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

pennyforthepot

I know I should be grateful that it's not cold outside which is saving my gas bill but seriously this rain is dismal

I still didn't manage to finish my to do list yesterday as I seemed to be cooking and cleaning most of the day. I did manage to get DS out of bed before midday and take him to the local shopping centre to get him his walking kit for his Duke of Edinburgh award. Walking boots, waterproof coat, socks and thermal underlayer for £99 and all of it in the sale :j Also picked him up two pairs of jeans as he is having a growth spurt at the moment - one pair reduced to 7 from £30 (the other pair not reduced but as it is so difficult to find jeans for his because he is so skinny I wasn't going to moan ) Also took some bits back to Next and got my £20 back (one more top to take back to Mr T and I'm done).

Spent £6 on food yesterday, for bits for lunch and dinner,so my daily food budget has only gone up by 3p today to £7.70. Hoping for my 2 NSD of the month today - only because it is far to miserable to go out. I think DH is going to make burgers. Still eating out the freezers but low on fruit and veg so I may need to stock up tomorrow.

Not much to report on the MS front. I started reading some of the other threads yesterday - there is one I think called frugal living where people set themselves a budget of what they will live off for a year - I can't believe some people can manage on £4000 - On average my monthly spend is £3000 and that is without my rent. I am intrigued and going to do some spreadsheet work on this

TO DO LIST

• [STRIKE]clear out that spice cupboard[/STRIKE] :j
• [STRIKE]fill in diary for kids school times etc[/STRIKE] took me all afternoon!
• [STRIKE]GT&WI[/STRIKE]
• try and get the coke out the carpet that DSS2 managed to spill -WIP - VAX didn't do much and have mislaid the carpet cleaner spray - most unlike me
• [STRIKE]Tidy up my admin which seems to have spread out all over the house[/STRIKE] shoved in filing cabinet - tackling email filing from last year - need to delete lots
• dismantle the vaccuum cleaner which no longer works with the hose so i have to sweep the stairs
• [STRIKE]Dig out DD birthday pressies whilst she is on holiday - can't remember what I bought her[/STRIKE] all there

Enjoy your weekend peeps:)

PFTP x

pennyforthepot

Managed to sort out my admin this morning along with my underwear drawer, dressing table drawers, cleaning cupboard and medicine box - I do like a good sort out it puts my head in order. Still lots to do though - dreading going back to doing the work accounts that I pushed to one side before Christmas. Kids go back to school on Wednesday so won't think about it till then

Still need to sort out the vacuum cleaner and also the stain in the den (still can't find the carpet stain remover despite clearing out the cleaning cupboard). I will attempt those this afternoon as we are off to Watford (DH wants to go there even though it's not that close as he has never been before) as DH wants to take back a Christmas jumper that he will never wear. I need to get a few bits for DDs bday on Thursday.

Didn't manage a NSD yesterday as I had to buy a pressie for a friend's son (in the birhtday budget though). Today I sent some money up for my nephew for his birthday (again in the Bday budget) and had to pick up some veg and eggs for todays sunday roast.

I have amended my monthly food budget slightly reducing it by £15 which will give me £180 to spend on christmas and new year food/drink. This has in turn reduced my daily spend to £7.52 for the next 26 days. We are still eating meat from the freezer but this will only last for a few more days so a big shop will be coming up soon :eek:

Enjoy you're Sunday everyone and lets hope the rain stays away

PFTP x

moments_of_sanity

pennyforthepot wrote: »

Managed to sort out my admin this morning along with my underwear drawer, dressing table drawers, cleaning cupboard and medicine box - I do like a good sort out it puts my head in order. Still lots to do though - dreading going back to doing the work accounts that I pushed to one side before Christmas. Kids go back to school on Wednesday so won't think about it till then

Still need to sort out the vacuum cleaner and also the stain in the den (still can't find the carpet stain remover despite clearing out the cleaning cupboard). I will attempt those this afternoon as we are off to Watford (DH wants to go there even though it's not that close as he has never been before) as DH wants to take back a Christmas jumper that he will never wear. I need to get a few bits for DDs bday on Thursday.

Didn't manage a NSD yesterday as I had to buy a pressie for a friend's son (in the birhtday budget though). Today I sent some money up for my nephew for his birthday (again in the Bday budget) and had to pick up some veg and eggs for todays sunday roast.

