Steps towards making the dream a reality...

niftythrifty33

Yesterday was a good frugal day, I managed to achieve the following...

-Listed 7 things on fleabay:j
-walked to work & back
-Took a car full of rubbish to the tip...I love doing this :T
-made packed lunches
-cooked from scratch

Didn't manage a NSD as needed diesel to collect DD in evening
Bought some clothes for kids with staff discount (payable in a few weeks)

Today I have checked bank accounts/spreadsheets and completed new sig' on here.
Completed a survey for £3 payable to Paypal in a few days
Already not a NSD as gave the kids money for dinners as we've run out of bread.

To do:
call estate agents & instruct solicitor
Plant spuds & salad
walk to work & back
Cook tea from scratch
List more stuff on fleabay
Start letters to old Cr cards/loans

I don't think anyone reads my diary (must be very Boring!) but I really need some things to do online to earn a few extra quid like surveys/clicks etc. any ideas??

out_of_debt_at_last

Hi, I just read your diary, not waffle at all! I am supposed to be decorating BUT keep telling myself 5 more mins then I will go get started! But all your talk about decorating as motivated me so cheers!

niftythrifty33

Thanks 'outofdebt', I hate decorating but it's so worthwhile for the rewards afterwards.
Not a lot to report really. Managed to do more paperwork & filing yesterday.

The buyers have withdrawn their offer so back to the drawing board. I'm not surprised though as I had a feeling it might happen, apparently they couldn't get the finance?

Bought a few clothes on staff discount and a lovely dress for me for the summer but I need to lose a few lbs before then!!!:(
I know it wasn't frugal but I did have £5 off a £25 spend and DD was quite desperate for new clothes as I haven't bought any for ages.

Still cooking from scratch and making packed lunches. I'm really seeing a difference in spending since going to L1dl instead of big MrT:j

Have a few vouchers for Ic3land so will use them today and will start on the cash budget later after work to see how much we might have left for OP or to put back into savings.

niftythrifty33

I'm a bit gutted and feeling rather stupid right now!:mad:

I've just been filling in my spreadsheet as I do everyday...I thought that the projected balance at the end of the month was looking very healthy and we'd be able to overpay. Then it dawned on me DUH!!! my formula for adding up spending was set to finish calculating at line 27...I'm now on line 59

So, after correcting it, the figures are awful and the new projected end of month balance has reduced by £700:eek:

Not only does it mean we won't have anything to go back into the savings account but we won't actually have enough to cover the direct debits. I'm starting to wonder whether we can actually afford to move house and I can't believe that I didn't notice my mess-up!

So that it guys I've decided the debit cards are going away. We'll use only cash which will be taken out once a week and just for essentials. Trouble is we have DS 18th and DH 40th weekend away so I need to work out a minimum spend. Rambling over.......

niftythrifty33

Looks like we might just have enough in the bank to cover April's direct debits so unfortunately there will be no OP or money into savings this month which is really annoying :mad:

Feel very frugal about yesterdays tea, all the family we're nagging for a take-away as usual on a Friday and even though I was tired I stuck to my guns and rustled up 2 home made pizzas, potato salad with bacon pieces and chicken goujons:j go me!

I need to do the same today as the weekend seems to be a particularly bad time for spending unnecessary cash on junk food. Does anyone else find this?

I've transferred £6.40 from T0pcashback to my paypal then into bank. Also money owed from DS and £3 for a survey which is great but it seems a drop in the ocean sometimes Im wondering whether these small amounts should be put into a separate account to add to saving or OP as I think thats what some of you do? But this month it does all need to go into the main acct. due to my bodge up with the spreadsheet!

niftythrifty33

Monday morning update...

Had a frugal weekend. But after a debate in the shop and then for an hour sat in the car with DH, we are considering pulling out of the move. Dh has a very good point that if we are having to watch every penny now, can we really afford to do a house up whilst we have 3 teenagers at home. The last buyers withdrew their offer for ours and we have a new couple coming to view tonight. I think we will decide in the next few days whether to go ahead or not.

I think DH gets confused with me being so frugal (tight ) then wanting to move house. I've said that even if we move I will still be frugal and watch the pennies and try to pay off the mortgage early but he can't understand this and says we should be out doing stuff (spending money) with the kids before they leave home. Which I totally agree with. Sometimes I think I go a bit too far with the whole money saving!

