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Jazee's Diary
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Well, Saturday again. Weekly shop just done, still have some cash in my purse for any little bits during the week and am on target to come in well below my £480 planned grocery spend. I have also been able to buy my rail tickets before pay day and bought some phone credit that originally I didn't have the budget for. Also, no food waste at all this week.
Having been out for a few days to NT properties, I've decided that the yearly ticket was an expensive mistake for me. We don't get enough time off work to properly make use of it, and after a few years of EH and NT membership, we now have what DH calls 'house fatigue' having looked round so many. Yesterday, I didn't even find myself inspired by the beautiful garden, so time to do other things. Also, as it's not been picnic weather this week, we've ended up buying lunch, yesterday was £27+ in the NT tea room!!
I needn't have worried about DS's dog-destroyed certificate. When he came home yesterday, he just said "not bothered" and put the remains in the bin.
Have just paid a bill on line that I would normally send a cheque payment for. I really must do this as a regular thing as it does at least save the cost of a stamp.Spend less now, work less later.0 -
I have rather optimistically updated my siggy to 6 NSDs as I don't think I'll even be stepping out of the front door for the rest of the day.
I am planning tomorrow to work on my big monthly shopping list ahead of payday. As I have no paid stuff to do this week, I thought I would spend some time comparing prices etc on line before heading out at the weekend. Just hoping I can summon up the enthusiasm tomorrow.Spend less now, work less later.0 -
4th September today - and tomorrow is the last day of your Grocery Challenge. Are you going to stay nearly £50 under? If so, that's a brilliant effort!
I was expecting a NSD today but found I needed milk and bread (the thick sliced loaves that I bought at the weekend, because there were none of my usual choices left, get eaten up very quickly because we tend to have one slice of toast however big it is!). I called at Mr S on the way home from taking DH to work (so that I could have the car today), bought the milk and a packet of 4 very nice nectarines for £1 - they'll be good for his lunches - and also a pair of plain blue pillowcases which were exactly what I wanted to match our new bedding and even better at half price! But a large Hovis Granary loaf there is more than twice the price of a small Hovis Granary loaf at Aldi, and two small ones last us longer than one large one, so it was a no-brainer to walk 100 yards to Aldi.
Have fun comparing your lists.0 -
Hello Ionafan and anyone else who lurks. Glad your shopping trip was ok. It's always nice when you find something you really want.
Well, I haven't started doing my grocery list yet as our big shop is now postponed for a week due to DH's shifts, so I figured I could put it off as I wasn't looking forward to it anyway.
Had a wasted 10 mile round trip into town this morning as what I want isn't available till Friday, but I did pick up some flea drops for the dogs. They've never had fleas and I want to keep it that way!
I'm not planning any more spending now before payday on Thursday so should keep to under £440 on grocery challenge which I am amazed at, and should be 7 NSDs for the month which is one in four days, so not bad but I'll look to improve this next month.
I think come Thursday, I'll probably look to do a summary of the last four weeks, positives and negatives and get some kind of plan in place for the next four.Spend less now, work less later.0 -
Plans:
Short term, have to be done, find money for:
DDs birthday
Book rail tickets for DDs graduation
Save money for car servicing, due in 4500 miles
Medium term, to do when money is available:
Get eyes checked and new glasses
Have hair cut
Try to clear debt sooner than March 2015
Long term:
Save for a deposit for a mortgage
Well those were some of my plans last 'month' and this is how I did.
Came in £36 pounds under grocery target at £434 which was already set at £100 under our usual spend. I can hardly believe this although I was especially focussed as it was first month for diary. I've set the target at £515 this month as I know I will need a bigger monthly shop than last time although I'm still hoping it will be less.
NSDs - came in at 7/28. I'm aiming for 10 this month.
Coppers pot: started at around £12 so I've put in £10 during the month, which again has surprised me. If this works out as the average, that will still be £120 saved over the year.
DDs birthday: Have bought her presents and have budget put aside for her birthday dinner.
Already booked the train tickets for graduation.
Eye test and new glasses booked for today.
Haircut booked for tomorrow.
So I'm ahead of what I thought I could achieve. If I can keep my glasses bill under £70 using vouchers etc, my budget for this month is set and there's no potential overspend, unlike how last month originally looked, so any underspends this month can be added to my meagre savings.
