Sorting through my rubbish

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Hi Trixie,

I have some how totally messed up my budgeting this month, totally skint and still 3 weeks til payday!!! I have succombed and placed an order with Approved Foods but that will help over the next couple of months while I am playing catch-up with my money!

DH still not working full-time, his friends are in the process of buying a shop/Post Office that they want him to run but it's taking a while for all the legal gubbins to be processed, in the meantime he is doing the majority of the household chores.

I am going for tests at the breast clinic next week, I'm scared stiff to be honest. I noticed things weren't right a few weeks back but wanted to get Xmas etc out of the way first, finally told DH on Monday and he said I have been 'guarding' that breast for a while, with hindsight he is right. Went to my GP on Tuesday and am off to the clinic next Tuesday. It's on the same side as I had a benign tumour removed from recently but don't know if it's connected! Haven't mentioned anything to the kids as I don't want them to worry, especially as DS1 is off next Sunday!

Also, workwise, we find out if our tenders have been successful next Friday, don't you just love how everything happens at once! I have by head well and truely up my backside as if I stop and think about things it all becomes too much!!

Anyway enough doom and gloom, I had a VERY nice birthday, thank you, breaky in bed, some lovely presents and a fantastic night out with my 'grown-up' friends and DS1's mates who are all lovely, then out for Sunday lunch with our friends who stayed the weekend, LUSH!!

MY good friend took me out for a meal last night, in lieu of a birthday present, it was really nice to have some girlie time and very appreciated.

I'm glad you liked my pamper hampers idea, I have to say they went down REALLY well and ended up costing about £4 each!!!! All those bargains and glitches I bought through the year certainly paid off. I am going to do something similar again this year so will be on the look out for cheap cellophane and containers. May even attempt some for the fellas too, my friend had some made last year in a pint glass so I might pinch that idea.

Right I must go and do some work, have a lovely, mse style, weekend and catch-up soon.

321 xxx

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Just a flying visit to say I got the all clear from the specialist:j:j, they want me to go back in a few weeks as might need a small op but at least it's not Cancer!!!

:beer: 321 xxx

bagpuss38

Glad to hear it was good news xx

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Thanks Bagpuss, it was a huge relief I have to say!!

321 xxx

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

DS1 left home yesterday to start his army training :wave:

I knew I would feel emotional but I didn't think I'd be THIS bad! Think it's probably due to the roller coaster that was last week!! Anyway he's gone now and is off to start the next exciting bit of his life!:T

Had a lovely send off dinner on Saturday, finally cooked the Xmas ham, it was delicious, loads or roasted veggies to go with it (all reduced!) and homemade icecream, what a feast. Then some friends came round for a farewell drink, it was a lovely evening.

Used the leftover veggies to make bubble and squeak yesterday which we ate with the rest of the ham and some tail ends of Xmas cheese and pickles, froze half of the bubble and squeak mix for another time. There are loads of boiled new potatoes left too so DH is making a fish pie today and will use those instead of mash on the top. The fish is offcuts from our local chippy which they bag up and sell cheap, 2lbs for £3(will use about half), plus we have some smoked fish in the freezer.

Now DS1 has flown the nest I am hoping to make some savings on bills, he often had 3 showers a day, 1 in the morning, 1 after run/gym and one before he went out in the evening. Plus I could NEVER fill him up because of all his training, he would easily eat 2 x lunch and 2 x dinners, the ones I made plus he would make himself something as well!! I am going on a strict budget as work is looking dodgy and I need to clear some debts in the next 3/4 months.

Come on Trixie, between us we can clear some of this burden that is round our necks!!

I am desperately waiting for payday (end of the month) and will then work out the best budgeting plan for me. Will be shopping to a list (without DH!!:rotfl:) and trying to use up what stocks we already have as the cupboards etc a full again! No toiletteries needed and definately no washing powder/conditioner!! Need to save, save, save especially if we want to visit DS1 at the other end of the country!

