'I love you but I love ME more' Souk's 2011 diary

se999

Well done on the freezer, it's so much easier being able to bulk cook, and freezing bargains when you spot them.

There's always some months with more bills and things going on than others, presumably that's why you wanted the buffer, so you're just using it for what you designed it for

Enjoy your weekend.

Lula-Hula

Great news on jobs for lovely friends - will raise a glass for them here

Your grocery spends are always amazing, does your total include booze, cleaning & any household stuff too? 'cos I lump all that in with mine & if you're just counting actual edible food then perhaps I should too ?

Sneaky effort to make myself feel better about my spends
xx

Souk08

No lula you should feel good as my total does NOT include any of this, just food. In fairness my cleaning spends are small as I tend to buy from Savers or Poundland and toiletries are done monthly from Savers for a small amount too but tis only food and only for me so it's not like for like.

Se my buffer is really for when this job ends but I needed it so it's done now!

gilligansyle

I did an exercise the other week were I looked at what I spent that wasn't actually for me; either soft drinks for DS, or stuff I got for Mum etc. It's amazing how little is actually food, most of it is 'stuff', bin bags etc. and as you say, I get them in Wilko's or Savers.

I know this isn't my diary, but for comparison, today I've spent 34.00 - If I take out soft drinks, burgers etc. for DS, loo roll, and Mum's shopping, I've spent just over a fiver!

se999

An element of the buffer to help cashflow for 'bad' months is a good idea. We do detailed budgets and cashflow forecasts and it's amazing the difference between the good and bad months. It's not only bills, it's Christmas or clusters of birthdays, holidays etc.. We have had years where overall we just breakeven, but sometimes that was with 4 or 5 negative months and the balance breakeven or positive, without a buffer or knowing what's happening it so easy to overspend in the good months and not realise that it's needed for the bad ones.

On cleaning products have you tried Stardrops yet, it's really good, lots of info about it normally on oldstyle, found a link here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/354039

One main benefit is it's versatile so you don't need so many cleaning products.

Hope you don't need to use the buffer and you get the next job to follow on, well unless you want a break inbetween.

Souk08

Se thanks a lot but unless I end up unemployed I wont be having a break. I like working and wont have enough cash to last for ages. Its just not in my mindset not to work! My lifestyle is fairly expensive to run as a single gal so a nice new job will do fine.

Not been on much as been in Liverpool. Had a lovley time and Satchmo we went to Villa Romana in Wood St I think. It was lovely. We then went to a right rough pub which I loved and did a spot of karaoke.

Money tight now til the end of the month and Im still not sure if that will be Friday/Saturday or Tuesday with the BH. The optimist in me says Friday but the rest of me's not so sure :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Just done my June budget and its okay. Got plenty of cash for the wedding and will be able to buy some clothes for work. Tis all good XX

satchmo1

Glad Souk, glad you had fun in Liverpool . I'm there this weekend, for a weekend of baptism (my grandson) and birthdays (mine and said-grandson's) so much fun will be had but in the 'burbs rather than the centre, or In Town as me and my sister always say. Seeing ex-in-laws for first time in 10 years so a bit nervous. xx

Karmacat

Yay to Liverpool! Souk, I *must* catch up with you more on here, I'm glad you had such a good time. Liverpool is certainly the best city in the world to go to a rough pub in (that grammar is awful, but you know what I mean ).

Satchmo, have a brill time there *this* weekend.

MrsMoo2U

Glad you enjoyed Liverpool, I do miss my time there sometimes. I think that you do amazingly well with your money so don't fret over a small blip with the buffer fund. I love stardrops too but I didn't realise that there was a whole thread on it. I bet you are looking forward to the freezer arriving. I also am due to be paid on Tuesday and have no idea if the money will hit the bank sooner as I also have a privelage day off on Tuesday. Hey ho, I am sure that things will work out in the end.

lionheartedgirl

All this chat of Liverpool has sent me desperate to go back! I haven't been for a proper visit since I was very young, it holds very happy memories spent with 2 very girlie aunties - as a wannabe girlie 8 year old girl with a non-girly mum, it was a day of sheer heaven! One of my aunties is no longer with us so it is a special place in my heart.

My aunt and uncle live in Warrington and i have friends in Manchester, so have decided I will go for a proper poke about next time I'm up there. I went for work a couple of years ago but apart from staying/eating round the Albert Dock there wasn't much else on the agenda

fingers crossed for a lovely surprise tomorrow Souk, hopefully when you check your bank in the morning it will be pay day mine is next week and I have managed really well this month, am amazed.