To do:
-List more stuff on fleabay, got 3 items with bids so far
-Visit allotment and do planting
-mow lawn
-clean/tidy house for viewing
-Meal plan done. 1/2 shop done in MrT, do rest in L1dl
-Cook from meal plan for a few days
-Arrange to see friends as I have a week off :j

niftythrifty33

We had viewers at 5pm which meant I didn't want to cook to boiled ham (as on menu plan) incase the house stank of ham, DH thinks I've gone mad as he says ham smells lush!

So, I caved in and we had a chippy tea for £11 then DH used my last £2 for footie. Then DS2 told us last minute about food needed for tomorrows Home Ec (or whatever its called these days) totalling £15 petrol (running on empty for 2 days :eek: and £11 in MrT.

After hours sorting the spreadsheet out going back to Jan 1st it's all now tallying up and looks like we will have about £400 left. I like to keep £1,000 in credit at the end of the month ready for 1st month DD's (ours are just under £1,000 p/m) But still need to get a posh frock for DD and have a weekend away with DH for his birthday.

I would like to put half as OP and half into savings as we're still down by £500 in savings acct.

Hurdler

niftythrifty33 wrote: »

I need to do the same today as the weekend seems to be a particularly bad time for spending unnecessary cash on junk food. Does anyone else find this?

I've transferred £6.40 from T0pcashback to my paypal then into bank. Also money owed from DS and £3 for a survey which is great but it seems a drop in the ocean sometimes Im wondering whether these small amounts should be put into a separate account to add to saving or OP as I think thats what some of you do? But this month it does all need to go into the main acct. due to my bodge up with the spreadsheet!

Yes re: takeaways! By the time I get to the Friday and Saturday it's the business end of what I write about and gets very busy so sometimes it is just easier to get a takeaway on the Sat (I am working on my own that day) - I have to stop but it takes time to break a habit!!!

At the moment I transfer everything from t0pcashback to my main account and like you I have a balance in my current account to cover my direct debits and anything over that sum gets swept into my mortgage overpayment account so I figure that eventually that extra money gets where it needs to go.

niftythrifty33

Ohhh I've changed the settings on here and now only get 10 posts per page plus I get the latest post first instead of trailing through loads of old ones :j

Finally made it to the allotment and have planted garlic in greenhouse, outside salad bed and in shed in pots to see which works best and have done the same with melon and watermelon, though not outside as it's too cold for them. Have also started off some fennel. It's so exciting growing veg. I like doing trial and error and have started a notebook to see what works. The only thing I dislike is having to drive there are find somewhere to park.

Did a L1dl shop to get the rest off the list that I refused to buy in MrT as the prices were extortionate!!! I can't believe how cheap L1dl is. The strawberries are 2 big punnets for £3 and they are soooo lush. In MrT they were about 6 individual ones for £2!

The checkout guy said they are as busy now as they were at Christmas as people are being more frugal
Todays jobs
-[STRIKE]plant veg/fruit[/STRIKE]
-[STRIKE]food shop[/STRIKE]
-clear attic
-start painting office
-list more stuff on fleabay. Have sold 5 things in last 2 days.
-make flapjacks, cakes & HM choc hobnobs

Still not sure about moving, what will be, will be

niftythrifty33

Well I sold 5 things on fleabay and after postage and fees I've made about a tenner which is better than a poke in the eye but I've just wasted another hour or so listing some more stuff that may/may not sell. Is it really worth it??? I could have spent the last 2 hours writing and setting up a blog which is what I really want to learn to do!

Got distracted yesterday and did loads of cooking...Marmalade roast ham (so lush), HM cheesecake (even more lush) and pea and ham soup, oh and I burnt the flapjacks

Still no news from estate agents.
Still need to tackle the attic
Have done a tilly tidy twice now and it's a great idea as I can do it on my phone very easily :T

Really enjoying reading the diaries on here for inspiration. Though I'm not sure if anyone reads mine, it's probably REALLY boring:rotfl:

We've hardly spent anything this week and today has been a NSD except I will have to pay £1 for running club later