Stop the ride, i wanna get off!

ragstoricheswannabe

Positive head still here!!

Realising slowly that its not just trying to pay as much off as possible, its also about balancing the books and learning to live within our means. My impatience does get the better of me at times. £100 off the debt is £100 less than the previous month.

So, the kids have had spag bol for tea, i made this on sun night and managed to get a few meals out of it this week. I had 2 meals of it at work and both kids had it tonight. Also found a rogue garlic baguette in the freezer so that bulked their meal out nicely. I have got a frozen shepards pie in the oven that i got for £1.25 yellow sticker section and have got a big pan of stew on the go for tomorrow made with beef the mil bought and just shoved in the freezer and free veg my mum pulled out of her garden today!! Hoorah for pants weather meaning it doesnt feel odd having a hearty stew in august!:rotfl:

Mortgage came out today putting us £280 in the overdraft but thats good given our past history. My payday is in 9 days time so hoping to keep it under £350 till then. Not sure much comes out before my pay day. Shouldnt need much for shopping this week as got loads last week. Might get some sausage meat and have a go at making my own sausage rolls....kids eat them so quickly anmd they cant be that hard, right?!

Gonna have a nosey at the link pipsmum put up on her diary with some cheap meal ideas. Still need to research ideas for boxes. Whilst their not at school i might even get away with homemade pasties as they can be warmed up. Silly question but what pastry would you use?? puff pastry??

ragstoricheswannabe

well, keeping under £350 of my overdraft hasnt worked, forgot about the cheque for childcare. Dont want to wish the hols away as love seeing the kids but it will be so much better for my bank balance when they do!

7 days till payday. not that im counting.:rotfl:

Got some ideas for boxes, some out of my cookbooks. Some cakes with veg in looks interesting. There is a choc muffin that has courgette in. Apparently you cant taste the courgette but adds lots of yummy moisture. Gonna give them a go! also thought of yummy mini quiches instead of sausage rolls/sarnies as they can be eaten hot or cold.

Beef stew went down a treat last night with the kids. Not sure what i will do tonight as have their cousin to stay and she is so fussy with food. ummmmmm, ideas welcome.

pennywisepoundstupid

What about pizza rag, kids can make them and put their own toppings on, I always whizz lots of extra veggies into the base sauce;).

ragstoricheswannabe

Well, my niece didnt stay in the end, and the mil took us out to tea so pennies saved there.

Have a few old mobiles on top of the kitchen cupboards, so gonna have a look at how much i can get for them. Some of them wont be worth much as the backs are missing but anything is better than nothing. Also gonna do the same with our cd and dvd collection as we never watch or listen to them.

Gonna ring sky up and see if they will do me a cheaper deal.........know people on other digital network who pay much less than we do for the same sort of package. worth a try.

Hopefully be able to put the gas and elec dd down once the change over has happened.

Might knock the kids savings from £10 a month each to £5 a month. Feel bad doing this but used to pay a fiver in and only changed for the higher interest account. That no longer is available so no reason why i cant.

What else can i do???? ummmmmmmm.........................

Ds1 has been asking about pocket money. Might talk to the hubby (once he is back from his mammouth week at work) and draw up a list of jobs both boys need to do to get it. How much are you supposed to pay them??? £1 a week????? ds1 will be 8 soon and ds2 will be 4 soon.

ragstoricheswannabe

ragstoricheswannabe wrote: »

my debts are as follows: start of july:

• CC1: £2941.22
• CC2: £3395.47
• CC3: £860.47
• Sofa: £260.48
• Loan: £25,345.66
• Total: £32,803.30.

Debt fund: £0

Totals now for the start of august:

• CC1: £2911.81
• CC2: £3557.70
• CC3: £0!
• Sofa: £120
• Loan: £25,081
• Total: £31,670.51

Debt fund: £400

claire0788

You seem to be doing well with those totals Ragstoricheswannabe Well done

ragstoricheswannabe

Right, estimations done for phones, just waiting for my bags to be sent and done some of my cd and dvds. Hopefully will have made around £25. not bad for a mornings work.

ragstoricheswannabe

Well have had a fantastic weekend. Went with some friends to a local spa yesterday, £13.95 for all day with use of the spa facilities and a 3 course lunch! It was just what i needed and had been booked for a while so already had the money saved up.

Going shopping today, gonna nip into our local home bargains and see if i can get a few things cheap in there. They do the cat biscuits my cat loves so much cheaper and in a bigger box in there, also tend to get my cleaning stuff from there too unless mr a's has their savings deals on. Also the juice is cheaper, dont like ald!'s juice much.
Dont need much in the way of food i dont think. Will have a quick whip round my cupboards before i go.

Tonights tea is gonna be a hearty cottage pie and have made the kids and hubby a trifle for pudding (good ole approved food mixes).

Been thinking about chrimbo pressies (im so sorry to use that word in august!!) and i once did a baking basket/hamper type thing for my nices and nephews that was cheap but went down so well! so this year i thought i might do a cookie and cupcake decorating hamper. I will make the cookies and cupcakes and just get some cheap decorating stuff to put in. My kids love doing these and its better than trying to find a toy they dont have or that wont get broken in 2 minutes. Gonna do it for my 2 as well.

Nothing much else to report.

ragstoricheswannabe

Well, shopping done. Spent £70 so within budget and got quite a bit.

Me and the kids have made strawberry jellies with strawberries and lady fingers in ready to put squirty cream on the top to mimic the puddings they sell in mr a's and also have a banana bread in the oven. All ways to get fruit in them.

Got the hubby a few tins of food for his truck. Next week will take him with me and he can fill his boots with the tins of potatoes/sweetcorn/peas etc. miles cheaper and prob healthier than eating at the services. Had forgotten what was in home bargains as not been in for a while. Its one of those shops i cant be trusted just to browse in:rotfl:

Payday on fri!! whoo hoo. Also should have some expenses coming my way from assessments i have done.

ragstoricheswannabe

nothing much to report. Payday tomorrow so will see if my guess at my wages are right and do the transfers and pay towards the cc. Then it will be waiting for the next months payday!!!

my strawberry jellies went down a treat! banana bread always goes well in this house.

my envelopes have come for the old mobile phones. Even if i dont get much for them at least its less clutter in the house.