Staying Positive & Focused !!!

mamato3

Congrats to the Men's GB Gymanstic Team they did fantastic to get the Bronze medal! I have to admit I turn into a bit of an Olympic Geek when its on lol!

Ebay did okay made about £40 after fees and postage which will cut the overdraft down to about £100 this month which is good!

Not too much else to report! Hope everyone well.

mamato3

The start of a new month and time to get my butt into more of an mse way! I know I spent way to much last month on silly things and didn't keep track of much so this month my main goal is to keep up with my spending diary, meal plan, and stay within my £80 per week budget for food and household items!

As it's a five week month the total budget should be £400 including nappies/wipes/household items. Thankfully my little guy has finally got the hang of potty training :j so I will only have to buy one packet of nappies for the month. I also have two birthdays this month but no more than £10 for each.

I still have another £150 in shoes, trainers and back to school stationary to sort out, I'm hoping £150 will cover it!

I got a dress for the November wedding, thanks to the grabbit foum, for £41.99. Was really pleased as it was the exact colour and style I was after and reduced from £130 in the House of Fraser outlet sale So just accessories to sort out now.

My pots are going well and my £ a day is pretty up to date so that's all good. Still not sure what we're doing about hubby's car at the minute he's been able to arrange lifts to work but long term we need to sort something out.

Off to change my sig around abit, couldn't get onto the Virgin website to pay cc will try again in a bit.

mamato3

9 more items listed on ebay :j hopefully they get a few bids.

The £80 a week budget for food doesn't seem to be going so well, came home from work today and the kiddies had pretty much eaten everything I'd bought yesterday to do over the weekend! Will have to get a few more things tomorrow and only £20 left out of the £80 .. ahh well! Also have to add £12 to the gift budget (which is over my £10 I was aiming for grrr...) I'm slowly edging towards the £500 limit for the year - me thinks it will be wayyyy over that by the time christmas comes round although, I have £35 on my boots card and about the same on Mr Ts card which I'll double up in November so that'll help cover some of the cost.

Still nothing sorted re hubbys car :mad: just don't know what to do about it at the minute! We could probably get by most of August with one car it's just when the kids go back to school we really need two. At least we've a few weeks to try and sort something out.

Happy weekend everyone!

fantastiyk

Hi Mamato3,
just popped in to have a quick read, your kids sound as hungry as mine!! I'm finding groceries getting very dear here at the moment which doesn't help things.
It takes a bit of adjusting getting used to one car, we still find there's times when we both just need it, but we couldn't afford the tax and insurance etc. It's expensive enough maintaining one and feeding it with diesel at the moment. I can't wait til this lean time passes and life gets easier.
You sound well organised for christmas. I have not looked that far ahead yet as this has been our leanest year ever since we married. Before I would have put some money by every month for christmas and birthdays, now that goes on debt reduction. Presents this year will be smaller and less of them until we get our ccs paid off.

Anyway, I just popped in to wish you a lovely week and to see how you're getting on.

mamato3

Thanks for popping in Fantastiyk, the weeks going okay! Hubby got accepted for a cc 0% for 16months with a limit of £1200 to sort out a car. The car wouldn't even go to get it to the mechanic, mechanic said he thought it would be another couple of hundred to get it fixed plus the mots up in October. Sighhh... we decided that perhaps we should finally lay the old dear to rest lol! I'm hoping he doesn't use the full £1200 but we will see.

I worked out that since starting this back in Feb we've paid off £2500 total of our debts (not including mortgage payments)! But with getting the cc now and knowing that hubby will probably use the full £1200 of it thats going to be more like £1300! Which is a little disappointing:(

I'm just glad my little pots are going okay, £ a day is up to date, enough money for oil at the end of the month and car tax money is looking okay to. Just to sort out money for dds music lessons when she starts school in September. I also have enough money to cover rest of school supplies and shoes which is a relief.

I just have to keep telling myself that we're getting there slowly - everyone has their bumps and this is just one of ours.

Hope everyones having a Happy Monday

fantastiyk

Hello Mamato3,
I think these things are sent to try us.
I keep telling myself that at least I can sort the blips easier because I'm more on top of the finances. I know its not really a consolation when you're accruing new debt, but you are lucky in that it is 0%.
I am paying interest on both mine because we can't get any new lines of credit while unemployed.
Is there anywhere you can check out the scrap value of the car and sell it on gumtree? Or even sell the parts separately? I know of people who've made more than the car would have gotten when sold as a whole by doing this.
Also, take the tax disc back to the motor tax office, they can only refund you for each full month that's left on it, so you won't be paid for August now. Every little helps.
And when looking for a new car try and get one that has a long MOT and quite a few months tax left on it. Even better, try for a car that has a low tax. DD1's car tax costs £35 - Renault Clio. While DDS's car tax is £180 - 200 ish for a car the same size but different make and engine size.
Best of luck!

mamato3

Your right, things are sent to try us and really in the grand scheme of things it really isn't too bad, I'm grateful for so many things in my life that I'm sure this is just a little blip to get over! Just spoke to hubby about getting whats left of the tax refunded it won't be much but better in our pocket! He also got a number of one of those places that buys scrap cars so we shall see what they say!

I had to send the dress back I got as it was damaged which was a pity as it was such a lovley dress so back on the hunt for an outfit for the wedding!

Ebay going okay a few things with bids but plenty of watchers which is always a good sign!

Feeling really tired tonight so me thinks a nice early nights in store .. now just to get the kids to agree!

mamato3

£50 paid off cc yippee down to £1050! Will aim to have it down to £800 by christmas. Not to much else to report on the money saving side of things going to have a look round the os boards hopefully get some ideas for meal planning! Don't have the car today so a nsd at least!

fantastiyk

Cool :T
Its great to see it reducing, isn't it.
You're doing really great - regular is the best way to do it.

mamato3

Ebay did well out of the 9 items listed 7 sold Yippee! Making a total of about £18 once fees/postage has been taken out. So not to bad at all! Won't have time today to package them up and post them before the post office closes so will do it tonight. Off to get kiddies school shoes today wish us luck!