My lose lbs save £'s diary

Intergalactic_Floozie

LOL - okay, so day 1 was a draw because I didn't spend anything either. It's easy when the stores are closed!! In fact, I think I won because I actually earned £4 yesterday as I had to do DS1's paper round as he had a footy tournament to go to.

(Gawd, you can tell I'm competitive!!!)

So, got weighed today and was Xst 3.6lbs (daredn't put the amount of stones what I actually am, too embarrassed). On Friday I got a shock when I was 5.6lbs so I've lost 2lbs over Easter weekend so far! I'm just trying not to snack, and to reduce portion sizes.

missylaney

Well your winning on the weight front too Floozie - 2lb in a weekend, is fantastic!! I'd lost 1lb when I got weighed yesterday morning and celebrated by eating too much, I'm such a div. I've decided I'm going to list everything I eat that I shouldn't have (i.e. anything off the SW plan) in the hope of shaming myself into sticking to the diet. Here goes for yesterday:

2 glasses red wine
2 large roast potatoes, 1 yorkshire pudding + gravy
Woodland fruits strudel & custard
About 6 chocolate bics (have finished them tho and won't buy anymore)
1 FAB lolly
A couple of mini eggs

I'm allowed 10 sins a day so that'll cover the red wine and the mini eggs, the rest is going to have to be atoned for during the rest of this week.

On the money front, yesterdays spending as follows:

SW 4.95
Grapes 3
Wine 4.99
Ebay Fees 6.94
Total 19.88


I've put together a new spreadsheet to give me an idea of what I shouldhave available to pay off debts this month (I run separate sheets for DH's business and our personal finances). The summary is:


Business Account Balance 101
Business Account Outgoings pending 318
Personal Account Balance -776
Personal Account Outgoings pending 1469
Personal Account incoming pending 952
Invoices Pending 1910

Total Incoming 2187
Total Outgoing 1787
Left towards debt reduction400

This is better than I thought, the only real obstacle is that some of our clients are a bit carp at paying up so I do have to juggle the money quite a lot between accounts while we're waiting. I've included all our min bals in the "personal account outgoings pending" plus £296 to pay off the remaining balance on our Virgin CC - we had a £6k+ balance on that which we've xfered to 2 0% interest cards and had the £296 left over. We should be able to get under the 10k by the end of April :j

I'm trying for an NSD today, DS is at his dad's so I'm going to tackle the festering pit that passes for his bedroom, hopefully picking up lots of ebay/boot sale stuff along the way. Will take the girls to the library later and maybe to the park if this glorious weather holds.

Intergalactic_Floozie

Wayhay - I'm glad you spent more than me yesterday! I bought 2 x Bra's and some red beads from Asda Living yesterday, total spend £11.

Another 0.4lbs off today, down to Xst 3.4lbs

missylaney

Hmm, got a sneaking feeling I'm going to lose this challenge - and you have lovely new things to show for your money too... I managed an NSD yesterday though, even though we walked to the library - past shops!

Made a good start on DS's room yesterday, ended up a bit tearful looking at some of his school stuff and pictures from when he was little - I'd forgotten how cute he was before he developed the attitude... Sorted out some ebay stuff though, I now have 11 items listed all finishing on Sunday. Got loads more to go on as well and haven't even started on the loft. Target is £150 by 15th May for DD1's birthday present & parties - she's having 2, both at home & on the same day so not as extravagent as it sounds but DH has such a large & lairy family that we don't really have room for everybody at once.

Things eaten yesterday surplus to requirements:

Half an Easter egg (one of the baby's, I had to help her with it...)
1 lemon french fancy

Not sure how many sins the easter egg is and can't be bothered to check and I think the FF is 6

Figures below have changed a bit (for the worse) because I forgot one of my DD's:

Business Account Balance 101
Business Account Outgoings pending 318
Personal Account Balance -810
Personal Account Outgoings pending 1458
Personal Account incoming pending 952
Invoices Pending 1910

Total Incoming 2153
Total Outgoing 1776
Left towards debt reduction 377

Have ordered shopping from Sainsburys to come today (free delivery) and it should be around £100 so I'm saving £30/£40 on my usual weekly shop

Have also got to go to the newsagents and find out how much I owe them for our newspapers, we only have them at weekends (one each for me and DH) but I never get round to popping in and paying up so fear it will be in the region of £50. I've been thinking about cancelling them, I know its an uneccessary expense but it is a small luxury we really enjoy so I'm going to see how it goes for a few weeks - if I can stick to paying it regularly every Monday I think I'll carry on with it for now.

No other spending plans for the day, visiting the in-laws the this afternoon to show off DD2's new found walking skills :):)

Intergalactic_Floozie

LOL, you definitely won yesterday. I bought a new laptop / note book / netbook (I really don't know what they are called, but you know what I mean!). I decided it was a necessity because I am rarely able to get on our lappy these days because one of the kids is hogging it so we got a mini laptop for £199. I also got a £10 gift voucher as Argos were doing that promotion again.

