A Frugal Maternity Leave

mum2one

good luck with the meal plan and music magpie - hope you have a glass of wine or 2 to help things along xxx

dory22

crunch_time wrote: »

Mum2one - I love sains for shopping!! I'm collecting nectar points and then use them for house bits at base home or the larger sains.

Lilmissmup - hello and thanks for popping by. Childcare is soooo expensive isn't it. I'm very lucky as my mum helps out and oldest one will get his free hours come September. Mine are nearly 3 and 6 months. I'm going back to work soon but not sure how long my new contract will last so need to be as savvy as possible!! Have you got a diary??

Right, morning all!!

It's been a week full of ups and downs which has left me feeling really tired and mentally and emotionally exhausted. The down bit shall we say has been going in for years but I seemed to have got clarity these last few days from an 'incident' and now I feel so motivated to live my life for me and my little family and no longer let others issues affect me. Taking a deep breath and getting on with it (sorry that's all a bit cryptic isn't it). The upshot is that I was feeling determined before but now feel more determined than ever!!!!

Toddler is off to pre school later so planning to spend some time updating my spreadsheet and ynab. After this week we have 2 more weeks and then we are on holiday for a week. Sooo excited!!!!

I get paid that week and then husband gets paid the week after.


So will update more later.
Hope everyone has a lovely day!
Crunchy xx

have you linked your nectar card to bay of e? you earn pojt hwne you buy on there and when people buy from you, also do you use cash back sites? freecycle (now called recycle) is great for most things as is the freebie section of gumtree for things. etc.

OrangeFairy

Ah Crunchy - I will be joining you in a frugal and tight June!

Our plan is to pay off £1265 in June :eek::eek::eek: We can do it when we get paid and just have to hope we don't need to put anything on card during the month. Interest starts to be charged on his card on the 18th June so was need it gone!

I am so pleased you had a lovely holiday - my fear is that we will come back with an over spend - we will try our hardests not too but if we want to do something I don't want to restrict ourselves as we might notvisit this area again for a long time.

Boo to maternity leave ending soon enjoy the last few weeks...

OF x

t2rry

Hi Crunchy!!!


I've been away since February can you believe it!
But back with new targets and will catching up on your diary asap!


....Especially since I'm going to need as many tips for a frugal maternity leave as possible


I can't believe your maternity is coming to an end already, how time flies!!


Will catch up properly later and coo at how well you've done!!

crunch_time

Hey diary land!!

Have a lovely hols orange fairy!!!!

Welcome back t2rry!!!! Your comments made me think perhaps people come into this thread looking for tips on how to have a frugal maternity leave and it's just me spending money and whittling on about other things!! I have started typing out some tips for those that are interested. My first mat leave was definaty more frugal than this one and a lot of the habits I picked up have stuck. I guess as it's just a way of life now I dobt think about it much but I hope others find it useful!! Will try and pop it up tonight.

I have been addicted to a thread on here called 'not buying it' started by a user called slow down. It's so inspirational!! I think it has changed my life!! I only read 70 pages of 294 but there were blog recommendations as well so of course I took a look at them too.

As a result I have done a £1 delivery sains shop for £90 and taken £200 more out of my food account. The £100 left is for formula nappies and wipes. I'm going to try and survive on that and what is in our cupboards. I'm going to shop in out village butchers and corner shop (which has local produce) as and when we need it because......I'm not buying it!!!

i haven't had any wine or choc so far this weekend. I made a jelly from a sachet in the cupbaord last night but it made me feel rubbish so chucked the others out.

In other money saving news I made £39 on music bird!!! Just waiting for the pack so I can send it off!!

Onwards and upwards!!
Crunch xx

crunch_time

Still no wine/beer/chocolate! In fact I haven't left the house today so definitely a NSD!


Husband and I finalised our June budget last night on YNAB. Its going to be tight due to overspending on our holiday and as we have decided to buy a couple of bits of furniture (needed) for the house to enable us to store things a bit better - total spend £350!!


Never mind. All needs to happen!


We have the app on our phones so it will make it easier to log transactions this month. I lost track last month so we have started it afresh and calling May our practice run.


