NSK; "The Janus Illusion".

Iwillsucceed_2

Hello All! I hope you will all have a lovely weekend!

Here I am in the comfort of my sofa refusing to do anything other than having a lazy Saturday in! But I need to go out for a walk later! It is becoming a habit going out for a walk everyday!

BECKYBOO!! I was deeply touched by your disclosure! You have an amazing daughter, and you appear to have a wonderful family! All the best! Xx

Today reporting my SFD 3/20

Regards and hugs to you all! X

dolly84

Had to spend today but it was all planned. Bought DS his football socks for £2.50 and they should fit him for the next 10 years judging by the size of them.

It is DS's birthday on Monday and I needed to get him a little present from his big sister, we have a £5 budget for these little gifts but it is really hard to find something for a boy that isn't just buying for the sake of it, so much easier with a girl. Anyway managed to get something in Sainsbobs and used £2.50 nectar points towards it so just £3.89 in cash and then a further £4.38 from the grocery budget for milk, chicken and dog poo bags.

lynneee

Hi all, can't believe how fast this thread is moving! Its very inspiring knowing how hard we are all working together to get our finances sorted. I love a bit of team spirit!!

So, my progress so far...
after sitting down with hubby and sorting out our finances we are actually in better shape than we thought (considering in December our washing machine and tumble dryer both had to be replaced (£450!! eek!)

debts: £84 on my overdraft (which I cleared yesterday )
and £1752.15 on our 0% interest credit card still to clear. We only have 3 months left of the 0% deal so going to clear as much as we can.
With February and March being council tax free months we will use the £300 to pay extra off the card and we already pay £100 a month so by the end of march I am aiming to have less than £1000 on there, with the £200 I am aiming to save with this challenge. Will have to look around for another 0% deal to pay the last bit off then, so aiming to be Debt Free by June 2014.
managed 2/20 SPDs so far.
Food budget is £125 (for 2 adults and 3 children) this is REALLY tight for us, but I have plenty of things in the cupboard, and a reasonably full freezer so I think its doable. So far I have spent £16.16/£125 (£10 of which was medication eek!)
took the kids swimming yesterday so 1/15 exercise
diesel is £50 for the month, hubby is filling up today so £50/£50. This should last us though (I hope!)
Hubby has taken a packed lunch to work each day so far.
We can't really downshift on the groceries as I run it really tightly anyway, almost all our things are own brand. (hubby works for Mr Morry so his staff discount makes our food bills a little cheaper! ) but I will be looking to see if I can make any extra savings.

best go and update my sig!
This thread has really inspired me, onwards and upwards in 2014!!!

traveller

Hi everyone!

Beckyboo-I too found your story emotional and inspirational :A

Well I've had a real test of strength. I had to stop myself from booking flights It is very hard for me to go without a holiday, but the thought of losing my DFD and some of the inspirational things said on here, kept me straight. Thank you :T It really helps to get a reality check when you need it!

Well today will be a spendy day. I'm off to Nandos to meet up with a friend, but as we're both skint the damage will be minimal! I have put reminders on my phone for each month to tell me how much more I have to go I'm now determined to clear it by christmas

Good luck everyone and keep going :T

LoveaDove

Hullo!! :hello:

Hope you are all having a splendid weekend! (I expect no less than splendid!)

Beckyboo - Thank you so much for sharing. Sounds like you have all been through a lot together. It's inspiring to hear how you all managed to get through times of repeated ill health and still continue with your study! Hats off to you all! (Wishes there were a hat doffing smilie, if there were I would be using it right ----> here)

Traveller - Huge well done for not booking!! :T

Spend day today

Purchased Food Bank Items and donated : £3.14/ £3 :T

Going over to a friend's later, so need to pick up a pizza from the shop. (Much cheaper than ordering in!)

Exercise - 20 minutes of speedy walking to avoid the menacing looking dark grey clouds to and from the shops! 20mins/ 4.5hours (Need to improve on this!)