Right must go, hope you had a good weekend Trix,

Take care 321 xxx

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Hi All

Trixie, I hope you are ok, you've been a bit quiet!!:huh:

Payday at the end of the week:j and I am already making plans.

Budget wise I must redo my signature as I have managed to transfer most of my credit card debt to 2 new 0% cards, 18 months and 20 months. I will be cancelling one of the obsolete cards and locking the other away for dire emergencies. I will obviously concentrate on clearing the interest bearing debts first. Have snowballed and if I can find an extra £200pm I will clear my debts in 2 years, which coincides with clearing my loan, EDF and Tax debts, freeing up a considerable amount of money each month.

DH has been offered a p/t job and will be contributing to the joint account again:T which is a relief as I have had to cover all of it for the last few months. DS1 will be repaying me for his kit over the next 2 months (£250) so that will help.

I have started a Xmas tin at home, I will put £20 each payday (as we are no longer having an Xmas fund at work ). £1 will be added for each toilettery/cosmetic I use up and I will add any money saved by bogofs and vouchers. £2 coins will be saved seperately. I will carry on buying presents/Xmas food through year when I see a deal so if this money is not needed then it will repay debts. I have a sealed tin that requires a tinopener to get to it so the money should be safe from raiding!!:rotfl:

I will work through the loft, facebook, ebay or bootsale anything worthwhile, charity shop the rest. Cash funds to same tin as £2 coins (rainy day/holiday fund) and ebay funds to stay in paypal.

Food shopping this month to be kept to minimum, still loads in the freezers/cupboards so will be shopping to a list and meal planning.

My new weekly budget is £67 which is to be taken in cash on a friday, this is to include food and other groceries, petrol, kids clubs and sundries!! It will be tight but with the stocks already in the house (food/cleaning/toiletteries etc) I think it is doable, at least for a few months to make a dent in the debts!

We had a roast yesterday, used up veggies that were on the turn from the fridge and a couple of pies. DH has leftover pie and mash from the fridge(Leftover from the Haggis, neeps and tatties on friday!!) for lunch today. Making Bubble and Squeek for me and DH tonight and spicy sausage pasta bake for kids. They can then have pasta for their lunches tomorrow. Spag bol tomorrow (veggie mince from freezer) and the rest on JPs on Wednesday. Curry, onion bhajis and naan on Thursday and probably homemade pizzas on Friday (will freeze leftovers for packed lunches). not planned as far as Saturday and Sunday yet!!

Anyway, that's it for now.

Hope to hear from you soon Trixie.

Take care

321 xxx

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Evening All,

Well my meal plan went to pot yesterday 'cos DH forgot to put the bolognaise in the slow cooker. Took a frozen shredded pork chilli out of freezer and had that with some rice instead.

I made the chilli the other day, I bought 2 pork shanks reduced to £1.25 each, cooked them in the slow cooker, removed the skin and fat and shredded the meat, can't believe how much there was. Had enough for 3 large meals for the 4 of us, made 2 chillis and 1 barbeque pulled pork, delish!!!

So tonight was JPs as planned but with tuna and sweetcorn instead of leftover bolognaise.

Payday tomorrow and the start of my new regime. Need to pay a couple of bills but don't intend to buy anything else next week apart from bread/milk and possibly fruit for lunches. I have subscribed and joined the Fiscal Fast thread as I hope this will help me focus. I will have to avoid the Grabbit Board as that and h*tukdeals are my downfall, too many bargains I simply must have!!

Lots of birthdays this month but have cut down the number of presents we are buying. DS2s birthday is one of them and have already sorted his presents, some designery bits from the N*xt sale.

We are off to visit DS1 at the end of next week so seriously need to save some money, hence the Fast. If it works I will try fasting for the rest of the month to help with the debt reduction. Have bought loads of bottled water for our trip (12 bottles for £1), We can take flasks and I intend to bake some goodies for eating enroute. No breakfast at 'hotel' (£15 trav*lodge deal) so will take our own, lunch provided at venue and I might stretch to a meal on the way home. I know the fuel is going to be £120+ but still cheaper than the £250 rail fare (and yes that WAS with a family and friends railcard!!:eek:)

Anyway, onward and upward with the debtbusting!!

