tightening my belt and battening down the hatches

Nelly11

Im not sure about selling the house, I know its the practical thing to do but it nearly killed me trying to buy a house after my divorce, I was determind to do it though. Im in a relatively new relationship of 11 months and I know OH would like me to eventually move near him, have to wait and see what happens there really. There is pleantly of equity in the house to pay off any debts, my mortgage is so high though and now my income has reduced it only just covers the bill

Nelly11

Well my little system of putting weekly budgets for Petrol, Food, School Lunches into envelopes in my 'MONEY TIN' seems to be working, I went through it last night as the end of the week is pay day and there in my little envelopes was 25.00 Food, 40.00 Petrol and 20.00 school lunches. I had an extra 10.00 in school lunches, I'm not sure how that happened but it will be banked tomorrow and straight off the mortgage, also hoping that I dont need to use the food money apart from milk and bread and will try to manage on 30.00 of petrol so hopefully should have approx 30.00 to go off the mortgage on Monday next week.
Busy making items for a craft sale at the weekend, cant believe how much I made yesterday, sewing machine nearly went up in flames, really enjoyed it though. It was another NSD for me yesterday and Im hoping for the same today, DS bought milk and also lunch for him and his brother, very generous. As part of our frugal christmas, everyone is chipping in by bringing some of the food towards luch, need to make a list really, also need tonight with OH to decide who gets hampers of Sloe Gin, Sloe Vodka, and Bramble Jelly. We have had fun making it all, OH has been saving up bottles.
I need to pop out at some point today to get boxes to store all the items for the craft sale in. Everything I have made has been mostly from things found around the house, the spend so far is 4.00 on some quality street, 4.50 on fabric, 1.00 on buttons
1.25 on bias binding and 6.00 for the stall, so a total of 16.75, hopeing that gets covered then anything else is profit.

Happy Sunday:):)

Nelly11

Just made a payment arrangement with the mortgage, the advisor was really help full. So hopefully it should be cleared in 2 more payments. I'll breath a sigh of relief when its done, then I can concentrate on clearing The Black horse debt because the Barclaycard / Link one has had the interest frozen whereas the Blackhorse one starts adding interest as from January. It doesnt look as though Im going to get a part time job anytime soon, just walking on the two days a week that I dont walk makes me so exhausted that I dont want to move.
I need to start meal planning again, it worked really well last time I tried it. Going for a NSD again today. I've got 20.00 to last until I get paid next Monday, I need some petrol and maybe some milk, so it should last. Need to look through the freezers for tonights tea and see what else is lurking in there. Got to try to lose some weight too, Ive put on a stone and a half since my Op, I can really feel it, just not mobile enough to shift it.
So my plan for today is,

• Pack books into bags for the table sale on Sunday
• Sort out all the things I have that I can sell
• Declutter the junk drawer in the kitchen
• Anything that doesnt sell can go on FBook sales.
• Crochet some more of the blanket
• Work out what other xmas gifts I need to get.

Cleaned the whole house yesterday, it felt really good, nearly back to normal

Nelly11

Most of yesterdays tasks were completed. it wasn't a no spend day after all, had to give DS a fiver to get his photographs taken, his GF family are taking him away over xmas, his passport had run out, they are buying him one for xmas, very generous, now I am panicing about spending money for him.
Today however will be a NSD, I have the family around tonight for a meal, I have rustled up a chicken curry from stores and freezer, found a veg curry and a lentil dhal, some pittas and some chapatis in the freezer and I have 2 eggs left so will make a few cupcakes for dessert. My niece and her BF are visiting too, so there should be pleanty to go around, Im just feeling a bit smug cos it all came from the freezer including enough rice for all from all the small portions i freeze cos i cant bear to throw it away.
Im sat typing while listening to their new CD, its very ethereal, it will take a few plays to begin to hear it properly.
Im now down to 15.00 to last until monday, I need some petrol for work and a few lunch moneys from that and a float for Sundays craft Fayre, got to make it stretch.
Have a great day all, really sunny here

Nelly11

Unhappy, I put a tenner in the car yesterday for work and now Im on red again! On the other hand though I've got through to second stage on a job I applied for

Nelly11

Wages have come in early, they have also left my account just as quickly! I have managed to pay all bills as they should be. I've updated my signature and I managed this month to spend alot less on shopping due to emptying one of the freezers so I can sell it, it's being collected today, 15.00 straight into the kitty. I feel quite pleased that I have stuck to my plan, did have one seaky takeaway during the month but didnt spend any money on lunches, I took in a packed lunch. Feeling quite happy that I've go most of this months bills out of the way. In two months I should feel as though I have more disposable income.

Nelly11

Craft sale disaster, after expenses I made 4.00, which I spent on wine for tonight. Shocking, we all sat bored while there was no footfall. Oh well onwards and upwards.
In other new OH is coming to see me tonight and I've been cuddling my GD for the last hour. Cant wait to see OH, we have had some extremely good news this week and its the first time I've seen him since.

debtfreewannabe321

Hi Nelly *waves*

My petrol seems to dissapear as quick as yours did, it's horrible isn't it ! So sorry to hear that the craft fair didn't go very well. I have a friend who did one today in a pub and she was complaining it was very quiet too, I think she spent more on paying for the table, petrol to get there and drinks/snacks whilst there :eek:. At least you made a small enough profit to get some wine (gotta look at the positives eh )

Our pay day is Friday i'm down to my last tenner and hoping it will last ....not confident on that happening though it seems everyone is after my money atm

Have a lovely evening with the OH x

Nelly11

debtfreewannabe321 wrote: »

Hi Nelly *waves*

My petrol seems to dissapear as quick as yours did, it's horrible isn't it ! So sorry to hear that the craft fair didn't go very well. I have a friend who did one today in a pub and she was complaining it was very quiet too, I think she spent more on paying for the table, petrol to get there and drinks/snacks whilst there :eek:. At least you made a small enough profit to get some wine (gotta look at the positives eh )

Our pay day is Friday i'm down to my last tenner and hoping it will last ....not confident on that happening though it seems everyone is after my money atm

Have a lovely evening with the OH x

It was my payday yesterday, I need to now join the December Grocery Challenge, I did quite well in November, Im going to restock the freezer today, I managed to empty the large freezer and sold it on FB sales, now just have a small 3 drawer one, Im hoping this means I will eat food alot quicker as stuff wont be lurking there for months. Going to use up all the left over veg tonight.
Had a great few days with OH, went for a cooked breakfast yesterday and he bought our evening meal with him, lamb is one of my faves.
I need to work out my budgets for the next month, December is a killer. We have asked everyone to contribute a little something towards the cost of the Xmas day, boxing day food bill, its strange how the people with very little money are willing to do so but the better off are pulling their faces. Then I suppose thats how they became the better off!
I've paid 3 major bills so am feeling content
Happy Tuesday

Nelly11

Disaster I went over my overdraft limit!!!
Only have 80 miles of petrol in the car and that will easily be swallowed up tomorrow, now need to sell some of the craft things that didnt sell, maybe on Facebook or at a carboot.
Forgot my lunch today so had to buy a sandwich.
Got a job interview on Friday so fingers crossed.
Back to counting pennies.