A Frugal Life for Me!

nowpanicking

Still on target to not borrow until pay day... get paid a week tomorrow and I cannot wait!!

I've basically got enough to do a tiny weekly shop (but got meals in the freezer so fine).

Work has been pretty busy so not much time to spend money which is perfect

Last couple of days I have:

- porridge for breakfast
- hm soup for lunch
- snacks at work from home
- NSDs
- walks out of office at lunch time
- checked bank today and updated spreadsheet as couple of dd's have come off
- updated shopping list for Friday
- meals per meal planner

So this weekend will be the hard bit... I have absolutely no money so it will be a quiet weekend. Might do some baking with DS and maybe some crafty activities. Might go swimming with DS and only £1 for him and free for me (as I have a membership). Will see what happens - he may be happier playing with his friends

Hope everyone is getting on ok now that it's all back to routine, routine x

nowpanicking

Busy day at work today... managed to stick to frugaldom though so very pleased

- porridge for breakfast
- hm soup for lunch, that's the last of it so it'll be something different tomorrow
- dinner per planner
- not an NSD as got weekly shop today, below budget (just) so still on target to not borrow

Get paid a week today.... Hope I can do it!!!!

nowpanicking

I did it!!!!! Got to pay day without borrowing!! :T:T:T

I am soooo pleased as it was pretty tight for the last week... basically had no cash at all, but had meals for the week and petrol to get to work. Just shows I can do it, normally I would have borrowed at least £50 or used the credit card.

So back to work and it has been a little bit hard to stay motivated. Everyone is already talking about booking holidays abroad but I just need to stick to the plan.

Had a couple of wee slip ups ... bought lunch on payday rather than using the soup I'd brought in with me... tut tut. Got myself a big bar of chocolate yesterday, scoffed half last night so not good on the frugal front or me trying to be healthy. Oh well... a couple of slip ups not too bad in the scheme of things.

On the positive side:

- kept within budget last month
- meal planner done for this pay
- First shop done within budget
- petrol cheaper than budgeted so small saving there

Plan for this weekend:

- finish tidying house
- update spreadsheet with dds that have come off already
- update goodbudget app with spends... already done
- take treats to outing tonight.. spend as little as I can!!!
- take dog out for walks
- iron clothes for week
- do some batch cooking
- do some baking
- spend time reading

That's it for now... have a great weekend everyone x

nowpanicking

Meant to say... colleague suggested I go on holiday on credit card as that's what they're there for!!:eek:

PinkPoppies

You are doing brilliantly!!! Keep going!

Your colleague's CC holiday suggestion doesn't surprise me in the least! Says a lot about the attitude to credit a lot of people have. Wonder how much debt your colleague is in...

nowpanicking

Thanks pinkpoppies! It is frightening when you think about how people view cc's nowadays... they're just viewed as part of "income" by a lot of people. I know that's how I looked at them for quite a while, hence the mess I'm in. No more! There's no way I am ever spending on a CC again.... just need to build up emergency fund a bit so that I don't feel so panicked.

nowpanicking

nowpanicking wrote: »

Plan for this weekend:

- finish tidying house
- update spreadsheet with dds that have come off already
- update goodbudget app with spends... already done
- take treats to outing tonight.. spend as little as I can!!!
- take dog out for walks
- iron clothes for week
- do some batch cooking
- do some baking
- spend time reading

Was a busy weekend... blasted the house so very tidy and pretty much did everything on the list with the exception of the ironing... which I'll do today as I have a day off work.

There's a couple of meals in the freezer now as well so on track with the meal planner. Plus a pile of cookies for with lunches and a fruit loaf .

Fairly chilled day today, but if roads ok might visit a friend who doesn't work Mondays.

Have a great day everyone x

lcc86

Hi nowpanicking, your diary has re-inspired me to keep at it, when you start seeing results (no matter how small) it's so inspirational! I'm subscribing!

nowpanicking

Hi Icc86... cheers for popping by... glad I can inspire!

Been really busy at work, there's a whole lot going on atm so it can be difficult to not head to the shops at lunchtime to de-stress.

Pretty much stuck to the meal planner but swapped a couple of meals about which is ok.

I found out this week that I'm getting to claim one last overtime so I'm going to keep that as an emergency fund which will be really handy until dh gets a job. I did swither about paying it to one of the CC's but I'm in the situation where if anything unplanned happens I have absolutely no way to pay for it... which would mean asking parents or sis for a loan which I really don't want to do. So emergency fund it is... problem will be not frittering it away. So I'm thinking it might be a plan to give it to parents to keep safe? Not sure if this is a cop out though... I should be able to manage my own finances!!!

Decisions decisions

nowpanicking

Oh... not doing so well atm. I've been off work ill so didn't do weekly shop as normal... ended up going to the wee shop in the village about 3 times so spent loads over the last few days!!:(

So I'm going to have to have a look at my budget and see where I'm at until pay day which isn't until 12th February which seems ages away.

Feeling a bit better today though so I've been to a1di's and got food for the week. I need to check meal planner too... as I'm probably going to have to adjust or find money from another pot to top up the food budget.

Need to get my head back to frugaldom!!!! This next week is going to be tough though as it's not a great work week coming up. Lots of meetings that are not going to be good. Hey ho