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Doing it backwards

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  • Well after my last post complaining about cars I've had 2 naughty days going over budget... Ostrich technique I think as I feel like all my hard work is being undone.

    Yesterday I spent £5 on lunch out with my friend and £2 on parking as I couldn't find a free space. Then I went to New L00k and spent £18 on a work bag, and £17 in dp on 2 new tops for going back to work.

    The silver lining was i sold 2 toys on eb@y for £8 and the girl paid cash on collection.

    Today we've been to the free railway museum in Shildon which was a great day out, and we took a picnic so saved loads, only spends we're £2.60 on 2 diet cokes and 30p donation for the crafts. Then we went on to a party that our local soft play had put on for free to say thanks for coming in the school hols (lovely lady), so tea for all 3 was free and they got lots of sweets, and we only spent £2 on 2 cans of coke and £1.50 on baby food. Total spends = £6.40. Then we've just spent £16 on a Take away so total spends are now £22.40

    Actually writing down today's spends makes me feel better as they aren't as bad as I thought, plus some of that was yesterday's eb@y money

    Inspired by selling those toys on eb@y yesterday I've been looking for things for baby girl's December birthday and Christmas. She'll only be one so she won't need much but will need a few bits for her to open (mostly for the older boys) We have loads of toys in the loft but my boys remember them all so I can't say they are from Santa! Hubby's suggested I sell some and use the cash to buy different 2nd hand ones which sounds good. So far I'm bidding on a few bits for 99p and a pair of pink ride ons for £8, I'd keep one the sell one on at a pre loved sale I'm doing.

    I've also just won a dress on eBay for my sister in law's wedding in October, we're spending £60 to stay over and will have to buy all 4 kids new outfits as they have nothing suitable so I'm trying to save where I can. I saw some bridesmaids today in lovely purple dresses so did a search on eBay and won a very similar dress for under £6 with postage. Then I've asked a friend to borrow her purple fascinator and voila - outfit sorted! (If it fits!!) hubby is slimming back into his suit and shirt too so should be free.

    Car exhaust fixed today, just £105 on parts and he didn't charge for labour. Now to get my mot and service done tomorrow then we'll have to hand over all the cash, and see what we have left for the month :0(

    Feeling a little more positive, now to keep a lid on the eBay spends until I make some money on there!

    Outnumbered xx
    Saving to pay off AA loan £4,553/£10,000

    AA joint loan £13,132 - £11,900 redemption figure

    Virgin £9,591; Virgin £4,111; Barclaycard £629; Nationwide £4,180; Nationwide £1,300; Tesco £600
  • Just a quick signature update... £3 paid into my Isa this morning, plus my monthly £50 s/o has gone so we're up to £4,553

    Got my Nationwide statement too and it's gone down by £17 to a straight £1,300 :0)

    Cars have cost a combined £220 today and I've spent £17 on groceries so we have £3 for the rest of the day. Just made a quiche and plan to make a carrot cake and chocolate cookies from stores with the kids

    Have a good day everyone :0)

    Outnumbered xx
    Saving to pay off AA loan £4,553/£10,000

    AA joint loan £13,132 - £11,900 redemption figure

    Virgin £9,591; Virgin £4,111; Barclaycard £629; Nationwide £4,180; Nationwide £1,300; Tesco £600
  • Hooray we've survived the summer holidays without putting anything on credit! And had lots of fun too, thanks to a National Trust membership, sunshine, parks and Surestart.

    Kids back to school tomorrow, luckily mum bought them school t shirts and trousers and dad paid for the twins' new shoes. I do feel a bit guilty they don't have everything brand new (lunch boxes, jumpers, coats etc) but we will replace as needed, and luckily they're too young to remember.

    Treated the kids to crazy golf, lunch out and ice creams today so went a little over budget (about £4), luckily my best mate went halves with me as a treat for them. Gorgeous curry for tea in the low cooker - 2 chicken breasts between 6 but loads of veg. I worked n extra class tonight too and made £32 for savings.

    Only £10 for tomorrow to get us bacon track, just need bananas and something healthy and easy for tea so should be more than do able. I'll enjoy the peace in S@insburys with just the baby!

    Happy moneysaving!

    Outnumbered xxx
    Saving to pay off AA loan £4,553/£10,000

    AA joint loan £13,132 - £11,900 redemption figure

    Virgin £9,591; Virgin £4,111; Barclaycard £629; Nationwide £4,180; Nationwide £1,300; Tesco £600
  • Well my boys all had a great day at school. I had a bit of a wobble this morning that they didn't have new coats or jumpers for their first day... The twins' coats had both torn under the arm and I didn't realise til it was time to leave and I felt like a terrible mum. I even had a look in the local shops for replacements for them (they are just lightweight rain jackets) but in the end decided to sew them tonight and they look fine for the few weeks they need them.

