Tunnel Vision in 2014!

Chardonnay

Oops, sorry for taking so long to come back to you SA!

We went through Quidco and got £30 cashback I've done that a few times now, and it's great because it always pays for itself!

I know you've booked your holiday now, so that's great and much deserved! Have you managed to lose any more weight? You have such a lot on your plate, you really mustn't put too much pressure on yourself. Us women tend to do that though don't we?!

It's not been a great month money-wise I'm afraid! My laptop finally died and so I had to buy a new one. Well I didn't HAVE to buy one but as I do my little bit of part time work on it, I weighed it up and decided it would make sense to get a new one - so £270 down for that! I really need to get doing some work to pay for it. I've been rubbish this month!

We've had a couple of trips away - one to Liverpool for the Grand National, which was a fab weekend and we didn't dramatically overspend apart from the fact that I lost the tickets (yes, you heard right ) so we had to pay £96 to get in :eek: All my fault, and there was a big panic that we wouldn't be able to get in at all - it was Mr C's boyhood dream so you can imagine how I felt!

I've also ended up paying for my brother's flight for him to join us in Majorca. We did get a bargain - it only cost £100 - but he couldn't afford to come and we really wanted him to come over and join us. Family seems even more important since my mum passed away somehow.

We've had a fairly quiet Easter weekend so far but the sun's shining and I feel we should do something today really. It'll have to be something that doesn't cost too much though!

Hopefully we should still pay a good chunk off the credit card when we get paid, but really need to get back on that wagon!

Happy Easter! :easter:

Sun_Addict

Hi Chardonnay

Despite WW online I haven't lost any more weight. I think it's harder to lose small amounts - I only want to lose 7lbs - and you have to be in the right mindset. At least it worked out free! I'm a bit cross with myself to be honest.

Sounds like you've had an expensive month (me too!) and bad luck losing the Grand National tickets At least you still got in. Write this month off and make May a fresh start.

Chardonnay

Ah SA, don't put too much pressure on yourself, you have so much to contend with at the moment! I've lost count of the times I've joined WW but not lost anything 'cos I haven't followed it properly! The time has to be right I think, to be able to commit to it. As you say, at least it was free anyway!

Yes I like that, May will definitely be a fresh start! Fingers crossed for a better month for both of us!

Chardonnay

Just popping in to update, am going to try to do this every day, no matter how little I have to say (like today!) Yesterday was a NSD apart from bread and milk and I am now also due £20 cashback from Quidco which I'm waiting to hit my bank. Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick!

Off for a run this morning, have been doing well with my running, now up to 8.5k, but I haven't felt 100% this week so haven't run since Saturday. I'll see how I get on today!

Lovely sunny morning at the mo, happy Wednesday!

Chardonnay

So yesterday wasn't a great day. Still not feeling 100%. I know what it is and have made a doctor's appointment to get some antibiotics today. Due to this, I didn't go running. I got ready to go but just knew that I didn't feel up to it. Very disappointing as I've really felt like I'm getting somewhere lately but I do know that I made the right decision.

My confession is that we spent £17 on a takeaway last night (although DD is going to give us a fiver towards it). I think I need to start writing these things on here to shame me into having some self control! We have been really slipping with the budget lately so I have made it clear that this is the last one for a couple of weeks. DD is often the one that tries to persuade us to have one, and because I was feeling under the weather, the temptation not to have to cook after a long day at work was just too much! She offered to pay for it, but doesn't have the money to pay for it all. I really need to say no and have some self control though!

So, onwards and upwards. Food shop coming today and no takeaways or eating out this week....that is my goal and I must stick to it!

Just waiting to get paid now to pay some more off the debts!

Chardonnay

Time to update! Have had a good couple of days, although I still haven't been feeling well. Had to pay £8.05 for my prescription for my antibiotics - obviously couldn't be helped and I think I am feeling a bit better today so fingers crossed they're doing the trick! The only other money I've spent is on the weekly food shop, which came in a couple of quid under budget, and also a new printer cartridge and some printer paper yesterday, for work, which again were essential and I can claim back on expenses.

