Jazee's Diary

Jazee

Hello Diary. Well I'm now in the final week of month two of focussing on what I'm spending.

I sorted out the insurance for all my dogs this week and am now going to be saving over £300 a year. This will go towards tests and meds for sick dog. Her insurance had run out anyway for current ailments (change in small print that I didn't notice when the insurer changed underwriter). The insurance companies alway win in the end anyway, otherwise they'd go out of business. Doggies now have 3 times as much cover, just in case.

My weekly grocery spend came in under budget again yesterday. I have spent a little more this month than last which I expected because I did a bigger monthly shop but still under the target I had set for myself. I am not anticipating any further grocery spending.

I may still manage the 10 NSDs I was aiming for, we will see.

Yesterday I spent the day shopping for clothes with DD. She treated me to a new jacket and top, and I bought a new dress. We had lunch out and wandered round the food festival in York, oh and gawped at the flooding. It was a very MSE day, not quite my usual charity shop jaunt, but the jacket was reduced from £50 to £20, the top from £26 to £18, and we used vouchers for lunch. Just park & ride on top of that, so all good and what a fun day it was. We just laughed and laughed. Should try to do this more often.

I think next month may be a little tight. I will look at the finances properly next weekend as this week will be busy with the paid stuff and DDs graduation. Next month, I have said dog's tests & meds to pay for, dentist appts x 2 and DSs birthday (still need to add to his pressie of train tickets).

Right, better crack on or nothing will be achieved today.

Rainbow_Bridge

Well done on achieving your September targets. The day out in York sounded lovely and the purchases look carefully thought out.

All the best xx.

ionafan

All sounds good, Jazee - well done!

Hope the graduation jaunt went well.

Jazee

Well, I've had a great week, if you don't count the cold which has now gone to my chest, the fact that my arm is still hurting as per my really early posts and I now have a bad back.

DDs graduation was fantastic, and hats off to all OU students who fit so much in around their normal lives.

I did end up doing more grocery spending at the end of 'last month' as DH decided he needed ready meals while I was away but still came in within budget. I've set a tighter budget this month but hopefully it is achievable. Only waste this week has been a cucumber which went mushy in the fridge.

NSDs came in at 9 when I would have like to have achieved 10 so that is the number I'm going for again this month.

Things to find money for:

Short term:
Dentist bill for DH £190 (about £80 short at the moment but hope I can shave that off other expenditure)

Medium term:
Dentist bill for me £50
Vet bills £160

Longer term:
Christmas

We had been planning to have a weekend away in November but financially that is not realistic. Timewise for DH it's not realistic either but I'm not sure which one of us will speak up first to put the dampener on our plans!!

Mortgage fund: I think I got ahead of myself, running before I could walk, but I'll try to save what I can when I can.

MSE wise, I've spent a couple of hours batch cooking today and will be eating out of the freezer this week, and I'm about to go on price comparison site before placing big grocery order.

On a really positive note, DH has just told me I won £48 on the lottery last night. That's some of that £80 recouped!

Jazee

I just had a look back through my early posts and realised that a couple of initial targets had somehow dropped off my list. They are saving for car servicing (think I may end up with both cars needing doing in Nov/Dec so will have to think on) and clearing the debt sooner. Mmmmmm....

Anyway, I was looking back as I wanted to see when I first had elbow pain, and it was 21st August, as I've now made an appointment to see the doctor. It's not swollen anymore, that calmed after about a week, but the pain is constant and I can't take any weight on the arm now. Keeps me awake every night too.

Was checking my online banking today and it says I have £42 more than I thought I had. Will check again tomorrow, and if its right, with the lotto win, I'll have enough to cover the shortfall for DHs dentist bill.

Jazee

Quick update on finances. Bank was right, there was £42 I had forgotten had not been used last month. So money there for all immediate bills and who knows I may be able save something after all.

Not finance related but have to get this off my chest. DS has given up college. I suspected as much but no one else agreed with me. Sometimes I hate being right and usually its to do with DS. Good job he has a plan.

Anyway, meal out with DH tonight. I will break the news to him then about DS. I fear it will not go down well, so I'll have to 'sell' DSs plan to him as a real positive.

Have a good evening everyone.

Jazee

Another update for my diary:

Finance wise, had to spend today on prescription for anti inflammatories (tennis elbow), but managed to squirrel away £5 to savings.

Positive vibes please for DS, he is really unwell at the moment, hopefully we'll have a diagnosis within next week.

What a depressing update....

Jazee

Quick update, onwards & upwards. 5p in the pennies pot today, £5 in savings a/c. About to place a T*sco order a week early but it will enable me to get £20 off my next shop so kind of makes sense.

Jazee

Another update, another £5 in savings and a NSD.

Made the mistake of lowering dose on tablets for bad elbow, will have to increase it again later. DS has now got to wait 2 weeks for more tests which to my mind is too long.

Have had a really tough week at the paid stuff and at home. The weekend starts now, but I've ironing to catch up on and lots more besides.

On a positive note, DHs new job is going swimmingly.

Jazee

I have today experienced both bad and excellent customer service. I did my local shopping and popped to town for petrol. At the farm, the farmer threw in some spring onions for free and carried my bags to the car for me. At the butcher, he gave me some free gammon and rounded the bill down 6p!

At the petrol station, it took 10 minutes to put £25 worth of fuel in the tank. I explained to the lady on the till that there was something wrong with the pump. "No there isn't" she replied, so I explained again that something was not right. Same response. So I advised the next driver of the problem, that unless he wanted to spend half his day at the petrol station, he should choose another pump.

Rant over.

Shopping bill came within my budget and I'm on target for the month. BUT I need to pop into town for loo rolls and such like tomorrow and DH is coming to carry the bags so whether we keep to budget tomorrow is possibly unlikely!