I have amended my monthly food budget slightly reducing it by £15 which will give me £180 to spend on christmas and new year food/drink. This has in turn reduced my daily spend to £7.52 for the next 26 days. We are still eating meat from the freezer but this will only last for a few more days so a big shop will be coming up soon :eek:

Enjoy you're Sunday everyone and lets hope the rain stays away

PFTP x

Re carpet cleaner, if you have any white shaving foam that works just as well as any expensive carpet stain remover.

misscousinitt

Hi PFTP

Just catching up (as I am with everyone).

Good idea to put money away for Christmas food - been doing it for a few years now and it really makes a difference.

Good luck with your goals for 2014.

Happy New Year.

MCI

pennyforthepot

moments_of_sanity wrote: »

Re carpet cleaner, if you have any white shaving foam that works just as well as any expensive carpet stain remover.

Thanks for that - may give it a try :T

PFTP x

pennyforthepot

misscousinitt wrote: »

Hi PFTP

Just catching up (as I am with everyone).

Good idea to put money away for Christmas food - been doing it for a few years now and it really makes a difference.

Good luck with your goals for 2014.

Happy New Year.

MCI

Thanks MCI - Happy New Year to You too :beer:

I was rather shocked at just how much I spent if Im honest - despite having a budget - it just didn't go any where near to covering it so hopefully this should lighten the load

PFTPx

pennyforthepot

Just spent the last 3 hours cleaning out the vacuum. Went on line to find out how to do it and after much de-clogging I have managed to get the hose working again :j - 3 hours well spent even though I say so myself.

Had a good time in Watford yesterday with DH DS and DSS2 - even managed to find some cheap loo roll in Wilkinsons. Bought the bits I needed for DDs bday on Thursday and also picked up a really nice photo frame for the hall (it will have to come out of next months house budget though as it was £16). And even better DH cooked Sunday roast .

£7.63 left in the daily food budget after a £4.87 spent on Jacket spuds and ham in Mr T. I picked up 3 boxes of half price cereal which had damaged boxes but then decided to put them back as cereal is often half price when on offer.

DD coming back home this evening after spending a week in the sun with her dad and step family. Can't wait till she's back she is a true ray of sunshine - can't believe she is going to be 13 on Thursday :eek:

Having a real clear out today - I don't like clutter, it makes me feel uncomfortable rather than free and feeling much lighter for it.

PFTP x

pennyforthepot

DD back home looking relaxed and tanned. She said she wouldn't go without her brother again as she felt a little pushed aside (not intentionally but with two very young half sisters her role was a little like a nanny).

First child back to school today and the other two back tomorrow - I do like to get back into the routine of school but have enjoyed having them around and laying in for a while.

I'm hoping for a LSD today again - just some bits for food. I have to take DD to her phsyio appointment and hoping not to get tempted by the shops we have to walk past.

Read my meters yesterday - am going to do this on a weekly basis so I can get a better feel of what we are using. I know I am above my monthly dd levels so need to bring that down if I can. Nothing else to report on this gloomy day.

PFTPx

pennyforthepot

Kids back at school - feeling a little lost. Need to get back into my routine this week.

Picked up 2 large bottles of £6.50 lenor for £3 each at Waitrose and some half price shreddies. Am going back to get some more and half price persil too - am already stocked up for this year but as it doesn't go off and we have lots of space I might as well get it at that price

£7.89 in the daily food budget - take away pizza tomorrow on request for the birthday girl so that will come out of the birthday budget and a couple more meals in the freezer which I hope will see us through till the end of the weekend. That should bump up my daily spend by £1.

TO DO LIST:

1. write a to do list :rotfl:

PFTP x

pennyforthepot

Busy couple of days at the end of the week with DD's 13th Bday on Thursday - We had a lovely evening with DSS1 over - take away pizza whilst watching Disney princess films - Can't believe my princess is a teenager.

Spent the day cleaning the house yesterday as it's a kid free weekend and I wanted to get my chores out the way. Fairly hefty spend so far this week - mainly because I had to pay 2 months worth of fees for DS programming course. No spends other than what has been budgeted for apart from counselling fees for DH for last month (I haven't budgeted for these so will need to find them from somewhere).

Got some yellow sticker bargains from S@insburys last night and used my loyalty card so only spent 57p for a yummy curry.

Daily food budget £8.18

DH has just come in with the paper so off for a read and possibly a sofa snooze :rotfl:

PFTP x