Finally I have a mortgage I can start to pay off!

try_harder

Thats exactly what i do now ,i write down all the expected income for the month then subtract first the bills then all the other non bill outgoings and try to stick to it as tightly as i can ,i find if i have it written down plus the amount it helps me stay within the budget and its working really well at the minute .Im liking your £75 for the month food budget thats excellent .

themadvix

Don't get too enthusiastic - I have great intentions, but whether I can stick to them is another matter!! £75 should be fine though - there's plenty in the cupboards, so it's milk, fruit/veg and a couple of bits and pieces (e.g. I know I'll need passata and cider for two of the recipes I'm intending to cook).

Karmacat

I like that, listing what you agree to spent money on

edinburgher

Do you use any particular cider for cooking, or just a cheapo? I have this daft habit of using the Aspall? Ones, but they're quite dear. Thankfully cooking with booze is like triannual event here

themadvix

As cheap as I can get it Ed - Aldi's own is fine - you just get the flavours without any of the finer notes when cooking anyway.

themadvix

Morning all! The cough I have seems to be moving down to my chest - what joy! (Will I ever feel well?!)

Lots of jobs to crack on with today, so I'm whizzing through my daily clicks and stuff. Off to buy that handbag and have a quick cuppa with mum too.

MS things:
* Can't remember if I mentioned, but BiL has signed up to my energy provider and mentioned me, so I'm getting a £20 Am voucher I really rate them as a company too, so I hope he has the same experience.
* Have cashed out £20 on PA
* £5 cash out on SB in Am voucher form
* Won two books overnight - one of which will be a present for my FiL - 'Christmas winning' has begun at last!
* Will do meter reads shortly
* Popping to WR for free parking, free tea and will buy the passata and some fruit
* Popping to Morrisons - need to get some keys cut (claimable expense) and claim two bottles of a drink on Shopm!um - will stash these for the 'present stealing game at Christmas
* Two returns to make
* Daily comps done - will catch up on the rest later

Gratitudes:
* I made it to evening class last night and it was good to see my friends
* DH is back from Denmark
* Saw Dad for a quick catch up last night

Have a good day all!

edinburgher

If WR is Waitrose, I only just discovered that they give you a free paper if you spend £10, it felt so luxurious to be reading an actual paper for once

try_harder

You are doing so well with the competitions well done ,i have entered lots but so far nothing sadly ..i think i will have to try harder

themadvix

Didn't post yesterday because, frankly, I was fed up with everyone and everything - I am so sick of being ill - it's been three weeks now since I felt normal. Drs appointment was okay, have been referred to a cardiologist, but the GP I saw was not one of the better ones. I'm feeling better(ish) today - the sore throat has gone and I think the virus is improving, although heart seems more fluttery today than yesterday.

So far I've been good about sticking to the plan for November (three days in, I should hope so!). Spends have been £2.54 on groceries and £2.38 on two cards (cousin's birthday and one I saw for SIL, whose birthday isn't until May, but it was too perfect to not buy!).

Not sure about the comps TH - they were my first wins in over a month and I'm struggling a bit with motivation!

Of my to-do list above, I didn't manage to get the drinks - they didn't seem to stock them in Mr M's, so have abandoned that idea. Also didn't return either of the items - one needed DH's card, which I didn't have and the other, the postage was so much it wasn't worth it. Am going to list it on the Bay, where I think I might even make a small profit (I bought it with 20% off).

My only achievement yesterday was selling a whole load of bits on FB for the Guide hut - old shop stock that had been lurking there since the dawn of time (sorry, I mean the '90s!) and I didn't think would sell. It flew off the shelves though, so we're £17 up on our fundraising already!

ATB's post about the lady she met has got me thinking and I like the idea of the challenge she presented.

MS things today:
* Spending moratorium continues - declined offer of trip to big M&S with sis
* VB poll & SBs
* PA survey
* Work - a couple of bits, but better than yesterday
* Reclaimed postage costs for all the items dispatched yesterday
* Paid shopm!um money off of cc bill.
* Realised there's £90 to go back on cc from returned trainers so bill is currently about £75
* Finished invoicing for October

Gratitudes:
* It's Friday! Brownies tonight too and I feel like it's been a long time since I've seen them!
* Sunshine
* Going to see the munchkin niece later
* A fun weekend to look forward too, too

Happy Friday everyone!

Busy_Mee1

Hi Mad Vix it sounds like you have had a really nasty virus and they can take some getting over. Be kind to yourself and take it easy.

Enjoy Brownies tonight ( My DD was a Rainbows leader) and cuddles with your niece : D