Jazee's Diary

Jazee

I'm not back on the MSE bandwagon yet. I've just transferred back to current account some savings so we can have a nice day out today and tomorrow before getting back to the paid stuff on Monday and to last us to pay day on Thursday.

Spends today will be just a local shop if we're good. We are planning to eat mainly from what we have in the freezer so just some fresh veg to get really.

I have to stop justifying my overspending though and be more careful although with Xmas coming up it may be difficult. Oh dear, there I go again.....

Jazee

I wasn't going to update the diary tonight but I noticed Mr Bloater has made the effort on his, so thought I would do the same.

Today is pay day. Budget including Xmas is looking ok and majority of Xmas presents have been bought, just 5 stocking fillers to find.

I won a competition this week so got a nice £10 shopping voucher. Actually I'm giving it to someone for Xmas but it all helps me.

Frog to be eaten this weekend is completing SickDog's insurance forms as I need to get them processed on Monday.

Hope anyone reading is ok.

Jazee

Well diary, I ate the frog that is SickDog's insurance paper's yesterday so was feeling quite pleased with myself. I went yesterday to pick up some bits from Argos but forgot my old gas canister so couldn't have the replacement, but I got a £5 voucher which I will now use tomorrow to get the new gas canister cheaper. Win win really despite my initial stupidity.

Today has been quite busy and I've been silly again. DH and I worked out our meal plan for the week and off we went to do the village shop. When we got to the butcher he had a notice that he had turkey crowns, so we thought why not have a trial run Xmas dinner tomorrow? Anyway, I asked for the turkey crown and when he brought it out, it is huge and frozen, enough for 20 people at least. But there was a queue of people and I didn't want to look silly so I bought it.

At the moment, the turkey is slowly defrosting and our menu plan for the week has changed. Literally something different with turkey everyday. However, despite going over budget (£23.50) we also have all our meals for next week too, and probably some turkey meals in the freezer too.

My plans for tomorrow which were basically dog walking and gardening have been changed for me. I am now a taxi driver for the morning, so while I am in town I am going to get our basics stock in for the next month or so. Anything I can get cheaper at Mr T, I've lined up a delivery for Tuesday so that's another couple of frogs eaten or at least they will be tomorrow.

And in other financial news, I found a shiny 20p today which has gone in the coppers pot. Oh and did I say, that I decided £80 each was enough to spend on DD and DS for Xmas?

Hope everyone is keeping to their Xmas budgets.

Jazee

Xmas shopping now complete, budgets being kept to. Must start wrapping.

Jazee

And the debt has dropped below £6k. It is now only a tenth of what it was originally. Another landmark.

DH has been very MSE today and got 15% off a hobby supply order via facebook, the only positive use he can find for facebook.

My only spending today was 50p parking and LittleyDogs booster.

Jazee

So DH's bargain yesterday has turned into a stocking filler (!) I am getting for him, so I actually spent £25 yesterday I didn't know about. That is all the Xmas budget gone now.

Today I have just spent £25 on LittleyDogs grooming. I spend less on my own haircuts.

Jazee

I'm hoping for a NSD today. We shall see.

DD is getting on my nerves. We have plans to put our plans on hold to help her through her studies next year when she'll have no income and she's now planning a trip to the US...I will not lend her money this time, I have had enough. Give me strength.

Rant over.

Jazee

Yesterday wasn't a NSD as I forgot that I needed to buy some salad stuff to go with our day 4 turkey menu. So I spent £3.10.

Also yesterday, I got another free tastecard so will be using that to save money on meals out for the next year - nice one.

Today, I need to get milk at some point so will not be a NSD.

Jazee

Well well well, once again this site has saved me money. I am posting my Xmas parcel to family via a courier at £5.40 rather than paying £13.35 at the PO. Much cheaper and less hassle than petrol and actually visiting too, but that's another story....

Other spends in the last couple of days (all budgeted):

New slippers
Phone credit
Village shop (under budget due to turkey error last week meaning all last week's menus have been carried forward).

I have so much to do much like anyone else at this time of year that I don't know where to start. This is my list to choose from:

Read paper
Hoover
Make Yorkshire puddings
Make Victoria sponge
Fit new tiles in kitchen
Sort recipes
Wrap Xmas presents
Plan planting
Put new bedding on DD's bed
Source new base for damaged shed
Look for new curtains for DD's room as the one's I ordered are out of stock

And there's probably more. Hope everyone else is achieving what they want to.

Jazee

Managed to get a couple of free tickets for the Walter Mitty film so that's where DD and I will head tomorrow evening. Afterwards a little treat for us, we're popping to kfc. This is my favourite takeaway but a rarity as the nearest is 20 miles away.

And I have joined Quidco.

An update on yesterday's list:

[STRIKE]Read paper [/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Hoover[/STRIKE]
Make Yorkshire puddings - this can wait till next week, there is one in the freezer for DH today
Make Victoria sponge - not going to do this
Fit new tiles in kitchen - need to order more
Sort recipes
Wrap Xmas presents
Plan planting
[STRIKE]Put new bedding on DD's bed[/STRIKE]
Source new base for damaged shed - have decided we may be able to manage with just one shed instead of two
Look for new curtains for DD's room as the one's I ordered are out of stock

So some things done, some deferred.

Hope everyone is having a good day.