Juicygirl's 'Will I ever learn?' diary

juicygirl

Evening all!

Today was a pretty good day - total spend £7.00 on a haircut for DS. It's a good one too, plenty off so should hopefully last a while.

Found a bag of unopened compost in the garage - delighted as I thought I'd need to buy this before I could plant up my garden pots. Instead I got this done today and didn't have to spend any more money :j . Also planted a couple of tomato plants in one of those £10 'greenhouses' I bought a while back. Hoping this might save a few pounds over the summer months.

Other than that I have:

- stuck to meal plans ( even though I was so tired and just wanted to call the Chinese takeaway by the time dinner time came)
- looked for surveys ( screened out)
- prepared packed lunch for hubby tomorrow
- read some more of my book - trying to work my way through a big pile before baby comes/to send off to ziffit
- kept heating off

Tomorrow would normally be a NSD if I was at work but I'm on a course. This means a train fare and something for lunch ( I've packed some fruit for a snack and tea/coffee is included). There are no facilities for lunch and nowhere to sit so I will need to pop into a cafe but will just pick up roll or something.

Really wish pay day would hurry up!!!

juicygirl

On a course with work today. How expensive are trains ?? £5.70 return for a 22 minute journey! I thought it would be around £4!

I also spent around £6.50 on lunch. I ended up in a cafe with a baguette, a drink, a cake and my book and enjoyed 45 minutes of sheer bliss! Made me realise how little time I actually take for myself...... But it was more than I expected to spend.

Gave my hubby the remaining £6 in my purse for his entry fee to football game, he assures me this will be returned when he gets to a cash machine

I have also :
-made a small op of £1.82 to the RBS CC to tidy up current account
- kept off heating
- prepared packed lunches for work tomorrow
- started experimented with washing my hair every second day instead of every day - good for the hair, reduced shower time and hair drying time meaning lower leccy use, and saving on shampoo and conditioner. Noticing the benefit already!

And that's about it! Got a waxing appt tomorrow but I have a gift voucher that I will try to remember to take. Other than that I'm expecting no spends!

I will be glad when this month is over, I've just had so much on with a weekend away and a wedding still to go!!! Still it could have been a lot worse if it wasn't for starting this diary

juicygirl

Sort of a NSD today. Been craving chips with curry sauce from the Chinese all week and tonight I caved. Cost £3.20. DH paid, but since he owes me £6 it was really my spend.

Got eyebrows waxed but took my voucher and still have £8 left over.

Otherwise it's been a quiet day, was at work til 6.30. Taken a day off tomorrow to get organised for weekend away. Got a trial tan booked at a cost of £15 for wedding next weekend. I'm feeling really unattractive at the moment and think this will make me feel a bit better. MSE it's not but I've been so good otherwise so I'm allowing myself one wee treat. Do feel a bit guilty about it though.... Aiming for no other spends x

juicygirl

Happy Friday to anyone reading!

My willpower is back today :-)

Tan done -£10 not £15 like I thought- and I feel fab!!

My sis also had the day off work and was trying to convince me to go out for lunch and head to shops. I said NO! She is also trying to convince us to go out for dinner tonight to start of the holiday weekend. I said NO! Instead my dinner is semi prepared in the fridge and DS and I played at home.

Going for a visit to sister in law when DS wakes up from nap, dinner at home and getting packed for our weekend away. No more spends!

£0.30 paid to RBS CC to tidy up current account. Will look for surveys later.

Expected spends for the weekend:

- remaining £105 for accommodation
- 50% of dinner ( sis and I going half and paying for mum and dad - this was their Christmas present)
-breakfast tomorrow
- lunch on Sunday

Mum is paying for Saturday lunch and I'm aiming to stay out of the gift shops etc! It's going to be expensive. I've got £105 saved by for the accommodation cost but the rest will be out of current account/emerg fund - I'd rather this than resorting to a CC!

I've said it already but writing this down has really made me take notice of my spending and choices. This weekend has been booked since November so I don't really have any excuse for not putting money by. It's going to be different from now on!

juicygirl

Oh and also have an EBay bid on one item and listed another item today :-)

Harryspotter

Hope you have a nice weekend - it sounds like it will be a lovely family time x

juicygirl

So I'm back after a very busy and expensive 10 days!

My weekend away and a trip to IKEA resulted in an end of month use of a CC :mad:. However, as soon as I got paid I paid this immediately back off plus a bit extra but will still make another payment as soon as my statement is in ( prob Thurs or Friday).

Only my Next account statement is in so far, paid the £7.52 interest + anothe £50 leaving a balance there of £250.

All other payments should be out by the weekend.

Spent very little at family wedding at weekend, although this involved staying over this was budgeting for, and we spent very little on alcohol since me and DS stick to tap water and hubby just had a few beers.

DS bday this weekend. Just having family up later in day for a cuppa and a slice of cake ( still to pay for cake!) and we are taking him out for day. This will involve an entry fee but we'll take our own picnic :A

NSD planned for next few days at work ( although I do need petrol soon) then just to get some picnic bits for Saturday.

Will report back once CC payments are made!

juicygirl

All big payments out for the month. It's frustrating to know that even though I paid out a lot more, my total has only actually come down by £500. Nothing else for it but just to keep plugging away!

DS bday was a great day but a mixed bag spending wise. The cake ended up costing nothing, my good friend who made it gave it to DS as a birthday gift! So nice and much appreciated. We ended up not going away for the day as planned as the weather was so miserable, instead we used our annual passes to an indoor attraction much closer to home. Cost £1 for parking. On the other hand we couldn't picnic and so ended up with lunch in the cafe. Total cost £17.85.

Goals for this week:

- stick to meal plans and avoid takeaway when I'm tired.
- EBay! Been really lazy with this recently.
- make a list of all things needed for baby
- declutter ( and EBay!) before baby comes
- surveys
- make small overpayments when possible
- at least 3 NSD's

Have a good week everyone x

juicygirl

Very little to report at the moment. £110 to last til payday with two weekly shops to go. Struggling with meal planning at the moment purely cos there is just nothing I fancy.

Bought new mattresses for crib/Moses basket/pram this month and will but car seat next month. That should be about all I need for baby for now I think. No spending on CC for this.

DH had a costly day yesterday due to best friends stag and we'll also have pressies to buy for this and another wedding we have coming up. It just feels a bit never ending at the moment.

Positives:

- 3 items listed on Eb*y this weekend, will aim for a couple more over next day or so.
- Had a few decent Onepoll surveys this week, balance now at £24.95
- Couple of unsuitable gifts given to DS returned ( wrong size/doesn't need clothes) and exchanged for items in next size up to put by
- organised gift vouchers we've been given as gifts - £20 voucher for restaurant 1, £40 voucher for restaurant 2, £15 cinema voucher, £8 beauty salon vouchers. Makes few a few meals/nights out!

To do:

- list more items for sale
- continue declutter
- Onepoll surveys
- input gas/electric reading to make sure DD is accurate
- start work project - overtime pay
- mealplans.

Enjoy what's left of the weekend everyone! X

Harryspotter

Lucky you with all your gift vouchers :T It will be enjoyable spending those.

Its an expensive time for you with weddings and baby stuff isn't it! But you are doing very well with keeping it in check and ebaying. Well done.

Hope you are well x