Determined to move.

Tink_04

Thanks DawnW, was beginning to think I was alone on here

Well this weekend has been very relaxed so far, the bad news was about my health but as DH pointed out nothing is 100% and we can cope with anything! I was feeling a little self pity but then realised it may make life harder but all the more reason to work hard now!

So last week the meal plan went down great! I came in under my shopping budget too so planning the same for next week (must write meal plan) money is tight as just paid the car insurance & TV licence, the car tax is due next month too. I'm going to get on the spread sheet later & work out what is left . Booked a cheap cinema trip with dd tomorrow (£1 tickets) and ill take our own treats so that will be nice for the bank holiday before she goes back to school.

Right will pop back on with my meal plan and some spread sheet figures once the kids are in bed.

Tink

Tink_04

Ok this week's meal plan:

● Monday - Bank holiday so out for a curry with friends
● Tuesday - Chicken chow mein stir fry
● Wednesday - fish with jacket potatoe & veg
● Thursday - Sausage & mash with broccoli
● Friday - spaghetti bol
● Saturday - Gammon egg & chips
● Sunday - roast dinner

I'm making my shopping list and I think I should be fine this week as long as I stick to it, been over to the OS board for some meal ideas as find we eat the same things quite a lot so hoping to add one new meal a week to add a bit variety to our plans.

Tink_04

Just popping in with an update - the meal plan is going great and the weekly shop has been done again on £50 I'm well on target for my £200 monthly shopping spends. It's actually not as hard as I first thought and im enjoying planning our meals and having something nice to look forward too instead of the mad rush round the supermarket or a take away!

I am finding it hard that the debt is moving so slowly, I know this is because we don't have my wage until I go back to work now and We are hoping just to be able to get through these 3 months then we will have more money again, it's just frustrating. I'm hoping if I can pay the CC off or even as much as I can before Xmas then we can throw everything at the loan.

Well I can only keep plodding along for now, hopefully stopping the finances getting worse but wish I could do more In the meantime

Tink_04

Well I'm officially poor (well until Tuesday) everything has been paid and I've managed to move my last £3 to the CC so now has a balance of £824, decided to start counting down instead of up as it makes me feel better! off to update my signature trying to stay positive with the little payments here and there and not let the big sums get me down!

Tink_04

Woo hoo £3 refund has came back into my account - made a payment to CC - balance is now £821 slowly but surely!

Tink_04

Just sold a bundle of baby clothes on my my fb selling page! So another £10 to add as they have been and collected today so from making tiny payments and no money for a few day I've paid an extra £13 (paid online out of the shopping money for next week & put the £10 in my purse) it does all add up! £811 to go!

Tink_04

Ok so today is a NSD, going to take dd to a friends party and do the meal planner for next week . Have some jobs in the house that need doing so will potter and get some things cleared. Hoping I find some more stuff to sell but think I may need to wait for ds to grow out of a few more things! Really pleased with yesterday still and hoping I can keep chipping away happy Sunday!

Tink_04

Well yesterday was a low spend day as had to pay to park when we went to the party so 70p is not too bad!

Did some food shopping today and will finish it off tomorrow at aldi then that's us sorted for the week, not buying loads as we are away next week visiting friends, we had budgeted the money for this before my maternity pay stopped but im still hoping to come home with change.

The meal plan is going great and I'm really impressed with our shopping money and plans this month, we don't feel deprived or have bare cupboards but for a little planning we have been living on a £50 per week shop, i'm still not convinced thus is down to my skill - maybe more the face we HAVE to as I have no wage :rotfl: but whichever way it's working g for now.

I've worked out I'm going to have £100 left this month after everything is paid, this is the children's spends (swimming, dancing, lunch out, treat money etc) I'm hoping to spend as little as possible of this - me and DH were discussing free things we can do on a weekend maybe with a picnic and now the weather is hopefully getting better we are going to find some free outdoor stuff to do and places to visit (love trip advisor) also with half term coming we can book £1 cinema tickets too.

I may not be able to earn more money at the moment but I can choose how I spend what I have wisely, even ìf it's only an extra £20 to the card it's still something, and with no wage it's better than what we expected

Tink

Tink_04

Ok just popping in quickly to add another £11 payment so balance is £800

Will organise another payment when have the full budget as need to buy/pay some things still this month. Then will hopefully be able to see what's left! Feeling positive tho 😊

2bak860

I'm enjoying your updates - keep them coming!

I've just started my diary. I think what you're doing is amazing - every little counts!

I noticed you mentioned a bill account - is that a separate account to everything and the monthly bills are paid from that? What if one month a bill exceeds?

thanks - sounds like you're on the right track!