I want adventure in the great wide somewhere

NoOneAround

Oh dear:( Rest and feel better soon Belle
x

belleandthebudget

Feeling much better today! Went to ballet class last night and tonight - it was the first time I've done two in the same week and it was really great. Also signed up for a rebounding class at the gym on Saturday, it's one of the workouts on trampolines, really kills me but must be a good work out from the amount of sweat I produce!

Had hoped to keep the heating off until November but I'm not sure that's going to be realistic. It's so bl**dy cold already! I'm in a wooly jumper, hot water bottle heating up the bed and my dinky fan heater blasting for a minute or two to get rid of the chill.

If I lived alone I'd tough it out but I don't think the flatties will be so inclined. Oh well, at least we won't freeze to death and I have money aside in the budget each month to top up the bills if necessary!

I also worked out paying for Christmas yesterday as I haven't saved up for present money (won't have that problem next year!) Nectar points, vouchers and good deals will help a lot but have also rejigged my CC overpayments to make sure I still hit my DFD of December 2015 but have a teeny bit spare for the next three months.

Also realised that every extra £300 would take a month off my DFD! If that's not inspiration to make £10 a day I don't know what is. Not sure I can actually do that as I can't get overtime/another job but every little helps!

Thank you again my lovely DFWs, your messages and your diaries keep me engaged and inspired to fight this battle!

liltdiddylilt

Hello Belle!

Sorry to hear you were under the weather but glad you are back and fighting fit. Sounds a very sensible plan to pay for Christmas. My advice would be don't set an amount of money for each person. As strange as it sounds, 'not budgeting' is helping me a lot. I don't feel so much like I need to spend X on so and so. I managed to get MiL some Yankee Candles for less than half their usual price. I don't feel the need to top that up! She knows what they are worth, and even if she didn't that is more than enough even though it is less than half my usual spend on her. Same in regards to my mum. She wants some of the face cream I rave about. Thus I found an online store in the US willing to send us 2 out for free postage, and giving me 15% off. Total spend on Mum, £12.52, even though I usually pay £22 for ONE pot of cream

Hope you manage the trampolining class!! Want to start Jellytot at a tots trampolining class think she would love it!

belleandthebudget

liltdiddylilt wrote: »

My advice would be don't set an amount of money for each person. As strange as it sounds, 'not budgeting' is helping me a lot. I don't feel so much like I need to spend X on so and so.

This is the biggest thing I'm trying to get my head around! Not because my family are demanding in anyway but because I want to spoil them and feel a little guilty if I paid less.

For example with vouchers I've earned the present I wanted to get my brother will be £6 instead of £20. Usually I'd keep spending but I'm trying to think of value not cost and how much the present will be worth to the recipient!

And oh I think Jelly would LOVE trampolining. I wish my class were that much fun but ours are the single person rebounders and they're deliberately less bouncy to make you work!!

liltdiddylilt

It is my second year of using vouchers, canny shopping and other such tricks to get the gifts that I want for people without spending the earth! It is the mindset of spending a certain amount on people that is the killer. I set myself a budget of a maximum spend on each individual. That added up to £400 for my small family :eek: - and so now I am working hard to make every penny work much harder, and noting my spend vs. budget cost. At the end of it, what I have not spent will be going into my savings towards future gifts etc!

I try to make these things work for my family in return. I.e. the present I requested from my sister for Jelly was £27.99, plus £4.99 delivery cost. I found a voucher for £6 off a £25 spend, and also bought another present from there, saving the delivery charge. So split the £6 saving with her and she now owes me £24.99, £5 less than her original budget amount, and doesn't have to pay to ship the present 250 miles, nor does my dad have to load his car to groaning point and waste petrol on the journey down! it is sat here waiting for me to wrap it!

My mum would genuinely be happy with a handmade card and a drawing done by Jellytot, and nothing else. I am sure your family aren't sat with calculators asking you how much you spent let them know you are budgeting this Christmas, and that they are welcome to cut back too!

Really must get Jelly signed up to that class!! yours sounds horrifying, but then.... ballet :eek:

belleandthebudget

Well, since yesterday have sorted Mum and Best Friend's Christmas presents. Both using voucher codes! Have also redeemed the vouchers to get Brother's pressie.

I'm pretty sure I know what I'm getting Dad, just need to see if I can get a discount on that too, and then all my big presents are done!

Will be baking/crocheting for token pressies for other friends and party hosts over the festive season.

Feels so good to be this organised in advance!

liltdiddylilt

Yay!! I have to have all of my Xmas shopping done by the 23rd October, AND WRAPPED :eek: as I will be going up to see family for the last time pre Xmas on the train, then dad is driving me back and will pick up the presents to take back with him as he drops us off. Won't have time in the turnaround time of dad going back up there to wrap it or buy so it must be all done before I go. Hoping to finish off the buying this weekend, and by next weekend have it all wrapped!

I am loving the organisation side of it. To be honest am finding lots of bargains now too!!

belleandthebudget

Totally! I've been so surprised by the amount of bargains that have popped up and now I'm looking at them a different way because they let me get my family nicer things than I could usually afford, without using credit. Win win all round!

Can't believe how organised you are though, Lilt! Good to have a motivator to get you there!

liltdiddylilt

Have to be honest I hate Xmas shopping. I usually put it off til the 23rd December, so it feels good to have a lot of it done. I still feel very underprepared...

Hope your weekend has been good?