The October Awakening!

Fmess

Thanks clippy_girl I really appreciate your support We can cheer each other on

I have downloaded a similar app called Fat Secret (!) and have input my details Can't wait to walk the dogs later so I have some exercise to log!

TiptoesDB

Good luck with your fitness challenge Fmess... and ouch, hope you are ok LuckyGinger after your trip...

I managed SFD no4 yesterday, but did the supermarket shop this morning. Had a £10 off voucher for shop so stocked up on baking things for OH's weekly cakes.

This afternoon a chap knocked on the door selling beautiful hand drawn pictures for charity. OH and I politely turned him away as we both though about our money saving, then had a fit of guilt / rationality afterwards and chased him down the street in our slippers to buy a picture! That was £15, but I am calling it £5 as we had the £10 off our shop! and we both decided that although it's important we pay off debts, we don't want to become different people - so we will keep our green energy provider, give to charity where we can, buy a friend a coffee now and then etc. That's why I love NSK's ethos with the food bank too... we were also thinking since we have two years of not much money spending, we might donate some of our time as volunteers for something. Anyone got any suggestions?

Happy Saturday night folks, love this thread, keeps me sane when we are sat at home not spending money!! x

ClootiesMum

OMG!!! Only the 5th and already the month has gone t*ts up

So October starts tomorrow in my eyes

In all fairness - it's been a nice chaos - I've been nominated & won a night away with work next week - posh do needing a posh frock (don't possess), some form of make up (I'm a make-up virgin), we're being flown down (a la budget airline) but this means I can't take a water bottle with me) and a posh do @ night - this part I can cope with. So, I've had to go to shops & beg for help - 20 yr old in Boots giving advise to almost 50 yr old as to what foundation to wear

But that has all been bought (almost) and have now allowed for spends when away (trust me - these will be small)

So now October can start - apologies Kat but this was a one off issue

So - I'm aiming for (taking into consideraton my shorter month)
SFD - 15
Pay off debt first - this will be covered this month but get paid mid month - but bills all accounted for
Spreadsheet - I need to work on this but will have this up & running in next few days (really need to do an ironing first though)
Small spend diary - now in handbag
Food budget - £100 - this should be lower as we're both going on a diet after my trip - & we have loads of diet shakes in the house so this week should be clearing out the fridge with clearing up packets after that...
Clear out cupboards of food - being cleared (but this week's menu might be interesting )
Donate to local food bank - we're starting this collection @ work - but more on that later
Budget for outings - done - I know you say we should say no to all unaccounted for ones but - this one involves 2 days off work, champagne, free drink & free food - along with much networking (ideally before free drinks & champagne)
Lunch to work - sadly lax so far but from now on, I will be good
DFD - working on this
Use up all beauty products - normally not an issue but make up was a foray into female normality for me - have plenty clean stuff (shampoo, soap, shower gel) but pretty stuff - not me I'm afraid
Make an extra £100 - not started but I accept
Extras - £150 for 3 birthdays - I realise this seems extortionate & I really hope not to spend this much (in fact - I won't as I can get DH aftershave in the duty free on the way to posh night away :j) but DH has a birthday & BIL has a 60th in November & we're on the hunt for a stunning (not necessarily expensive) pressie - will ask advice on this tomorrow & all suggestions welcome.

OK - much longer wittering post than expected - but - I have now confessed - please forgive me

Superdopsa

Evening all. As expected a spendy day for me.

Taxed my car to the tune of £175 (how I wish I could afford a newer car that doesn't cost as much - if anything to tax). As I paid in cash I had £5 left so I bought 10 2nd class stamps as I don't think I have any left.

I met a friend in town at short notice for coffee - she paid and I used my bus pass to get there so that was a freebie.

Did a supermarket shop today (including some things for the food bank) and have batch cooked this afternoon and hopefully I am stocked up for the foreseeable future. I will need bread and possibly some fruit in the week but will leave that as long as possible to save my SFDs.

My totals now stand at:

Food - £44.03/£80
Misc - £91.49/£150
Petrol - £0/£50
Food bank - £2.56/£3 (I will carry the 44p over on to next month's donation)
Car tax - £175/£175

I am now going to settle down in front of some dross tv for the evening with my bottle of wine I bought today (roll on France in a couple of weeks time so I can stock up on some cheap wine) and some crisps. I know I shouldn't but it is a Saturday night and I will be good next week (I have to be as it's weigh in day).

Check in again tomorrow.

Superdopsa

Oh and I made £3 today as well.

CrazyCatLady1_3

Evening everyone,

Well I'm now on SFD 4, have had a lovely day out at Glasgow Fort with my eldest girl, went for lunch (her treat) and while she spent quite a lot buying new clothes I managed to resist temptation, and the clothes she no longer wants are being given to her sisters who are also very much into moneysaving just now.

Kat you asked about my critical illness insurance, It was a policy taken out when I arranged my mortgage but I can't remember much else, my family helped me sort everything out when I got ill, I'm just so glad I took it out. Also I worked since I left school at 15 and it was very difficult to deal with but every day I count my blessings, not my problems

LoveaDove

Hi all, speedy check in!

SFD yesterday (4 total now) with some evening geocaching!!

Today I've partaken in some further geocaching and have come away with some war wounds from climbing amongst trees and brambles! Scoffed on blackberries on my adventures- so made up for it. Must have covered at least 10 miles walking between caches in/ around the country park and the surrounding farmers fields- found places i've not been to or even realised existed!!

Eve in with OH, the free trip to zooo tomorrow! (lots more walking!), plus packed lunch.

Spend day today- bought my food bank stuff and and some toiletries. Will work out totals when I have a little more time.

Hope you're all having a superb weekend!

Fmess

Evening all,

Another spend day today My best friend was travelling through my town on a train today and called to see if we could meet up if she stopped off here for an hour. We've been friends from birth and haven't seen her since June so we went out for dinner

On the positive side; I have listed lots of books on Am4zon, listed my unused bread maker on eB4y and done all available Sw4gbucks surveys

Also I've nearly used up my social/misc budget so will be able to turn down all invites now!

stewby

Okies, I will try to make this shorter than normal. (as i need to hide from NSK).

Today was a spend day as we had our dominos pizza tonight. (the one take-away we had budgeted for). We have to collect the pizzas as we live too far away but they have a deal for collection which gave us a bogof deal. so we got two medium pizzas for £15.


Tomorrow will definitely be a spending day as we are going to go shopping in tescimos. That reminds me, we need to make a plan and a shopping list.


Today I walked 9050 steps which makes a total since 2/10 of 43,105 steps.
:j

Hope everyone else is having a great day.

Frugal_foxy_2

Spend day here as I knew it would be.
£83 shopping
£133 RAC cover. We both have elderly cars and live down very dark lanes-would be terrified if I was stranded there.

On the plus side we have been good with the lunches at work-every day.
SFD- not so good. We try to be really organised but having mega busy time at work ( we work together) so planning food and drink for 8 hours when we have at last minute been doing 12 and 13 hours a day. Sometimes you just need to grab a drink or snack.

We don't eat out much anyway so that's not really a hardship and we don't pub/club either.

If overtime is allowed we smashed that on day 2 so that's another plus.
Nsk- if yu see this can you just confirm that overtime is allowed? Thx.

In bed for another early start and work have asked me to go in tomorrow (more dosh though I guess) Just had to have today off though as had to catch up with washing and housework. (Never good when a girl runs out of knickers!):mad::eek::mad:
I guess the really frugal people, like the revolting dental floss sharers just turn theirs inside out? Enough of that, hope everyone is doing tremendously and will be worth the hard work very soon.:T:o:T