A new start for a newbie

vintage43

Oh yeah and am filling in the budget planner from all the receipts as I go along, makes you realise what you spend while your out and about, even put the 35p bottle of water on there.

vintage43

I'm planning a NSD today, spent loads yesterday, isn't it funny how sometimes you have to spend money to save money??? It's my last day off today so I'm going to have a PJ day. eat choc and then watch all the films I have taped, loved the Jane Austen day, so have Emma to watch today. really rainy here so I'm not even going to walk the doggy.

debtfreewannabe321

Hi vintage, I'm also going to be doing what you are with receipts straight onto the spreadsheet. Otherwise i lose them before month ends or i forget :oops: !#

Have a fab day off work and enjoy your films, I love Jane Austen always leaves me in tears though lol so i watch them when i'm in the mood for a good cry lol

and well done on using all the left overs up

vintage43

debtfreewannabe321 wrote: »

Hi vintage, I'm also going to be doing what you are with receipts straight onto the spreadsheet. Otherwise i lose them before month ends or i forget :oops: !#

Have a fab day off work and enjoy your films, I love Jane Austen always leaves me in tears though lol so i watch them when i'm in the mood for a good cry lol

and well done on using all the left overs up

I have just popped a big pot of mushroom risotto on the hob, using up the frozen peas that have been in the freezer since? on the turn mushrooms, on the turn onions and rather sprouty garlic and some oxos that my niece rescued from a C**p skip ( she's really into the freegan lifestyle, so when ever she comes her we end up with a load of stock cupboard stuff that she's saved) and I'm going to try decanting the value pure orange into a nice jug to see if I can encourage the kids to drink up the 10 cartons of it that are lurking in the cupboard, any one any other ideas what i could use it for???:D:money:

Emma was lovely, going to watch Becoming Jane after lunch x

mum2one

debtfreewannabe321 wrote: »

Hi vintage

I am planning on getting birthdays for family for upto £5 -so a token gift, BUT i fully intend on getting these in the Jan sales so hopefully £2-3 per person i've already told all i'm broke so there can be no b1tching about my rubbish presents as they are lucky they are getting anything lol

For next christmas I will again give token gifts to the adults (mine & dh's bro's & sisters & parents only) and a little something for the kids. I should be debt free in 2 years so then i can think about upping the budget for pressies until then it's token gifts all the way...oh and i am planning on making a few pressies too so should get more for my money

I can't wait to get paid to start on my shiny new spreadsheet :rotfl: I realise how sad I sound but this will be my first FULL year of budgeting so can't wait to tackle the debts & savings pots! :rotfl:

#

I culled my list that we just did for christmas, those that got token gifts for set myself budget between £5 and £10 per person, but I hit the sales esp th Boots 75% off, so whilst i paid £3 to £5 per prezzie the retail value was £12/£20, and that person still got a fab prezzie, also did homemade gifts.
We've got 2 eldery neighbours, so I do a shoebox as a food package, mini jams, biscuits, small box of teabags, posh coffee mixes, (make my own), and they come in for under £5, yet look more expensive.

My top tip would be hampers

ladies/ teenagers - pamper hampers
soap
sponge
face mask
tissues
make up/nail polish (I use the £5 boots voucher off no 7, then buy nail polish)
nail files

these would come in under £5

Even when your back in the black, I wouldn't go back to buying full price presents, as penny to a pound there be quite a few people who will have wanted to cut the lists, but not be the one to say it, so there assume that the "reduced" budget is the norm. xx

mum2one

vintage43 wrote: »

I have just popped a big pot of mushroom risotto on the hob, using up the frozen peas that have been in the freezer since? on the turn mushrooms, on the turn onions and rather sprouty garlic and some oxos that my niece rescued from a C**p skip ( she's really into the freegan lifestyle, so when ever she comes her we end up with a load of stock cupboard stuff that she's saved) and I'm going to try decanting the value pure orange into a nice jug to see if I can encourage the kids to drink up the 10 cartons of it that are lurking in the cupboard, any one any other ideas what i could use it for???:D:money:

Emma was lovely, going to watch Becoming Jane after lunch x

The orange juice have you got any lollipop containers, fruit juice freezes well.

vintage43

mum2one wrote: »

#

I culled my list that we just did for christmas, those that got token gifts for set myself budget between £5 and £10 per person, but I hit the sales esp th Boots 75% off, so whilst i paid £3 to £5 per prezzie the retail value was £12/£20, and that person still got a fab prezzie, also did homemade gifts.
We've got 2 eldery neighbours, so I do a shoebox as a food package, mini jams, biscuits, small box of teabags, posh coffee mixes, (make my own), and they come in for under £5, yet look more expensive.

My top tip would be hampers

ladies/ teenagers - pamper hampers
soap
sponge
face mask
tissues
make up/nail polish (I use the £5 boots voucher off no 7, then buy nail polish)
nail files

these would come in under £5

Even when your back in the black, I wouldn't go back to buying full price presents, as penny to a pound there be quite a few people who will have wanted to cut the lists, but not be the one to say it, so there assume that the "reduced" budget is the norm. xx

the next sale instore had some really cheap things that you don't see online, 8 lipglosses for £1, slipper socks with pom poms for £2.00, it's worth popping in to have a look, also a large pink piggy bank with marshmallows, £8 reduced to £1, would make great birthday pressies!:j

mum2one

guess whos just added Next to the shopping list for 2mor! xx

vintage43

Yey! another no spend day, I am starting to get the hang of this now, I actually really enjoy that feeling in having succeeded another NSD!
Using food up out of the fridge also gives me a nice glow, I'm going to have to go through it tomorrow and freeze all the stuff with a Jan 1st sell by date on it, we seem to have alot of filled pasta all going off on the same day and one pack will do me three meals so I'm going to freeze it in portion, seriously going to need another freezer soon, I didn't realise how much food I bin when I could freeze it before it's sell buy or cook it and freeze it, just laziness on my part:o
I piggy banked also today, I put money into the school transport fund having broken it down by timesing the weekly amount by 52 then taking off the school holiday weeks and dividing into monthly chunks.
I can feel a whole new organized me just around the corner, two more days and it starts in earnest.
Did anyone watch the remake of Great Expectations - it was wonderful, Miss Haversham was fragile and beautiful and not at all scary, Herbert Pocket was spot on and Jo was beautifully acted, everyone would want him as their dad, didn't think you could beat the old David Lean / Alec Guiness version but they did, loved it :j:j:j

vintage43

Happy New Year!!:rudolf::snow_grin:santa2::xmastree::