The Final Push - Getting Rid of the Last Loan and CC

WelshWoofer

Just back from taking mum's dog back -a lovely 4 hour round trip - phew....

Mum insisted on giving me £20 for a "takeaway" for looking after the dog and my sister gave me £15 towards the petrol - very welcome this month! I won't use the money for a takeaway as I'm on a diet but it will come in handy before payday next week.

A couple of hours school work to do this afternoon and a visit to the park with the dog to stretch my legs after all that driving and a teeny bit of housework to do.

I'm making a proper sunday dinner later and am starving now so better find something diet friendly to have for lunch.

WelshWoofer

Well not much to report ....
I managed to lose 3lbs this week and won slimmer of the week :j:j
Its been a bonkers week at work with long days and a parents evening thrown in for good measure.
I have just done the weekly shop and spent £48 - food is soooo ridiculously expensive now - boo!
I have done a meal plan for the week but am already doubting it - OH decreed the he wanted fajitas for tea tomorrow but having just looked at the syns online - 7 each! And I normally have 3:o
I may make some soup instead for me - maybe sweet potato?

Pay day on Tuesday - can't wait, very skint now (not overdrawn though) due to having to buy antivirus software after a laptop drama, an extra dog trip and a more expensive night out than planned. It all adds up - I was hoping to save £50 this month but that's gone down the swanny...

Never mind - next month looks more rosy.

WelshWoofer

Just back from an hour long round trip walk to the greengrocers with the dog - shattered now!
Got a punnet of strawberries, bunch of grapes, red onion and a pineapple for £3! Bargain!:T

Other things for today...

• Do 1 hour school work
• One load of washing dried naurally
• Make sweet potato soup (sticking to diet)
• Change bed
• Stay in and watch rugby - come on Wales!
• Quick hoover round and dust
• Have a rest
• Take library book back

WelshWoofer

Just a really quick one....

Got made permanent at work yesterday so very very happy about that:j:j School is only 5 mins from home, the dept is lovely and the kids are much nicer than most so I'll be teaching science there for as long as I want to now:T
Also an extra responsibility for Key Stage 3 has been talked about meaning more money - it gets better!

Got paid today and immediately transferred £150 to savings to stop me spending it
Didn't go overdrawn last month either! (Just!)

AND have been to Slimming World tonight and am just 1/2 lb off losing my first half stone (in 3 weeks).

Better go to bed soon whilst I'm still on a roll!


Just forgot - I won the raffle at SW again! Another bagfull of goodies

WelshWoofer

Been a busy bee this morning and been to Mr S and the greengrocers - spent £8 on fruit and veg and got quite a big bag full of stuff (it is cheaper than supermarkets) and then £39 in Mr S on everything else needed including lots of dog food and household bits.
So a total of £47 - £2 over my hopeful budget of £45:o

I think I'm unrealistic these days with how much food costs and need to budget £50 at least instead. I didn't buy any treats, extras or unnecessary things as I'm on a diet and can't afford them either.
So the whole shop was stuff we needed rather than wanted and still came in over my budget. Luckily, I can afford to spend a little bit extra if we need to but really feel for those that can't and are struggling.

WelshWoofer

Just updated the budget and it all seems to plan at the moment - unnervingly!
Even with the £150 moved to savings as soon as I got paid everything balances so far this month, providing I don't have any unexpected expenses that cash can stay in the savings account:j
Being on a diet is helping in a peculiar way - I'm not going out eating/drinking and not really drinking at home either so the odd fiver on a bottle of wine etc is saving me a bit.

I am spending more on F&V but less on wine, sweets etc so I guess that balances out a bit? The diet is working too, gone down a bit on my scales again this morning but will wait for the official weigh in on Tuesday to see how much it really is.

I have made a nice goodies hamper for mum for Mothers Day including lots of nice smellies (all bought on offer or 3 for 2 etc), some of her favourite sweets, gardening gloves, face cream etc and a pashmina - total cost about £15. The pashmina was one I bought for a wedding but changed my mind about so its a nice thing to line the basket with. I hope she'll appreciate the extra thought I put into it this year rather than the usual bunch of expensive flowers that die within a week. We'll see.....

WelshWoofer

Just nipped to Tescos for the buy one get two free Easter egg offer - got 3 for the grand total of £2.50:j
That's one each for mum, dad and sister - just a token gesture but they'll appreciate it. Also got an After Eight egg (bigger one) for half price for OH (£3 instead of £6).

Picked up some organic raspberries reduced to 99p (just scoffed for breakfast) and a carton of pomegranate bits for 75p so nice cheap healthy snacks today!

WelshWoofer

Just been looking through the finances as they stand for the rest of month...

After DDs £350 left - 3 weeks to payday
£50 hair - will be spent tomorrow, well needed and overdue
£50 petrol - petrol to go home to Wales for Mothers Day
£135 food (£45/wk)
£120 cash (£40/wk)
Total= £355
So I should just break even if I'm careful - I've already squirrelled away £150 into the savings account so am doing quite well.
I just need to get a grip on the food spends - never seem to quite make the budget somehow?
I'll take £20 cash out of the bank tomorrow for spending money for the next few days and have already spent a fiver on a bottle of wine today that will come out of tomorrow's budget so that leaves £15 to get me to Friday next week.
Will pop back tomorrow with the shopping damage...........

WelshWoofer

Been to the greengrocers and Mr T's and spent £8 on F&V and eggs and £33 on the rest of the shop making a total of £41.
My budget is £45 a week and so there's £4 left for extra fruit later in the week if I run out (normally do by Weds).

So not too bad on food this week so far......

Took £20 out of the cashpoint for spends - lets see how long that lasts!

WelshWoofer

Doing Ok so far this week - have spent about £9 but am still within budget.
Lost another 2lbs too!:j

Have just reevaluated the budget and as long as I stick to £45 for the next two weeks (hopefully less) for groceries and £40 a week cash for two weeks and £50 petrol then I will break even with having saved £150 this month - very good for me!

Just looked at next months wages and its an exact 4 week month for me so I may be able to comfortably squirrel away another £100 or so;)

I do need to get some new clothes because of the diet - things are getting a bit too baggy on the bum! - so I'll try to pull back on something else to maybe buy a couple of things for work (suits unfortunately is the dress code)

Will have a look to see if there's any wiggle room - I think the budgeted for £50 hair cut could be replaced by a home dye kit and free fringe trim just this once?