Back on it for 2014!!

Alchemilla

Hellooooo mr t.y.o.

tootallulah

Hiya TYO just spotted that you were back, huzzah - me too and Museumworker. Looking forward to hearing what's occuring.

museumworker

Welcome back TYO! And good to hear MrTYO hanging on in there too :rotfl:!

How's Jan been for you?

[Deleted User]

Well hello everyone!!
How lovely to see all your messages and welcomes!:D

Have been feeling guilty about neglecting this diary already so am going to try and update it much more regularly!!

January has been a bit spendy but Feb has started off well! Am still feeding Mrtyo and have taken packed lunches in (both of us) most days this month so far I would say!

Did the shopping with mostly clubcard vouchers this morning, and going to try and get back into using Lidl and Aldi as they are SO much cheaper!!

On the awesome side - due to a few bits and bobs and savings and such, it looks like we may well be in a position to be MF by Christmas this year!!! Virtually anyway in terms of the different savings pots! :beer::beer:

a lot of this is down to savings and hard work on both our parts, though we have also had some other money our way which is helping ....

But will need to stay on track to make it happen so here are a few of our plans!...

• Keep grocery spends under control- Lidl and Aldi where we can , and using up what's in the cupboards/freezer. Packed lunches everyday if possible
• No new clothes in 2014 challenge!! Am on a health kick which means by April I plan to fit into all my "slightly too small" clothes, and 2 friends are promising wardrobe clear outs which should cost me no more than a bottle of wine and some nibbles!
• Research whether mobile contract is as cheap as it can be ... I am on a SIM only plan but find things creep up most months to at least £8 over my plan price!
• Entertainment budget re-instated (or stuck to!!) this has been the spendy part of the last few months, I am going to try and go back to taking cash out for "fun money" each month to keep me on the straight and narrow!
• use freebies/coupons/grabbits for anything possible! bought a few things in the sales which are stowed away so doing okay on this front so far!

Have had a lovely sunday so far, the first non-rain filled one for a while!! Feeding Mrtyo a roast later with the chicken aiming to do at least 2 more dinners!

Off to catch up on diaries in a bit , hope everyone is having a lovely weekend

Lois_E

Nice to have you back. Great news about the prospects for being MF by Christmas. Best of good luck for making it happen!

[Deleted User]

Sooooo
what have we done in the MF by Xmas plan the past few weeks?...





is there a tumbleweed smiley??


Has been a spendy month but payday and another budget for this month has me battening down the hatches!! I have MOT and car ins due in the next month so am not looking forward to that!!!

In an effort to claw back the pennies am gonna aim for £100 grocery challenge for the month and shopping mainly at L*dl and Ald* (I think I may remember there is a voucher out for one of them today so shall have a hunt!) we have enough in the freezer/cupboards that this should be doable but will have to see in reality!

All expenses /extra cash being put into house fund at the minute (but various things have meant some has come out again!) . Waiting for next month when ISAs and FD savers x 2 should mature which will give a nice couple of hundred quid extra for nothing with any luck!

Once Ive worked out savings totals over the next few days shall come back to [STRIKE]bore you all [/STRIKE] update everyone with it!

In good news only 14 (or a few more if the rest of the week is anything to go by) more hours of work until the weekend! :j:T:beer::D:j:j:j:j:j:j:j:j
(I will be very pleased when 6pm on Friday is here- just saying!!)

tootallulah

Hello TYO I am with you on the grocery challenge £7.81 so far. I have no idea how much I spend on food these days, it will be interesting!

[Deleted User]

Hey toots good to see you and sorry for super late reply!
No idea either how much we spend on food at the minute- try to be sensible but definitely not as frugal as in the past for sure!!
Am going to try and make the most of what we have in plus l*dl/Ald* plus some vouchers from the bigger supermarkets

Have managed £15 off at Mr T's
Have a £10 off and free delivery from Mr S
and gonna try and remember when the £5 off L*dl and Ald* vouchers are out next month to aim for a much lower spend. Have eeeeked out a 1.49 pack of mince to feed 6 meals with a couple of tins of cheap tomatoes and pasta we already had so doing okay on that front!

Went on TCB for first time in ages the other day and will use any cashback in vouchers I think!

Other than that, no real moneysaving news here- waiting for ISA and saver interest to hit next month and will update MF estimates then!!

Hope all are well

x

[Deleted User]

Morning All

Had to hunt for ages to find my diary....obviously not as dedicated as I had hoped I was!

All ticking along very well in TYO household and by all accounts (ie. my sums on a bit of paper!) we should be able to be almost MF in theory if not in practice by the end of 2014!! :eek::j:beer::D

This means being frugal and not spendy for the next 6 months or so - and to that end , this weekend I have done the following!

printed out a £1 off shreddies voucher for a 15p pack at Mr Ms which I will pick up later

2 free donuts for Mrtyo (see I am nice to him )

Had a sort out of cupboards and realised we have enough food to last forever- have made pack lunches from salad and veg in fridge which was almost (but not quite!) past it to use stuff up!

Still to do...

work out some better savings/ISA rates as mine now are shocking! will head over to the savings board with a cuppa later methinks to have a browse!

See what I can find around the house to sell......hmmmm.....

Hope everyone had a lovely easter and didn't eat too much chocolate!

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hi TYO, brilliant news about MF date - extra frugalness for 6 months is definitely worthwhile

Best wishes Tilly