Staying Positive!

Adoremouse

I'm feeling really tired today, lots of late nights so need to make sure that I start going to bed a bit earlier. DS usually wakes at around midnight/1am for a feed, so I usually wait for him to wake, then boobyfeed him in bed. Need to just go to bed earlier regardless and he will wake me when he needs me

I've come to realise that the more organised I am, the less money I spend. This is especially true with food, for example having a meal plan and sticking to it for the week! Also today, I had to take DS to the hospital for a check-up, and was supposed to take sandwiches with me (as it's a long drive and it was around midday). However I ended up chatting to my sister on the phone for ages, ran out of time and ended up having to buy lunch there Luckily they have a League of Friends cafe run by volunteers, so I bought a roll and a bottle of water which came to £1.50.

I have a budget spreadsheet, and I updated it today and realised that we are still spending way too much on stuff that is not pre-budgeted for :mad: A couple of expenses couldn't be helped, such as dental work for hubby (on the NHS, but still had to pay £80) and another £90 on DIY materials to fix our bathroom floor (urgent repairs as toilet was about to fall through kitchen ceiling!) but quite a few of them were avoidable.

I also had to buy a gift for my friend's new baby, as she really splashed out on us when DS was born, and they are not exactly swimming in it either. I am usually quite good at hunting out Ebay bargains given enough time, but left it too late, another example of how being organised can help with fnances!

Have been summoned for a CCCS review, which always scares me for some reason. I know that I have no need to feel scared, but the DMP ticks along so nicely that I'm always worried that something is going to happen to stop it. Since the last review we have had DS (they already know about DD, as she is almost 5). This has increased our child benefit, but our expenses have gone up a lot. Obviously the usual nappies etc, but also school stuff for DD. It all cancels itself out, so I think that we should keep our payments as they are.

I am seriously getting addicted to so many diaries on here! No bad thing though, as I'm getting loads of tips on how to have NSDs and general money saving. Going to go and check out my local Lidl this week

Adoremouse

OMG! I have made £113.31 on the shoes :j:j:j

I have loads more to sell, so it's going very well so far

Had a NSD as I was going to lunch with a friend, but she's invited me over to her house for coffee tomorrow instead which is great. Also, DD had a play date after school and they gave her tea.

I found a couple of Amazon vouchers, £25 and £10 from when DS was born and my birthday. I hadn't spent them, so have ordered some toy bargains to stash away for Christmas.

My Christmas fund is going very well so far, with my Ebay sales, YouTube payment hopefully due before Jan and survey money mounting up slowly but surely!

A good day :A

Hiddenidenity

Well done on the Ebay front

Adoremouse

Hiddenidenity wrote: »

Well done on the Ebay front

Thank you! Was so surprised and pleased when one pair of boots went for £60!

Adoremouse

I really need to become stricter with DD when she asks for stuff in shops, if it's not the ice cream man (who parks outside the school at this time of year!) then it's sweets at the shop, or a magazine.

Today I went to the Post Office to send some of the Ebay parcels, and I had to buy some more parcel tape (not a NSD then, but I needed it for the rest of the parcels!). DD begged and begged for some sweets and a drink, and I gave in as she had a glowing report from school.

I need to stop this, we practice healthy eating at home on the whole, so she doesn't have much sugar, but it's creeping up to a couple of times a week. Also it's the money aspect!

I think I'm going to try getting her a few treats in the shopping each week, and once it's gone it's gone. Need to be strong though as she's generally such a good girl and asks so very sweetly :A:A:A

Am busy this evening, baking cakes for a friend's birthday but tomorrow I plan to put some more stuff on Ebay, as I have a huge pile of it cluttering up my living room!

Right...cakes need me!

Hiddenidenity

My DS is the same, well no he doesn't ask but I can tell he would like. Anyway now on the weekly shop I spend £2-£3 on crisp/sweets and then split it between the two of them. They get the bag that's "theirs" on shopping day and once its gone its gone.

