A Frugal Maternity Leave

crunch_time

Thanks for all your helpful comments everyone who responded! Its true what they say - that getting so low can only make you come back stronger. You are all absolutely right. A heck of a lot has happened since I started this journey last June and sooner or later I was going to crack. Husband and I have had some lovely chats over the last week and agreed to go out our pace with the house and everything else. This makes it easier for me to del with the kids as I don't have to be thinking all the time that I am not doing enough in the house. What needs doing will be done and everything else clearly isn't as a priority. I went clothes shopping on my own on Saturday morning which was bliss. I also realised I really miss exercise so purchased an ebook from an Australian inspirational trainer I follow on IG for about £35 and did my first workout last night. Husband literally held the baby and timed me while I did my sets of reps and it felt so good. I'm so committed to it this time too.
I have also printed out a cleaning rota for the house with just one thing a day so I don't feel overwhelmed. So I feel miles better thanks everyone!!! Oh and F0nz - hubby has agreed to more lie ins for me so thanks for that!!


Crunchy xxx

crunch_time

On with the money saving and trying to be frugal which is so hard when one has just moved!!!!


Positives


- We have a cheque of about £15 to pay in from one of our 'old house refunds'. This shall go towards the energy debt.
- We have found a pub for the christening after party which is happy to do a buffet (£200) therefore cheaper than a roast (£400)
- there is still no sign of completing on the house so we are still living here mortgage free. If we can keep it up for another 2 weeks that will be another £750 in the bank.
- with our slower pace of life we have agreed to put £150 a month towards furnishing and decorating the house. This will be £1500 by the end of the year which is plenty. If we don't set ourselves limits we wont achieve anything else.
- I am thinking of going back to work at the beginning of July despite it being a good hour commute away. I work in a school so it will be 3 weeks and then it will be the summer hols. I will therefore get my normal pay of £1200 a month in July and August and then look for a new job to start in Sept. By stupid not to really its just 3 weeks.


Challenges

- convincing husband to go for buffet rather than roast
- husbands car service, MOT and tax was £100 more than saved in the car maintenance fund including Febs money which will go in the pot at the end of Feb. This will have to come out of the £750 currently in the bank from not paying any mortgage this month.
- we finally had a aerial fitted today but it cost £155 as we needed a booster - I hate spending that amount of money on boring but necessary things.
- finding time to put a whole mountain of new things I have found on ebay.
- Getting myself organised to get to lidl instead of sainsibos!!!


Onwards and upwards!!!xxx

PinkPoppies

So lovely to hear you sounding so positive!

Never underestimate the power of a lie in! During one hot summer (when was that???) we bought both our children fans for their bedrooms... whenever my husband and I treat each other to a lie-in the one awake looking after the children always drags a fan into our bedroom as it helps cover up the noise of wild children downstairs!

crunch_time

Good idea PinkPoppies will remember that one for the future!!


Positives


I have put about 20 items on ebay to sell so if they all go that's another £20 ish off the energy debt!!

- The cheque has also cleared so have paid £15 off the energy debt.

- We have managed to go another week without any discussions on completing the house so need to get to about Wednesday next week and then husband will chase. If we can do until next Friday then that will be another £750!!



- We haven't been doing any chocolate runs to the shop as we would have to drive here so that is saving us money and slimming us down :rotfl:


- I got paid about £200 more this month than I had predicted. I'm not really sure why but I'm just going with it!!

- Debt is under £20k!!!!!!!!!!!:beer:


Challenges


- I'm enjoying shopping in sains far too much even though it is much smaller than the old one and doesn't offer as much choice.


- I got a speeding ticket last weekend so need to find the money from somewhere to pay for that!!:(


- Husband has STILL not done his expenses.


- Husband is adamant he wants a roast for the christening.






We are going to have a lovely weekend just being at home and pottering! Happy Friday everyone!


Crunchy xx

mummytogirls

Hi Crunchy

Just found your diary and popping in to offer some support. Im glad you are now feeling a bit better after having some chats with DH. I totally agree you definitely need 'you' time. If you don't have family support this will have to be DH on an evening or at the weekends. Even if its just an hour to yourself enjoying a bath or painting your nails it all helps. The nicer weather will be coming soon too which I always think helps things.

Re the buffet how about hot meat sandwiches such as pork and stuffing, hot beef? Hopefully it would work out cheaper and might be a compromise? xx

debtfreeoneday

happy weekend crunchy x

PinkPoppies

Brilliant news about getting sub £20k!!!!! :T

Hope you have had a nice weekend pottering and chilling out x

crunch_time

Morning diary - one handed typing right now!


Husbands pay day today! Signature updated!!! He finally did his expenses last night after I started crying and stomped around. He had gone over the £330 I had estimated by £100 so I paid it off with the £100 I had put aside for adventures. Going to have a chat tonight about sticking to budgets now we have moved.


My 20 items on ebay are ending tomorrow and bids are already over £5 so hoping for lots of last min activity so can pay a bit more off the energy debt> going to get husband to ring up and pay it off this weekend as we wont pay any mortgage this month since there is still no movement on the completion date.


Got £300 left in the food account to last the next month so going to take it out in cash and split it between weeks left and when it has gone its gone!!!!!!!! I really need to knuckle down and do this now we have moved if we are going to shift this debt etc etc....


I've started a little pot for toddlers playschool fees at £80 a month as we are charged termly so anything left over from this can go into the adventure fund which currently has nothing in it since we keep going over budget!!!


Can you tell I'm cross with myself for continuously going over budget!!!!!


Going to really try hard this month!!


Feel pleased that we are well into sub £20k now though!!! husband is going to see if he can find out how much our final moving cost is so we can plan our finances accordingly.


Happy Wednesday everyone xx


Crunchy xx

abba1772

Getting under £20k is quite an achievement........don't beat yourself up too much about going over budget moving house with kids can be a very expensive time xx

crunch_time

Thanks abba1772 - I really needed that today!!


So toddler is at pre-school and baby is asleep in car seat so I am sat at table having some me time and not doing housework - that can wait. I need to give myself a good talking to and not on my usual diary but on here to make me more accountable....


...the problem with me is that I get so carried away. For a long time husband and I (years ago) struggled with our money and lived way beyond our means and only got a plan once toddler was born. I guess he was our reason to sort ourselves out. We are a bad combination - husband has big and sometimes unrealistic dreams and I like to make things happen and juggle too much at a time.


Right now this means that
a) we haven't even paid for this house yet and I am already thinking about extending it and all the ins and outs of it.
b) We want the next dream on the list which is a dog so ive been thinking about all the expenses involved in that and when we can start saving and realistically do it.
c) This has led to my thinking that we need an estate car to fit children, dog and camping gear in (we have no camping gear - this is just another dream) and when can we afford that?
d) That we don't earn enough money and that I should perhaps go back to work full time once baby starts school which is in 5 years time and working out what our finances would look like then and what we could afford to do and when in terms of the above.
e) Oh that once baby has finished her first year at school that it would nice to go to Australia and visit all our friends and family that live out there.
f) so if we do that then we really should start saving and therefore not have any sort of holiday before then.
g) I have also been thinking that I should start saving up for the childrens university funds!!! :rotfl:


So my head is constantly filled with all these thoughts and potential scenarios and I am neglecting the here and now so drastically that it is affecting the dreams as I am not keeping a handle on budgeting, food shopping, job hunting.:mad:


I am very grateful for what I have don't get me wrong but I am very good at making things for myself so there is no question that these things wont happen I just need to calm down and have a more measured response.


I found a quote on pinterest which is something like its the little things that add up to the bigger picture and its so true...


So from now on I promise I will focus on the little daily and weekly things that matter for us to achieve these dreams.


These things are:


- Making sure the kitchen is organised each night to make the start of the day smoother so I don't feel I am on a back foot.
- stop looking at the Jones - they are probably in debt too!!
- appreciate my own path
- meal plan, meal plan, meal plan, meal plan .........
- get to grips with the underfloor heating system and make sure the dishwasher, washing machine dryer etc are only on at night..., appliances are switched off etc.
- Stick to food, spending money, clothes and petrol budgets.
- resourcefulness!!!
- doing the things that I love doing - baths, exercise, reading, family walks etc so I don't get unhappy and start looking to the future more.


Phew thanks for listening I feel better now.


Crunchy xxx