I then went to Tesco and got a new top (£10) and some new flat shoes (£8).

Not sure if you have heard of this company - I haven't - but if you have any clothes that you simply cannot shift on ebay, this company say they will pay you 40p per kg of clothes. I haven't used them but I have millions of black binliners of clothes upstairs that don't fit anymore so I'm thinking of giving them a ring - http://ecexport.com/ I know 40p per kilo's not a lot but they take curtains and old duvets and stuff, a few pairs of jeans would weigh quite a bit too, and it's all better in our pockets isn't it?

My newspaper bill is £3.40 per week (one local newspaper per day times 6 days plus 10p delivery per day). I always used to get behind with paying it, and the paper shop man never ever said anything to me. Once I went in, and found out I owed £130!!!! So what I do now is at the start of the month I get all the money out for kids football, cubs subs, bus fares and newspapers and put it in a jar, and at least that way if I forget to pay it on a Sunday, at least it's in the jar at home waiting to be paid.

And I had a whole easter egg yesterday - DHs' mum got me one, I'd been doing so well up to then too

anonymoose_3

Hi misslaney :wave:

Going to subscribe to your diary

Good luck,
Moose x

missylaney

Good morning its a lovely sunny day here - raining and grey in my bank account though - have gone over the overdraft limit which I never do, and still no sign of payment for 3 of our invoices for Feb so I can't even xfer any money to rectify it :mad::mad:

anonymoose wrote: »

Hi misslaney :wave:

Going to subscribe to your diary

Good luck,
Moose x

Hello Moose :wave: & welcome, have caught up on your diary and subscribed too. Love the username!!

Intergalactic_Floozie wrote: »

LOL, you definitely won yesterday. I bought a new laptop / note book / netbook (I really don't know what they are called, but you know what I mean!). I decided it was a necessity because I am rarely able to get on our lappy these days because one of the kids is hogging it so we got a mini laptop for £199. I also got a £10 gift voucher as Argos were doing that promotion again.

I then went to Tesco and got a new top (£10) and some new flat shoes (£8).

Yay me!!:j I do sympathise re: kids hogging the laptop tho. My DS got one for his birthday & christmas last year so don't have to fight him for ours anymore, but DH (the biggest kid) got home at 4pm yesterday and was on it most of the evening sodding about with his ipod.

Intergalactic_Floozie wrote: »

Not sure if you have heard of this company - I haven't - but if you have any clothes that you simply cannot shift on ebay, this company say they will pay you 40p per kg of clothes. I haven't used them but I have millions of black binliners of clothes upstairs that don't fit anymore so I'm thinking of giving them a ring - http://ecexport.com/ I know 40p per kilo's not a lot but they take curtains and old duvets and stuff, a few pairs of jeans would weigh quite a bit too, and it's all better in our pockets isn't it?

That's interesting, I seem to always be giving bags of clothes to the charity shop - let me know how you get on

Intergalactic_Floozie wrote: »

My newspaper bill is £3.40 per week (one local newspaper per day times 6 days plus 10p delivery per day). I always used to get behind with paying it, and the paper shop man never ever said anything to me. Once I went in, and found out I owed £130!!!!

:eek::eek: I don't even know how much mine is a week, didn't end up going round there yesterday but must go this morning, pay it all off & find out so that I can get organised. Luckily DH has had a few private jobs lately and we have some cash stashed, because the bank account has died...

The sorry picture:

Business Account Balance 101
Business Account Outgoings pending 318
Personal Account Balance -1089 :eek:
Personal Account Outgoings pending 1458
Personal Account incoming pending 952 (nothing until 13th tho)
Invoices Pending 1910 :mad::mad:

Total Incoming 1874
Total Outgoing 1543
Left towards debt reduction 331 - this has gone down again because I'm in denial about my Sky+ dd and have it wildly understimated on my spreadsheet...

Spent £102.99 yesterday on the weeks shopping, very pleased with this. The shop included 16 cans lager for DH (got friends coming round on Sat night). Also ordered a joint of pork which was on special offer and its massive so will be able to cut it in half and get to Sunday roasts out of it.

We're going to a local kids farm place this afternoon, going after lunch so I don't have to bother taking it with me. Must go, baby crying and I'm neglecting her to blether on on here.....

missylaney

An even sorrier financial picture for me today:(:

Business Account Balance 101
Business Account Outgoings pending 318
Personal Account Balance -1114 :eek::eek:
Personal Account Outgoings pending 1260
Personal Account incoming pending 952 (nothing until 13th tho)
Invoices Pending 1910 :mad::mad:

Total Incoming 1849
Total Outgoing 1578
Left towards debt reduction 271 - have been fined £25 for being over my overdraft limit (1st time i've ever done this) and also have checked balance on Virgin card and its gone up because of interest.

