Saving money and getting more organised

thriftylass

Well, I count today as the start of the new month. Not smoked yet (only had two yesterday) and hopefully stay off. The first few days are always hardest.
Dinner will just be leftovers from the freezer.
Put my monthly Tesco order in and nearly fell over at the prize £200. Either Tesco is getting more expensive or I don't know. Bought the usual stuff, quite a lot of meat thought, but not even expensive stuff like nappies or washing powder......???? But then I had to start almost from scratch as we had used most things up this month.

Gonna also start going back to doing surveys for vouchers. Still get the reminder emails for some so will start doing them again. Every little helps.

P.S. after hearing of the price hike with EDF I'm glad I signed up for their fixed blue price promise just in time



EDIT: Change of plan, instead of doing a monthly shop I'll do weekly one. And only for things we'll really need, maybe that'll make me cook etc more like when it's the end of the month when I have to make do with what we have rather than having loads of choice and maybe being a bit wastefull (i.e. use it because I can)

thriftylass

Went to Tesco yesterday and did my shop, not quite just a weekly one though (£95 :eek:), so that should last a while. Hopefully only have to go for fresh veg next weekend.

Managed really well yesterday without a cigarette but caved in and had two at night. Today is a new day and I feel confident I'll make it today

Bought a tub of H@ribo sweeties for the trick or treaters tomorrow. BF said we should get sth else too, if he wants too he can pay for that

Try to do some survey today and maybe have a look through all my books to see what I could sell or bring to the charity shop.

rising_from_the_ashes

thriftylass wrote: »

Somehow I manage not to spend towards the end of the month when there's no money left. How come I can't do that at the start and biuld up my saving more? :mad:

Ohhhhh me too ....... would love to be the other way around too - must try hard for November and not spend everything in the 1st few days.

Good luck with the no smoking ..... it's hard but worth it (day 18 here!)

thriftylass

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Ohhhhh me too ....... would love to be the other way around too - must try hard for November and not spend everything in the 1st few days.

Good luck with the no smoking ..... it's hard but worth it (day 18 here!)

Day 18, well done :T.

I try to set myself now weekly budgets and treat them like the last week of the month. Hopefully that helps. Also the weekly rather than monthly shop hopefully helps as I then use what we have bought rather than having too much choice.

thriftylass

Just joined the NOvember challenge, sounds crazy and impossible but we'll see https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4255939

thriftylass

Listed about 25 books on Am@zon, not holding my breath though as only 5 have the lowest list price and there are loads of listing, but I'll give it a go. Thought about using Green Metropolis but I wouldn't buy there as there a bit too expensive (all £3.75). If they don't sell they go to the charity shop unless I find a better option. Maybe list a few more tomorrow

thriftylass

Definitely getting into the spirit of MSE again. Made a list of xmas presents and reactivated my topcashback account again. Found BF's present for hopefully 9% CB, babas for 5% plus using Tesco vouchers (bringing down price to £7 from 27) and another one for baba (sale £24 reduced to £10). Also finally had an idea for my parents as they live abroad it's always difficult, but they're getting theatre tickets for their comedy theatre. Sorted

Plus if I order that today I'm still in line with the NOvember challenge and just need stocking fillers in December and to make HM hampers for friends :T

Edit: that's baba's two presents and BF's main present ordered through TCB and paid for. Didnt use the Tesco vouchers as they didn't have the garage in stock but can use them to save on other stuff later. Need to still get my parents and might have to buy that in NOvember but as it's budgeted for or I might do that on a spend day it won't count against the challenge.

Did get a slightly different wooden puzzle set for baba as the one I wanted was from Studio 24 and you need to get an account rather than pay straight away which I think is entrapment and lures people in that don't have the money and then fall for taking credit. So went somewhere else.

thriftylass

Woohoo, let NOvember commence. Strangely excited about it

Only had two cigs on Sun, Mon and Tue and I am smokefree as of yesterday and feel great about it (and feel like I can do it this time) .

Going out for a free lunch today and tea will be bangers and mash.

thriftylass

Day on of the NOvember challenge and so far and so good, an NSD and not smoked

Tea for tonight is in the slowcooker and should last two meals. Tomorrow I'll try baked tortillas to try and make sth different with mince and we got tortillas and spring onions etc that need used up.

Saw that many people have more long term goals in their signature. As I only just started saving this year I only went till December. Maybe I should also plan longterm and have proper goal like the new kitchen, garden revamp, holidays.

Edit: Ok so had a think, here is what I want to save for and when:

wee man £10000 by the time he's 18 (2029) = £50 a month or less as it'll
include birthday money etc
xmas £500 every year (including pressies, food) = £40 a month
Rainy day emergency fund by Dec 2014 £2500 =£100 a month
New kitchen fund by Dec 2014 £6000 (not sure how much it would be) = £240

So I'm trying to save an average of £430 a month which will be easier in cheap nursery months obviously. Just applied for another direct saver account as I like to see all my pots online and link them to saving goals.

thriftylass

Reached NSD number three today as we just stayed in. Did a wee grocery top up shop yesterday, but nothing major. In my sig it says I already spent 140 of my £220 grocery budget, but then I also include nappies and household items in that. Made bread today and had hm chinese for tea. The next two dinners are sorted too as they will be the lftovers from Fri and Sat. Not spend any money on cigs for about a week but have to admit I had a few of hubbies on Friday . Hopefully won't need to spend money all next week apart from Amazon postage but that doesn't count as it comes from the sale. Listed about 50+ books this week and sold the first two.