For the girls

Florida2016

It really is motivating me, it's curbing all the little spends I do in the local shops.

I have a bit of a coca cola problem so every bottle I don't drink can go towards it

girlatplay

I did things like - walk home from work and put the bus fare in the pot / loose change found on the street (not a huge amount) / any change in my purse that is 50p or under goes in the pot (when it is not in your purse you don't miss it, count it as already spent).

I joined the Payment a Day thread (link here) it really helped me pay off the last of my debt. The pennies and small change really do add up

Florida2016

Good news the washing machine has been fixed, it was the rubber band and the landlord replaced it and its working beautifully now. Amazing how much you miss something

Only managed to pay an extra measly £5 to the credit card today, have a few direct debits coming out next week so need to keep the money in the bank.

I originally said I wasn't going to take out a phone contract but found a good sim only deal with £100 cash back , £15.50 a month for 600 mins unlimited texts, wheras I'm paying £15/16 a month for 100 mins ATM.

That's now tracked on quidco, in 2008 and 2009 I managed to get over £600 in cash back I am definitely going to make quidco my home page LOL.

I went to the butchers today instead of supermarket got 10!massive chicken breasts for £10.99 usually two of them are £4 in the supermarkets. Also got some fruit and veg from greengrocers £0.89 for a punnet of strawberries which me and the little one have demolished

jackieblack

Florida2016 wrote: »

Good news the washing machine has been fixed, it was the rubber band and the landlord replaced it and its working beautifully now. Amazing how much you miss something

Only managed to pay an extra measly £5 to the credit card today, have a few direct debits coming out next week so need to keep the money in the bank.

I originally said I wasn't going to take out a phone contract but found a good sim only deal with £100 cash back , £15.50 a month for 600 mins unlimited texts, wheras I'm paying £15/16 a month for 100 mins ATM.

That's now tracked on quidco, in 2008 and 2009 I managed to get over £600 in cash back I am definitely going to make quidco my home page LOL.

I went to the butchers today instead of supermarket got 10!massive chicken breasts for £10.99 usually two of them are £4 in the supermarkets. Also got some fruit and veg from greengrocers £0.89 for a punnet of strawberries which me and the little one have demolished

£5 off the credit card is still a victory , (every little helps, as they say) and £100 cashback isn't to be sniffed at either.

Glad your washing machine repair turned out to be something relatively minor - it's frightening how quickly the laundry pile mounts up!

we have chicken breasts quite alot as the're so versatile and can be stretched such a long way. (I only buy them when I can get them for £1 each and then I stock up.)

Florida2016

Thats true every little helps need to think of small steps , I need to overhaul my whole mindset about money I think.

You gave my an idea Jackie to only pay certain prices for item, so nothing above £1 for toiletries or kitchen/bathroom cleaners. The £1 shop/99p store will be my new best friend.

The cashback from quidco has tracked - yay and the sim is also here too

Made an extra payment of £100 to the credit card and paid the £13 minimum payment, made sure I paid extra just in case even though its 0%.

Going to set myself some goals I think.

Currently £3990

July 1st - Target £2899 (my cheque should have cleared by then)

August 18th - Target £2500 (when 0% runs out)

December 31st - Target £1600 - I'm wary because of Christmas and a lot of Birthdays around that time.

jackieblack

This is how I shop.
I have a price in my head that I will pay for most items, groceries, cleaning/laundry products, everything really. When I see those items on offer at that price, or less, I stock up and this stock lasts until that item is on offer at that price again. I've been doing this for more than 10 years and it works well for us. I may, for example buy 3kg of mince one week, 3 chickens the next, 20 pork chops the next week etc. I keep out what I need for that week's meal plan and freeze the rest. I currently have 3 big boxes of washing powder stored in my back porch as it is currently half price and I was on my last box from the last time it was on half price.
The only grocery items I buy every week (full price or not) are milk, bread, fruit & veg. (I don't have enough freezer space to freeze bread or milk and my lot don't like bread or milk that's been frozen either)

Florida2016

I think I'm going to do that, we buy certain jars of sauces for our curries and chinese meals and I only pay for it if its £1 not the usual price of £1.99.

I have started only buying powder as I find it lasts longer and I don't always use a massive amount and it still smells clean lol :P

jackieblack

When I first started doing this my husband thought I was nuts.
I'd come home from shopping with several weeks supply of a few things and not much of anything else
Once we got going properly with it though, he could see how it was going to work and, apart from milk/bread/fruit/veg, I've only paid full price for a very few items in a long time!
It does mean that some weeks I spend alot more than others, but other weeks I might only spend £20. It all evens out to be alot less than I used to spend anyway.

Florida2016

It does even out in the end, and you won't be over paying for goods you always used, it makes sense to buy items like this.

I do it with vest tops from primark I buy quite a few so that I won't ever have to buy expensive ones from elsewhere as I don't go to town a lot.

We have set meals in our house not like a meal plan but we're not that adventurous with food so the food items we stock up on will always get used.

My mum and dad gave me £1000 cheque for passing my test it was towards my first car, but I decided to pay it off the debt instead. We've always had old bangers for cars so I want to save later on for a better newer car instead of just buying the first car I see and having to pay for endless repairs.

The cheques cleared and I have paid £850 off the credit card and will use the other £150 towards my oldests school uniform and as a buffer for the summer holidays.

My oldest seems to be having some sort of gag reflux, whenever she coughs violently she will always sick up, I don't remember her being like this when she was little, she's 6 now, she did it the other day before school so I decided to keep her at home, but she did it again this morning, the teacher saw and said don't worry it's probably just spit. It must be the muggy weather making her a bit ill, she seems quite chesty

jackieblack

£850 off the card is a big chunk, and the other £150 is money you would have had to find from somewhere anyway, so well done!

Doesn't it feel good?

I hope your daughter is feeling better. Do you think she could be affected by the high pollen that's been about lately? Seems to be affecting lots of people with chesty conditions.