Aprils Fool No More!!!

thriftylass

It's a bit slow at work today so might prepare my May start post and finish my numbers for May.

See ya later

Couldn't wait. Sorry for the long post but here it goes.

Ok May here we come.

Got my spreadsheets and numbers ready. I allocated £150 to food, 50 to extras (nappies, HH) and have £430 that I usually would throw in the ISA towards the Debt Prevention Mission but will need it this month to pay the roofer and other bills. That way I’m hoping to pay for everything out of my salary and leave the DPM money were it is.

Food and extras are lower than ever. But I really need to learn to shop for the week and only for what we need. This month it’s more important then ever.

The first weekend we’re away and won’t need much.

The second weekend is DS 2nd birthday party, but I said not to bring presents just maybe nibbles and drinks which should help with the cost. It’s just an afternoon thing so I’ll bake and make a few finger foods. Hubby insisted on party bags (why, what’s the point) but maybe I’ll just make cheap wee ones if at all.

The third weekend I’ll take hubby on his birthday picnic to a park he used to go to with his parents as a child (all HM, bottle of fizz from the gifts cupboard etc). Just a family day out rather than a party. DS and hubbies birthday presents are sorted and were cheap or bought with vouchers. Just still need to build hubbies biltong box but got all the parts.

The fourth weekend we’ll have hubby’s extortionate family lunch for which we paid the deposit but not sure who’ll cough up the rest, hubby or our savings, need to discuss.

Also asked hubby about his “end of the month skintness” and he confirmed my suspicions that he’s living in the overdraft but he seemed very aware of that not being good and said he’s chipping away on that and it sounded believable.

Sorry for the long post but I needed to write it down to commit to my plan for May.

Can't wait not to spend money

Everhopeful09

Hi All,

Checking in, Sat was a massive spend day (and not budgeted for but had a great day). Sunday spent £1.60 and today 60p on milk so far. Need a food shop but as I'm away at the weekend not really worth it so will try to make meals out of what I have in cupboards. Do need milk, fruit and veg though.

I'm going to do set up a spreadsheet for May to help plan/control the spending and at least budget for it!

EH xx

karmachilovething

Hello all! Checking in after my weekend away with the BF & his family.

My have I missed a LOT!

Congratulations to nannygladys and hismissus for babbits and debt freedom.

And well done to everybody else - we've almost made it to May (where is the year going already?!)

I was spoilt rotten over the weekend and so three NSD. However I got home at 1am last night, overslept and thus no time for packed lunch, so now I am on the naughty step as I went and bought lunch. Just bad prep as I could have done it last week.

I also jumped the gun on May challenges and did a £500 overpayment this morning (payday was Thursday). But it was a slightly conservative effort on my part, so will have another squeeze of the May spreadsheet and maybe do another one on the first. Overpayment does bring me below £8000 debt mark through :T (not updating this on my sig till the end of May though, as it's next payday it'll figure on my reckonings)
KC

Bouncyminky

What a weekend! Some good, some bad.

We started off still under budget and OH THINKING (!!) about the beer he got to stay within £10. Although he was saying that I was taking the whole concept too seriously.....

Saturday - Swimming lessons (already paid for), wildlife festival - only the cost of the parking and DD loved all the arts and crafts, then fancy dress party in evening - OH only bought 3 drinks for 3 of us all evening as there was free drinks to start and a toast - the party was great fun as well and the wig was brilliant.

Then OH did the half marathon on Sunday - so after seeing him off I went to the park with DC - as we were out for about 4 hours and I didn't have much with me (fridge getting bare) and it was freezing we got candy floss (bribery to carry on walking for DD) and hot donuts (for me and kids nicked a few) for 4.50. But parked for free and free fry up at MIL's after.

Now the confession - I managed to get my head around the idea that the time between payday and the new month doesn't mean a blow out, however the habit of getting the weekly shop at the weekend kicked in so went and spent £55 - taking me about £55 over budget - oh dear. I could argue that most of this will be consumed in May, but even I know that's a poor excuse. We did desperately need food for lunches and DC.

Just done initial budgets for May and told OH we have to be really tight as it's the first month with lower wages - let's see if he takes note. Although my budget for food is already high, I'm thinking that £400 isn't realistic taking baby milk, nappies and booze into account. I feel appalled that I am considering increasing it. Although feel slightly better when a colleague at work confessed he spends £1000 a month on food, ON FOOD!!!!!!!! What!

Will do one last post on final budgets once April gone, but popping over to May now... Another fresh sheet, another fresh chance.

Living_a_good_life

Good job it's nearly May - I feel like old mother hubbard - although trying not to look like her.

