Diary of a (hopefully)reformed shopaholic

LivvyLoo_2

Hi thanks for popping in,

KM, no I haven't had the chat yet with OH. He has been making an effort recently though and so have I so things are ticking along. I just don't want to jump in to something I'm not sure about so dipping my toes in the water to test the situation first. App he is coming round to mow the lawn tonight....like he has been doing for the last 3 night ha ha. Hopefully he will wash my car whilst he is round (am I pushing it?)

Hi Mummy, aw I know how you feel. I haven't stopped for the last few days and nights....even a night off isn't a night off is it because you can't relax until your jobs are done? Hope everything is OK with you and OH's new old job and you're not too stressed about childcare.

Off on the nusery run now...will check in later if I have time.

xx

savingholmes

Hi LL glad you are having a better week and things feel more in control.

LivvyLoo_2

Hi diary\everyone,

Well this is the only time I have had to myself all weekend so thought I would read the boards and see what everyone has been up to and fill you in on what I have been up to...don't get excited mind you ha ha.

Yesterday morning I got up at the crack of dawn and went to M&S with DM as she had a 20% off everything voucher so I got my xmas wrapping paper in and a pressie for DF, also bought DD some new winter pjs and some food which I have divided into portions for 1 person and frozen. Then popped to Asda and stocked up on meals and bed time nappies...got a few bargains as the whoopsie section had just been filled up. I didn't buy any vedg or bread though as I am going to Aldi for this tomorrow

The afternoon was spent in the soft play with my friend and her DS who I met through nursery, we got 2 meals off the 2 for tennar menu and the kids shared a pizza...was very pleased with my money saving.

Home last night to do the washing and watch X factor with a glass of wine.

Today has been non stop jobs, washing bedding, cleaning kitchen, 2 hours or ironing and listing on ebay...I only made 1 sale on ebay last week (is it worth the PO trip? )

I vaxed half the front room carpet on Friday night, not sure why I bothered....DD has already had 2 wees on it, one wasn't her fault as she was weeing that hard it came over the front of the potty and the other I can't find but her pants were wet and she couldn't remembered where she had done it grrrr, haven't found the wet patch yet.

I have written out all the thank you's too for DD's pressies, just need to post them now.

So all in all a very productive weekend, I'm off work tomorrow to look after DD so hoping it isn't as hectic...no doubt it will be, I think its easier to go to work tbh.

OH washed my car on Friday night, but then told me to keep it shiney!!!! How do you keep a car shiney? Another stroke of luck where the car is concerned is that my parking sensors have started working again (fingers crossed they stay working for a bit longer this time).

Hope you've all had a good weekend and I really hope we have that heat wave that is promised at the end of the week as I am going to the races to celebrate my birthday on Saturday and I don't fancy getting wet and going out with humidity hair.

Bye for now

xx

savingholmes

Hi LL that sounds like a very productive weekend - well done you... I'd want a rest after all that LOL

E2006

Hi LivvyLoo, hope you dont mind me popping in :wave:.

You are doing so well with your budgeting, which is my major down fall. Ive picked up so many tips about budgeting better from reading your diary, so thankyou

Emma

LivvyLoo_2

Evening Diary,

Hi SH, yeah think I deserve a rest too ha ha...I am hoping to have a job free night one of these nights, a bit difficult with a 3 year old though...maybe I could ask her to do my jobs for me.

Hi Emma, of course I don't mind you popping in, its great to know I have helped you. It takes a while to get a budget thats right for you but when you do you feel like you have had a pay rise...its strange because you wonder why you can suddenly afford things.

Today I have been off work to look after DD, we have been to the shops! I took a present back that some one bought DD for her birthday and bought her the most beautiful dress. Then we went to Poundstretcher for crisps and choc...got some batteries on sale (£8) and Aldis for fruit, veg and wine (£23) and she helped me carry my bags to the car, it was nice to have company whilst doing the shopping but she chatted on the whole time and I kept forgetting what I needed.

I think she is getting a cold too because her nose has been running all day and she even asked to go to bed about 4 times.

I made HM shepherds pie for tea, it was yummy and we both ate it all (froze a batch of it too). Tomorrow I have egg mayo sarnies for my lunch, with home grown tomatoes.

