Build a new life in 3 yrs.

Buffythedebtslayer

I am upgraded or at least started with Tesc* mobile and got a lumia 640 for 15.50 a month (1GB data), you do get a cooling off period? If you wanted to investigate

XX

SmithfieldPartDeux

my old phone died, so upgraded to an iphone 5s for £31, its unlt text, unlt minutes and 3 gb,

Its the fancier phone and heavier tarrif has put it up from 18 sim only, I use it a good bit so think will stick with this for now.

Thanks for the post though, at least I know i'm not talking to myself.

Anyone have a good receipe/meal plan website, I dont want mega cheap, live on a tenner a week level, but just some handy savings, gonna make and freeze some dinners too.

SmithfieldPartDeux

Looking forward to a big tesco shop thursday, gonna meal plan for first week.

Finding it really hard to find good meal planning sites I really want to get away from rubbish and get a lot of meals into the freezer too. Might invest in some pound land tupperware. I enjoy cooking, food is a huge item. Chinese supermarket beside me is great for bargains too.

SmithfieldPartDeux

Mixed bag of a few days.

So registered on everydollar for budgeting (a dollar just becomes a pound lol). Budget done, after bills, transport and a big tesco shop, I want to budget on £50 a week and see how I go.

Tesco shop in, tons of stuff for 65, Oddly reassuring having a good lot in, looking forward to cooking away at it.

Missed out on buying a bike that could have been sold on at a tidy profit, grrr. Still win some/lose some.

Noddle annoyed me tonight, no missed payments and down from 2/5 to 1/5? No idea why. Still cracking on, June is 3 years of no missed payments.

I have just been silly with money for too long, with a wage coming in and small outgoings, with good budgeting I could really be cracking on. Time to start that.

SmithfieldPartDeux

So trying to get back into the groove, todays spend £4.06.

Lunch was £3 meal deal from tesco, kept the bottle of diet coke.

Also bought carrots, borlotti beans and milk. Made a huge italian style sausage and bean casserole, should be good for a few days worth of dinners (2 portions in freezer, all from freezer post tesco shop). Lunches need work to cut further, sandwiches or leftovers.

Been listening to the dave ramsey show as motivation.

SmithfieldPartDeux

Today.

£1 danishes.
£1 sweets
£1.18 lunch
£1 steak slice (didn't eat)
£2.50 mothers day card

£6.68

Not great, but mostly due to mothers day card, made a lasange tonight, so that's tomorrows dinner and some more freezer action.

SmithfieldPartDeux

Today not so good.

Ok so...

Danish £1
Lunch £2

Unsalted butter £1
Yoghurt £1
ginger and chili 70p
(doing a massive curry tomorrow)

£9 on beers! M&S has 25% off six beers, so justifying this that my friday night is a fakeaway and these beers rather than pub/curry house.

I still have close on £20 of weeks budget and no debit transactions.

SmithfieldPartDeux

ok today,

£1 danish
£1 .50 lunch
£6 flowers for mum.

£5 left for the weekend. 3 curry dinners in freezer made.

thegreenone

I've just sat and read your diary through. You've done amazingly well. Do the NI police have a website similar to the mainland Bumblebee auctions? I can't do links I'm afraid but in a nutshell, the police auction off unclaimed stolen goods. You do have to travel sometimes but for example Southampton Police are auctioning bikes for £1. Clearly no good for you(!) but perhaps if NI do you could buy and sell????


Also re food, have a look at A Girl called Jack. She fed herself and her son on £10 a week. I have her book and some of the recipes are outstanding! Good luck. Fingers crossed for the mortgage and house buying.

SmithfieldPartDeux

Thank you for taking the time, the start of this diary was a damn hard time in my life.

Wilson Auctions do police auctions afaik, some of the bicycle stuff can be a hard time unless you touch lucky for the right things.

As for the mortgage next step should be my fathers house being transferred into my name, then survey of potential house and then mortgage application. Hard road, but if it works out I get a period home in the country that is something I've always dreamed of for a price I can afford and pay off in 15 years.

I will check out a girl called jack.