I've also been searching for an outfit for SD's wedding. I budgeted £200 which sounds like a lot and I wouldn't usually spend that, but I am on the top table and feel like I need to make an effort and not let the side down! The good news is that I've managed to find a lovely dress in Next for £65 and I already have shoes which I've only worn 3 times and a bag, which will match perfectly. I've even got the jewellery to go with it, so my only spend now should be a fascinator, hopefully bringing the cost to under the £100 mark! :T

Off shopping this afternoon though with DD. She has some money and wants to buy a few bits for our holiday. I think I may treat myself as I seem to have lost a couple of bikinis Can't find them anywhere! It will only be Primark cheap stuff, but I will update how much I spend!

Have a good weekend all!

Chardonnay

Good morning! Just checking in with my holiday clothes spends from yesterday:

Primark: £31
Asda: £21

All holiday shopping done now for me, apart from I need a new summer bag. Strange, I feel so guilty spending money on myself, I always feel like any spare money should go on the debts! OH will need some holiday clothes too so will have to budget in for that.

I also spent £24 in Debenhams on a fascinator to complete my wedding outfit, so at least that has come in well under budget at £92.99 :T

Final spend was £9 in Asda, for some non-alcoholic spritzer and some snacks to watch TV last night. Oh, and some cakes too! Naughty I know, but I usually have a couple of glasses of wine on a Saturday night, but didn't want to drink while taking antibiotics and I needed something to look forward to!

Good news, I am feeling a lot better today so am relieved about that. Dad's coming over and we're off for our usual walk and coffee and cake. Our turn to buy so it's going to be a bit of an expensive one this weekend! Oh well, just that to buy and just need to get a few bits for a nice lunch for when we get home and that'll be me.

Happy Sunday everyone!

Chardonnay

Have now been paid! :beer:

Paid some off the debts, sig now updated. Paid £866.76 off which I'm disappointed with, as it should have been much more. As I said though, I've had a bad month! You live and you learn!

So for May:

I've had to budget extra for food because Tesco have an offer on where if you spend £75 a week on food for 4 weeks, they'll send you a voucher for £40. I usually budget for £65 a week, so will use the extra tenner for stocking up to make June's shop a lot cheaper! :T

We are having a big family day out in May (we do every year), which I have budgeted £100 for, as this is what we usually spend. I don't have anything to wear - no really, I don't! Although I've just spent some money on beach clothes I don't have that many clothes really and always find it difficult at change of season. I have had my eye on some lovely capri trousers in Long Tall Sally (I have a 36" inside leg! :eek:) but they are £45 + pp! I am going to wait a bit to see if they have any offers on before I order them. I'll just need to then buy a vest top and some shoes and maybe a necklace, probably from Next Directory, and that will be that for clothes for me for a while!

Other expenses this month: we have to pay for our two nights at the wedding hotel for August, so will need to do that soon really.

We need to book hubby's train ticket to go to Newcastle for the stag do in August. Last time I looked, the price was about £115! :eek: However, following a tip I found on here, I've signed up to Trainline, who should email me if any cheaper tickets come out, which should be early next month. Fingers crossed!

OH's birthday. I've budgeted £30 for that. We may be putting together to get him a mountain bike, which will be great for him.

So, in May I would like to:

1. Do more of my part time work to bring a bit more extra in.
2. Stop spending money on takeaways on eating out!

Today's spends consisted of £10 for coffee and cakes with my dad and £7.50 in M&S for a nice lunch. Hoping for a few NSDs this week!

Sun_Addict

Hi Chardonnay sorry to hear you've been feeling under the weather. Hope you feel better now. Well done with "only" paying £866.76 off your debt - wow that sounds a fab amount to me! You sound like you've had a great time holiday and wedding clothes shopping.

Chardonnay

Oops, 2 months since I last updated!

Well had a holiday in that time, so the debt busting slowed down a bit but still going in the right direction. Hoping to get it down to a four figure sum when we next get paid :j

Have just had an offer accepted on a house, which we really love, so have to be more frugal than ever now as now have to do a full mortgage application and don't want anything to go wrong! I am now back to full moneysaving mode though, watching the pennies and not spending unless absolutely necessary.

So today, off to do the Race for Life this morning but planning a NSD! Hope everyone's enjoying their weekend!:)