Diary of a home owner wannabe (my 6 year journey)

pennyforthepot

misscousinitt wrote: »

Hi PFTP

Enjoying the diary. Your lists have inspired me!

I find that meal planning using as many things you have in the cupboards as possible (and with you that must be loads by now lol) before buying anything - this keeps spends down to a minimum.

Good luck with controlling your food budget and your other endeavours.

MCI

Thanks Misscousinitt, I am a list addict - keeps my life sane :eek:. I certainly do have bursting cupboards and freezers too, perhaps we'll just live off chili for the next week :rotfl:

PFTP x

pennyforthepot

"it's the weekend - la la la la (singing )

Yay - all jobs done for the day and pretty sorted for the weekend except for some housework and taxi-servicing.

Not a bad MS day today :money:, I managed to avoid going to Mr T - though I may need to water the milk down or should I say milk the water down

Officially, though depending on how you look at it, it wasn't a NSD as I renewed my contents insurance - put it on my CC to gain some valuable points so it won't come out of my account for a couple of weeks when I pay off my card and it was an allocated payment which comes out of my annual payments pot. I also saved £60 on the renewal quote which I can only assume is due to the change of address. I also got my new council tax bill which I pay by monthly direct debit. It is £50 a month cheaper than I was paying before and I also get a reduction of an additional £80 spread over the next four months because the previous bill was based on a year's bill but we moved with 4 months a go. (I'm sure that doesn't make sense but I know what I'm talking about:)).

SPENDS TODAY

£80 contents insurance

ADDITIONAL MONEY EARNED/SAVED

£90.80 gas and electric credit from final bill
£60 allocated contents insurance spend
£80 council tax rebate on old house

More savings than spends today :j

Off to read some diaries and relax for the evening.

PFTP x

edinburgher

though I may need to water the milk down or should I say milk the water down

In fairness, there's very little difference between milk and what passes for tap water down sarf

Well done on your household savings, they all add up.

pennyforthepot

So much for a relaxing weekend. I haven't stopped yet - mainly revolving around cooking for constantly starving kids, washing, ironing and taxi service. Seven of us for dinner last night and seven for Sunday roast today - no wonder I never manage to keep within my monthly food budget. Have gone over again with unexpected vegetarian kids to cook for last night and veggies to get for roast today - wouldn't have it any other way though - love a full house. Can't stop as I have a humungus joint of pork roasting in the oven and need to get the veg sorted .....:eek:

PFTP x

pennyforthepot

Busy weekend and a busy start to the week. £17 overspend on my food budget and still 5 more days to go. Determined not to go over by £25. Did manage to find some pennies round the house over the weekend though. £2 in the car, 44p in trouser pockets, 20p coughed up by the washing machine and 60p on the floor :j

Out for a class coffee this morning so that was £4 spent and another £4 in Mr for bits for dinner but hoping not to spend any more today. Lots to do today:

TO DO LIST:

• [STRIKE]GT&WI[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]sort out fridge[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]update budget accounts[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]vacuuming[/STRIKE]
• admin
• read emails and action
• [STRIKE]cook dinner - gammon fried eggs, pineapple new pots and parsley sauce[/STRIKE]
• start on the dreaded business accounts that I haven't touched for over two months
• [STRIKE]sort out bins and recycling[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]clean toilets[/STRIKE]

Gotta go PFTP x

pennyforthepot

Running behind today after a sleepless night - got up at 2am and started to read Rich Dad Poor Dad, thanks to a couple of recommendations on here. It's fascinating so far. Found £1 on the floor so the day has started well :rotfl:

Out to lunch with a good friend today who I haven't seen since we moved in - we tend to go out every couple of weeks for a cheap sarnie, cuppa and good old natter. My turn to pay today but shouldn't be more than £15. Have put bolognaise in the slow cooker to ensure that I don't end up buying DS dinner out when he goes for his programming lesson.

DSS2's car is meant to be going in for it's MOT today but DH has had problems getting it working this morning and the both the oil and water have drained in the process so someone from the garage is coming to take a look at it - think its going to be a major cost that hasn't been budgeted for.

Also need to buy some draft excluder for DDs bedroom windows which appear to have massive gaps in them. Shouldn't be too much and should help conserve the heat in her room.

Not doing a to do list today as I'm too tired to function properly

PFTP x

pennyforthepot

Chilly this morning - heating is definitely on now.

Had to cancel lunch yesterday as I had to wait for the guy from the garage to turn up to look at the car - typically he turned up at 6pm when I had gone with DS, try again today. LSD for me just £10 for petrol - was hoping not to have to get any more but couldn't quite manage it.

Out this evening with DH as we have a leaving do in London to go to. Hoping not to spend too much looking at £20 if I don't go in till late. Only four days left of my financial month and still looking at £17 over budget for my for the food/household. Nothing needed today but a couple of bits for tomorrow. Still hoping to get away with no more than a £25 overspend.

Need to get to grips with the business accounts which I didn't manage to start the other day. So:

TO DO LIST

• [STRIKE]GT&WI[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]budget accounts[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]emails[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]admin[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]business accounts - make a start[/STRIKE]managed to reconcile the last three months of accounts just need to find the receipts, do the VAT return and work out how to do the company returns for the year :eek:

Short and concise - that's the way I like it

PFTP x

iquit

I hope you & DH enjoyed the outing/ leaving do in London. Been popping in to read just haven't had chance to comment.

pennyforthepot

iquit wrote: »

I hope you & DH enjoyed the outing/ leaving do in London. Been popping in to read just haven't had chance to comment.

Thanks Iquit - leaving do was postponed till next week so ended up going for a glass of wine at the local pub and then off to the 2 for 1 cinema to see the Fifth Estate about the wikileaks - fascinating film though would be as good seen on dvd.

I know what you mean about being busy - I still haven't had a chance to catch up on any diaries let alone comment so thanks for popping by

PFTP x

pennyforthepot

Behind again today - ended up sleeping in until 8am today - DS and DD stay at their dads on a Wednesday night so it wasn't a problem but it did mean I was behind with the ironing as I tend to do this first thing to get it out the way.

Had a good time yesterday with DH - it's so important to take time away from family and go out on a date - something that is so much easier now we don't need to get in the car

Yesterday I made my first purchase in over a year on clothes/shoes for myself. I have been looking for some new boots for over 3 years now but have never found any I liked. That changed yesterday when I saw some in the window of a local shop on the high street. £119 later I now have a new pair of lovely black boots. Expensive I know but my last pair I bought 10 years ago so hopefully these will get their money's worth. £15 spent at the cinema and pub - I bought the drinks and popcorn and DH bought the tickets.

Got my spanish bank cashback for the month today which came in at £15.70 for the direct debits that go through my account. Just waiting for the interest which should come in the next day or two. I would recommend this bank as a great way to save in the current economic climate where savings rate are pretty poor.

TO DO LIST

• [STRIKE]GT&WI[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Budget accounts[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]nip to the Mr T - need to get a couple of bits for tea and DS has a mufti day tomorrow so need to get him some lunch[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]get some draft excluder for the windows and a padlock for DD for school[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]find and reconcile receipts for business expenses[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]make salmon and pesto spaghetti for tea[/STRIKE]

Sun is shining

PFTP x