Carpe Diem... My new aim in life!

elsiepac

debtfreewannabe321 wrote: »

Hey Elsie, I've never smoked so this is just coming from watching my DH quitting (he's only been quit a few weeks this time) but when ever he gives up he only does well if he isn't already stressed by lots of other factors in his life, i.e debt, feeling down etc...I know you can't afford it but perhaps now is not the time to go cold turkey if you know what i mean, and perhaps you could try patches or the gum they sell (DH had success with the gum last time- and we bought it in the £1 shop!!!) everytime he would normally reach for a ciggy when stressed he would have a bit of gum (on the low dose)

I hope you manage to do it, it really will improve your health etc (lol can you imagine how much i nagged DH )

Oh and i'm with you on the batch cooking! I have loads of stuff in the freezer and cupboards screaming at me to make a meal with and I've no motivation to do any of it (oops!)

Have a great sunday hun

DFW x

Hey DFW, thanks for the message! I have gone cold turkey - I've done it in the past and I know I can do it again - just have to be strong! I'm feeling very positive so hopefully will be fine! Scratch that, I WILL be fine!!! Thanks for the encouragement x

elsiepac

Right, I've distributed all money and here is the new way I stand for the rest of the month!

1. I have my £1 a day for my 365 pot put aside ready for each day, so that's covered.
2. I have my £45 a week petrol money put aside (but I always do - no way round that one!)
3. This week I have £10 left till Friday. I have made my lunches Monday to Thursday and my dinners Monday to Thursday (just have to add cous cous each night). I have enough porridge for the rest of the week, the only thing is may need to buy milk. Have also run out of black pepper which is annoying so I may get some this week as they only do the giant pre-cracked pack for about £2 in the giant Tesco near work (great ethnic aisle there due to the area it's in, brilliant as you get some stuff half the price of even Tesco's own, like coconut milk, all the spices, in great big bags too, it's fab!!!)
4. Then for the remaining 2 weeks of the month I have £25 per week.
5. I have £7 refund from Body Shop coming into my bank account (which I barely touch as I go through the month usually as I deal in cash for food, petrol, entertainment etc - I LITERALLY use the envelope system as it's currently the only way to discipline myself with money, i.e. if I see it in front of me! I'm still undergoing my reform as I love to spend). I plan not to touch that £7 and on the 29th, the day before pay day, I will sweep all the change in there over to my ISA which is currently being used for my savings to move out...bit of a way to go on that one! Did it last month and it's only a few quid but it'll build up and BELIEVE me I could fritter it away SO easily...!
6. I have £7 cash remaining apart from all above which is next to me now, a very crisp fiver, a £1 coin and 2x 50p coins. I was sat here debating how to split it - whether to bulk out the weekly money or not, but then I thought no, I should use it for 365 pot catch up. So £6 going in there and the 2x shiny 50p's are going in my Terramundi. It's REALLY heavy now!!! Still a fair bit to go unfortunately. But that should help with the moving fund if I can fill it up enough!

So that's all done - just wanted to write it out to make sure I haven't made any huge mistake anywhere and leaving myself short!!! But I'm fine, so really must go to bed now.

Goodnight MSE devotees xxx

JAMIEDODGER

Well done for being so positive! You seem to be very organised:) x

elsiepac

JAMIEDODGER wrote: »

Well done for being so positive! You seem to be very organised:) x

Thanks JD! I'm trying, I go completely one way or the other unfortunately! I subscribed to you by the way... finally!!! Hope you had a good weekend! x

elsiepac

0737:

Oops, I'm really quite late! Wet hair no make up, must leave by 5 to 8!!! Flying visit, more later... Feeling positive about no smoking, I'm perfectly capable of doing this :j Have a great day everyone! LC x

1346:

Well, just a quick update to let you know that the not smoking is going really well! Not tempted, and haven't eaten everything in sight!!! hehe, went out to Tesco at lunch and everything (with my friend and he does smoke) so I'm happy! Just about to "indulge" in my fat free yoghurt...yum, vanilla!

Spent £6.28 in Tesco at lunch, couple of things were topping up stores - almonds and black pepper, milk was for later in the week and coriander was to add to the 4 portions of veg tagine I have this week for tea. So £3.72 left for the week, which is fine except I needed £4.25 left for Starbucks and lunch on Friday. Will think about this. Technically the pepper is an ongoing cost so it would be ok to have £1 back from next week's food budget for it, but I'm a bit reluctant to do that. I'm going for NSDs on Tue, Wed, and Thu this week!!! Wish me luck!

1850:

Have taken back £4 from the other two weeks budgets to cover some of the expense today as it was "stores" type stuff so only fair the cost is shared. I will have £23 budget for the remaining two weeks of the month (first one starts Friday). This week I now have £7 left till Friday).

