Learning to Live on Less!

White_Iris

lucielle wrote: »

So sorry to hear the news.
L

debtfreewannabe321 wrote: »

:grouphug: so sorry to hear the sad news. She's in a better place now and no pain...I know how hard it is though so massive hugs xxxx

sweetpea26 wrote: »

I am so sorry WIris. You done your best for him and that will be a comfort in itself. Take it easy and God bless.

Thanks everyone, feeling better now and the children aren't overly upset which helps. It's very quiet in the house now though, I see a new doggie in our future very soon.

White_Iris

Although I'm not worrying too much about debt busting until after Christmas, I am still trying to be frugal and save money.

Haven't got round to menu planning this week but we should have enough in the freezer to see us through - may have to top up on fruit and veg though. I do need to go get some petrol later as I'm running on fumes and I must go to post office as well. I might stop at the supermarket when I get the petrol and grab some fruit and veg before heading on the post office, then I shouldn't need to head out again until Thursday morning, when we've all got a dentist appointment (:eek:).

I managed to get a few items listed on Sunday night, to take advantage of eBay's free listing weekend. It was mostly children's toys and some electronics which I think people might be interested in for Christmas, they have a few watchers and one has a bid already which is promising.

I've cancelled the pet insurance and the standing order we had set up, squirreling money away for pet food and vaccinations, which will net us an extra £90 next month. We should get a small refund back from the insurance, which is handy even if it is only a tenner. Some of that £90 has already been re-distributed to cover higher savings in the car maintenance pot and some more will go in January when the standing order to our emergency savings kicks in, but next month we should have about £65 'spare'.

I need to go an investigate why the direct debit for our home/landlord insurance hasn't been collected this month. Hopefully it's something good like the policy was paid for over ten months instead of twelve and we didn't realise but more than likely it's some hideously complicated c@ck-up which is going to be a P.I.T.A. to resolve.

White_Iris

Top up shop done, managed to spend £6.14 which was good because I only had £7 in my purse and really didn't want to use my card because my account is pretty much empty. £10 of diesel got me a quarter of a tank which surprised me - I don't have much driving to do over the next few weeks so hopefully I can get away with another £10 in December and that will be it for petrol until next year! Also got my parcels posted and bought a couple of stamps to go on Christmas cards. Right then, time to finish my cuppa and go and sort out the childrens Christmas presents which are bursting out of my hiding places in my bedroom!

White_Iris

Hooray, the insurance is paid over 10 months not 12, so we have an extra £30 to play with until January. A nice little Christmas bonus!

Impromptu shopping trip with MIL this morning meant I could scour the charity shops for things to make the childrens pre-school nativity costumes. DS was sorted easily, for the grand sum of £2 but DD might be a little more tricky - I've got the basics for her costume but it's going to require some sewing and extra accessories. So far I've spent £4 and a shop bought costume would be £8-£10, so I'm determined to keep it as cheap as possible. I might put a request on Freecycle and see what I come up with.

DHs credit union loan has come through, so that can get paid off the credit card and get a final total for November soon, should be between £800 and £900 I think.

debtfreewannabe321

Great news on the insurance :T every little helps coming up to xmas

I have boxes all over my bedroom with wrapped up presents in and i'm hoping that I don't need much extra now because I've literally run out of room :eek:

White_Iris

Phew, dentist appointment was painless (literally) and I've escaped any nasty and expensive treatment until next time. However I will need a crown at our next visit, which costs £214. :eek: At least I have 6 months to save up for it.

Popped in to Aldi afterwards for a loaf of bread and some rice and ended up spending £12. It was all stuff from my shopping list but some of it could have waited until the next big shop next week.

The credit card is a little bit higher than I expected but that's because DH needed to put a tank of fuel on it to get him to work this week, thanks to our emergency dash to the vets last weekend. As soon as DH gets paid I'm going to pay off that annoying £5 and maybe a bit more but I'm not going to worry too much about the balance until January (going to try not to let it get any higher though!).

White_Iris

So cross with DH yesterday. We went out for a dog walk and brunch with the family and it was our turn to pay so DH put it on the credit card. :mad: I was fuming, especially as he's just been paid so should have plenty of cash. I'm tempted to make a payment from his account to cover the difference.

