Need to get a grip!!!

rc12345

Last night I left work on time and picked dd up from after school club five minutes earlier, which saved me £1.60!!!!! Can't do it tonight as I have a meeting, but that is definitely one I'm going to have to try and do as often as possible.

Got home and we'd run out of electricity, was hoping it would last until the end of the week when we move! Made dd walk to the shop to get it, which didn't go down well and resisted the temptation to offer to buy her a treat at the shop as that would've defeated the object of walking as opposed to going in the car! Was actually good fun walking back as we played tag and she found 2p in the street. Tried to put £4 on the electricity key, as that was all I had in change - but minimum was £5. Managed to scrape together £4.93 and he let me off the 7p, always surprises me when people do nice things like that.

Struggled to find something to eat last night as I seem to have already packed most of the food . Dd ended up having spaghetti and cheese, made extra spaghetti so she can have some again tonight...saving on energy, but also time as will be a rush tonight as she has brownies (just not like me to be so organised!!!) I just had toast as seem to have a lot of bread that needs eating and no room in the freezer for it. Not very nutritious, but only for this week so sure it won't do us any harm...

Other than that last night washed up in cold water, stuff only really needed rinsing...

This morning I'm still being mindful re the lights, haven't got the heating on again and had two cups of tea from the one teabag and one kettle by keeping water warm in a flask. Actually spilt some of the water and used the tea towel to mop it up instead of reaching for the kitchen towel...

Still need to look at budget for the month, but should have a bit of time to do this when dd is at brownies tonight :)

rc12345

Thanks Matilda, I pass an aldi on the way to work...will pop in x

rc12345

Didn't get a chance to update last night, so update on yesterday...

Had 2 crumpets for breakfast, these were given to me so free breakfast. Did notice lurpak (given to me a while ago) is out of date (3rd oct) seems to be ok, or should I bin :question:

Was very good and resisted the temptation to have 2 more crumpets :A

Didn't wash hair yesterday as just tied it up day before, so was ok for a second day. Did wear contacts and perfume as had two meetings and was going out for lunch. Prefer wearing contacts to glasses, but have a voucher for specsavers for a free eye test and £40 for new glasses and seems they have complete glasses for less than £40 so if I get some new ones I may be more inclined to wear them. Have started to make a list of things to do when I've moved and added specsavers to it!

Still had no heating on (put extra blanket on the bed last night and have a duvet over me on the sofa), still washing up in cold water and still being mindful of switching lights off.

rc12345

Yesterday lunchtime BF bought me lunch - meal deal from sainsburys - really I should've paid, but he did and I didn't argue (although he was very argumentative yesterday, so maybe I deserved to have lunch bought for me for putting up with it!!!). Got a breakfast sandwich, which was quite filling and then saved the crisps for crisp butties for lunch today.

Last night dd didn't want to go to brownies, looking at the positives saved on petrol I suppose. She also didn't want the spaghetti and ended up having cereal. I had the spaghetti (would've normally just binned it!) but as most of the food is packed just had it with a bit of grated cheese.

Didn't make it to aldi yesterday on the recommendation of Matilda for camomile tea-bags, but hopefully will set off a bit earlier this morning to do so. Did manage to find one tea bag, which made two cuppas using my flask and had no problem getting to sleep last night. Still waking up ridiculously early (3.45 this morning :eek:) , so going to be productive this morning and spend the time looking at my budget off the month...wish me luck...

rc12345

Well it's taken me over an hour and a half, but I have done it and have £26.26 to last me until pay day on the 27th - well pay day is actually 25th, but if it falls on a weekend they don't pay until after the weekend (or bank holiday if a bank holiday weekend) not sure that is legal if their employee handbook states pay will be in before 25th, but not sure what I can do about it...anyway, that's a separate issue...

Had a ddm taken out of my account that isn't supposed to be taken out yet, cancelled the ddm and e-mailed for an immediate refund - £13.59

Cancelled a standing order that last payment was yesterday so they don't actually take another one out next week by mistake

E-mailed about some money I am owed.

Need to change all my direct debits to come out on the first of the month when I move and have added this to my list

Really pleased with myself for getting it done as been putting it off for over a week now and the figures were actually worse than I thought they were going to be, but at least I know where I am now and in November as well. It's going to be a tight couple of months living within my means with the house move, but hopefully will be straight by Christmas and can then look at clearing overdraft and credit card

catriona79

Good luck RC!
Another early riser here - hope budget is sorted x

rc12345

Can't believe I wrote a really long post this morning and it has just disappeared

Thanks Catriona, budget not looking great but at least I know where I am with things which brings with it feeling of control

Post this morning was mainly re yesterday, which was an horrendous day...but not from a money saving point of view so I won't go into that...