My new updated plans:
Short term:
Need to pay for hotel, and possibly taxis for DDs graduation day, approximately £80
DSs birthday - max £100
Need to save for car servicing
Medium term:
DH wants a short break in November as we've not been away at all this year (I'm not counting staying in hotels for other people's weddings!)
Bring debt free date forward from March 2015
Long term:
Save for a mortgage
I just need to keep really focussed now. Puppy has ruined my best summer sandals today, but as summer is nearly over, I don't need to think about replacing those just yet.
Am off to York for eye test today and am taking a packed lunch with me.
Have a great day, any readers/lurkers out there.Spend less now, work less later.0 -
Well my glasses came to £85, which is £15 over what I'd planned BUT I have about £10 in points added to the Nectar card, and £5 was for same day completion, which has saved me taking time off work and making a special trip where the bus fare would have cost more anyway, so I'm happy with that.
Off to get my haircut today, pick up prescriptions and get a few groceries, so will not be a NSD.Spend less now, work less later.0 -
I am shattered. Have spent all day either doing online shopping or actual shopping. I spent over an hour this morning comparing prices of all that I wanted to buy on line and went out armed with my shopping list with prices to see if I could get the items cheaper in town. Where the items were cheaper on line, I came back and added them to my shopping to be delivered next week. I didn't realise that you get cash back for searching for these things so that's a bonus.
Also, went to Sainsbobs as some things were actually cheaper there, so there are now some more nectar points on my card.
So the big monthly shop came in at £111.42 as opposed to the £150-200 which we used to spend, and my fresh weekly shop came in at £50.53, plus 5p change which went in a charity pot!
Fortunately I had DD to help today as one arm is still not working properly and eyes are really bad from hayfever so she was able to drive and carry. She also parked where we didn't have to pay.
I'm hoping tomorrow will be my first NSD for this month. Off to spend the rest of the afternoon in the garden and congratulate myself on being very MSE.Spend less now, work less later.0 -
I have woken up full of determination that I will stay focussed and today will be a NSD. Indeed, I am almost tempted to update my siggy now.
I have been thinking about the changes I have made to become MSEish.
Sensible changes:
Comparing prices for shopping
Getting free cinema tickets (have some more for this week, yay!)
Menu planning so there is no food waste (only 1/2 lettuce this week)
Using cash back sites
Making the most of my nectar card
Using online site for rail travel
Silly changes (but every little is supposed to help):
Only spread on my bread/toast, no jam
Very few sweet treats. I used to have a packet of sweets a day.
Actually these probably mean my teeth will benefit and I'll see reduced dental bills, so probably not silly after all.
Changes I probably should be making, but I just groan at the thought:
Have a massive sort out and sell things on e*ay
Exploring all the other options other posters on these forums suggest
Will now proceed to have a day feeling smug at not spending anything, fingers crossed.Spend less now, work less later.0 -
Quick update. Yesterday was a no spend day. I must admit to being tempted by the ice cream van but didn't give in. Updating my siggy became more important.
Today won't be a NSD as DH needs petrol. Back to the paid stuff today.Spend less now, work less later.0 -
Well, I had another NSD yesterday. Today is a spend day but that's fine.
When I was big shopping with DD on Saturday, she persuaded me against my better judgement to buy a new shower head in HB for £2.99. Our shower head was a bit past its best so I gave in, added it to GC budget and fitted it (or so I thought) when we got home.
Came in yesterday to water cascading through ceiling when DD was in the shower. Turns out I'd fitted it without the washers. I didn't even see them in the pack even with my new glasses.
Anyway today, DH has been out to buy a better shower head which is now fitted but the metal 'lead' needs replacing too now and he says the plastic one that came with the shower head is no good, so there will be further expense yet!
And today I have come up with a cunning plan to start saving for my mortgage deposit. DH used to have a £500 budget for petrol and beer. Well now he doesn't drink beer and the non alcoholic budget is about £100 a month, the new car doesn't drink as much petrol so the spend there should be about £200 (and will be even less when he starts new job next month and doesn't have to travel as far), so I should have about £200 extra every month. Now I know that this doesn't always appear in reality, but my plan is to squirrel away £5 every day into a separate saving account that is just to save for the deposit for a mortgage. It will have nothing to do with my meagre savings account for car repairs/Xmas etc.
Wish me luck!Spend less now, work less later.1
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