Week 2 - There's so much we can do.

savingholmes

Great news about your DS glasses

Sounds good re festival tickets sale too!

Hope the first day in the new job goes well - I started a new job recently and was really pleasantly surprised how nice and helpful everyone was....

RubySewSew

Check me out! I am the luckiest girl in the world! Managed to fluke my August target due to unexpected payment for hours worked last term paid in to my bank yesterday! And I am drinking champagne bought by the boyfriend as a new job reward! I had the most delightful surprise to see 2 of my accounts in credit for the first time in ages. Still have some expenses (namely the oven which STILL hasn't been delivered). It's funny to think I was feeling really grumpy last night. Funny the difference a day makes. I am not sitting on my laurels though. It is September and I must organise, organise, organise!

I am very excited by the being in credit, I know that none of my expenses have come out yet and my main earnings have been paid in early but wow, what a great feeling, it feel's like I've made some progress. So I'm inspired, motivated and spurred on. Working on the basis that I am going to be flat out mad busy with work this month I am really going to aim for a no spend month. So time for some tough targets and some tough decisions.

My grocery shop including petrol is usually budgeted at £400. I am slashing it to £300. Meat has already been ordered from delivery service (£45), I've spent £50 on petrol and just did a big shop (£112). So 207/300. Eek! Haven't been to green grocers yet! Ok, calm, it's manageable. And a massive chunk of that was bloody cat and guinea pig food! Couldn't get any pyjama pants but good news, DS2 is dry! So that's a cost saving since last month! Just DS3 to go. Have also decided to spring for school dinners twice a week (£12pw) as there is so much pressure to get healthy, hot food on the table and then get them back out to clubs etc plus I will be working 3 jobs from now on. I could blow that at the chippy on a tired night anyway so it's kind of an investment. It will have to come out of grocery budget or spend budget though. which leads me to...

Spend budget is usually £150 for everything outside of fixed outgoings, groceries, debts etc. This includes clubs, school trips - everything. Planning to reduce it to £100 (starting to feel uncomfortable). Now I know straight up that isn't entirely doable so if I need extra I will have to earn it. So September needs another £10 a day challenge. Knocked £8.50 off my shopping with a Tesco refund and took back a pair of shorts for another £4 so that's 12.50/300.

Ooh, my dinner is ready so I'm going to depart for now. Need some encouragement to hit those targets this month. I'll update my signature asap and let you all know how I'm getting on x

RubySewSew

Okey dokey. Trying to keep track of the last couple of days. I'm exhausted from the new job! It's only mornings but the organisation and energy needed to be up and out and at work by 8.30 has taken it out of me. I have to admit I have bought lunch a couple of times this week as the work has been quite physical, I've been quite disorganised and I am ravenous by 12.30! Kids are back to school next week though so will make all the lunches together.

I've agreed to do a car boot this weekend and a vintage craft fair next weekend. Also need to relist bed, list books and ebay jamie at home. Wouldn't it be nice to earn some £££££'s? The house is still a tip so need to get organised, tidied, and crafting. Just spent a tenner on picture frames to make up for the craft fayre. I also bought a beautiful desk for DS1 for £40 and a nest of tables for me to refurbish for £15 so that is £65 of my monthly budget gone. Will have to make some pennies to pay for all that!

Am going to get cracking now. Would like to have nice clean, clutter free house by Monday morning. What are the chances?!

RubySewSew

I am so tired! Got up at 6.30 to get to carboot sale having spent most of yesterday gathering, cleaning and sorting ready to go. Left the house in bright sunshine and arrived in a downpour! Rain scared most of the punters off so made a very mediocre £38.60 (after pitch fee of £8)! DS1 made himself a packet selling off old toys. He even bought a couple of things from other stallholders and sold it on for a profit! Not great boot sale etiquette but I had to admire his entrepreneurial spirit!

The guy on the next pitch gave us a jar of homegrown honey as he left which only left the hive 2 days ago! And a friend dropped buy with hot chocolate and cake for us all. So, you know, we had a nice day out, enjoyed other people's generosity and made a few bucks into the bargain. And, because I was in seller mode I didn't buy anything.

Also given today: a lovely vintage stationery tin from my friend and some homegrown cucumbers for us and veg scraps for the guinea pigs from the next door neighbours. When you look at it like that we're really very lucky.

This week is going to be full on and super busy which is great from the money making point of view but I am going to have to get super organised! Also, clubs start again this week so am going to have to cough up for that. I need to meal plan and lunch plan but unfortunately, I can't make my brain work when I'm this tired! What I really need is tasty ideas for a fussy vegetarian. Maybe I'll just treat myself to a little nap and then see if I'm inspired.

savingholmes

Hi Ruby - it sounds like you have really pulled out the stops! Well done on the boot fair money - that is about all I ever made too (but then I've only gone once!) Every little helps tho... Are you doing free daily scratchcards yet?

