30 and ready for change!

dubbya

ViolaLass wrote: »

I'm doing a PGCE at the mo so I can understand how tired you get. I'm spending half term filling my freezer up with meals. I also make sure that there is always pasta and tinned tomatoes in the house so that meals can be put together with minimal effort when needed. Maybe you could try the same to avoid those expensive last minute take aways.

Good luck for your PGCE ViolaLass! Yes I think I will get some tinned tomatoes in. I normally buy one pasta sauce when food shopping but then they are expensive! The takeaway was a moment of weakness that I need to curb somehow as I'm sure my OH would have put the dinner on if I'd asked. Keeping this diary and recording all spends is helping so much though as I feel guilty knowing I'll have to 'confess' on here afterwards!

dubbya

Confession time! Adding travel and lunch costs today to my Feb spending overall - it's not a pretty picture, I'm finding holidays are my crunch time! Also had to shell out for a filling today - vowing to use electric toothbrush more often than manual one!!

February spending so far:
Petrol: £50
Toiletries: £5
Food/Groceries: £105.64
DIY: £31.60
Takeaways/Eating Out: £55.99
Entertainment: £22.00
Card: £1.99
Clothes: £20.00
Parking/Travel: £6.60
Postage: £2.46
Dentist: £40

On the plus side, cooked lasagne last night that's done for two dinners so far and there's still some left

dubbya

February spending so far:
Petrol: £70
Toiletries: £35.43
Food/Groceries: £174.38
DIY: £31.60
Takeaways/Eating Out: £55.99
Entertainment: £22.00
Card: £1.99
Clothes: £20.00
Parking/Travel: £6.60
Postage: £5.22
Dentist: £30

Turns out dentist was only £30 yay! Have also added food and petrol spends from today.

Currently working out the price of this weekend's hen do :eek: so that's not included here yet. EDIT: This is looking like it will be about £150 eek!

Great news today though, got another credit card charges refund offer of £528 :T:T

Looking to ramp up the NSDs this week!

dubbya

NSD today :T

Looking for another tomorrow too

dubbya

Whoop! Another NSD today. Not quite making up for last week's spends but not bad

Don't think I'll achieve my target as it would mean NSD for all the days left in the month but I'll do my best!

March MUST BE a frugal month - determined!!

dubbya

February spending so far:
Petrol: £90
Toiletries: £35.43
Food/Groceries: £174.38
DIY: £31.60
Takeaways/Eating Out: £62
Entertainment: £22.00
Card: £1.99
Clothes: £20.00
Parking/Travel: £10.80
Postage: £5.22
Dentist: £30

NSD on Thursday :T
Had parking for work spend on Fri and then a hasty takeaway on route to see a show in the eve as no time to cook! (tickets gifted tho ). Petrol spend today.

dubbya

So as I approach the end of Feb - first month of spending diary - I can clearly see where I've been overspending/wasting money.

Overall looks like this:

February spending so far:
Petrol: £90
Toiletries: £35.43
Food/Groceries: £230.69
DIY: £31.60
Takeaways/Eating Out: £62
Entertainment: £22.00
Card: £1.99
Clothes: £20.00
Parking/Travel: £10.80
Postage: £5.22
Dentist: £30

Final food shop of the month brings it under budget of £250 so I'm sure I could get it down to under £200 next month.

Two more NSDs yesterday and today :T and also earned £51 tutoring over the past two nights so I'm shattered but feeling virtuous!