And Trixie - you are starting to worry me - the silence is deafening!:( Hope all is well.

321 xxx

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Just a quick post.

Have amended my signature with the new (scarey) total.

I have subscribed to the 'Need not Want' thread and made 'Need NOT Want!' my wallpaper on my mobile.

I am going to make a dent in these figures this year one way or another!!!

321 xxx

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Hi everyone,

What lovely weather we had this weekend, spent Saturday gardening and clearing loads of vines etc. Our neighbour helped and we managed to take 4 large trailer loads to the recycling centre rather than pay for a skip!! I was breaking it down and filling the dumpy bags while they did the trailer runs to the centre.

Had a good weekend money wise. Small £5 spend in £land on Friday (stocked up my supplies at work so I am ok for lunches for a while longer). NSD on Saturday, gardening and housework, then baking with DD and watched Hunger Games with the kids in the evening with a glass of the Xmas box of wine that seems never ending!!.

Mealwise, DH made the belated Spag Bol on Thursday. I made fajitas on Friday with some chicken pieces I got for 50p and wraps that were 15p, just added some peppers and onions, spices and grated cheese, they were delicious. Saturday I used up the remaining bolognaise and made a huge lasagna, topped off with frozen caerphilly, bought for 25p (which the kids refuse to eat cos it's not cheddar!!), that fed us on Sunday too with Jacket potatoes.

Did my weekly shop yesterday, timed it with picking up DS2 from Rugby, to save on petrol! Had a budget of £20, got milk (3x4pts) and bread (5 loaves) for the week, potatoes, carrots, green beans, cheese, butter, and loads of other stuff, infact 5 large bags full plus treated myself to some reduced flowers (yes they were a want and not a need but they will make me smile all week!).

In my shopping was a very large reduced ciabatta loaf (80p) and 10 slices of mozzerella (59p), added to that some pepperoni pasta sauce that I had previously bought for 9p(!) and frozen, I have managed to make the kids 8 large pizza slices for their lunch boxes for £1.50, will make a nice change from sandwiches, they are having them for 2 days this week and I have frozen half for next week. DD made some lovely chocolate cakes so they are going in the lunch boxes too.

Meal plan this week, Fishpie today and tomorrow (made with remaining 'Chip Shop' cod and topped with the other half of the caerphilly), DH is making something out of the freezer on Weds (he hasn't decided what yet but there's plenty in there!), curry on Thurs and then we are away for 2 days, Roast Beef on Sunday. The best bit is I won't need to shop again til next Sunday!

My Bank account is looking healthier than it has for months, hopefully I should be able to make a fairly big additional repayment to debts this month. I still have £12 in my purse from my weekly allowance, will get another £17 on Weds and will withdraw my usual £50 on Friday. I am hoping this cash budget will work well.

TTFN

321 xxx

3_kids_2_jobs_1_dog

Hi All

We are off to visit DS1 this weekend, pretty much the other end of the country.

Costed up the train £250 WITH a Family and Friends card and the timings were unsuitable! So have decided to drive.

Due to having to be there early in the morning I booked Travel Lodge, £15 for the 4 of us for the night, bargain! We will NEED breakfast but didn't WANT to pay the £20+ they wanted for a continental style meal (no hot/buffet option available) So went to Mr Mossies today, bought 4 x instant porridge pots (add boiling water) for £2 and some chocolate brioche for £1.50, breakfast on a budget!!!:T

Just as well really as DH has been prepping the car for the journey and noticed both front tyres need replacing!! SO the money saved by driving will now go on tyres but we would have needed them anyway!!:(

Still have a little money in my purse (about £6) so will make it last til Friday when I will pay myself again.

Sticking to the meal plan, the kids have really enjoyed their pizzas for lunch. DH making a spicey sausage pasta bake tonight so they can have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Have good day

321 xxx