NSK; February 28 Days Later!

MrsGSR

Right made the decision not to go to work, feel completely wrecked. Early night for me.

NinjaSavingKat

MrsGSR glad you are staying home.

thriftylass

NinjaSavingKat wrote: »

[*]8 late shifts = £1.90 x 16 = £30.40(:mad:) ...this is a lot of money for 8 journeys on the bus. There is no option of "tickets" any more bought in advance (used to this when I first came to London for Uni).. so I would need cash available each time although I can buy a return but there is no price difference if just means I won't spend the change on sweeties...(kidding)...
[/LIST]
So is that £30.40 worth my sanity, safety and time. Probably. I just need to figure out where this money is coming from.

I'm in a similar situation. Now that I get a lift in the morning my singles would be £1.45 after work (=£29). But the lack of journeys isn't worth getting a weekly ticket, day saver etc. Does your bus company do 12 or 10 journey tickets. My 10 journey ticket is the price of 8 single (=£23 a month). A few pennies saved plus because I don't spend much now I never had the change, there is still a conductor on the bus who I buy it from.

NinjaSavingKat

1. In total with travel card and buses per month it will cost me £269.40 and take up to 90 minutes.
2. Using the bike everyday would cost me £224.50 and take up to 1 hour.

No brainer.


With Option Number 2 I can add £20 on my Oyster top-up for touching in and out (for those not int he Oyster know-how its a pre-paid top-up card that works out cheaper than paying for single journeys on their own and cash top-ups have no expiry date) if I need to run up town and still come in under Option Number 1.


Bingo!

apple_muncher

kat, I was going to say that £30 for your safety each month is worth it!

I guess you can opt in + out of cycling... Just be careful, be seen, be safe. Treat us car drivers as lunatics who may take a sudden side swipe at you.

CEW

NinjaSavingKat wrote: »

CEW where did you get that info from StepChange...? You are doing pretty well if you are that far under... (so proud)...

The guy I spoke to at StepChange queried the amount when I told him my shopping budget so asked was it a bit low and that's when he told me they allow the £192 for 2 adults. He was impressed when I said that included all the animals. I must admit I felt quite proud myself :rotfl:

Today was a SFD but sadly not a LTW day. But I only spent money that was already on my work card (they operate a cashless system in work).

Nothing much more to report today. Hope to have at least one SFD over the weekend but I do need a couple of bits so almost certainly one spend day.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Chez x

Fmess

Evening all,

Hope you are all safe in the bad weather?

Today was a spend day as needed to do the weekly shop. The budget is nearly gone but only have top up bits to get until payday (25th) so quite pleased

I have treated OH to a takeaway for Valentine's Day, I not have much money to spare but he has less atm. I think will go over budget again on personal spends as have a weekend away with the girls this weekend and unavoidable day out next weekend, however compared to last year I am spending approximately 1/4 of what I used to

No exercise today, although gave lots of walking to do this weekend, and lots of gym sessions planned for next week

Stay safe everyone

mothernerd

Left the house early as had hospital appointment at 9am. Took food, water and something to read with me and then carried on with errands and then to mother's. Went to bed early, wide awake at 2am, read till 4am, just nodding off when DS1's alarm went off (every 10 minutes from 4.30am).

Planned spendy day, walked as much as possible but tired from the start (kept reminding myself how much I was saving on each leg of the journey - £3 taxi to hosp (saved), Bus from hosp to town centre (£1.10). Used Boots points to buy conditioner, fruit juice (only allowed small amounts so don't have it in the house but buy a little bottle now and again), carrot cake for me and choc brownie for DS3. £3.60 added to budget as am counting it as PaD. Bought 2 x 2l SM own diet de-caff coke (one for this week, one for next) left at mother's as am trying to keep this to once a week (don't drink tea or coffee only loads of water but sometimes you need something other than water), favourite yoghurts back on offer and snack pack of grapes (again only allowed 12 a day so impossible to use up a whole bunch before they start going off) from reduced shelf. Owed DS3 £1.30 wouldn't waste a NSD giving it to him the other day. Balanced out by mum giving me a £20 note to cover the cost of things I bought for her on-line the other day + money for a taxi home. Then got offered a lift home so I might actually have made a profit on the day (will work out later and add it to my PaD list).

Got home - not much progress. 3 large binbags of clothes, iron and ironing board and a few more bits added to collection in front room. Shelves , drawers, bed-frame from under the bed he is using (even if he left the mattress until morning) could and should have been brought down. There are loads of boxes which could have been filled. He has eaten (used one of his pans and left by sink). NOT MY PROBLEM.
If he wants help, he is going to have to ask, otherwise I am going to try and stay out of the road. Too tired to ask, argue or engage. Trying to keep thinking positive thoughts.