RubySewSew

Ooh, thanks savingholmes, that sounds like a promising idea. I've been lurking on the daily challenge boards but haven't worked out how to do things like daily clicks, mystery shopping or any of the mysterious things people seem to be up to!

Now I don't want this to turn into a daily whinge but I am so tired! So, so, tired! When exhaustion hits it is a debilitating and frustrating problem. There is so much I want to be able to get on with but my body just wants to collapse on the sofa and my head is only interested in watching celebrity come dine with me. And I have a little confession to make: the leftover carboot sale stuff is still in the car and the stuff from the car is still in the hall.

Tiredness has also provoked a high spend day. Shelled out for school dinners this morning which was an unplanned spend. Popped to supermarket for store cupboard extras which cost another 50 quid. £30 of that was on trainers for DS 1,2 & 3 for school which was a little bit gutting because they were half price last week. Grrr! And I need to add it on to my totals but I'm knackered *whines and stamps feet*!

Ok, so tired or not its time to count my blessings:
Cleaned the house yesterday and it still looks reasonably presentable if you bypass the hallway and don't go as far as the kitchen.
Have been asked to do a one to one session for a friend (£50)
Chickens are safe even though I forgot to put them to bed
Have a well stocked store cupboard, fridge and fruit bowl and free range meat is coming tomorrow (hoorah!)
Headteacher came over to tell me how gorgeous DS2 is. And he is.
DS1 is back to school
Have a craft fayre to look forward to
Have a personal training session to look forward to at no charge as my friend has just recently qualified
I have a lot of really, really fantastic friends and opportunities, healthy children and a boyfriend who spoils me.

When you put it like that who cares that the oven hasn't arrived yet and I'm too worried to check my bank account from day to day? A friend put it very eloquently the other day - 'people pursue money because they believe money will give them control over their life. But you will never have control over your life'.

So there. Now, to catch up on some sleep. zzzzzzz

RubySewSew

I have not stopped today! About to go and collapse in bed but today I have been a Teaching Assistant, a Cleaner, a Mummy (and cleaner outer of animals) and an Adult Educator. I would like to work out how much money I have earned today as well as celebrating that I have been too busy to spend anything! Well, except milk and hay. The hay cost £5 for a bag at the local pet shop which is extortionate so I am going to have to buy a bale next time. Boo to straw in my car!

Am adding £20 onto my totals for cleaning...

RubySewSew

Oh and £10 for babysitter but I don't think that counts as it was a work cost and will come off my 'profit'.

RubySewSew

Why is my wallet empty? I am sure I have been careful this week and despite putting £20 cleaning money in and another £20 debt paid it is bare! Where has it gone?! I'm sure this must be a result of extreme tiredness leading to forgetfullness and convenience spending. And, today, I finally got to the point that I think I might have taken on too much. Having worked this morning went straight to PT session in the park without having had a break or anything to eat, felt the burn then headed off to cleaning job that I didn't finish yesterday (as I had work am, then cleaning, then back to work for training session). However, the burn was so great that I had the collywobbles and couldn't even lift a cloth, let alone move it around with anything resembling vigour! Had to apologise profusely and slope off home for a bagel. Didn't even make it to the shower! So, I might have to review my energy levels and commitments for next week. Particularly as I'm going to be doing a couple of sessions of work experience for the rest of term. When? How? Why?!!!

I'm having a bit of a panic about whether the money for the oven is still resting in my account. I need to have a check that it hasn't been eaten into.

I'm doing this craft fayre on Sunday which I am looking forward to and should be good fun but I am so worried that I have taken on to much. Also, the friend I am doing it with can be a bit changeable. One minute we're doing something together, the next minute she's changed her mind. I have had fun making cards and getting bits together though. It's finally nice to be motivated. Not sure what my outlet will be if they don't sell at the car boot though. Did think about the school fayre but think they might be a bit saucy. Not sure burlesque pin up girls will be appropriate!

One final thought, I didn't get paid to go to the training session yesterday but was totally worth it as I spotted a little girl having a hyperglycemic episode and checked her blood sugars so care could be given. What price for that?

Actually, another thought. I'm torn about the weekend. It's a boyfriend weekend which are usually more expensive anyway but I'm tired and feeling like I need a treat because I've been working so hard but don't want to abandon my money saving. How can I have some fun without blowing the now none existent budget?

mrs_robinson_3

I'd like a boyfriend. But instead I have a husband. Huh. So, as you are in that enviable position, may I suggest you do something fun - like set him a challenge of some sort to surprise you with? Let him give you a pedi - have a lovely long walk in some woods, than a comfort supper at home and a movie? Or all of these.....

Whatever it is, hope it's good......

Mrs R