Debt Free ASAP Pledge - Join Me!!!

System

I'm trying to do healthy cheaply too.

Any tips Elfen?

elfen

Ashamed -
Check Sainbury's for high juice, is a pound a bottle and it's really tasty - favourite is the apple one.
If you get pure juice, put at least half water in there - so it isn't so strong and you're not using as much - can get 4 pints out of one 1l bottle.
Also, check for fruit and veg on offer - I mainly go to Aldi and get theirs, or I check the supermarkets for cheap fruit - the economy stuff sin't too bad as it's just fruit and veg.
Get veg thats on it's last day or so, it means you need to use it and usually reduced.
Also, frozen veg is just as good as fresh, and is usually chep to get 3-4 different bags of veg.
Drink lots and lots of water - buy one 1l water, then re-use the bottle. I have two on the go when I'm at uni or out as I drink so much - at the gym I refill it when I'm finished.
Eat smaller meals 4-6 times a day - lots easier and you don't feel so "empty". It's also cheaper to add more veg and take off the carbs in the evening - so no spuds, pasta, rice for your evening meal, use the same amount of meat but add more veg in.
Nice-ish treats/snacks I find are jelly with fruit in - Asda have the Dole's fruit and jelly at 6 for £2 at the moment and it's really nice.
Try and get seasonal fruit as much as you can - or get fruit and veg you like and you'll be less likely to waste it.
Use a side plate instead of a big plate so it looks like your smaller meal is a lot bigger - appearances can be deceptive.
If you can afford to, join the gym, if not, look on eBay and Cash Convertors/Cex for cheap fitness DVDS - you can make weights out of two 500ml bottles filled with water - go for walks or use your bike when you can.
Another one is to get off a stop early from the bus if you can, or walk to and from the train station, it all helps.
Do as much as you can on foot and not driving - biking is good, or if you're going into town, walk it! I walk (on an average day) between 5-7 miles as I don't drive and refuse to get the bus!
Dried fruit is also good - so get sultanas and put them on your cereal, or take some dried fruit if you want a sweet snack (It also helps make you more 'regular')
(Also, it isn't that expensive to cut down on carbs - by cutting out the junk I used to get the shopping bill has come down by about 20-30 a month - just by getting fruit)

So far, this is working, as I've dropped from over 13 and a half stone to nearly 12.

System

Thanks Elfen

There's loads to be going on with there.

Thankfully I already do some of it! Love doing my exercise videos at home and I walk EVERYWHERE!

Congrats on the weight loss!

La_escocesa

While I'm still paying off my credit card, I will:
- take lunch to work (all but 2 days a month)
- make PADs to my cc with the cash I've saved from ^
- not visit the beautician!
- not buy any crisps, snacks or drinks at work
- read the books I've got and visit the library if I haven't got it
- update my spending diary religiously

So far so good! :T

How's everyone else getting on?

La xx

System

Hi Escocesa

Think I'm doing ok! Hardest bit has been the craft supplies so far. I have a friend leaving Bristol and I want to make a gift for her new home, but I don't have any ideas that involve only materials that I have!

I was wondering how people use the spending diary to best use? How often do you look at it?

Keep up the good work all!

La_escocesa

I update a spending diary on this https://www.spendingdiary.com every day I spend something (or at the end of a weekend) and then look over it every week/month (it does all the reports for you). I then export it to an excel file and have a tab for every month so I can see if I spent more or less than the month before etc.

This diary's also good because you categorise everything so it's easy to see how much I've spent on toiletries/take aways etc at a glance.

xx

Mar-tan

Hi everyone, this is a good idea!

I am going to:

Always take lunch to work
Not let the MPG on my car drop below 40.00 (my right foot is made of lead)
Meals out only on special occasions
Stop raiding my change jar
Stick to my budget religously
No more drinking for 6 months ( hae done this before and saved a fortune plus felt amazing after!)

Good luck everyone

System

Oh thanks Escocesa

I haven't seen that link before - that will keep me quiet this weekend!

Mar-tan welcome! NO drinking? Gees good luck!!!!

So what is everyone doing for a budget Friday night?

xxx

La_escocesa

Ashamed_of_Bristol wrote: »

So what is everyone doing for a budget Friday night?

xxx

I don't know how budget it is but I am going for a £9.99 pizza deal. Will only cost me a fiver and having a few glasses from the box of wine we got in the shopping (we have stopped buying bottles from the corner shop).

(Good to see you on the small things thread too, btw. Catch up tomorrow.)

xx

System

Hi again!

Yeah I find the small things easier to cope with - so I've branched out onto that thread too!

Hope you enjoyed the pizza!