SAHM to 2 boys Money Diary

SAHMto2boys

Morning!

Right, I've been MIA from here for the last few days as I've been having a big think about what I want and where things are going in my life. Nothing major but some tweaks that I think are needed.







Firstly a few pledges/challenges to myself

1. Cut down on going on Facebook. I don't post that much there but I read everything and I'm started to get annoyed/upset by things being posted. I think its somewhere for people to generally brag about things, so you only get a rose tinted view of peoples lives not reality.
2. Cut back on spending time on my apperance. After this weekend I'm itching and sore from fake tan, my hairs in pain from curling and colouring, my skin is manky from too much make up, my feet hurt from heels, my eyes are sore from false eyelashes. You get the picture, I need to stop slapping all this junk on and find the me under all that.:o
3. Cut out toxic friend for good and stop wasting energy on it all
4. Start eating better and cut out booze. My insomia is back and my energy levels are so low that I'm sure this is at root of it.:(
5. Sort out my OU course. Make the decision of which course.:eek:

Jobs and tasks to be done this week

1. By end of the week have everything on Ebay thats to go
2. [STRIKE]Sort the boys rooms out
3. Sort the present cupboard out and update list[/STRIKE]
4. Watch the spending. Try and make the money left last and not go overdrawn
5. [STRIKE]Organise fathers day stuff - cards to make, DH deliver/mug/[/STRIKE] [STRIKE]buy chocs, sort FILsort Dad[/STRIKE]
6. [STRIKE]
7. Write thank you's and deliver along with cake - half done
8. Return all the borrowed things - half done[/STRIKE][STRIKE]
9. Check out Lidl and discount foods
10. Get the baby some new PJs (will have to credit card it for next months CHB)
11. [/STRIKE]Have a look through the diary and start planning a few things - need to speak with DH

Have been online this morning and submitted gas and electric readings. It doesn't look like I've used massive amounts compared to last times bills so hopefully the careful usage will pay off. Also turned the bolier right down this weekend for the summer.

Realised I had no bread in for DS's lunch so have whacked the BM on, have gotten myself some HM soup from the freezer to have with mine. Will try the baby on it too later. It looking like I need to do a food shop but will see how long I can leave this as cupboards and freezers are looking ok, its just fresh stuff we are running low on. Not really got much left in the accounts though so the longer I manage on whats in, the better.

Also managed to iron one load of washing, have another load outside drying and another one in the washer so hopefully will catch up with all that. Along with doing the usual washing up/bottles, etc.

I've been hearing so much about 'The Secert' at the minute, both on here and in real life. Maybe that ought to be something I look into more, I already think that you get back what you put out and karma, etc so need to see if this book is along those lines or something more I think.

Sure I'll be back later. xx

SAHMto2boys

Just been doing some jobs online while the boys have a sleep as they are both shattered.

DH pays for the phone and internet out of his account and I don't really bother with the bills. Today I've opened one and the balance was the usual but noticed we are paying £1.45 a month for a paper bill!!! Just registered our details and changed to email and saved £17 a year!

Ordered my years car tax. With budgetting I've only £55 to find next month but have borrowed out of our savings pot so I could pay via debit card to save a £2.50 card fee. Will replace this on payday.

Paid for our holiday, had this money saved away so just transferred it into our current account. By paying with debit card and not credit I've saved £16, last year I would have had no choice to put it on the credit card and then sort it out later.

Triggles

Wow you have been busy! And I love that you're finding all those smaller money-savers! People tend to forget about them (I often do!) and they can really add up!!

I noted that you said you were looking at stopping breastfeeding at 6 months. I just wanted to mention to you that when you're investigating formulas, have a think (if you'd like) on toddler milk for 6+ months babies. We decided to go with the toddler milk SMA for 6+ months, and we've been quite happy with it. From what we could tell, it's fairly similar to the regular formula, and it frequently goes on sale, unlike regular formula. We stock up when it goes from £7 per tin (powdered) down to £5 per tin. I know it's only £2-something, but honestly those £2's do add up! We just watch the sales - seems to go on sale at Tesco and Morrisons fairly regularly.

SAHMto2boys

Thanks Triggles - both for your post and just saying hello - was starting to think there was an echo in here LOL!

I've fully stopped BF now as DS2 is now 6 and half month and its SMA that I have chosen too! Gave it my older DS and he thrived on it so it must do something good. Good to know its offer though , must keep my eye on that. I think I'll need about three tins a month so thats £21.72 a month I need to work into the budget so those £2's off would really help.

Well today ended up being a NSD - apart from 50p for DS snack money for the week. Tomorrow I will need to go shopping for milk and fruit if nothing else. Think I'll go to the local Lidl as there is a Matalan, pound shop and Home Bargains all on the same retail park so I can hopefully get everything I need. If I've time, I'll drive back past the discount food shop to see what thats like as its only slightly out of the way. Is it bad I can say I'm a Lidl virgin? LOL

Pinky15

I really admire you getting to 6 mths with the Bfeeding. I struggled with all of mine and only managed a few weeks at the most . So well done!
We seem to go through milk and fruit like theres tomorrow - I wonder what fruit trees we could have a go at growing in this country lol. Glad to hear the money saving is going well! x

Triggles

Lidl's is nice - we browse there sometimes when in town, but it can be a bit of a temptation closer to Christmas with all their nice chocolate and holiday items!!