On the been through worse side - (gather round children and mother will tell you a story). When I was 5 months pregnant with DS2, I went on a week long course about 40 miles from home. As OH had no leave left I had to take DS1 (about 18months old) with me. OH had cleverly packed clothes for both of us + nappies and toddler food into one enormous bag, with the result that, after the first hour of travelling (by bus) I staggered into the bus station toilets and threw up - keeping up a constant barrage of mummy's not very well but will be alright in a minute so that DS1 didn't get upset. Two kind ladies and the bus station security guard had to be talked out of calling an ambulance and sending me to hospital. The security guard looked after my luggage, whilst I had a walk round, bought another bag, divided the contents into 2 manageable parts and then carried on.

We arrived at our destination (by train). I waited for the doors to open with 2 bags, toddler and pushchair. When the doors opened the people on the platform pushed onto the train (instead of letting me off first). I got off the train, put down the bags and held out my arms to lift my son down - and the doors started to close. I put my hands in the gap (might have taken my arms off) I just knew I couldn't let the doors close and the train go off with my toddler. Luckily another passenger came to my aid and started wrestling the doors open by which time the guard realised something was wrong and pressed the buttons to re-open the doors.

Finally arrived at the course destination only to find that no arrangements had been made for DS1 despite having written in large block capitals on the form that I would be bringing him. They did offer me a separate bedroom for him (student accommodation) but I thought he might not take kindly to being separated from me, so he and I and the bump spent the week in a single bed.

Whilst we were away I had asked OH to pull the furniture away from the walls and undercoat and gloss the skirting boards, to avoid any paint fumes for me and toddler and to avoid toddler messing with half dry paintwork.I tried to phone while we were away (no home phone, could only phone him at work) to be told that he had taken the day off to do some painting.

I arrived home on the Friday evening (we were due to go to a union weekend school early on Saturday morning) to find that no painting had been done and OH had spent the time taking down books (2 alcoves and another small wall, floor to ceiling shelves) and packing them (very badly) in boxes in the middle of the room. I spent the whole evening re-packing boxes of books and carrying them upstairs out of the way, whilst washing and drying my 3 maternity dresses to have something to wear at the weekend.

Hugs and sympathy for anyone affected by the weather or just under the weather (a quick scan of the roofline this morning - I think another 4 slates have shifted, think they will have to wait until April). just keep going wi't yed down

stewby

Good evening everybody.

Had a spend day today... £39.60 but we bought a huge shoulder joint of pork which OH is looking forward to cooking. Should hopefully do two or three meals for him (he's a big eater and tends to pick at food after meals as well or it would do more).
Also got some chicken. Eight chicken breasts for £7.50 (thanks morries). Much better value than the £5 for two that tescimos tried to charge me.


A work colleague of mine (who is a farmer) tells me that morries is better to their suppliers as well. So that makes me happier as the meat quality seems better and I am also glad that I have changed to someone who is looking after people better.
Eventually (once we are debt free and not needing to budget so much), we hope to shop at farmers markets and local butchers. As we love the idea of supporting our local community.


Spend-free day yesterday (the joys of nightshift) so that brings me up to NINE!!
:j

A bit worried as we now have £32.50 for the next two weeks. However, I am convinced we can do it.


We sorted out the food bank whilst I was shopping too. Hooray.


In credit card news... I am feeling quite pleased although I did misbehave a little.
I paid off £600 last month, however spent approximately £300. £180ish was on my home insurance and £111 was on a wedding present for June (my OH is the best man).
So the amount to pay is down to £4,330... £300 has come off it. Once, I got over the intial disappoinment, I decided that it's not too bad. At least it has gone down.


The plan is to try and pay another £500 at the end of February. £200 from OH, £200ish from council tax (don't pay in feb) and £100 from my wages.


We are still saving. It is going really well. Will maybe do totals tomorrow as we are having a snow day. (the snow came tonight so it's a good excuse to gain some spend-free days and avoid the zombies).


Sorry for the long post. Hope everyone keeps safe and well.
Hugs.

thriftylass

Good morning!

Hope everybody got through last nights weather unharmed and ith an intact house.

Also hugs to everybody who feels a bit meh or is sick.

Last nights birthday was uneventful. Had half a glass of wine with dinner and was in bed by half 9. Gosh I crave a good party some day. Anyway.....

Today will be a spend day as I need to go to Aldi and B&Q. Will later go for lunch with friends.

Oh, and the wedding dress arrived yesterday and looks lovely. Obviously cant try it on yet, lol, but I'm sure it'll be fine.

Have a nice day