Time to make a change....

Skintfoodie

After 7 long months away, and not being very good money wise I've decided to come skulking back to my diary.

Things have changed in a massive way, I moved out of the flat back to my parents - my flatmate wasn't happy and unfortunately we're not friends any more. She found someone to take my place and the last I heard was really happy with her being there. I can't quite bring myself to try and rekindle the friendship though... she wasn't very nice during the final weeks of living together.

I moved back to my parents in early December and then at the end of February found out I'm pregnant! I moved in with my OH at the end of March and we've been very happy living together and planning for the baby coming. (Due 1st November).

Because I haven't been in my job long enough I don't qualify for any occupational maternity pay, so I'm just going to get SMP - which will be £130 a week ish. I'm scared stiff at such a massive drop in wages. I've built up £1250 in savings and will continue to save till the baby is born. I'm saving £250 per month but realistically should be saving another £250 on top of that.

The urge to apply for a credit card and start buying things for the baby on it is so high, I'm trying my best to resist but people keep stressing me out asking what I've bought for the baby - I haven't bought a single thing yet.

We have the added complication of my OH having 2 boys from a previous relationship, we live in a 3 bed house and they have a bedroom each - they know about the baby and have been told they'll have to share a room but not until October - I'm so pleased I said that - I have literally nowhere to store baby things so won't be buying anything much till Sept - if I had access to the baby's room now I'd be filling it with stuff.

On a plus being pregnant has meant I'm not drinking which is saving a fortune - although I feel slightly cut off from some groups of friends who don't have kids, aren't interested in kids and now aren't interested in me because I can't go drinking any more.

We're going on holiday a week today, which we booked back in January - week in a friend of a friend's apartment in Lanzarote, flights cost £150 each and £100 each to stay in the villa. I have £300 spending money lined up.

Today I'm going into town to get my legs waxed and look for some sandals. Must stay focussed and not buy anything else I don't need.

Skintfoodie

Well yesterday wasn't great spending wise.

£23 waxing - my god it hurts more pregnant - won't be doing that again.
£3.50 lunch - should have had some toast at home
£1.50 waitrose - mayo and a bottle of water
£1.50 market - spring onions and 2 bags of sweets
£7.50 craft market - pen pot & note holder - I really didn't need this but couldn't resist getting it.
£15 New look - sandals for our holiday - I'm not too bothered about this, I had some for £30 picked out from Next so spending half as much isn't too bad I suppose
£4.40 bus fare

Total £56.40

Totalling it up has shocked me tbh, as I was spending I didn't think I'd spent all that much...

Today we're stopping in and will be a NSD.

Skintfoodie

Evening Diary,

Sunday was a NSD - phew. Today was a spend, spend day.

£13.50 in Wilkinsons, pop, sweets & £10 cashback - baby brain kicked in and I forgot what I went in there for - tissues & hand sanitiser.

£40.99 in Mothercare - £25 maternity swimsuit, £11 maternity work trousers (half price) and a wedge pillow to help me sleep/put in my chair at work £9.99 - with a voucher for £5 reduced it to £40.99.

The pillow is helping my back as I type - feeling buyers remorse for the swimsuit, my boobs are now too big for any bikinis I had though.

Tomorrow must be a NSD!

Skintfoodie

Took my head out of the sand and updated my spreadsheet. I have £92 left. I must be much more frugal next month - no more spending on itunes, no more shoes, take lunches to work....

I know all this, and yet again I've overspent this month. I really need to be saving £500 per month or I'll never make it through maternity leave.

Everhopeful09

Hey Skintfoodie,

Don't beat yourself up too much, next months a new month, we all feel we could do better at times!

I've got about £80 to last till month end and a night out on Friday and put money on my cc which swore I wouldn't do so your not alone! I like my social life too much!

EH xx

Skintfoodie

I'm back from holidays! We didn't spend all the money we took, and that was even with buying presents for my OH's two boys and my parents. I refrained from treating myself, all we got for us was a fridge magnet! We had a lovely holiday, although my feet and ankles have now decided to swell up with the heat/plane travel. I'm currently sat with feet up and will be soaking them in freezing cold water soon!

Today I've met a friend for lunch (£5.50), had a walk around a food festival (£1 for a drink - things were quite pricey, and although I really liked some chutneys I just couldn't justify the expense) and I'm now bidding on a couple of maternity bits on ebay. My OH is nattering me to get some maternity clothes, but they're so expensive and at 17 weeks I'm at that awkward stage of being too big for my normal clothes (the ones that won't stretch that is) and not really big enough for the proper maternity things. I've never worn second hand clothes before but I bought some maternity bras from ebay, they arrived looking good as new, washed them anyway and haven't felt at all weird wearing them - although after a month of wear I'm just about grown out of them! I'm hoping the dresses and tops I'm bidding on will feel the same!!

I managed to finish the month with £70 left (unheard of) but I have a direct debit for half the NCT course we're booked on coming out in early June - around the £70 mark - so I've not saved any, but the NCT money won't hurt my normal spends.

I spent this morning moving my money around after being paid while on holiday, I've saved the £500 I need to and after all the bills have gone out (including the NCT direct debit) I have £209 left.

I'm aiming to take lunches to work to help have as many NSDs as possible. I've only one more socialising event lined up over the next few weeks, a tea out on Weds. I'll have to get the bus a few times this month so will have more travel expenses than last month. Other than a long overdue haircut that I really should get round to having I don't have any other spending that I'm aware of. I just might be able to save some more money.

Skintfoodie

Just won the maternity jeans I was bidding on, £6.70 including postage, much better than £25+ for some new ones

Skintfoodie

Today I've spent £1.87 on cough medicine, that's safe for pregnant women - it's basically just sugar and water, £2 on two bottles of pop and then we did our big weekly shop in M's. We added some new bedding (£15) and a new washing up bowl and the total came to £69.

We've budgeted £300 for our monthly shop, which covers me and OH and then his two teenage sons who are with us weds night and then Fri-Sun each week. They completely eat us out of house and home when they come.

I would rather spend around the £200 mark so I need to do some work on reducing our grocery bills.

Skintfoodie

I posted my meal plan for this week on my blog http://comedinewithrach.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/meal-planning-monday-on-tuesday.html when I put away the shopping I noticed we have a lot of leftovers in our freezer, next week will be freezer foraging and a few bits of fresh things for lunches - should be a nice cheap food shopping week

Skintfoodie

Today has been a NSD for me. I saw an offer on facebook for a changing bag from Mothercare with 50% off, so emailed my OH and he got it for me, £18! There were lots of "cuter" ones, but they're really expensive, so I'm happy with this one!