I sold an item on ebay last week and didn't even notice that the money for it hadn't gone into my paypal account until I went to issue a refund for the postage, I have been in touch with Paypal and it appears I had listed the item under an old email address...how lucky was it that I was issuing a refund? £15 had gone into an old Paypal account, so although I am £5 poorer for refund I am £10 richer for the item.

Looking forward to heatwave...one last chance to wear my summer clothes. I hate winter!!!!!

xx

LivvyLoo_2

Evening diary,
Have been very busy at work today, I have a demo of something I have been working on for weeks to show to the project board tomorrow so have been desperately trying to get that finished. The man I am working with is in America so every afternoon for the last 2 weeks I have been sat in an audio with him...will be relieved when its over, I would rather watch paint dry than watch some one else controlling your machine.

I started to get a panic on because I hadn't updated my spreadsheet with the money I had spent and my meal plans, but the most important thing was I didn't have lists, so in one of my meetings this morning I sneekily made one.

I popped to the PO to post the one ebay parcel today...now my petrol is right down so I am going to have to do a fill up at lunch time tomorrow. Also need cakes for the office...hope there are some on offer!!!!

I also need cosmetics so I have just been on line to order those, I am worried about all this spending...I feel like I have fallen back into my old ways spend spend spend. The difference is I have money in my budget pots to pay for the things I buy these days and they are all accounted for but its so hard to get it out of my head that I shouldn't be spending.

Anyway meal plan updated, I need to get all the fresh stuff eaten so it doesn't go off. Tonight was pizza and coleslaw as the coleslaw goes off tomorrow. Tomorrow should be chilli, nachos and dips...and coleslaw ha ha.

How come is it now I don't have any leggings to hand I want to wear them on Saturday. I borrowed my friends and they are too short (she is taller than me but she doesn't like them as long as me). I have long legs so like things to be very long so I don't look like I couldn't get the correct fitting...think its something I have had in my head since I was a child when long length clothes weren't heard of and I spend my teenage years in half masts. Anyway will have a look for long ones in Mr A's tomorow but failing that I have an old paid or woolly type ones I could dig out...you watch it will be scorching hot.

Nothing else to report today, I am going to sleep now and hopefully I will be able to drag myself out of my pit for 6am.

Nite nite xx

LivvyLoo_2

Things have been pretty crazy for me over the last couple of days and my spending has gone through the roof.

So I thought I had better confess where I am at:

Thursday Birthday meal with work: £13.95
Friday Shopping Spree: My clothes: 238.46 (plus 2 dresses from Next,one is going back and the other one £60 I will keep)
DD Clothes: 73.50

Friday Meal: £24.35
Friday Groceries (2 dine in for tennar + coleslaw) £12
Saturday Races & night out: £67 (budgetted £120 but had a few winners)
Babysitter: £25

OK now for plans to recover the money:
DD clothes paid for out of her clothes budget.
Groceries out of Grocery budget
£240 in Clothes and Entertainment budget
£160 birthday money
£80 child benefit

All in All £45 in credit! Until I pay for Next dress...£15 down (will use some of my holiday budget).

OH took me out for a meal last night and it was lovely, it took me a long time to come round yesterday and I was a right old grump! DD never stopped talking from the minute she got up until the minute she went to sleep...not good when you have a hangover.

My birthday has been absolutely brilliant, a far cry from the awful time I had last year so I am happy.

OH still not moved back in but still on track.

Counted my £2 savings on Friday and was really pleased as I have £48!!! YEY.

I made £21 on eBay this week, I will pop to the PO tomorrow and put my birthday money in the bank whilst I am there before it gets spent.

Must cook something nice for tea tonight as all the fresh food I bought last week will go off, I think I will line things up on the work tops
according to use by date.

My Best friend has asked me to be God Mother to her son today....I feel so honoured!

Bye for now

x

mummytogirls

Hello Livvy,

Have I missed the point here?! Are you and OH trying to get back on track? Hope everything works out for you.

Looks like you are on track with your spending, all good xx

E2006

Wow Livvyloo, you sound like you've had a fab few days. Im glad things are going better with OH.

Dont worry about spending, the main thing is planning a budget and sticking to it, and most importantly, enjoying it! At the end of the day, thats what lifes about, and its so easy to get so hung up on being frugal that you start to feel guilty when you do treat yourself. You are doing so well and deserve to treat yourself!

Em x