month on the Grocery Challenge and I'm really enjoying it. I love the thought of using every little thing I've got in the cupboards before buying new!

All the best

K xx

Thanks for reading.

It is fun I sort of make it into a little game.

BC

Kitchenbunny

Speaking of storecupboards, I spent about 2 hours last night (in bed!) trying to come up with ideas of what I can feed the visiting family this weekend. Some can be fussy, and I really didn't want to have to go to the supermarket for more than I really needed.

Odd combinations, as you say ...

Chickpea and hot dog sausage burger, anyone?

Seriously though, I did decide I'd try and make pasties. That'd do, right?

K xx

Bonglecat

Hi, Kitchenbuuny.

Yum homemade pasties sound yummy. Although I also won't say no to chickpea and hot dog burgers!! But then I'll eat anything.

So far my cupboard clearing (which actually included cleaning them out and rearranging) has produced such meals as Thai Chicken encroutes with Mexican potato wedges, how very international. Once I get cleared I plan to take the advice of Florencem from the Grocery Challenge thread and make more things from scratch.

Kitchenbunny

How is everything coming along? Admittedly I haven't done much in the making from scratch stakes lately but it is worth it. For me it's just been too hot lately and I know as soon as it gets cooler I'll start to do more.

K xx

Bonglecat

Well sorry I haven't posted for a while I fell into a bit of a depression or as I put it totally lost my mojo. I barely went to the gym, ate all sorts of carp and of course hads the shopping incident. Actually update on that point I felt so bad about impulsing buying that I went to return one jumper and the linen shirt to M&S but at the last moment I kept the shirt but I got the £17.50 back on the jumper. Then I went across the street to Brantano and picked up a pair of discounted Bob's (Sketchers slightly cheaper version of Tom's) for £20 but I don't feel bad because they have been barely off my feet since and I've worn the linen shirt 5 times since. So I figure these things were worth it.

Since the weight loss is moving on I've noticed that a couple of my Designer at Debenham things that I had in a size 16 are now looking silly so instead of giving them to the charity shop I thought I'd give fleabay a punt first. BTW still haven't got the Wedgewood listed yet :mad:

I had a little shock last pay day I logged on to the M&S card to marvel at another payment gone and found that DH had bought some pond filters for £31.90 :eek: When I challenged him and pointed out that card was for emergencies only he said I hadn't made it clear :wall:I don't get how "I'll let you have a card but IT'S FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY!!!!" is not clear!!!

On the plus side he has passed one exam at work, this means that he can continue in the role at the moment and he has committed to taking the rest of the exams. Once he starts those he will have 2 years to qualify otherwise, again, he's out of a job. I really think the CBT is working, at least he hasn't called me a f***ing idiot for not being able to read his mind recently anyway

And it's only 11 days until my next pay day and that is the day of the last loan payment :j can't wait!!!!

Bonglecat

Kitchenbunny wrote: »

How is everything coming along? Admittedly I haven't done much in the making from scratch stakes lately but it is worth it. For me it's just been too hot lately and I know as soon as it gets cooler I'll start to do more.

K xx

Hi KB not really being doing too much other than making a few cakes and those weren't really from scratch rather some discounted Wrights cake mixes I got from A!di. I'm still trying to clear the freezer and cupboard of stuff before I get down to proper cooking.

Where are you then? It's been rain, rain, rain here.

Bonglecat

:j:jWOO HOO:j:j
:beer::beer::beer::beer:

Another pay day yesterday and guess what the final payment on my personal loan. I don't think I can remember ever getting a loan to completion before, I usually just ended up rolling it into another.

So also another payment off the M&S Visa card and one of hubbies Personal loan too, it's in joint names to get it through but it was for his credit cards.

Loving logging on and seeing 0.00

I've done the snowball calculator and I should be able to pay of the card in 9 months at my normal rate but if I can get some stuff on fleabay hopefully I can reduce this. Paying off all my debts by Christmas actually seems achieveable. My main focus is to ensure I don't get into any more which is always soooo tempting but I will resist.

You know what my main problem has always been comparing myself to others and seeing them go on expensive holidays and get new cars or designer hand bags and I think "that's not fair, why can't I have that" but I eventually discovered that either they couldn't afford it so were piling on the debt or they weren't spending as much as I thought e.g. the new car was actually 4 year old second hand not brand new and the Jimmy Choo shoes were 75% off at Biscester Village. But I've worked out that with no kids and both off us in full time employment that if we didn't have any debts to pay we would have quite a bit of disposible income to play with. The only things is that I'm starting to lose my appetite for the expensive/designer stuff and am quite content with what I have hummm weird!?!?!?

Kitchenbunny

Congratulations on the final payment of your personal loan! Well done! That's awesome news and I'm very pleased for you.

With regards to your other point - it isn't weird at all. I used to have a thing for really expensive cosmetics and love to buy the posh stuff if I can still. I'm starting to lose that now and don't mind what I use. It's probably the same with you - you're developing a style that doesn't need the expensive accessories. A few good pieces work wonders.

Mind you, quite a few charity shops I go into regularly have a rail for designer clothes, and I saw a pair of Jimmy Choos in one (sadly not my size or colour - peach tan patent leather!) for a fraction of their price. I can resist them now, but find it soooo difficult to resist a bargain

Another week of meal planning, grocery challenging and general tightwadness and I'll get back on track. Bonglecat - I'm in the UK, in Cambridgeshire, but don't do very well when the temperature is above about 18C! Am a cold weather bunny!

Well done you!! (hug)

K xx