Jazee's Diary

Jazee

SickDog is not ok, think another visit to the vet may be imminent, so only OldDog and LittleyDog got a walk today.

Paid stuff was busy and I did some flying round the house before I started so fit for nothing now. I will be having a Corrie-fest tonight. I have about a week's recordings to catch up on.

DH is now going to be working late tomorrow so we won't be able to get to the cinema in time for the free film, still going to have the 'fakeaway' though.

Today has been a NSD and I have a MSE dilemma. I have enough money in savings now to totally clear one of my debts and would then be able to put those repayments to the next debt. However, I would leave myself with no savings to fall back on for anything unexpected, so I'm not really sure what to do at the moment.

Anyway text from DS now to sort out and then Corrie.

Jazee

My dilemma has sorted itself. SickDog will be going to vet again tomorrow and given that she has so many things wrong it is unlikely that the bill is going to be covered by insurance. So the money has to come from somewhere else, and if I'm unable to juggle the monthly budget, it will be from savings. Now if I pay off the first debt, the savings won't be there for things like this, so I'm just going to continue the repayments till May/June when it finishes anyway, then spend that monthly money on the next debt....and continue to save in the meantime. I never want to be without a fall back fund again.

Today I did some jobs round the house before the paid stuff which has been busy as usual. I also popped to the post office to send off another fleabay parcel. Spend wise, just some chicken for the fakeaway tonight and some milk. Also had Mr T delivery, putting it away was like doing a work out and a bit of a puzzle getting everything in the freezers and cupboards.

MSE thingys today:

Reusing packaging for fleabay parcels

Thats it actually but every little helps. I will own my house, I will be debt free!

Jazee

I am sooo tired. My day started at 5am when OldDog woke me as she was sick. Seems ok since. I had to start the paid stuff a little later than usual as I had to take SickDog to the vet so everything has felt like a rush since. So now my plans of piano practise and reading I fear will go out the window tonight and I'll probably just crash in front of the telly.

Spends today: vet bill and extra equipment to keep SickDog safe and MSE - wise, I couldn't resist buying the boots in today's MSE email. In my defence, I had thought I could manage in the boots I already have, but after going out in a foot of snow on Saturday, I discovered I couldn't. I'm sure it was the getting wet and cold that made me feel ill on Sat afternoon. Anyway, they only cost me £19 (using funds from fleabay sales) instead of £70. Probably won't need them now till next year!.....with any luck.

Still managed not to touch savings yet though, yay.

Its just me here tonight and I really don't know what to have for tea, but I do know that I need to cook up some more chicken and rice for LittleyDog, so I'd better get moving.

Happy MoneySaving all.

Jazee

This could be a long post so if you don't want to be bored silly, find another forum now!

Unbudgeted spends this week included vet bills, equipment to help SickDogs recovery and a huge sack of a new diet food for her (which fortunately she seems to like), my new boots (which I wore in the ice yesterday and are fantastic) and 20p for a book for my kindle.

I have spent way too much already on food this month. It is possible to keep within budget still but I am hoping to cut back a bit as I still have some more unbudgeted vet bills for SickDog within the next couple of weeks and was hoping still not to have to use savings.

I have also spend just over £50 on the following to spruce up the house: two new throws for sofas (the dogs had made holes in the others, better than holes in the sofa), two need throws for my bed, new curtains for the kitchen and some new kitchen utensils.

MSE thingy of the week: I refilled the hand soap dispensers with cheap bubble bath.

Today I have spent most of my time either in front of this pc listing things on fleabay (hoping this may pay some of the vet bill) or in the kitchen baking. I have made apple crumbles (for tonight and for the freezer), a mincemeat cake, and some Twinks hobnobs. I have just had a hobnob and it was delicious, practise makes perfect and all that. My kitchen smelt quite Xmassy. I put cinnamon and mixed spices into the crumble, and the mincemeat cake has sherry in it. Got to use lots of Xmas leftovers though.

I am hoping DH will return from work before it gets dark so I can take OldDog and LittleyDog for a walk, but in the meantime, off to read the kindle.

Jazee

Hello diary. Not a lot to report this week. Fleabay going ok, bids on some things, about four NSDs which is a lot for me, but overall am still spending too much this month.

However, only myself to blame, a great day out with DD yesterday and I'm going for a meal with DH this week.

At least that is the plan, so far this year plans for cinema and theatre have fallen through due to DH shifts.

Right, onwards and upwards......

Jazee

A busy week here in Jazee's joint with paid stuff, vet appt and flyladying. Money wise, we've definitely spent a lot more on groceries this month than is now usual, and we've had the unexpected vet bills for SickDog and LittleyDog, but our 'month' ends next week and I'm still expecting that we will have actually saved a bit of money in the accounts overall. Probably helped by the fact that we had to cancel most of our going out.

Ok, just got interrupted to go to shop for wine for DH. I still can't be bothered to argue about it. Anyway, lovely evening for a walk, feel quite refreshed now. It's been a lovely day and I even put the washing on the line and spent a little time tidying up in the garden.

Right, where was I? Oh yes, so DH and I had a lovely meal out on Tuesday, used taste card and saved £19.00. All but two items sold on fleabay and all for more than I expected so that's good. I don't have anything listed now so will have to have a search and see if there's any clutter anywhere else.

The weekend beckons and I've not real plans apart from popping to post office, so I should be able to fit in things I like, such as piano practise, reading and cooking.

Right, logging off now for Corrie fest and some comedy before bedtime.

Jazee

This week's negatives:

Vet bill
Having to buy overpriced light bulb from H*mebase
DH still drinking

This week's positives:

SickDog is getting better
Lots of sales on fleabay
Lovely meal out with DH and using tastecard
Lovely flowers from DH
DD has interview lined up for her dream job
DS training again for marathon following leg injury last week

Lessons learnt this week:

Order spare bulbs from Amazon to save money in future, now done
Enjoy every moment possible in the garden in the lovely sunshine, there could be a blizzard at any moment
I can make bread, yay!

Right time to make Sunday lunch, roast lamb, and then watch footie with DH.

I hope everyone has a great afternoon.

Jazee

Ok, so we've started a new month this week and already since budgeting there's going to be an unexpected car repair. Hopefully it won't cost too much. I have been in the charity shops this morning and got 3 jumpers for £9, a pressie for my niece for £1 and a cookery book which was originally £25 for only £2. And some cards as I can't be bothered to make them at the moment, so that's not very MSE.

Also had my haircut, opted for a dry cut to save the pennies and I'm really pleased with it.

Right, I must move from the PC and sort washing. I'll be back!

Jazee

So the car is only going to need a new battery for around £60 ish so not too bad.

Today, I actually popped to town to get tickets to make sure we go out at least once a month. First show we wanted to see was sold out, but when I bought tickets for three other shows, the lovely lady found tickets for the first one and they were free!

Nothing much else to report, sitting here enjoying homemade cookies.

Jazee

Oh, I am having a really lovely lazy morning, both DH and DD have the day off today and apart from needing to get a few bits for meals at the shops and going out with DD tonight (our free play) there's nothing else really planned. I have menus planned for about the next two weeks and no duplications again. During Feb, we only had one duplication, roast pork dinner twice, other than that every night was a different meal. Oh and we didn't have any takeaways in Feb, so very MSE!

Debt still coming down at around £900 per month, and savings going up by around £250 per month as still not using DH's pay rise in our budget. Rent is going up by about £12 per month from April, water by £3 per month, council tax is staying the same. We will have to rearrange budget later this year if DD gets on to her dream course/job as we'll need to support her for a year but by then one of the debts will be completely gone anyway.

Hope everyone has a great day.