We had to buy toddler a present last night as its his birthday this week!! £65 - £39 from the music bird money when we get that and the remaining £26 with whatever is left from the pots.


Its.going.to.be.really.tight.


Food - £255
Nappies and formula - £50
Husband spending money - £87.56


I have a few bits that I need to buy in town tomorrow. I'm planning to walk and pick toddler up from nursery this week. To walk its an hour there and an hour back but will save on petrol and burn some calories!! Four hours of walking.


I need to make his cake and a few other bits. Celebration is very low key itself at the weekend so shouldn't cost too much and can come out of food money.


Determined not to go into sains this week! I feel like I'm having a another proper LBM!


I have found a few bits around the house to sell on fleabay this week and a few bits to take to the charity shop.


Got a busy day tomorrow so might not get on when husbands loan goes out so updated my signature to reflect the £275 paid off. That might be it this month im afraid!:(


I'm going to slowdown and enjoy every day I have before I go back to work.


crunchy xx

Laura2014

Hi crunch just read your diary and think you are doing fab. Two little ones and moving house - you have achieved so much.

I'm due to start maternity leave in a couple of weeks with my first baby so feeling very excited and scared. Have subscribed and would be interest in reading your tips and hints x

crunch_time

Hi Laura - thanks for reading my diary! I'm so sorry I haven't written my tips yet! Little people have hindered that. Will do it soon! Congratulations on your first baby!! It is very exciting and scary all rolled into one!! I wouldn't swap it for the world. Do you have a diary?


Right - I have managed to squeeze in a quick post thanks to baby napping later than normal and toddler watching frozen ha ha!!


Popped into town this morning to get a few bits.


Sainsburys - bought nappies and formula and wipes to last the month out of my £50 a month budget - £13.13 left - enough for one more formula if necessary.


Sainsburys - bought some toilet roll, toothbrushes and toothpaste as well as some bits for making toddlers birthday cake.


Greengocers - £8-9 - cant remember


Corner shop - £8.79 - hallumi cheese for dinner, ham and babybels and milk.


Pegs from DIY shop - £2.10 and £10 of petrol for the week.


Still have £210 in food budget and £75 in my spending budget.


I'm waiting for a delivery this am so cant go out. I'm planning on roasting a chicken and doing some washing and tidying up and playing with the children. Working out tonight and then eating salad and planning to go to bed early to read my book. Things are so much better when I am organised!!


Planning a NSD tomorrow!!


Hope everyone is having a lovely day!!


Crunchy xx

crunch_time

Morning diary!

Didn't manage my work out on Monday. I started it then felt faint and dizzy. It's a high intensity interval training programme and I'm on week 6 but there is a lot of plyo jumping around and my poor little post pregnancy body just can't seem to cope with that. I'm not giving up though I'm going back to week 1.

Yesterday was a nsd. Made a pie for dinner and it made me feel sick - so rich and heavy. Toddler didn't eat any either. Back to clean eating - husband agrees!!

I split the remaining £200 of food money for the month into 4 envelopes for the 4 weeks - £50 each and the reminding £10 into a jug in the cupboard as an emergency fund. Told husband who said 'wow that's not a lot each week' so I said 'it might be enough especially if we don't have any treats like booze or chocolate.' He mad a face that seemed to say we will see.

We shall see.

I watched a documentary about Ebola the other day. A lady had lost her husband, mother, sister and 3 of her 6 children to the disease. So humbling. Possessions mean nothing to me. My family is everything.

I've been very content just being at home with my little ones recently with out running around 'consuming' my time and money with buying things we 'need' or doing things just to do something.

I feel like I am having another light bulb moment....

(Nearly finished writing up the maternity tips!!!)

Crunchy xx

t2rry

Oh Crunchy, I saw that documentary. I was in absolute bits. As a first time mum-to-be, I was kind of angry with the world for being so grossly unfair. We are so lucky to have the chance to bring our baby into a safe (ish) world. I can't imagine. I've never felt closer to my little tiny non-bump bump! (even though I was a snotty mess by the end that any child would probably want to run away from!)


Looking forward to the maternity tips!!!


Keep up the good work!