Spends yesterday:

Paper bill £78.50
Grapes £3
Jelly tots .35p
2 bday cards £2.88
Coffee, tea and cake at farm £5ish (can't remember but paid with a £5 note)
Total £89.73

Would have been more but my lovely nan insisted on paying our entrance fees

Didn't do too bad food wise yesterday:

3 bites of DD1's choc rice crispy cake
1 small choccy bic at pre-school meeting
1 fab lolly
Handful of raisins

I've been thinking about the bigger things I may have to spend money on this year and wanted to list them & find a way to save for them, so I don't just accidentally blow the budget out of the water. There is a much longer list in my head (bunkbeds for the girls, new living room carpet/flooring, two-storey extension to the house:D) but the stuff below is unavoidable so going to have to deal with that (and the debt clearing of course) first:

• The squirrell fund £1500 - DH is a self-employed gardener/grounds maintenance person and although his income is good for 9 months of the year it drops like a stone over the winter so we need to save for those months. We've just got through the 2nd winter since we started the business and realised need to sort ourselves out before next winter or the debts just going to keep rising (this is why I'm here!). TBH I'm not sure yet how I'm going to do this but its definitely the most important one on the list. Have put it into the spreadsheet and will xfer it to savings account every month. I’ll need to leave any spare money in the main personal account this month so we don’t get into trouble if (when) people are late paying us hence starting from end-May and we should have £1500 by end-Oct.
• Birthdays - I have DD1's birthday coming up next month, mine in June, DH in September, DS in December and DD2 next Feb. These are all quite nicely spread out so the plan is to use money made on ebay to cover them all. I have loads of stuff to sell so should be able to do this fairly easily - 11 items listed at the moment finishing on Sunday and about another 12 ready to go on. Our loft is crammed with all sorts of stuff that can be sold too. This one feels achievable!
• School uniform x 2 - DS is starting senior school this September and DD1 is starting infant school. Both need uniforms and I want to save towards the cost of those as it will be a big outlay – the list of stuff DS needs is unbelievable (3 pairs sports shoes!! A lab coat!!). This is going to be a cash savings jar, and I’m going to get him to take packed lunches to school every day after the hols and put the £8 he would have cost me in dinner money into the jar as a start. There are 13 weeks of school time left before he leaves so that’s £104. Hmm, not enough. OK, there are 19 weeks till September, will put £10 cash per week in the jar every week, £190. Still probably not enough so will give this some more thought.
• DS’s bus fares to his new school. I’m immensely proud that my son has won a place at a nearby grammar school, he did really in his 11+ and it’s a fantastic school and I’m very glad he’s going there but.. its going to cost me a fortune! As well as the aforementioned uniform he has to get there by private coach, which costs £150 every half-term. I’ve put it in the spreadsheet, and its ok for the summer months but the payments when we’re strapped over the winter will be a problem. I need to go through my outgoings and make a big effort to reduce them. I have done lots of things like changing utility suppliers, insurance etc but there’s definitely more to do. I’m setting myself a target of reducing outgoings by £100 per month, and I’m going to give myself until the end of May to do it.
• Our summer holiday. We are borrowing a seaside caravan from a friends mum for a week in the summer. I don’t yet know how much she’s going to charge us, my friend said it wouldn’t be very much but she has to cover fees, entertainment passes etc. Will obviously need spending money so will start another cash jar to cover that. Got 16 weeks to save for that & going to try to do £40 a week cash.
• The Christmas fund - I spoil my kids (including the big kid) rotten at Christmas, and I'm not going to go completely the other way but I do need to set a budget, save for it and stick to it. I also tend to always have Christmas dinner at our house and a bit of a party either boxing day or NYE and these cost a fortune too. This is another danger area for the credit cards and I need to take control of it this year. Not sure how I'm going to do this either (I can see a theme here...) but I’m going to have to come up with a budget figure and work out how to save for it. I’ve got 29 weeks till out income starts to go down, so for now I’m going to put £30 per month into the spreadsheet and xfer to savings plus do a £10 per week cash jar. Might be able to do more in cash once the holidays out of the way.

Apologies to anyone who hasn't fallen into a coma and is still reading, I'll shut up now!

Intergalactic_Floozie

I'm still awake!!!! Good to see you are taking control and planning for upcoming events.

I think I only spent £20+ on groceries yesterday so I win!

missylaney

An NSD for me yesterday but need to buy stuff today - luckily have got enough cash because the bank account is still in meltdown...

Business Account Balance 24
Business Account Outgoings pending 239
Personal Account Balance -1218 :eek::eek:
Personal Account Outgoings pending 1260
Personal Account incoming pending 952 (nothing until 13th tho)
Invoices Pending 1910 :mad::mad:

Total Incoming 1668
Total Outgoing 1499
Leftover 169

Still no payments from invoiced customers. We have got about £250 in cash that we could have paid in to pull us back within the overdraft limit but our nearest branch is about 30 miles away so its not possible. I'm going to look into changing current accounts to get one thats more accessible.

Had a bad food day yesterday, about half an easter egg again, more raisins, pancetta, TWO fab lollies (it was sunny!), 2 packs refreshers... . My skinniest friend is coming round tonight too, I really must fall out with her...