CrazyCatLady1_3

Hi everyone,


On SFD 4 now, I did go to shops this morning and returned something I got before New Year, £23.40 back on my card, and I was tempted to stay for a while and do some shopping, then I thought, Its only stuff, I DO NOT need more stuff, so I left and went home. Had a lovely veg casserole for lunch and just going to find a film to watch this evening. Hope you're all having a good weekend

TiptoesDB

beckyboo1980 wrote: »

KITTYBOO - I also have all my credit cards at 0%. I don't have any emergency fund particularly as my thinking is that if an emergency arises I would use the credit card and then shift that amount to a 0%. I prioritise who to pay off by first by which cards 0% is due to run out first. If they are the same, I then then prioritise by paying off the smallest card first. Did this this month and has been really motivating knowing I only have 2 credit card debts now instead of 3. This was also the card whose 0% was due to run out first.
This is only what I do so will be really interested to hear what others think and do!
Beckyboo
Xxx

Yes, we do the same as you Beckyboo, if that’s helpful Kittyboo? (are you related lol!)... we have gone from 6 cc's, a loan and an overdraft in Aug to 4 cc and loan now. All the cc's are 0% and we just target the one running out soonest. It feels so much better already! We don't have an emergency fund either as we just pay less at the end of the month towards debt if we have to make unforeseen payments. We are lucky in this tho as we rent our house so any repairs or boiler probs etc are not our money, and DH got rid of car and uses the train and I have a lease car through work which I just pay a monthly sum from my wages for and all repairs and other costs are paid for, so that narrows down two big sources of unexpected costs.

And thank you for sharing your story Beckyboo – really moving, you’ve been through so much as a family, hugs to you..

Doodles-1971 – thanks! It was the only saving grace of an otherwise total fail of a day. I also managed to get the scales working without a new battery and boy do I wish I hadn’t. I now know I need to lose a stone asap, although DH argues he would rather I lost only half a stone as he likes my newly acquired ‘booty’ and thinks half a stone is a fair compromise!

Today has not been much better. No spends, but no exercise as back and cold still bad. And two roses chocolates consumed – the last ones thank goodness, but I hate the strawberry creams and still ate them – why?!

Sandycheeks – hope all is ok with FIL and its not been too stressful.

Finally LINDSAYGALAXY – this proper winds me up too! Why is it that the people that insist on this always are the same people who have had three courses (usually the most expensive dishes too) plus booze, plus sides when we have gone all out to choose the cheapest veggie main course, drink tap water and have nothing else. Then you feel too embarrassed to make this point and go home fuming and skint and hungry! arggghh!!

PurpleJay

Hello :hello:

Am declaring SFD no 2 today as I haven't been out of the house again. It is foul out there and I just feel like hibernating. I have been reading and watching telly with M and then had a soak in the bath while he has played with his dad.

I decorated my choc cake earlier and it is scrummy. We had it for pud after omelette and potato waffles for lunch. We have bean and veg pasta sauce ready for tea probably followed by more cake... Well it's fresh cream so won't keep!

I have done an inventory of our food and we have loads in. We have packets of fajita mix so they are on the menu next week. I have found a recipe for flour tortillas which looks easy enough. Can make them with quorn this week and then maybe beans or chick peas next week...

I am going to try and do a monthly meal plan to try and incorporate some of the things which keep getting overlooked. We have lots of noodles so I might cook a batch up with a jar of cheap curry sauce and some peas and other random veg and then split it to take to work. I presume they will freeze ok, don't think I have ever frozen noodles before.

I have also been putting my avon dates and the school holidays in my family life book (diary/organiser). Still have my avon delivery to sort. Might do that this evening.

Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend x

Fmess

Tiptoes - I love the strawberry ones, I have a glut of coffee and coconut ones now. I ate all the other flavours I don't like but couldn't stomach theses ones!

So January is already a financial nightmare. I knew it was going to be tight as we both got paid earlier than usual and used the money for Christmas food, last minute presents and socialising.

As my signature shows the food budget is looking very low, and is not helped by my new found healthy diet and accompanying fruit and veg and salad, although I know this is much better for my health. We do have lots of food in so I am hoping to just do top ups of bread, milk and fruit and veg.

My spends budget is completely blown, partly due to unnecessary spends (hair cut and colour at £62 today) and unexpected spends (new tyres at £157).

Luckily I have more money coming in from the temping work I did in Christmas holidays but I was hoping this would be for existing debts, not new spends.

Oh, and OH running out of money and having no petrol money to get to work is not helping!

My positives for today;

• My new hair cut and colour is lovely and a much needed confidence boost
• I have walked the dogs, and therefore done my exercise
• I should now have lots of SFDs
• I have tidied all the messy spots in the house
• I have continued the ongoing declutter
• I have a warm home stocked with food

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend.

EmilyTee

Hi


Can I join please?