Steps towards making the dream a reality...

Pearla*Merle

Oh my word! That's one to tell the grandchildren, nifty! Go you! :T

niftythrifty33

We've had a lovely weekend away and although we didn't worry about the money we tried to be savvy and not spend too much but oh my! The bank account is looking very sad and pathetic

I've had to transfer £300 from savings into current account just incase. I am owed a bit of cash and have £30 in my purse so I am going to be as good as possible with meal plans, NOT going out etc etc. Though we've done some lush things lately such as playing golf with the kids and taking them out for a meal. So hopefully getting the balance right (life balance, not bank balance )

After last week I've decided not to do any more ebay. It's such a faf with very little return and lots of charges. I will use the local FB selling site or give away. I'd rather spend the time on here doing surveys etc.

Tip of the day: don't waste money on cheap black bin bags, a totally false economy (after half the bin ended on the kitchen floor!!!)

niftythrifty33

Just been reading 'A girl called jack's' blog. It's really good and I'm surprised at how many good, cheap recipes are on there. I thought I was good at making meals from virtually nothing but she's really good at using alternative ingredients and putting things together that I'd never considered.

Today:
-I have a mass of parley in the garden so will make this into a pesto
-Use the washing line instead of tumble dryer (I'm so lazy)
-Cancel credit checking company (we joined when we had a recent mortgage turned down and I forgot to cancel after the 30 day trial:o
-Meal plan for easter and buy from L1dl
-Write to old credit cards for charges to be compensated

Phew thats a lot to do today as well as the usual, work, running, dog walking, cleaning, cooking!!!

I'd better get up

niftythrifty33

Things are very tight at the moment financially and I'm trying not to get down about it. We have had a lovely weekend away but I've had to transfer £300 from savings plus another 2 bills need paying totalling £160 that I've put off for a while.

According to my spreadsheet we have just under enough for the May direct debits but will break even in a few weeks.

I have been paid a pitiful amount this month and keep wondering whether to just do cleaning instead but I'm worried I will get bored and fed up of this as there's no social interaction. My working days are changed every week so I can't get into a proper routine and I haven't been given any overtime for ages

On a positive note, I've planted things in the allotment (belongs to FIL) and have sorted my hanging baskets

I keep coming on here for inspiration which helps but it is tough after having such good pay up until giving up my career, though mentally it's definitely worth it.

Today:
-meal plan & budget for rest of April
-start filling new compost bin (purchased from council for £10 YEY)
-4 hours in work
-Pay bills
-Go for a run
-Play a board game with squids
-Cook from scratch & make HM bread

Pearla*Merle

I hope things lift up soon, nifty. I know where you're coming from having experienced annoyingly wayward income - is there an option to look for another job with more regular hours? That might make you feel more settled and then you can start looking to build up the cleaning business?

It might be worth keeping the retail work going anyway to keep your skills fresh and also have that social side, but you could always reduce your hours later if you wanted to take on more self employment?

niftythrifty33

Ooops! I've lost track with my diary for a few weeks

Good thing is we've been good with budgeting/shopping/being mean!

If things go to plan by the end of May we should have a few hundred quid to put back into the savings account and pay off the mortgage.

We will be losing some child tax credit & child benefit this year as eldest is 18 and is very soon leaving education. We've told him he has to get a full time job (currently works 2.5 hrs p/d) but he's being a typical teenage ostrich. So when this does happen we will be asking for rent/keep though really unsure how it all works as my folks were very mean (in my opinion) asking for 1/3 but DH folks never asked for a penny?

DD's prom is costing a fair bit but I did get a bargain dress in the reduced section :j which is amazing as she usually has very expensive taste.

I'm really enjoying the garden now, though trying to do it on a budget is frustrating.

Necessary purchases upcoming:
- single bed base with storage for DS2
- Double mattress for DS1
- Double base & mattress for DD
- New fence for front of house
- Calor gas BBQ
- Wardrobes for us
- New bed and bedside tables for us (ours have fallen apart!)