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The Boring Stuff: Challenges


Weekly Spend Challenge 12 Jun 11 - £30

12 Jun: £07.00 - Breakfast! - Remaining = £23.00
12 Jun: £12.99 - Tesco Shop - Remaining = £10.01
12 Jun: £00.01 - Jelly Baby - Remaining = £10.00
13 Jun: £02.28 - Tesco

---

Remaining = £07.72
13 Jun: £00.02 - Jelly Baby - Remaining = £07.70
13 Jun: £00.70 - Terramundi - Remaining = £07.00

June No Spend Days - 10 NSDs

10 NSDs is ideal - would really like 12!

NSDs:
8, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28 Jun

£365 in 365 Days

Started challenge late with 215 days to go in 2011.
Am aiming to make up the 150 days I've lost as well.

215 Days - £14/£215
May Total: £1/£1
Jun Total: £13/£30
01 Jun: £1 --- 09 Jun: £1 --- 17 Jun: £? --- 25 Jun: £?
02 Jun: £1 --- 10 Jun: £1 --- 18 Jun: £? --- 26 Jun: £?
03 Jun: £1 --- 11 Jun: £1 --- 19 Jun: £? --- 27 Jun: £?
04 Jun: £1 --- 12 Jun: £1 --- 20 Jun: £? --- 28 Jun: £?
05 Jun: £1 --- 13 Jun: £1 --- 21 Jun: £? --- 29 Jun: £?
06 Jun: £1 --- 14 Jun: £? --- 22 Jun: £? --- 30 Jun: £?
07 Jun: £1 --- 15 Jun: £? --- 23 Jun: £?
08 Jun: £1 --- 16 Jun: £? --- 24 Jun: £?

150 Days - £24/£150
May Total: £5
Jun Total: £19
01 Jun: £1 --- 09 Jun: £0 --- 17 Jun: £? --- 25 Jun: £?
02 Jun: £2 --- 10 Jun: £7 --- 18 Jun: £? --- 26 Jun: £?
03 Jun: £2 --- 11 Jun: £0 --- 19 Jun: £? --- 27 Jun: £?
04 Jun: £1 --- 12 Jun: £6 --- 20 Jun: £? --- 28 Jun: £?
05 Jun: £0 --- 13 Jun: £0 --- 21 Jun: £? --- 29 Jun: £?
06 Jun: £0 --- 14 Jun: £? --- 22 Jun: £? --- 30 Jun: £?
07 Jun: £0 --- 15 Jun: £? --- 23 Jun: £?
08 Jun: £0 --- 16 Jun: £? --- 24 Jun: £?

365 Days - £38/£365

Lets Lose lbs Not £££s - 21 pounds

Goal 1: to lose 10% of my body weight - 21 pounds
Start weight: 210 pounds - 15 May 2011
Goal weight 1: 189 pounds

Weigh Ins:
15 May: 210 Start
20 May: 208 --- Lost --- 2
27 May: 208.5 - Gained - 0.5
03 Jun: 210 --- Gained - 1.5
10 Jun: 209 --- Lost --- 1
17 Jun:
24 Jun:
01 Jul:
08 Jul:
15 Jul:
22 Jul:
29 Jul:

Sealed Pot Challenge 4

Aiming for a minimum of £70 so can buy Wii Fit Plus!
Silvers in Terramundi, Coppers in Jelly Baby
Open TERRAMUNDI on 1 December 2011

Result: £0.00

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More Boring Stuff: Meal Plans

Sun Breakfast - bought...oops!
Sun Lunch - skipped as full from breakfast - well, stole one of Dad's bags of Mini Cheddars to tide me over!
Sun Dinner - Vegetable Tagine

Mon Breakfast - Oats so Simple Honey and Almond with added almonds
Mon Lunch - Roast veg with bulgar and buckwheat mix, Vanille Fat free yoghurt, apple, banana
Mon Dinner - Vegetable Tagine

Tue Breakfast - Oats so Simple Honey and Almond with added almonds
Tue Lunch - Roast veg with bulgar and buckwheat mix, Vanille Fat free yoghurt, apple, banana
Tue Dinner - Vegetable Tagine

Wed Breakfast - Oats so Simple Honey and Almond with added almonds
Wed Lunch - Roast veg with bulgar and buckwheat mix, Vanille Fat free yoghurt, apple, banana
Wed Dinner - Vegetable Tagine

Thu Breakfast - Oats so Simple Honey and Almond with added almonds
Thu Lunch - Roast veg with bulgar and buckwheat mix, Vanille Fat free yoghurt, apple, banana
Thu Dinner - Vegetable Tagine

Fri Breakfast - Oats so Simple Honey and Almond with added almonds
Fri Lunch - Hospital Lunch
Fri Dinner - ???

rdchick

Hello LC!!

Just read your diary, you're doing super! I think I need to do the same tbh, maybe later when I'm not doing much at work

My bf has quit smoking, been just over a week, he's doing great but he's not a moaner so I don't know how he's really feeling! Told him if he saves all his pennies from smoking (£7 a packet :eek:) we can go to SA next year

I love your envelopes and pot method, think I need that!