Kat I'm trying to empty the freezer before restocking for may. Lunch was hash browns and sauce! HEALTHY......:rotfl:

For tea kids had pasta and sauce with cheese etc, I had the spoon of above mention pasta left in the pan followed by left over beef stew, mash and dumplings - its a combination I never saw coming in one meal!!

To empty the reserves dinners will be....
Sausage lattice beans and chips
Pasta Pucchanessa (ancovies and olives in stores)
Chicken Curry rice and naan (left over sunday chicken in fridge)
Lasagne

That takes me to friday and then we are out of food and the freezer is empty bar one tub mango and lime icecream - home made but unfortunately Im the only one who likes it! A chocolate millionaire tart and a raspberry cheese cake - dont think I can serve this for a main meal - ok the kids would love it but they'd drop me in it in front of a yummy mummy or teacher or both!!
At a push I could sneak a macaroni cheese or pizza in on sat night - dough courtesy of the bread machine....

Anyway trying to be organised and frugal after blowing Aprils food budget. It should be noted that DH has been scoffing chinese restaurant food with his work trip to the distant north. Jealous, me.....:A If anyone wants me I'll be putting the bins out, emptying the dishwasher and nursing DS for a large portion of the night as he has a frying temperature.... I believe my halo has now fallen off....

Night all, Love LAGL xx

Learning2Budget

Evening. Well the month started well but then went downhill. May will be tight!! Lots of things plnned n minimal money!! Plus lots of birthdays!!! Need to get back in the driving seat and focus.
New appliances bought for kitchen cos they had died which has blown the budget totally!!!
Back to the naughty seat i go!! L2B.xx

Siouxsie32

Good evening everyone, it's almost May :j April's been quite good to me I think. I managed it all on budget, although since today was payday I started on my new budgets and restocked my purse with the appropriate amounts. I emptied the coins that were left into a jar. I half heartedly save £2 coins and with my new budget spreadsheets, every penny is accounted for so I can't squirrel the odd £2 coin into my piggy bank without upsetting the spreadsheets (and I get very upset when the spreadsheets aren't exact!!). So, whenever I get a £2 in May, I can swap it for some of the coins that I've emptied from April's purses. Make sense? I have 3 purses and multi coloured spreadsheets that I obsess over but not a penny goes astray

Now today being the start of a new month for me, I spent money...move over L2B, is there space on that naughty step for me too

I needed a birthday card and a gift...actually, and this is probably real naughty step stuff but I'm blaming it on the full moon, the gift is a replacement for the one I bought this time last month and didn't get round to sending. It was a jar of Hotel Chocolat's Liquid Caramel Hot Chocolate (anyone tried it???) and the other night when I had not a lot of food left - and what I did have was not chocolate and therefore useless! Mmmmm, it was so yummy, I had 3 cups of it :EasterBun (actually, I was just like this little guy - spooning it straight from the jar into my mouth at one point!!!) So, I had to buy another one today It's all boxed up and getting sent tomorrow!

Post Office aside I'll not be spending anything tomorrow, but it'll not be a SFD like I was hoping. I think I've failed to reach that target, but I'm still happy with the way the month went. Bring on May - I don't know if I should be happy it's nearly summer or scared that the year's zooming by :eek::D:eek:

I'm sitting in my freshly laundered and line dried PJs - does that call for another hot chocolate (the remainder of the original box, not the new one!!)? I think so....

NinjaSavingKat

I am popped!!!

Puddy-tat has been no help whatsoever although she has had to deal with a rather excited Shih Tzu so I will let her off ...(although she just hid under the bed)..

My limbs ache but I am literally nearly all sorted! I just need to sort out the kitchen stuff... new LL has everything I need but there are a few things that I have collected over the years that I didn't want to chuck out... did I say a few things...I meant boxes of the stuff. Okay - may be not that bad!

Anyhoo - I see confessions are coming out now as the month draws to a close... is anyone going to come back here tomorrow I wonder.

I shall save more for tomorrow and my closing speech ..:rotfl:..

April has been expensive or me and I can't wait to see the back of it really... but I haven't finalised my budget with everything that has been going on in the last week so that is my plan of action before I go ANYWHERE tomorrow!

So until then - good night!

Onwards and Upwards!!!

kaze652

Glad the move went ok kat.
April has also been an expensive month for me and basically I will be living as frugally as I possibly can, £100 a month to cover food and petrol going to be tight but has to be done.
Thank you Kat for coming up with these challanges, my 1st one has been tough but its made me focus, am finishing the month with 2 sfd days and hoping may will be the start of a new frugal me.

thriftylass

Hi Kat, glad the move went ok.

Payday today and did a wee food shop for the week yesterday and spend only £22 which is a first and might actually last the week. Good start.

Also did a weekly meter reading and finally leccy and gas are way down, yay