The journey starts here - don't stop believing

Lemon_Tree

blimey you've been busy if you've decorated your kitchen! glad you had a lovely christmas.

**Kat**_2

Hmm, if you knew how tiny my kitchen was you wouldn't be saying that:rotfl:. We only needed to paint one wall (but seal plaster first) and the ceiling, put a shelf up with hooks for pots and pans, give everywhere (including tops of cupboards :eek:) a scrub and re-arrange everything. When the dog goes back to my mum and dads we will be putting our new douvet cover on the bed, we need to hang a few more pics (we have them just not hung them) and the house will look fab and we will have put ourselves about £20 towards it :money:.

**Kat**_2

PS scared our reserve will go back up due to 5 1/2 week month and Christmas - hope not

**Kat**_2

This is going to be a long one so bear with it:

2011 Plan

• £25 per month to Nat West on DH pay day.
• Tip money to be split 50/50 between BS and spending money
• Had Nigella's new cook book for xmas. Will pick some receipies from that and think of some "old favourites" and compile shopping lists from the ingrediants
• Bake cakes and buiscuts not buy them - cheaper and tastier in long run
• Once reserve is totally paid off and we have had 2 months of "build up" in account, withdraw job 2 money and pay into BS
• Use BS £ to pay off Kays catalogue (need to add to sig when next statement comes in, totally forgot I put carp on buy now pay later a while ago ) before interest free expires
• Be Kays, reserve and Nat West free by Dec 2011
• Pay minimum on Barclays loan as can't overpay monthly
• DH and I get diaries to note daily spends
• QUIT SMOKING - cut down first to make easier
• Go on a British holiday as haven't had a hol for ages - group together with DH family so cheap and cheerful
• DH and I have a date night once a month - £40 allowance for this and whatever we don't spend goes into BS
• Council Tax free months draw out and put into BS
• Rent from Sister into BS while she still lives with us
• Ensure there is always £ in BS for emergancies
• Save monthly for DS 3rd birthday in April into DS Abbey account (cash card account with no money in it - make use of this)
• Pay pennies into BS weekly
• Takeaways to be for special occassions only
• Start using Quidco for purchases to get cash back (only if would get from the shop we buy from in first place
• When insurances expire shop around for a deal (using quidco )
• Potty train DS :eek:
• Find a higher paid job for me - will never get a decent payrise where I am and enough is enough
• Start using childcare voucher scheme for DS nursery
• Take packed lunches to work - this MUST be done as we waste so much money on food
• Walk to work from in laws where possible Tue & Wed - it's not that far and will save on parking those days - put ££ saved into BS
• Reduce DH mobile phone bill
• Grow own veg and make own compost :A
• Buy our own mower and pay for window cleaner ourselves and mum and dad pay for the pet insurance. ATM my dad cuts our grass and pays our window cleaner in exchange for us paying the dog insurance - this is no longer the cheaper option
• Sundays to be family day where we go for walks, picnics, soft play etc to spend quality time together.

This sounds like a lot but really it's only small changes which will hopefully make 2011 our (MSE) year.

**Kat**_2

Need to go to BS and bank today as have cheques and pennies to pay in. Got sent home from work last night as felt rough as anything and better I make it in tonight than yesterday but lost out on wages and tips, need to power through going forward methinks....

Lemon_Tree

that sounds like some really good challenges, i think you're going to be busy but that they will really help you achieve what you want.

Woowoo

Happy New Year Kat xxx

**Kat**_2

Happy new year Woo.

Well, paid £75 in cheques into Barclays account which covers the paint we bought and other random spends. Paid £9.25 into BS - sig updated to show new total and also bought 2011 diaries for me and DH to note our spends and see where we can cut back.

M&D back from hols, they bought us 100 fags to say thank you for us having the dog (or "woof" as my DS calls her) so that's about £35 saved!

Lemon_Tree

Happy New Year Kat.

sorry earlier i skimmed the bit about your being afraid you would go back in your reserve, the only thing i can suggest is preparations. Sit down now and think of what needs to go through or what may cause it and decide what you will do about it.
At least you've now saved £35 which can help provide a buffer zone.

**Kat**_2

Hey LT - I may not now, Barclays has already "taken" what is due to go out on Tue which is all our bills bar the loan and we are still in credit with a bit of careful spending we should only go upto what we were before December pay which we don't mind due to long month.

£52.50 in tips from last night, happy days!!

Happy New Year everyone xxx