Lessons Learned From Spending Diary- Hannah's SOA- (updated)

bottleofred

Hi Hannah,

It's amazing how much clearer things become when they're written down. As you say, it's not going to be easy to make all the reductions, but any savings you do make will go towards the debts. Good luck with the challenges, although you are right to allow yourself some treats.

dancingfairy

Hi Hannah - can you link to your diary please?
A couple of thoughts from me:
1) nappies etc - do your council offer them as green alternative? some councils do I think
2) also speak to the council about furniture - our council has a warehouse type thing that people donate furniture to and then people can go and get really cheap furniture - it's for people on benefits/low incomes etc - also maybe try a large charity shop for the bookcases?
I'll post more if I think of anything.
df

Hannah_10

bottleofred wrote: »

It's amazing how much clearer things become when they're written down.

You're not kidding! I would have said there might be another £40 in there, not £200! :eek:

dancingfairy wrote: »

Hi Hannah - can you link to your diary please?

My DFW diary

dancingfairy wrote: »

1) nappies etc - do your council offer them as green alternative? some councils do I think

My council are hopeless, no they don't. They do have a scheme to borrow the cost of the nappies and kit on 0% interest, but I've already got all the nappies anyhow, it's literally just a bucket I am hoping will turn up for free too. About £10 worst case scenario.

dancingfairy wrote: »

2) also speak to the council about furniture - our council has a warehouse type thing that people donate furniture to and then people can go and get really cheap furniture - it's for people on benefits/low incomes etc - also maybe try a large charity shop for the bookcases?

The council don't but there are other schemes locally, one focussed on recycling and one church-run one. As I have a lot of heavy books I need real wood bookshelves of a proper depth to take them (not the cheapo MDF wastes of money from Argos). I check all the cheap shops, I have a friend in the second hand furniture trade too who's looking for solid wood book cases for me as well. Oh and I regularly check eBay too. As they've very expensive new (£300-ish) then they're hard to find second hand and I don't want to pay more than £60 a peice. So if I want that quality for that money I realise this wont happen without effort! My house has dry-lined walls so it wont take the weight of shelves or I'd have fitted a lounge wall out by now. I am soooo sick of the sight of boxes and not being able to look up what I want to know but I'm so not going over £60 either!

happytails

Hannah_10 wrote: »

You're not kidding! I would have said there might be another £40 in there, not £200! :eek:



My DFW diary



My council are hopeless, no they don't. They do have a scheme to borrow the cost of the nappies and kit on 0% interest, but I've already got all the nappies anyhow, it's literally just a bucket I am hoping will turn up for free too. About £10 worst case scenario.




The council don't but there are other schemes locally, one focussed on recycling and one church-run one. As I have a lot of heavy books I need real wood bookshelves of a proper depth to take them (not the cheapo MDF wastes of money from Argos). I check all the cheap shops, I have a friend in the second hand furniture trade too who's looking for solid wood book cases for me as well. Oh and I regularly check eBay too. As they've very expensive new (£300-ish) then they're hard to find second hand and I don't want to pay more than £60 a peice. So if I want that quality for that money I realise this wont happen without effort! My house has dry-lined walls so it wont take the weight of shelves or I'd have fitted a lounge wall out by now. I am soooo sick of the sight of boxes and not being able to look up what I want to know but I'm so not going over £60 either!

I have a little nappy bucket you are welcome to if you cover the postage. Ive just bought a bigger one as we will have 2 in cloth from December. PM me if you would like it

Seems like you are doing really well and the spending diary has opened your eyes. Think i need to try this, i will be :eek: at the results no doubt!!

Sarah x

Hannah_10

happytails wrote: »

I have a little nappy bucket you are welcome to if you cover the postage. Ive just bought a bigger one as we will have 2 in cloth from December. PM me if you would like it

Seems like you are doing really well and the spending diary has opened your eyes. Think i need to try this, i will be :eek: at the results no doubt!!

Sarah x

Thank you Sarah that is very good of you, both with the kind words and the offer.