Todays plan was to make a list and do a big food shop for the week and anything freezable for Christmas however SIL asked me to go shopping with her instead, so I've managed to get DH the last few Christmas presents and also got talked in to getting the children a Christmas jumper each. Well actually I drew the line at a Christmas jumper but got them something wintery instead, so they can wear it after Christmas as well (can't afford to buy them clothes they can only wear for a week or two, even if it does cost less than £20). I'm feeling a bit of shoppers remorse, as I've spent quite a bit of my monthly budget today but I've got some money in PayPal and no other planned spends. All I need to do is squirrel a bit aside for my dental crown in May and I should be good for the month. Famous last words. :cool:

Can't say the same for DH however, I think he's over committed himself this month as he went out on Friday with one group, he's out again for a birthday the week after next and he's got a Christmas meal with his work colleagues as well as the obligatory work gifts to buy. I suggested driving when he goes out for the birthday but that didn't go down to well so I'm just leaving him to it but I'm going to hide the credit card tonight!

It's lucky I didn't go and do the Christmas food shop as Christmas day plans have suddenly changed (thanks to a somewhat inconsiderate relative who has just invited themselves and new partner to stay for the holiday) and we're now going to the in-laws, instead of hosting everyone at our house. I'm not that bothered t.b.h. but it does mean there'll be a bit more back and forth between houses instead of staying put for the whole day. It now means I have almost all of the saving stamps that my mum bought, to spend on day-to-day shopping (I'll still get a few bits for Christmas, so MIL won't have to buy everything), so if I shop smart I should be able to save the best part of two weeks grocery budget. Better go make a good list!

White_Iris

I'm such a bl@@dy idiot! I've sent withdrawn some money from my Paypal account but sent it to wrong bank account. :mad: I have two accounts listed with them, my current account and an old savings account which I've just realised has been closed. :eek: Hopefully the money will just get bounced back to my Paypal account - I've emailed them to check but haven't heard back yet. I might go and see if there's a similar thread on another forum. I'm such a dope.

E.T.A.
PayPal have just emailed me back and the issue should be resolved within 2 hours but I'll be charged 50p for a reversal from my account. Pleasantly surprised with how quickly and efficiently PayPal have handled this.

White_Iris

White_Iris wrote: »

So cross with DH yesterday. We went out for a dog walk and brunch with the family and it was our turn to pay so DH put it on the credit card. :mad: I was fuming, especially as he's just been paid so should have plenty of cash. I'm tempted to make a payment from his account to cover the difference.

And to make matters worse when I checked the card balance I find that he also put a round of drinks on the credit card when he went out last weekend. :mad: When I challenged this he just rolled his eyes and sorry like a sulky teenager - apparently he just grabbed the first card in his wallet which just happened to be the credit card (needless to say the credit card is no longer in his wallet!). :wall:

White_Iris wrote: »

I'm such a bl@@dy idiot! I've sent withdrawn some money from my Paypal account but sent it to wrong bank account. :mad: I have two accounts listed with them, my current account and an old savings account which I've just realised has been closed. :eek: Hopefully the money will just get bounced back to my Paypal account - I've emailed them to check but haven't heard back yet. I might go and see if there's a similar thread on another forum. I'm such a dope.

E.T.A.
PayPal have just emailed me back and the issue should be resolved within 2 hours but I'll be charged 50p for a reversal from my account. Pleasantly surprised with how quickly and efficiently PayPal have handled this.

I spoke too soon the money hasn't gone back in to my account and they are no longer replying to my emails. :mad: If I don't hear from them by tomorrow I may have to conquer my phone phobia and ring them.

White_Iris

I finally got another email from PayPal yesterday explaining that what the first advisor told me was complete rubbish (but rest assured they have put the matter forward as a training issue :cool:). It seems it can take up to 30 days for the bank to reject the payment and it be returned to my account - fabulous! I know it's only £30 but that was pretty much all I had left for the month :eek:. Fortunately Christmas presents are all bought but I was looking forward to buying a few new decorations or maybe splashing out on a pair of winter boots (how frivolous when I have wellies or a perfectly good pair of canvas plimsolls!).

We've also had the bill for the plumbing repair at our rental property which has completely wiped out the emergency pot. Lucky we had it there really but roll on January when we'll have more income and can actually start saving properly!

Credit card bill now strands at £950. I've nibbled away at it a little to get a nice tidy figure but I can't see it getting any lower this month unless I'm exceptionally frugal with the grocery budget. I went out on Tuesday and did a big shop with the savings stamps I was given - £100 really doesn't get much in the big supermarkets does it? Even though I was supposed to be buying for Christmas there were some items that were so overpriced I just couldn't bring myself to buy them (own brand Pringles were nearly £2! I can get them for about 90p in Aldi). So I got a few non-perishables or freezables for Christmas but spent the rest of it on everyday store cupboard items - hopefully this will means I spend less week-to-week this month and I can pick up the remaining Christmas things in the normal shop.

Off to buy a tree and wreath at the weekend. I've got £60 saved and hope to come home with as much of that as possible although looking at the price of trees I'm not sure. :eek: