Hit the bottom, now to GET ON TOP!

Pauper1

I was a naughty thing today and went home at lunch time (£2.50 spent!), but I couldn't help it! Was so tired, and stressed from work, wanted my cats & my sofa for a little while. Will be staying at work tomorrow though.
Didn't actually spend anything today, haven't done all week (apart from yesterday, with the sponsorship money! *sigh* I will get over it...). We haven't had a takeaway in, well, I actually can't remember - months & months! We used to have one every week or so. I honestly don't understand how we went from being able to do that & pay our bills, to not even being able to pay our bills.
I sewed up my cardigan today, got a few more months wear from it. Such a good housewife.
I don't think I have a to-do list today, don't think I can be bothered. WHY AM I SO TIRED?!
Argh. Dammit. Just remembered that I forgot to take the fish out the freezer for the fish pie. *goes back to bed*
x

BEAT_THE_DEBT

HI i am enjoying your progress and thanks for reading mine x

Pauper1

Well, this weekend we were very good - spent about a tenner on cheese, cat litter, 2 pizzas, 1 beer, bread, milk, errrr... can't remember what else!
Had a very confusing time trying to sort out who owed who how much money (family wise & only small amounts), worked it all out in the end, and we only have to pay my mum £4 to get rid of the sorry little mess there. We had to spend £12 to go to a fancy house for Father's Day, but we used some of the 'borrowed-not-borrowed-in-the-end' money for that.
OH got paid today, but the banks haven't sorted out our new account for the bills yet. So another month of living in the overdraft it is then. I hate it, it confuses me. I've decided to take money out for food & transfer money onto the prepaid cards for petrol, haircuts, dentist etc, then leave the rest in there and not touch it. What gets paid, gets paid, and what doesn't, doesn't. Nothing else I can do about it now. As long as mortgage, water & electric get paid I am not bothered.
Already looking forward to next month's payday!! The accounts will be sorted, and we will have a shiny new account (with no overdraft) and know exactly how much money we have, what we have still to pay etc. Will make for a much clearer head.

Todays To-Dos
[STRIKE]Washing machine on (delay)
Dishwasher on
Chuck dinner in the slow cooker
Take lunch to work
Free tea, coffee & water at work
Drive at 60mph
Check banks
Revise budget[/STRIKE]
Go for a little run
Put away clothes
Early night!

Toodle pip x

Hovel_lady

Have just finished reading your diary.
I'm just starting out and looking at not being debt free for 8 years which seems like forever.
Re: your dads 50th. Does he have a favourite meal you can cook? Or a favourite pudding?
Do your parents know about the debt?
People are usually very understanding if they know what's happening and I'm sure for your dad being with family is the important thing on his birthday not how much his dinner cost.
If you haven't put a post on ths OS forum.
Good luck and I'll keep an eye on your diary xx

miggy

Pauper1 wrote: »

Just want to share with you, the best thread I have ever seen. Am crying with laughter.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3295518

Hello Pauper, I've just wandered across your thread and wanted to say good luck... and thanks for the brilliant link!

Re your weekly list may I be really cheeky and advise you go easy on the plant watering? Lots of plants can't cope and the roots soon begin to rot: result, plant can't take in water and begins to droop. Of course they then get watered again which doesn't help. I'd suggest you water every few days unless the pots are very small and/or terracotta, or the plant is something with thin leaves or a large surface area that dries out quickly. Even for these, be sure the top of the soil's fairly dry before you water again.

That reminds me, I need to get off t'internet and water mine. Poor things, they think I've forgotten them.

miggy

Pauper1 wrote: »

We haven't had a takeaway in, well, I actually can't remember - months & months! We used to have one every week or so.

Have you seen this thread? Might come in useful... though I can't speak from experience.

Pauper1

Hovel_lady wrote: »

Re: your dads 50th. Does he have a favourite meal you can cook? Or a favourite pudding?
Do your parents know about the debt?

Good luck Hovel lady. 8 years is a long time, but it's not forever. Mine's only two years, but I'm having to break it down into "in 6 months, we will have *suchandsuch* and we will be able to *soandso*". It's helping me.
Dad likes his roasts, as long as they have yorkies! So I am thinking it's probably the best/easiest/cheapest thing to cook for him. They do both know what is happening, and are understanding. Closer to the time, I will be asking mum for a small contribution to the dinner cost, but I think it will work out cheaper than going out.

miggy wrote: »

and thanks for the brilliant link!

Re your weekly list may I be really cheeky and advise you go easy on the plant watering? Lots of plants can't cope and the roots soon begin to rot: result, plant can't take in water and begins to droop.

Haha it was a funny thread. Made me giggle just being reminded of it!
Thanks for the plant advice I've slowed down this week, they were newly replanted outside (in an apparent 'drought'!) so I was a little heavy on the watering. I will probably forget about them now!!

miggy wrote: »

Have you seen this thread? Might come in useful... though I can't speak from experience.

Ooh I do have that book. I've not used it yet though. Mustering up the courage to tackle the ingredients list. I imagine it's lengthy! Not that I have looked very thoroughly. I'll let you know how I get on.


Thanks for reading my little rambles I think the spirit on here will get me through! x

Pauper1

We've not been particularly good the last few days. Not dreadful, but still. OH bought some ready meals because we didn't have time/couldn't be bothered to cook yesterday. Before we would have got a takeaway, so I guess that's something. This morning we didn't have anything in the house for me to take to work for lunch, so I had to stop at Mr T's on my way. Tried to be good, but spent £6, just like that! Did get fruit for tomorrow as well though.
I've planned the next month's meals, just need to work out what we need to buy, when and from where. I HAVE to go to Mr T's tonight, to get fruit, lunches and a few other bits. But I have got stuff in stores for dinner tonight, so will go after (when we are full up!) and get dinner things for the rest of the week.
Don't know when I'm going to get a chance to go to L1dl or F@rm F0ods, until next weekend which is rubbish because they're so much cheaper for certain things. (although the reason we can't go this weekend is we are off to see Mr Elton John!!! WOOOOOOO!!!)
Oh well, t'is Hump Day. I seem to always be counting down the days to something - weekends, paydays, days off etc. I need to learn how to enjoy the days in between.

Today's To-Do's
[STRIKE]Drive at 60mph
Free tea, coffee & water from work
Check banks [/STRIKE]
Take £130 out for food (would be £150 but probably spent £20 over the last few days - need to be strict!)Go food shopping
Washing on

Bye lovelies x

Pauper1

I've been a little AWOL this last month, but our banks are finally sorted - all DD's and SO's are with our new bank, and we have a set amount to transfer from our wages into there, so NO overdraft/missed payments. It does mean that our over-overdraft is just sitting there with our old bank, collecting interest etc, but there's not a lot I can do about that right now. It's more important to me that we are able to pay our bills & buy food/petrol.

I've also lost 5 pounds on the Tesco Diets plan. This is awesome. Only a thousand-million to go!

I have spent the last week or so going through the challenges/ideas on the forums, and have decided on the below things

- I'm going to bulk buy to stock up for winter, and because we only have food in the house for that week. I've got a gorgeous wooden sideboard that doesn't really have anything in it, so I will put things like big bags of rice/pasta, tins of fruit & veg, tea, coffee, bin bags etc etc

- Downshift brands (we do it on quite a lot of things, but never go down to value stuff.. well, now's the time...)

- Do the weekly shop on a weekday after 8pm, so can get the whoopsies!

- More batch cooking & freezing

- Grocery shopping challenge at £180 a month

- Earn £5 a day (ebay, driving carefully, surveys, clicks, vouchers...)

- 20 NSD's a month (not including Direct Debits)

- Sealed pot challenege (on Sunday night, all change goes into my piggy bank)

- Don't throw away any food.

- Save £10 a week for Christmas.

- Save £10 a week for holiday.

- Check freebie/yougov/cashback websites daily.

- Do a weekly inventory of food in cupboards/freezer.

- Write a Christmas list & start finding a few presents.

- Check Top Cashback any time we buy anything.

- Take lunch to work every day & drive at 60mph everywhere.

- Mend/charity shop/throw away all old clothes/bags/shoes.

- De-clutter & sell old/unwanted stuff.

- Take meter readings weekly.

*phew*

I also have a winter/Christmas planning list, but I'll spare you for now!!

Right, off to my mother's for a free sunday dinner.

See yaaaa x

Hovel_lady

That's some list! I wanted to go and lay down after reading it, never mind doing it!
Good luck with your debt busting x