Anyway keep your head up, you're being super!!
Xxx

elsiepac

rdchick wrote: »

Hello LC!!

Just read your diary, you're doing super! I think I need to do the same tbh, maybe later when I'm not doing much at work

My bf has quit smoking, been just over a week, he's doing great but he's not a moaner so I don't know how he's really feeling! Told him if he saves all his pennies from smoking (£7 a packet :eek:) we can go to SA next year

I love your envelopes and pot method, think I need that!

Anyway keep your head up, you're being super!!
Xxx

Hey Stephie, thanks for dropping by!

That's a good incentive for your OH! I can't afford to put pennies aside unfortunately (hence I REALLY couldn't afford to smoke!)

I got the envelope method from CCCS to be fair - before I was on this site properly and everything I had no clue about things like this - thought I was budgeting and I wasn't - when I had to do my DMP they told me to use cash and envelopes and I haven't looked back since! I have:

- Food (and Toiletries)
- Petrol
- Car Tax
- Car Spares
- Hair
- Sports/Hobbies/Entertainment
- Presents
- Emergencies/Sundries
- Dentist
and I used to have Pets too, but not any more
I think I've left one off the list but it won't come to me!!!

I've actually got a dilemma about my own SA trip next year. Basically, a friend is getting married out there in August 12, and has asked me, my best friend and 2 other girls to be bridesmaids. This is all well and good, but I'm not very close to this girl and I couldn't figure out why she asked me to be a bridesmaid. On the day she asked, we all got carried away and were excited etc. Now, my best friend is really the one who is closest to the one getting married, and when we left, the bride to be was saying bye to us, and she did this great long monologue to my best friend about how they go so far back etc and she was always going to ask her etc. This was all expected. Then she turned to me and said that she asked me because she sees me and my best friend as a package (!) and she knew if my best friend was away she could turn to me with a problem etc. To be honest I left her house that day feeling really annoyed after initially being flattered!

Since then, I've literally seen her twice and it was about 3 months ago she asked us! I am considering a couple of different options for moving and looking at the most expensive option, if I have to save for SA (which is £150 a month from Jan by the way), then I would only be able to put £10 a month in general savings! Which is rubbish compared to the £160 a month that I could put away if not going to SA! (On some of my other options for moving I'd be able to save £400+ a month!!! But they're more unlikely to happen!)

It's not just the bridesmaid issue as well - it's the fact that I'm probably going to get left out when we go, as all the others are in couples and I'm not and nor is one other girl, and I've basically been told I would have to share a room with her! Which quite frankly I don't see why I should if I'm paying all that money to go away! I don't know her at all well and I can really see it happening that I'll get left with her more and more and the last thing I want is to have spent all the money of flights and accomodation and then 3 nights in start regretting it.

I'm leaning towards not going it must be said, but I've not made a final decision yet, I shall see how thing pan out! Ho hum!!!

LC xxx

rdchick

Aww if you don't know her all that well then perhaps it's best to bite the bullet now and just say, sorry but I can't really afford to come, thanks for the offer etc etc I'm flattered but I'm sorry I'm gonna have to duck out...

I had a very similar situation with my friend who's having the hen party at mine this weekend- I was engaged to her cousin and we became close, her boyfriend proposed - I helped choose her ring (a diamond butterfly :eek:) and all was good - she asked me not only to be her bridesmaid but her cheif bridesmaid! I was very flattered and thought well I know she has friends who are a lot closer than what we were but okie dokie - anyway I split up with her cousin and came off Facebook and lost touch a bit however a few months ago we have sorted it all out (firstly over Facebook) - and we've been invited to their wedding and it'll be really nice... but I probably would have thought the same as you with your friend...

xxx

elsiepac

Hmm, it's a toughie I must confess. I've got until August to respond officially but I must say I sent her a text today (bearing in mind I haven't heard from her for weeks, not since she sent me a snotty text, but that's another story!) and I said thanks for the invitation - which she left with my best friend to give to me and I said basically I'd been looking at budgets again and it was looking less likely I could go, but that I was still looking and seeing if an option. Needless to say, she unsurprisingly hasn't come back to me!

So, with your friend are you still the chief bridesmaid or did that go out the window when you lost touch? xxx

debtfreewannabe321

I think if I wasn't that close to her i'd tell her now so she has time to find someone else and you could be saving all that money each month rather than going to a wedding of someone you don't know all that well??

It is a tough decision to make though so good luck!

I used the cash and envelope method for the first few months then I kind of fell off the wagon a bit. Your posts have just reminded me how good it was! And i will be back on that for July! I had one envelope for petrol, grocery, entertainment, pocket money, mobiles (we are all on payg so when credit runs out DS & DH come to me and i distribute money from this lol),clothes & if i know we are going out in the month I put aside a fund for that too ...I don't know why I stopped it tbh, It works far better than taking your cash card with you everywhere! You can't overspend if you only have cash & not plastic

DFW xx