Diaries of The Unorganised Mum!

lolly_896

Last nights meal plan well didnt go to plan, football was on and hubby usually makes it. I had a hot chocolate and a nice bath and manicured my nails (Used some foil things i got from ebay for 99p similar to minx) So nice to have some me time.

Today

No heating on
HM Soup cooking for lunch tomorow and maybe even starters tonight.
Will walk to school to pick up DS1
Posted things i bought back to Littlewoods (Reducing the Debt)
Hopefully make some sort of payment to Vanquis, Payday tommorow so will pay every penny left in account at 9pm!
Look on ebay for Beavers jumper for DS
Book Groupon Vouchers (already bought) for hair, spray tan and eyelashes for next Friday!

No news from my Next glitch sofa's - I hope they come but if they don't i will use the £98 on Vanquis!!

Next Friday is a friends birthday, have already agreed to go. I have found something to wear from my Wardrobe, hair and bits will be done on Friday using existing Groupons! Going to use DS old yogurt pouches to put some Vodka in and hope for a cheap night! (I have split the lining of a handbag and edged it etc

*ETA I overestimated Littlewoods Debt It's in fact £662 - £99 (Stuff sent back) - £3.99 (Overcharged Delivery which they had better refund) and £20 i need to pay off BNPL = £539!!!

lolly_896

And another kick in the teeth! I've forgotten a £2500 Loan! How could i forget £2,500! Lunatic
And overdraft £1900

Right loads effing bigger than i thought! Total £9621!

I'm going to mark this in red! So i can deduct! as i pay something off!

Checked bank and im £17 Over my O/D!!!

Going to overpay this coming month too

silvermist05

Hi lolly I had to look at your diary as the title jumped out at me too, I think there may be a few of us disorganised mums out there. I love meal planning saves a fortune.
Since the children have been back at school I have been laying there clothes out the night before including tights and underwear and making their packed lunches saves so much time in the morning in fact they more or less get themselves ready now.
Good luck with all your challenges I look forward to reading your diary.

lolly_896

Morning All,

No heating on again today although it is much colder, we did have the electric heater on this AM for about 10 mins to take the edge off, I aimed to stay in today but i took DS2 to toddlers this AM It's warm and free tea coffee juice and biscuits - well it's £2 to get in

Left over soup for lunch
DS are going to Nannies for tea so Gammon egg peas and chips for tea for hubs and I
Need to pay some creditors but unsure where to start!
No dishwasher on and washing on the line! Finished in the Tumbler!
Have been carefully turning lights and appliances off as i go around the house!

We have only used 80p in gas since Wednesday morning (Well Tuesday night was the last time heating was on) so about £1 for 3 days so that should reduce out Gas significantly! Say max £5 a week with so £21 ish a month :j

DS1 has just come home from school with an egg on his head a bruised nose - bless him feeling dead sorry for himself

lolly_896

In work today fourteen hours - brought own breakfast. Client provided lunch so.will.try to pop home for tea

left hubs and boys at home with instructions to try and refrain from putting heating on. There all.warm people so i guess they will. Ive also asked dh to take them somewhere cost effective like the garden centre.

I did something i hate last night bought something to list on ebay knowung it should make a few £s and even if it doesnt sell i can take it back.

Had a rough night with ds1 he had the runs! Poor dh took care of him.but i woke this AM to 4 in the bed :-(

Sally_A

I applaud you for being organised enough to do a full months Asda shop on line, but you are missing out on reduced items by doing it this way (albeit saving on impulse buying).

Your long working hours and job suggest you are driving past a lot of supermarkets, are you entitled to a break? First reductions in Co Op and Tesco Express seem to be around 2.00pm - if you have a freezer this can pay dividends, especially on meat, veg/fruit and bread. At around 6.00pm these can be giveway prices. Alternatively do you shop for your clients - no harm in getting some bargains for yourself at the same time.

I know Lidls is great value, and their food is top notch (less additives in their ice cream than the posh brands), but thinking back, I don't think I've ever seen a reduced sticker in Lidls (been to the one in Barry and Splott).

Another really sad thing I did when trying to eke things out, was to assess how long a product will last me, eg I know 500ml of Fairy Liquid Platinum washing up liquid will last for 5 weeks - just a little note in biro on the product and you can see how fast you are getting through stuff.

Your gammon, egg, peas and chips meal sounds lovely, but could possibly be stretched by turning it into gammon chopped into an omelette, or even consider buying a 750g bacon joint (£10 for 3 on various meat packs in Tesco, and that's my local expensive Express outlet). Eggs are brilliant for making a meal look more than it is. And use up end of life cheese by grating on top.

As for pudding - bananas might be another option, as they fill a gap more than most fruit, and can even be mixed with hot custard if needed. It's the wrong time of the year, but a lot of people put apples out at the side of the road for free, or a token donation, nomrally October time. Good for stewing, they can then be used as apple sauce or turned into a crumble (don't freeze a whole crumble - takes up too much space, just freeze the prepared apples).

You can often buy big sacks of potatoes for a lot less than buying small packs - BBC Good Food website tells you how to prepare them as frozen roasties, mash, and lots of other ways.

Never walk past a reduced sticker without thinking how you can use it later.

lolly_896

Still havent been and done another shop since the biggy! Have done about 2 top up shops which were £9 and £16 which for us is great.

I need to peel pots par boil and freeze them today as otherwise they will be wasted. Going to meal plan from now til a week Friday which is the end of the pay day month for me

Weekend away in Birmingham on Friday going to see Snow Patrol, so will print out some Pizza hut vouchers, bella italia etc. and i'm sure we'll find one of those! Clothes have come from wardrobe, used the last of groupon for hair and nails. And Mum has given us a bottle of Vodka - Will find Red bull subsitute to have a few before we get out!

Im bloody cold today and could do with whacking the heating on full and mincing but there is too much to be done to doss x

lolly_896

wow havent updated in so long! our weekend in birmingham was a disaster! It snowed and we got stranded at the LG! no taxis so a long money saving walk back to the hotel! Although we took my brothers friend and he didnt contribute to petrol which was a bit of a !!!!!

Anyways we havent been doing great, have an extra mouth too feed and no more money. Were managing but i need to budget better!

Making easter bonnets today, which cost about £3 so not horrific but £3 all the same!

Will update better soon, i think the debt has probably grown instead of shrunk though!

Alleycat

Hi lolly, just found your diary. Sounds like you're trying really hard. It is so difficult isn't it to keep up the momentum sometimes. Hope the debt's not got any bigger but if it has, it can't be undone so try not to worry too much.

chevalier

hi there
well done on taking the bull by the horns. And yeah to helpful mothers.

Is there anyway either you or OH can work extra hours. Or have to got a lot of things you could ebay? Any broken gold or gold you are never going to wear again that you could sell?