Jobs to do:
- Clear & tidy garden and get rid of rubble
- Paint & organise storage for box room/office
- Get freezer fixed
- Get oven fixed
- De-clutter attic
- Set up account for Christmas/birthdays/car etc.
- Get new life insurance (current one doesnt even cover mortgage)
- Cancel Sky and research/buy recordable freeview

Sorry for anyone reading this as I know to everyone else it's very boring but it keeps me motivated and all helps towards the long term goal of financial freedom :j

niftythrifty33

Just re-read my last post and I haven't managed to do/buy a single thing from the list

We've been very good with not spending apart from quite a bit on clothes from Primarni as kids were desperate and got loads for £90.

Bank account is looking okay-ish for the end of the month. We might manage a small overpayment but also need to top up the savings and start putting some aside for Christmas/birthdays/car stuff etc.

Will do a meal plan later tonight and see if I can do at least one thing on the list

niftythrifty33

Didn't manage an OP at the end of May as we had just enough to cover DD's.

I bought the beds that we needed which was painful and expensive and always frustrating buying something that doesn't get seen but at least all the kids will sleep well and not have springs digging into their backs! This has come out of our savings which needs replacing as we were already £500 down on savings spent earlier in the year. As DH doesn't get company sick pay, and still insists on playing footie, getting very nearly injured each week :mad: we need the savings to cover any eventualities.

I have set a budget of £150 per week for June. We are already over this by about £100 so I aim to recoup this over the next 3 weeks. I'm using cash and meal planning. We have some social things on this weekend and next week so need to be very careful.

If all goes to plan, we should have £500 left at the end of June. But my plan never works, you never know there's always a first!!!

niftythrifty33

niftythrifty33 wrote: »

Necessary purchases upcoming:
- [STRIKE]single bed base with storage for DS2[/STRIKE]
- [STRIKE]Double mattress for DS1[/STRIKE]
- [STRIKE]Double base & mattress for DD[/STRIKE]
- New fence for front of house
- [STRIKE]Calor gas BBQ[/STRIKE]
- Wardrobes for us
- New bed and bedside tables for us (ours have fallen apart!)

Jobs to do:
- Clear & tidy garden and get rid of rubble (half done)
- Paint & organise storage for box room/office
- Get freezer fixed (have defrosted for 6 days, this worked last time)
- Get oven fixed
- De-clutter attic
- Set up account for Christmas/birthdays/car etc.
- Get new life insurance (current one doesnt even cover mortgage)
- Cancel Sky and research/buy recordable freeview

:j

It's a good feeling to have sorted the beds out. The kids are all sleeping comfy now with no springs in their backs

We've been extremely lucky and blessed with a small financial gift so have put it straight into the savings with means we're only a small amount off our original amount of 3K which is fab

Frugal finds & recent deals:
-10 packets T&M seeds for £10 (saving loads over next year or so)
-Saved £30 in train fares by driving half way to Brum for Good Food & Gardeners world last weekend, it was fab!
-Returned an old suit jacket to D3benhams, it was 4 years old but with labels, got £7.50 so exchanged for lovely cardi and paid £1.50
-Returned shorts to Primarni for £10 refund
-Used £25 voucher (for swapping insurance) at M&S for new posh shorts
-Transferred £84 from T0pcashback earned over past 6 months, mostly for buying ins' not for purchases.
-Bought a charcoal BBQ (one more thing off the list) using a £10 voucher from work for last Xmas.

All in all a good savings week. We've gone over on spending this month but should still have around £300 left over to transfer
YEY :T

niftythrifty33

I was due to go away with friends tomorrow for a day out that was going to cost roughly £50. I cancelled as wanted to save the money so instead I've booked myself a hot stone massage :j

Totally NOT money saving but totally worth it! DH went out last weekend with friends so I figured, stop being so frugal and stingy and treat myself. I think it's about £30 and I can't wait!!!

I'm finding it hard not to feel bad about the kids not having as much money as their friends. The boys aren't too bad but my daughter just seems to need SO much money! They go out for meals, buy make-up, hair dressers etc etc. She works as a waitress but doesn't get many hours and her friends seem to just get given money :mad:
She knows she'll have to find another job and she owes us and her brother money. She is very good around the house so maybe I should give her money? I do now and again plus I buy hair and make-up stuff sometimes but I feel her (and her friends) lifestyle is so costly compared to when I was her age, she's 17. Any ideas/advice gratefully received