Continue the change and enjoy the journey!

anewme

fedupand skint, that looks good to me! I take my Mum out once a week for her "messages" and sometimes for lunch. Since my Dad just died, it's more important to keep her engaged with family.
Thanks for your post.

fedupandskint

Thanks for your post too anewme - that's how I feel too about things

fedupandskint

Preserving plan 2011

Jan/Feb
Seville Marmalade
Seville and Whisky marmalade
3 Fruit marmalade
Lemon Marmalade?

Feb/Mar/Apr
Rhubarb Jam
Rhubarb and Ginger

April/May/June
Elderflower cordial
Rhubarb Relish


June/July/August
Strawberry Jam
Redcurrant Jelly
Blackcurrant Jam
Plum Jam
Tomato Chutney
Mint Syrup
Raspberry Vinegar
Picallili

Sept/Oct
Apple Chutney
Pontack Sauce
Rosehip Syrup
Christmas Chutney
Cranberry Christmas Chutney
Beetroot and Ginger Chuney
Beetroot Relish
Blackberry Gin
Blackberry Vodka
Sloe Gin
Honeyed Hazels
Mincemeat
Chilli Jam
Spiced pickled pears and plums

Oct/Nov
Chestnut Jam
Winter Fruit Compote
Pickled Onions
Flavoured Oils

Dec
Fudge
Candied Orange Sticks
Lemon squash

fedupandskint

Decided to make the chestnut jam today - turned out ok, nice and sweet. Will see how it goes when I use it to see if I will make it again later this year when the sweet chestnuts come back into season

Debt busting wise

1. Rejoined NSD challenge and aiming for 15 in Jan with 1 today
2. Joined £365 in £365 days to help me develop some savings skills alongside the SPC and something to look forward to next year with all this debt busting this year
3. Rejoined GC to help me get my food spending back under control again and use up what I already have

fedupandskint

365 days in a year

How many NSD shall I aim for this year?

Last year I stuck to this challenge for a few months before dipping out as per usual. Sticking to things can be the usual problem. This year IS going to be DIFFERENT!

aiming for 15 in Jan what about the rest of the year?

Let me see

Jan 15 (uni travel 5/15 spend day leaves 10 weekend days) That looks achievable as I need to pack in my nip to the shop for 1 thing and spend £20 at work lunchtimes
Feb 15 (1 birthday 8 weekend days = 9 spend days and leaves 4 spare days to increase target?)
Mar 15 (5 uni days and 8 weekend days and mother's day = 13 spend days/16 spend days leaves 3 spare days)

Think I'd better review how this goes for the first 3mths then plan the next 3 mths to see how I'm getting on

Apr 15 (holiday 11 days)
May 15 (uni 1 day)
June 15 (holiday 7 days and father's day)
July 15 (1 birthday)
Aug 15
Sept 15
Oct 15 (1 birthday)
Nov 15
Dec 15 (Christmas!)

Right time to toddle of for a cuppa and set a GC budget

Nearly done with the budgeting soon. Phew!

fedupandskint

Grocery Budget

£150 per month estimated with the aim of reducing this as the months go on

Annual budget £1800 maximum

fedupandskint

OK Budget for 2011 looks a little like this

2011 BUDGET

Food Shopping £1800 max
Clothes £250 max
Council Tax approx £650
Water Rates approx £240
Mortgage £6000 approx

Total £8940/£10,000

£1060 for gas/elec, TV license, car tax, MOT, car ins and house ins and petrol, petrol, presents etc

Not sure how can live for £10,000 on these figures. Better get selling on ebay sharpish and stick to the clothing budget by sale shopping and only if I don't already have and will I wear it and will I wear it more than once?

Oh well, lets see how this pans out over the next few months


Savings
£270 for Dubarry Boots
£365 for Jan 2012 - decide what to do with later, lets see if I can save it first

juliejim

Just caught up with the last couple of pages as I'd fell behind. It sounds like you've got a plan with your CC but personally I wouldn't look at op your mortgage when you've got such high int rates on your cards - you don't want to take too much on. Also why don't you join the payment a day thread to help with your CCs too. I adjust my bank each day to the nearest £10 and pay the diff to my CC so some days it might be 50p and other days if might be £9 or some people just do their loose change each day - whatever works for you.

Anyway, I just thought I'd put my twopennthworth in - feel free to ignore as I'm sure you would.

Jue

fedupandskint

fedupandskint wrote: »

29/11/10 Saving pots currently stand at

£2 jar = £40
50p jar = £10

fedupandskint wrote: »

20p jar = £36

Total £86 in change some more required for car tax in Feb

End Dec totals for loose change stand at
£2 jar = £44
50p jar = £14
20p jar = £38.60

Total = £96.60

Next count up at end Feb

fedupandskint

Hi Jue, and thanks for your advice

I'll take this on board re the PAD group - tried this before and fell off the wagon

Trying really hard to pay off as much as can this year to actually pay off some debt - the mortgage can pootle on by itself for now and I'll tackle the high APR cards one by one