Still not had the heating on/being mindful of the lights/washing up in cold water.

Was late for work yesterday despite being up so early as was looking for free things to do online in half term with dd. Therefore still not made it to aldi on my way into work for camomile tea!!

Decided I need a diary or calendar for when I move, something I can't ignore unlike the calendar on my mobile. Instead of buying something I have printed one off online at work - exactly what I need and free :j

Still need something for friend's birthday tomorrow :think:

Wore my glasses to work again yesterday and no expensive perfume. Didn't wash hair again, just tied it up (tbh yesterday was more to do with time than money saving!)

Tried to charge up I-pad at work, but couldn't get it to work!

Unfortunately, had to go out at lunchtime yesterday which cost me in petrol - to deal with something I had been trying to deal with by e-mail and was getting nowhere...but at least it is dealt with now.

Overestimated my removal costs by £25, so that's an extra £25 I have until the end of the month :T:T

Need to e-mail and complain to company re the ddm that they have taken out of my account, which shouldn't have been taken out as they are being difficult about this. Also need to e-mail re the money I am owed, which I e-mailed about yesterday.

Called an 0845 number from work, not something I will make a habit of - but saved the cost of doing so from my mobile.

Would like a cork board for the new house, seen one on argos for £8.99 but going to check with my mum first as she has a garage full of stuff and may have one I could have.

Also did some research yesterday for lunch with BF tomorrow. Really is my turn to pay as he has been paying a lot recently and even though he can afford to and I am watching my money, I don't feel entirely comfortable with this. I therefore looked at a nice sandwich shop near work and can get a cheese salad sandwich with garlic mayo for £2.50...even if he gets something more expensive than this should come under £6 - which is the cost of 2 x meal deals at Sainsburys (can't suggest Sainsburys though, as we went there on Tuesday) other option would be a pub lunch, which would be much more expensive...

Did have a bit of a blip last night as we had an awful evening, dd had eaten but was hungry again later so I bought her some chicken nuggets from McDonalds as a treat. Didn't buy anything for myself though, even though I had not eaten and therefore only cost me £2.79. Well aware though that this was a wasted £2.79 as she could've had something when we got home...

Anyway, think that is it for now. Finding it great keeping a diary as really keeps me focussed on not mindlessly spending on things

rc12345

Feeling very virtuous tonight :A

After horrendous day yesterday and dealing with the aftermath of it today I really wanted to take dd out after school tonight...probably cinema or pizza, either of which would've cost £20 - was so so tempted as house is in boxes ready for the move on Saturday and most of the food is packed - but I didn't

Came home and had three mini jacket potatoes, but of lurpak and cheese...all of which had been given to me at various times, so free tea!!! Did think three was a bit much as could've had one for a lunch, but was hungry and hadn't cost anything.

So far today same as usual: not had heating on, mindful of lights, washing up in cold water. Warmed a cup of tea up in microwave didn't drink yesterday instead of throwing it away. Wore glasses again and no perfume. Washed hair and tied it up with no product, so should be ok for tomorrow.

E-mailed company to complain re ddm. E-mailed re money owed.

Need to read up on here for more money savings things to do as diary starting to get a bit boring repeating same things every day however, hopefully they'll be habits they will stick if I carry on doing them every day...

Have £51.26 to last until payday

rc12345

Even more virtuous dd has been invited to a party and I've found a suitable present, so don't have to buy one!!

rc12345

Oh and forgot yesterday picked dd up bang on 5.30, so not sure if they will class that as before or after...going to try a different route from work tonight to see if it is quicker...

Friend takes dd in on a Friday, which saves me £1.95. She does this twice a week, but need to ask her if she would every day. Don't like asking as it seems a big ask, but would save me approx £23.40 a month! Have added to things to do when I move list...

Nothing else really money saving to report, still no heating on, being mindful of lights, putting excess boiling water from kettle in flask to make a second cuppa, using tea bags twice, using cloth/tea tea towel instead of automatically reaching for kitchen roll. Still need to buy some sandwich bags as dd keeps taking tubs to school that aren't coming home! Still need to read up for more money saving ideas, but as we're moving tomorrow that might have to be after the move now