Well done on getting to 6 months breastfeeding though! That is great! We didn't last that long with DS3, as he had jaundice and the brutal feeding/expressing schedule the midwife insisted on just about put me over the edge. I think if she hadn't been so threatening and pushy about it, I might have persevered - after all I did breastfeed my other babies for a good 6 months!

If I see the SMA on sale anywhere, I'll post so you know! Sorry, I called it toddler milk, but the 6months plus is actually follow on milk. But it still goes on sale regularly. We've only got about another month, then DS3 is 1yr and can have milk. Yay!

SAHMto2boys

Thanks Pinky and Triggles:o :A

Triggles - thanks about the offers, I'll also give you a shout if I spot any anywhere.

Well, I've done Lidl and was very impressed. I didn't know know they stocked as many brands, I thought they were like Aldi. Have just been and checked my receipt against Asdas website and have saved £6.66 on what I brought, mainly grapes being £1 at Lidl and £2.47 at Asda. Did see some stuff like Heniz beans at over £2 when I can buy them for about £1.70 in Home Bargains but overall very good. Will def shop there more. Used to use Aldi all the time but got fed up of then having to go elsewhere for branded bits like cereal so Lidls should work out ok. Also checked out the discount food place but don't think its worth the extra effort to shop there.

Also went in the other shops on the retail park. Picked up a Thomas duvet cover DS has asked for from the 'birthday fairy', cheapest I found it was £10 and got it for £9 from pound-type shop. Also brought a doctors outfit, DS was looking at them in John Lewis for about £20 :eek: and picked up almost the same on for £4.99 from Home Bargains. Feeling all:A tonight with my bargains, thats empited my gift savings account for the month. That means that DS birthday is done and a few more bits for Christmas to go. Need to start doing a bit more for the baby now.

Have been emailed the lastest gas and electric bills. Held my breath as I checked them, the last gas bill was a whopping £300+:eek::eek: (double yikes!) and electric £170 for a quarter. But it was so, so cold with all the snow and that and with having a new baby I had no choice but to use the heating. Anyway this quarter is £140 for gas and £75 for electric. Of courses its warmer but I've been really careful with the usage so its clearly helped. Woohoo!

Have managed to cross of some bits from my to do list the other day but am now finding things to add to it - think I need to update my long term list I've got. DS has got a little chair in his room and its quite grubby so needs recovering. When I did over his room, I found some fab curtains reduced to £4 in B&Q. So brought another set and made some cushion covers, have just had a root around and I'll have enough to make a chair cover too. I've got a sewing machine in the box still from Christmas:o so I can crack on with this little project. Just haven't had the time with the baby but reading the shabby chic thread on the OS boards have made me want to start doing things again as I love doing things like that.

Found my dream job today but have contacted the employers and they are only offering full time hours. Don't think that would work for me, moneywise great but childcare would be a nightmare so that was a bit gutting. But sure it just means there is something better out there for me.

Think thats about everything I've got to say:D

Jo_R_2

I've been peeping at the Shabby Chic thread too, it's very inspirational. I've had my head full of getting 'new' stuff for the house but it does seem like a great way of making unique things at a fraction of the price. Sounds like you're quite crafty - unfortunately I don't possess that gene but I do aspire to so I might join you at some point in trying to make stuff!

Can I just say kudos on the leccy/gas bill?:D We've had a recent nightmare with ours and the winter months so am making a concerted effort and hoping our next bill shows it!

SAHMto2boys

Thanks for the well done JoR. Hopefully nexts time will be even lower as we're hardly using the heating and an hour a day to heat the water, hope your next bills are low too! As for being crafty - I'm so not! Its quite easy to shabby chic or change furniture, for our guest room and our room I wanted nice wooden french style furniture but its all just so expensive. So I brought the cheapest heavy, plain wooden range Argos do (think about £15 for a bedside drawer set) sanded it, painted it, distressed it and senciled the guest room lot, stuck on cheap wooden fancy bits from B&Q and new handles and volia! Shabby chic for about a quarter of the shops and so personal too. I stay go for it! I really, really want to have a few projects on the go.


Forgive me diary but I have sinned....have brought myself some new jeans and three tops from town. Two tops were in the sale and spent about £50 on everything. I'm just fed up of wearing Primark as its so uncomfortable and I just liked the stuff and the jeans are amazing and I had the same ones in maternity and wore them loads and I might take two tops back and I've been so good otherwise and and and. Oops. Oh well.

Also finished Fathers Day gifts off, had to use the credit card but will replace from next months gift budget as brought quite a lot for DS this month. Also picked up SIL a beautiful bag half price in Oasis (I so want it) and baby a couple of bits from ELC. There are some brilliant sales on in places so I thought I'd use my credit card and sort it next month as its 0% till September, I've got loads already for Christmas. Also picked baby some PJs half price in Boots. I've already written on my budget bit in my planner how much I need to transfer across to cover it all.

I left the car up at school and walked into town so treated myself to a pasty as I'd not had to pay for parking. Had a little look in the charity shops for material and bits for porjects but didn't find anything.

Enjoy the sunshine if you've got it. xx

pennywisepoundstupid

Hi just wanted to say i'm loving the diary and think your managing really well, i also have 2 children a boy and a girl and know how hard it is to say no and want them to have a better childhood etc, but i think you sound like a fab mum.
Have you got a sainsburys near you as i'm sure i saw something about sma follow on being half price at the moment.