In the words of Yazz...

Fudgefund

Time for my daily update:

Not been the most MSE day in the world but I'm here to own up. I woke up really late this morning and didn't have time to walk to work, so had to fork out £1.80 for the train. I then met my friend for lunch and had a latte - another £2.75. Went to a friend's for tea and spent £1 on a cake for her and another 99p on an apple and a yogurt for work tomorrow. So far, so acceptable.

However, I got in a ridiculous tizz about some bloke not texting me (not my ex) and in the end to cheer myself up bought 6 mini rolls! It cost me £1.40. Not to mention the embarrassment of buying myself a load of mini rolls. Got three left, I think i'll just hide them from myself until I've forgotten them. Oh dear. I thought I'd left eating my way out of a mood behind me, it appears not. And then about ten minutes after that he sent me a text! I'm ridiculous. :rotfl:

The upshot of all this is we're going for a drink tomorrow and I only have £15. I really hope this is enough, particularly as I'm not supposed to be drinking. It's annoying we scheduled it for the day before I get paid. I'm a fool.

This is my first proper date since the big break up. Nervous.:eek:

*Robin*

Fudgefund wrote: »

The upshot of all this is we're going for a drink tomorrow and I only have £15.

I really hope this is enough, particularly as I'm not supposed to be drinking.

I should think £15 will be quite enough to not buy a drink :rotfl: ..can't help wondering why, when you know the terrible effect alcohol has on you, you are prepared to accept a first date with someone in what is actually a poisonous environment for you?
The bloke could be forgiven if he gets the wrong idea from that beginning..

(Ignore me, am in a strange place m'self today ).

MuffinTops

Hello FF,

Oh dear! I could have written all of that as I'm exactly the same when it comes to stress eating! Chocolate mini rolls do the trick and I've learned that self service checkouts are my new best friend when it comes to hiding my eating sins!!!!

Well done on the date though. Men seem far more relaxed about dates than they used to, don't they? Or do we just over analyse things????

I'm sure £15 will be fine. Just have an idea in your head of somewhere cheapish you can go so that when he asks you where you want to go you have a suggestion. If he doesn't ask then it'll be quite likely he's just taking control and taking you out - on him! If he offers to pay, just let him as you can always pay the next time (and it can be a good way of making sure there is a next time ). If that happens put your £15 aside for it though! Another mistake I've made in the past!

But you don't need my advice or ideas as, other than nerves, you obviously know what you're doing.

Ooh, a date. Sounds as though you like him too, so I'm excited for you. Have a lovely time.

beanielou

Mini smarties are my downfall when Im stressed.
What are we all like? :rotfl:

Fudgefund

You'd be forgiven for wondering Robin, I wondered myself. I guess the problem is that if you're meeting up mid-week the options are limited due to work. You can't really talk in the cinema, a meal is a bit full on so a drink is a good alternative. I was also worried about having to explain too much of myself on a first date so didn't want to make it an issue.

That said, I managed to have my two pints of cider, and then I switched and had two lemonades! :jI've never achieved this before, so I'm feeling smug. I also came home with £3! The date itself was okay, but it wasn't the stuff of movies. There wasn't much chemistry so I don't know if he'll contact me again. You're wrong by the way MT, I have no idea what I'm doing! I pretend to play it cool but inside my stomach is like a trampoline.

The other good news is that I got paid today, which is very exciting. I've decided to be realistic this month with my bedget and accept that because I owe mumsie £140, I will reduce my credit card repayment by that much until I'm further through the month. So I've paid off £362.99, and £140 to my Mum. I should have a surplus of £100 at the end of the month so we shall see.

The big plan is to follow MT's advice and give myself £10 a day, and save whatever is left over for overpaying. The other big plan is to not blow a load of money on alcohol! That was my big downfall last month and I'm DETERMINED to learn my lesson. If I do it, please give me a virtual punch. But not the alcoholic variety. :rotfl:

MuffinTops

Hi FF,

You do a very good job of hiding the trampoline!

I'm glad the date went well, but sorry he didn't make your toes curl! Those dates are a little toxic for me, but aren't they wonderful when they happen?

Good luck with not drinking so much this month. If you remember how rubbish you feel after as well as regretting the amount spent, would that help? I personally don't really drink but do go out for drinks with friends a lot so I understand the pressure you get to order alcohol. For me it's easier as I've never been a drinker, so I do understand that it must be a lot harder to refuse when you do like a drink.

£10 a day works so well for me. I really hope it does for you too! Just save days when you have an event coming up and you'll do great.

Fudgefund

Why thank you Muffintops. You wouldn't have said that if you saw me actually hiding around the corner of the bar we were meeting in, peeping round the corner. I would like a good toe curl though, it's been a while.

I appreciate all the comments about drinking and spending and you are totally right. I have always been 'one of the drinkers' but then I do seem to have terrible impulse control in general.

I had a visit from Mother Fudge yesterday, and I took her out on the tiles, it got a bit messy and I spent £40, (no, you're not seeing things!) but actually I don't regret it because she loves being amongst the young people and I don't do it that often. We definitely made some memories and there wasn't a hangover in sight.

So today I mainly spent money on food, because I was feeling a bit naughty what with just being paid and all (groan). £2.65 went on cookies and pasta, and a I spent £3 on a Tesco meal deal. All the carbs then basically. :rotfl:But tonight I am at home setting up a new change jar, I have very cheap plans for the weekend and I'm sober as a driver with kids in the car. I'm hoping to eke out the remainder of my weekly money and get in some serious smuggery. If that's not a word, I don't know why.

I also spent £40 on my train ticket home for Christmas today, all fully budgeted for, and paid for a niece's birthday present. Despite the splurge yesterday, I'm feeling positively saintly, no idea why!

Fudgefund

Today I'm feeling a bit down in the dumps to be honest, not sure if it's the kick back from all the alcohol on Thursday but I can't seem to shake it. I keep dreaming about my ex-boyfriend which is really annoying because it puts me in a bad mood from the moment I wake up. It's hard to beat your subconscious! I have been thinking about him a lot over the past few days which is very bad and I need to stop it. I'm just a bit woe is me at the mo. All of my friends seem to have these lovely warm homes filled with loved ones, and I'm just sitting in the middle of a big mess. I do need to snap out of it though. Mother Fudge was pretty horrified by the damp in my room etc and kept going on about the flat I used to share with my ex. It was pretty depressing.

I went to help a friend with some baking today and it was really nice to whack on a few Christmas songs (I know, I know) and have a giggle. I only spent £3.80 on my train fare all day and she fed me too. I'm hoping to just buy a few bits of food for the week tomorrow and that to be it. I've got £21 in my purse and it would be amazing if I could make that last until Friday. If I can, I can justify sending my lovely sister a £30 Sainsburys gift card so she can buy a few bits for Christmas as she'll be having me on the day. The thought of things like that cheer me up a bit.

Just remembered: I got my bank statement today and I thought there'd be a returned DD fee, but there wasn't. So that's £8 saved. Yep.

beanielou

21 should last you the week no bother.

please-let-me-be-lucky

I'm sorry to hear you've been down in the dumps fudgie. I hope you feel better today.

The gift voucher thing is a lovely idea. Do you complete surveys online in return for gift vouchers? There may not be enough time to do this to give your sister for christmas, but it could be a long term thing to set you up for next year? Xx