    Managed to spend under £12 today and that made 2 cottage pies, one for tonight and one for next week, more packed lunch stuff, bread and a couple of other bits. I walked everywhere too so good for my legs and for our budget :0)

    Looked at our budget today and it seems we're not as broke as I thought this month so hopefully we can save a bit more. However, I'm not sure how this happened so I'm going to keep an eye on it and bank it after in the month.

    Tomorrow I have to drive to Sunderland to collect a toy I bought on eBay, its an hour's drive to pick up a toy horse for £1.24, which would cost £60 new. This will be put away for baby's Christmas. Then on Thursday I need to drive 30 mins round trip to collect 2 ride ons for £8, one for baby's first birthday and one t sell on (they were a pair) and I've won a toy pram for 99p which is being couriered for £6... That should be the biggest of baby's presents and the rest will be practical new cup new pjs etc. then just the other 3 to sort, who will be more picky!

    Right enough Christmas talk crazy lady!

    Outnumbered xx
    Saving to pay off AA loan £4,553/£10,000

    AA joint loan £13,132 - £11,900 redemption figure

    Virgin £9,591; Virgin £4,111; Barclaycard £629; Nationwide £4,180; Nationwide £1,300; Tesco £600
  • Good day today. Collected the horse and its great, although it cost about £6 diesel to collect it its pristine so worth it - was tempted to let her have it now but that defeats the object! Apart from that nothing major to report, spent approx £14.50 on food (fruit, veg, milk, ham, coke) and £3.50 on some new vests for baby in Sainsburys' sale - she was desperate for them.

    We seem to spend all our money on food, it scares me that this will only get worse as they get older, especially the 3 boys. I had to stop hubby having bread and butter with his tea (already a big portion) as it wouldn't leave enough for sandwiches tomorrow only bought it yesterday! On the upside I'm eating less and losing weight!

    Only 2 weeks left til my maternity ends and I'm back on a full wage!

    Outnumbered xx
    Saving to pay off AA loan £4,553/£10,000

    AA joint loan £13,132 - £11,900 redemption figure

    Virgin £9,591; Virgin £4,111; Barclaycard £629; Nationwide £4,180; Nationwide £1,300; Tesco £600
  • I feel like I'm slipping into old habits again so I really need to update. Both yesterday and today we've overspent, and today I spent £55 on my credit card - argh!

    So yesterday's spends we're £6.60 school dinner money, £4 bottle of wine, £5 groceries and £16 takeaway - total £31.60, £11.60 over budget!

    Then today we've spent £55 in Matalan on clothes (more info later), £21 in Morrisons on groceries and £2 in Aldi on crisps and milk. Total £78!!! Of that £23 was out of the weekly budget, and £55 went on my Tesco credit card which must be paid off next month before interest hits.

    Yesterday I went onto Matalan's website looking for leggings to match a dress for the little lady now its cold, but on the front page was a nice mans coat reduced from £20 to £15. I know hubby will need one in a few weeks (he very rarely buys clothes but we chucked his old one out) so we went to see it today. Well we ended up with the coat, a matching coat for each twin (very cute!) and jeans for each twin... I noticed today their 'best' jeans were age 3-4 and they were 5 in June!! So we got a lot for £55 but its £55 on things we hadn't planned/budgeted for.

    Now we need to get back on the straight and narrow for the rest of the month, we have enough money to last but we've only saved £155 so far this month, and our calculations say from next month we'll need to save £500 a month to hit our target by March and put the house on the market (My pay will go up approx £500 as I'm back to work)

    Tomorrow's plan is to spend under £10 to regain control, my parents just got back from hol so we're there for tea (phew!) I also got most of the stuff for packed lunches for the kids all week, so tha should help keep costs down for the res of the week.

    Next weekend I'm on an all day training course on Saturday (paid :0) ), then on Sunday i Have a slimming class, then doing a nearly new baby sale so hoping to make about £40 to add to savings, and to look out for any girly toys for baby's birthday/Christmas (the horse and ride ons are both now hidden in the loft and are great, just waiting for the pushchair to arrive)

    Phew, feels better now I've made my 'confession', now I need to get cash out tomorrow and start behaving!!

    Outnumbered xx
    Saving to pay off AA loan £4,553/£10,000

    AA joint loan £13,132 - £11,900 redemption figure

    Virgin £9,591; Virgin £4,111; Barclaycard £629; Nationwide £4,180; Nationwide £1,300; Tesco £600
  • AlexLK
    AlexLK Posts: 6,125 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    Outnumbered: Would it be worth you literally or metaphorically "cutting up" the credit cards? :)

    We have started living a cash only lifestyle, not using bank cards, only cash and we are finding it MUCH easier not to spend on things we don't need. However, we are only one week in.
    2018 totals:
    Savings £11,200
    Mortgage Overpayments £5,500
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