Decreasing spending - increasing happiness

Enjoying_life_more

EssexHebridean wrote: »

Home made pizzas truly are one of the triumphs of cooking from scratch - what did you use as a tomato base? I usually go for half and half tomato puree and ketchup, to which you can add all manner of other things - garlic, herbs, and copious amounts of smoked paprika are all favourites in our house!

Hi

I used your tip today - thank you very much !!! it was delicious !!

shaz1963

Hi enjoying Life, just popping by again to say HI......Im enjoying reading your diary and Im trying hard to get myself on track!! Was feeling quite good and then just got declined for a zero percent cc, mortified as never been declined before aaaghhhhhh.
Have a lovely week xx

Enjoying_life_more

aw sorry to hear about the card Shaz - i was surprised i got accepted but it could be due to me clearing mine in November with the loan - it seems daft that im now clearing the loan with the new card but it will save me money as it's zero % and gives me 10 / 11 month to find a lower rate loan.

Better luck in the future with the card app!

You have a good week too and thanks for posting

Enjoying_life_more

quick update as I need to get an early night. Plenty of exercise today - gym and a long walk - although I estimate I've eaten back the calories

Did my weekly shop early this week (as i'll be late in tomorrow / have family for tea Weds and will be busy preparing for my weekend jaunt on Thurs) - used my 3 pound off 20 pound voucher and the bill came to 20.03!!! - the assistant said " I bet you couldn't do that again if you tried" I smiled and thought to myself oh yes I could and I will - as with my receipt I got another 3 pound for next week yay!!

My freezer is well stocked and i have plenty of fresh veg/ fruit - the only things I will need later in the week are bread and milk.

Really enjoyed catching up on diaries tonight - it's great to be here with like minded people. Why didn't I do this years ago ? never mind i'm here now !

Enjoying_life_more

Some spends today - another coffee ggrrr and the other spend wasn't really a money spend but points from my boots card - needed some nail polish remover and also got a reduced deli sandwich as a treat for tomorrows lunch as it was reduced to £1.

Exercised yesterday but none today as had family round for tea/dinner it was very nice too and it was lovely to have them round. I've cleaned all up after they left, painted my nails ready for the weekend, got work things ready and had a quick look to see what everyone is up to on here.

Looking forward to my weekend away

Enjoying_life_more

Wow busy day today as off work tomorrow and needed to get some work things finished off.

Family member now paid me what they owed on the loan and I have now settled the loan yay so the balances I now owe out are:-
Morg - 79236
CC 1 1046 ( this is more than I thought back when I started here)
CC2 9464

Total 89,746

both cards are on zero percent until the end of the year when I will look around for another deal.

I have had to adjust my soa - it now looks like this:-

623 morg
150 cc payments
70 gas/elec
12 monthly cable (I also pay 120 yearly in advance on phone rental)
65 phone mobile
7 dog ins
418 yearly bills/hols/save/gym/car exp/xmas/ birthdays/ insurances etc
70 save
655 monthly spends food/social/travel/ filthy nicotine exp

I feel confident that this is a comfortable budget that I can easily manage and in fact do more cutting down on the last monthly spends figure (stop the fags) to allow me to throw more at my debts.

EssexHebridean

Nice budgeting! I assume that the aim is to hammer down CC1 to get that gone then focus everything to CC2 is it? Well done on settling the loan too - brilliant to have it gone I bet!

You mentioned the Boots Points - I've completely played the system on this the last few years - I list all the things I'd usually buy through the year, then at their annual "Christmas shopping evenings" when they give an extra 1200 points for a £50 spend, I buy not only those things (using special offers where I can) but also any odds and ends of Christmas presents (usually in 3's to max the 3 for 2) - I did that twice last year, and came away with about £40 in points from spending about £110 all told I think...those points will now be used for anything else I come across that I need through the year - making those odds and ends "cash neutral". Works for me anyway, and might be worth investigating for others. It's also just occurred to me that what I really ought to do is put aside £5 or so a month through the year so I have the majority of my personal spends for those events set aside already, too... Hmmm!

Enjoying_life_more

EssexHebridean wrote: »

Nice budgeting! I assume that the aim is to hammer down CC1 to get that gone then focus everything to CC2 is it? Well done on settling the loan too - brilliant to have it gone I bet!

You mentioned the Boots Points - I've completely played the system on this the last few years - I list all the things I'd usually buy through the year, then at their annual "Christmas shopping evenings" when they give an extra 1200 points for a £50 spend, I buy not only those things (using special offers where I can) but also any odds and ends of Christmas presents (usually in 3's to max the 3 for 2) - I did that twice last year, and came away with about £40 in points from spending about £110 all told I think...those points will now be used for anything else I come across that I need through the year - making those odds and ends "cash neutral". Works for me anyway, and might be worth investigating for others. It's also just occurred to me that what I really ought to do is put aside £5 or so a month through the year so I have the majority of my personal spends for those events set aside already, too... Hmmm!

Hi Essex thanks for the info on boots although i'm not sure I buy enough from there to work it as well as you do but it's something to think about and I do like your idea about 5 pound aside each month to take advantage of the deal - it maybe something I could use at Christmas?

It doesn't really matter which card I pay first as they are both on zero percent until Dec so I will pay as much as I can on both and then hopefully (fingers crossed) move them to another zero percent when the deal ends.

Enjoying_life_more

Really enjoyed my weekend away, I did go a little over budget on spends (about 20 pound over) but i'm going to cut back the rest of this week. I called in Asda today and managed to get two bags of shopping for under 3 pound as I dropped on quite a few reduced items which are now in the freezer. I have approx 28 left out of my budget till pay day at the weekend and I still have my 3 pound off 20 pound for Tesco so I will draw up list of things I need and shop wisely.

I haven't exercised since last week - I cancelled at the last minute tonight as i'm still recovering from the weekend but it was worth it - hopefully i'll be back on track tomorrow!!

Looking forward to pay day and making payments on the cards/ morg and seeing the balances go down.

Enjoyed seeing the first signs of spring in my garden today and looking forward to being able to spend time in it again - also enjoyed a lazy day off work - back at it tomorrow

Enjoying_life_more

First day back at work today after long weekend - I now keep getting confused over what day it actually is and what day it is tomorrow - having a Monday off always throws me

Forced myself to go walking after work - really really didn't want to go but so so glad I did walked about 3 mile and feel much better for doing so even though the weather was against me.

Made the most delicious corned beef ash packed full with veg and made some dumplings to go with it - I have portioned enough up for the next two nights - it's a dish that I always enjoy more than I think I will if that makes sense?

I've just prepared my shopping list for this week and have been on line to check prices and to make sure I get as many bargains as I can for my 20 pound so that I can get the 3 pound off with the voucher I've got.

No spends today !!!:j