Diary of a (hopefully)reformed shopaholic

LivvyLoo_2

Hi KM,
Yes I do take issues up with him but in a discussion I don't think about points until after the event and then its difficult to re-approach. Sometimes I do let things go...not so much as I used to, he seems to have an answer for everything and its hard.

This morning I mentioned that he should have come yesterday to sort the electrics out, not today and he shouldn't have shouted at me...to which he apologised.

Don't know where to start with bonfire night, first he was coming, then he wasn't because my mum was coming (an issue that I did take up with him) and now he is coming (decided today) because after trying twice to change my plans I haven't given in so he has decided to come after all. Thanks!!!!

I have been to Ald*s to get what I needed for bonfire night and also got Christmas pressies for grandparents (chillean wine).

Realised I have £18 on my Boots card to spend so I will get some more Xmas pressies with those.

Got a meeting 4-5 today...will be late home grrr.

x

savingholmes

HI LL - good news about the £18 on the boots card... I like to get my xmas present shopping over and done with and then can relax in the run up to xmas...

LivvyLoo_2

Hi SH,

Im not sure how I managed to get that much on it because I don't shop at Boots much now, I find things cheaper elsewhere...it is nice to have though. I am hoping to get my Xmas shopping finished soon too.

I have made a beef casserole tonight, will put it in the slow cooker tomorrow whilst I am at work. I haven't tried one with tomatoes in yet so hope I like it. Its going to feed me and DD for weeks as have made a massive bowl full.

DD was sooo tired tonight after 2 late nights, she fell asleep in the car on the way home. Nursery teacher said she burst out crying eating her lunch and was just shouting that she needed her Mummy...hope she is OK poor little thing.

Going for a NSD tomorrow, must update spends diary too.

x

LivvyLoo_2

Quick update before I go home for my casserole...how exciting ha ha.

Bonfire night has only cost me £15 YEY! My friend and I spent the same on food and fireworks so nothing left to pay.

I have £16 a week left for fresh shopping, the freezer is full to the brim and will be even fuller tonight when I get my casserole out...unless it has turned into soup because it has been cooking for 9 hours.

I am going to buy DD some PJ's for Xmas Eve, love the Gruffalo ones (and she will too) in Debs, but they are still £16 in the sale...I guess it should come out of Xmas fund tho. I will have a think on the way home tonight.

Those Asda pullups I bought for DD work a treat and there are 22 in a pack rather than 15...I am so impressed and even more impressed that I am finally waving goodbye to the snobby me. Well nearly because when I took her round to my friends the other night in her PJ's I put her pink huggies on ha ha...I know, I know, one step at a time!

xx

savingholmes

Hi - I laugh now when I see my Mr A order - I used to be all branded products now its all clearly marked Mr A or smartprice and any brands stand out like a sore thumb.... Still get the odd one. I'm trying Mr As decaff gold blend type coffee this week - I will let you know how I get on.

It is those kind of "downshift" changes that make a big difference all year round... I was talking to someone at work today and she buys for 2 and spends £20 a week on groceries. I was very impressed. She tells me that Ald! do 10p tins of tomatoes... May need to investigate some more... I have never found them to be that much cheaper than Mr A but again perhaps I'm not looking at the right things. Perhaps I need to take a Mr A list in and compare prices.... I would be irritated by the things I couldn't get tho - and I find their fruit and veg doesn't last as long which would do my head in! We'll see. As you say small steps...

LivvyLoo_2

Morning All,
Its been a while since I have updated, have had a busy weekend and OH been here most of the time so haven't had time to post.

On holiday today whilst MIL away on holiday. DD's cough is back so I have been up most of the night and am absolutely shattered.

This weekends spends

Night out = £50
Bon fire night = £15 (out of food budget)
Xmas pressies = £94 (tv, pj's for DD (halved with OH) and wine for grandparents)
tv for bedroom = £89, tv in the sale & £45 Tesco vouchers (out of holiday budget)
Lunch Sat = £10
Mr T's = £6 (gripe water and drinks)

I have updated SS this morning and checked accounts.

So I have to be very careful now, £66 left in everything else pot and £20 in entertainment fund.

SH, I used to think Ald*s vedg didn't last long but I find it does now, I got some lettuce from Mr M the other week and it lasted 3 days, for the price Ald*s is so much more economical. DD's apples are about £1 cheaper and you get 2 more in the pack than Mr A's.

Xmas pressies are coming along, DD's pj's were in the sale but I also had a 15% disc code and free delivery so ordered them, plus her tv was in the sale and the bracket to put it on the wall was half price with that tv.

We went to look at the lights and all the xmas deccies in our local garden centre on Saturday, DD loved it and I managed not to buy anything.

xx

mummytogirls

Hi Livvy, wow looks like youve had a busy weekend! All budgetted for though, which is fab!!

Who needs gripe water?! Cant stand the stuff, smells nice though!!!

Keep up the good work xx

LivvyLoo_2

Hi Mummy,
Thank you, I feel like I am making headway with the Xmas pressies now. Although I still panic when spending money.

The gripe water was for DD, she kept saying her tummy was hurting so bought it incase it was trapped wind. I managed to get one spoonful in her and the second was with a bribe.

x

savingholmes

sounds like things are going well on the xmas pressie front... I like to be really organised too

LivvyLoo_2

Hi All,
Im in the office today as DD at nursery.

Checked accounts and SS and all doing well. Bought DD 3 more Xmas pressies from Amazon at lunch time, I don't want to get her much as the garden room is full of toys but she needs something exciting to open on Xmas day and not just a TV lol. So I spent £42 on some Dora products.

OH found me my winter tyres on the net for £174 each so I will ring my friend in the car garage and ask if they are any good or if its worth only getting 2 rear ones. But that is a big saving compared to what the man in the tyre garage was selling them for.

HM crab salad sarnie for lunch (made with crabsticks lol).

My petrol says 136 miles left in the tank. Its 21 days since my last fill up, which is the length of time I normally go between fill ups. Im quite pleased so will have to see why this has happened, have I not been travelling as much? Have I been driving more economically or is the petrol from the Jet garage better than Asdas? Looks like I will need to fill up at the weekend, or Friday when I am off work again.

I saved for Xmas last year but clearly not enough as looking back at my SS we added £700 to the CC. I think that my main problem was I didn't used to admit to myself how much I spent on things and then wouldn't save enough in a pot, I did it so I could pretend to myself I was paying lots off our debt, but then I wouldn't leave us enough for everything else and would end up adding more on the CC.

As a couple our debts at their highest reached £51k in June last year!

If I can do Xmas without any debt this year then I will feel proud. Infact I have gone for 6 whole months living within my means...how long does it take until Im fully reformed? I don't think its happened just yet as I still feel the old me coming through when shopping and it scares me.

x