Although usually rather than crisps/sweets he chooses jelly and cereal bars :rotfl::rotfl: but you get the idea lol

Adoremouse

Hiddenidenity wrote: »

My DS is the same, well no he doesn't ask but I can tell he would like. Anyway now on the weekly shop I spend £2-£3 on crisp/sweets and then split it between the two of them. They get the bag that's "theirs" on shopping day and once its gone its gone.

Although usually rather than crisps/sweets he chooses jelly and cereal bars :rotfl::rotfl: but you get the idea lol

I'm definitely going to try this! I need to do a shop soon, so will implement a treat box I think

Adoremouse

One cake baked last night, need to do a second one today, as he wants a large cake, and I only have one tin!

To do list for today:

Package up rest of parcels and take them to Post Office (maybe after picking DD up from school)

Have shower and wash hair (hope DS naps in cot so I can do this!)

Bake second cake, and feed both cakes with more rum!

Put another batch of shoes/clothes on Ebay, at least 7 items.

Update budget spreadsheet to see if we can do a grocery shop before my maternity pay goes in on 15th, or whether we have to wait.

Start meal planning for next week, do cupboard/freezer inventory to use stuff up!

I think that will do for today, as also need to do the usual load of laundry, dishwasher, clean kitchen and bathroom while looking after a very clingy 5 month old _pale_:coffee:_pale_

Adoremouse

Adoremouse wrote: »

One cake baked last night, need to do a second one today, as he wants a large cake, and I only have one tin!

To do list for today:

[STRIKE]Package up rest of parcels and take them to Post Office (maybe after picking DD up from school)[/STRIKE]

[STRIKE]Have shower and wash hair (hope DS naps in cot so I can do this!)[/STRIKE]

[STRIKE]Bake second cake, and feed both cakes with more rum![/STRIKE]

Put another batch of shoes/clothes on Ebay, at least 7 items.

[STRIKE]Update budget spreadsheet to see if we can do a grocery shop before my maternity pay goes in on 15th, or whether we have to wait.[/STRIKE]

Start meal planning for next week, do cupboard/freezer inventory to use stuff up!

I think that will do for today, as also need to do the usual load of [STRIKE]laundry, dishwasher, clean kitchen[/STRIKE] and bathroom while looking after a very clingy 5 month old _pale_:coffee:_pale_

Have not managed to cross everything off, but most of it done! I'm going to ask DH if he will help me to take photos of the Ebay stuff so that if I can't get to it tonight then at least I can be listing them tomorrow while DS is asleep on me!

Cake isn't strictly finished, but it's the Nigella recipe where you cook a load of ingredients up, then let them cool, add eggs, flour etc and then bake. I've done the first stage, and had shower/washed hair while it's cooling, giving it another 20 mins and then I'll get it oven ready.

I cooked a lovely huge smoked gammon joint in the slow cooker the other day and then sliced it, so we've been having that in sandwiches, so much cheaper and nicer than packaged ham. I'm going to have to freeze half of it, and it was under £5!

I also got a free chicken the other day, so roasted that off and I had a beautiful chicken sandwich from it today. DH had a cheats roast dinner with it tonight (added frozen veg, jacket potato and gravy), and there is still enough left for a pasta or rice dish tomorrow :T

Adoremouse

Urgghh this cake is taking much longer than I thought it would! It's quite an elaborate design. This means no more uploaded to Ebay yet, but will definitely get it done this weekend...no matter what! :mad:

Anyway, almost a NSD, spent £1.80 getting a couple of bits that we needed from the shop. Not too bad though. Was so so tired today, and DS was permanently attached to boob, which means lovely cuddles, but quite draining. Still, it's quite MSE as formula costs quite a lot haha!

Some of DD's Christmas pressies have arrived, thank goodness she's not learned how to read properly yet, as all the boxes say what they are on the outside! It was impossible to hide the huge box with her new toy kitchen in, especially as it arrived at 7.30am! What on earth are we going to do next year? I'm going to have to have it all delivered to grandparents to hide.

Naughty cat keeps fighting with new ginger tom that has appeared in the area, good boy for defending the homestead, but please don't get hurt! We have both cats insured, but we have £50 excess

Am almost up to a tenner on One Poll, really must look for some more to join up to, have had a couple recommended on here but didn't really get on with them for one reason or another!