Time to sort it out once and for all

Faith76

So I sat down on Sunday afternoon and sorted myself out a monthly budget. If I hadn't and let things carry on as they were I would be in trouble. My personal income has been cut due to tax credits so now I have to budget. I haven't really had to think of proper budgeting for months but I have the sort of personality that enjoys this kind of stuff. Anyway my budget runs from 15th June to 17th July, my next payday. I have set myself a challenge to only have £5.00 per week for bits missed from a big shop as I have realised that the little bits seriously mount up e.g I am a culprit (especially on rubbish work days) to pick up a chocolate bar at 60p 70p and one bag of walkers crisps for 70p. Why I do this I have no idea as I know you can buy multipacks for a pound. So no more of that!

Today I have spent 30 pence only on some paracetomals, needed some today, so that is deducted from my 5.00 budget. However have not had to take this out from account as already had some change in my purse.

I have run low on nappies and really wanted a low/no spend day today so had a brainwave and used the points from my boots card to buy some as had about 600 points.

I drink a couple of coffees a day at work and love those nescafe cappacino sachets. However Booths have a loyalty card where you don't have to spend anything and you can get a free coffee every day, so before work I pop in and take my free morning coffee to the office. I still have a few sachets left to use in my desk drawer but once they are gone I am going to cut my afternoon coffee and drink water instead.

For lunch I resisted crisps and took and apple to work from my morrisons supersaver apples for 89p for a joblot. I always take homemade sandwiches to work.

For tea I had leftover potatoes and sausage from the tea I could not finish the evening before and added half a tin of bake beans and an egg , yes a bit random but filled me up.

So tomorrow will see if I can acheive and absolute no spend day!

Ches

Seriously impressed with your plans.

mum2one

sounds some good planning, my downfall is popping to the £1 shop.... 2ngt was a £10 budget, came out at £32... (whoops).

Sounds a good meal combination, x

Faith76

Chas I am impressed with me too as have managed to get to day two and all I want to do is raid my kitchen and eat everything in sight right now!

mum2one I have spent a small fortune in pound shops but seriously I will be doing my christmas shopping there this year as there are some great gifts, stocking fillers for kids and adults alike.

It was meant to be a no spend day but we ran out of margarine. I was thinking of the best place to get some at the cheapest price and got some for 79p from B&M Bargains. I am sure I have read about an app that compares prices for you so will try and use this but I am now on a mission to find an even cheaper marg than this.

So 79p was my total spend and have not broken into budget yet as had change in my purse still.

Also got my free coffee from Booths again this morning.

When we were low on marg I went without any on my sandwiches so now going to continue this as I really could'nt tell.

I am about £400 overdrawn at the moment which I want to clear by September. I was £2200 overdrawn but I received a PPI claim win which I used to clear overdraft and my Credit Card that had £2000 on it. I am gutted that I am in my overdraft again to be honest and don't want it to spiral out of control. After overdraft is clear I want to clear husbands credit card with £3500 on it. I class this as mine too of course and we bought our family car with this. I want to shift this debt to a 0% deal then put 100 per month towards it. Husband he will put 100 to it as well so hopefully we will smash it.

Lastly paid my childcare for eldest today, so thats one less thing to think about.

Trying to think what to have with my sandwich tomorrow for work. I don't want to buy needlessly so I am trying to use up what we already have until our big shop at the weekend. I got a freebie energy bar from a running magazine a couple of months back that is just sitting there so will take that I think as always have a slump in the afternoon so we will see if this works.

Faith76

Gutted just dropped my mobile phone in my cup of tea and of course it is not working grrrrr, more expense. Have taken my sim out and will have to try and get a cheapy one from ebay. I am trying to dry it out in dry rice placed in a sealed container, good old internet and it's tips but not holding out much hope. Husband will be delighted, not.

Today I spent on a pint of semi skimmed from Iceland and a 2pt whole milk, totalcost 1.25. So from my 5.00 set weekly budget for bits I have 2.66 left.

Got my freebie Coffee from Booths again and had the energy bar lurking in my cupboard for lunch, will not be rushing out to buy one as it was quite yacky. Nothing for an extra for tomorrows lunch so will make two lots of sarnies instead.

Going now as have to explain to understanding husband what I have just done as he is back from work in 5 eeeek.

parsniphead

Faith my DH had his iPod in his waterproof jacket pocket without the flap over and it filled with water. The thing was floating and was soaked. He did the rice thing and it dried out fine. It did take a couple of weeks though. That was five years ago and it's still working fine. Could you get a £10 special pAYG from T3sco to tide you over. I've had mine years. It's not pretty or high tech but does the job. I know when you have kids a mobile is necessary for contact from nurseries and school.

Faith76

Parsniphead I am going to do just that, my contract runs out in dec so going to get one from tescos etc to use in the mean time with my old sim hopefully. DH took my phone to work with him to see if any one could do anything and fix my phone but unlikely. Thanks for your suggestion:)

Got my free coffee again this morning.

Total spend today 99p on a fathers day card from the card factory.

Sent an e-mail yesterday to n-power as although we have not been with them for quite a while I am sure we are due a refund so have enquired, fingers crossed.

I need to cancel my credit card as paid this off a fair few months back so must ring Nationwide, cancel and snip this up.

I also need to get DH CC on to a 0% deal pronto.

All in all within budget this week so all is good.:T

Faith76

I am one lucky lady. I have been given a phone someone does not need so that has solved my mini crisis for now. My other phone is currently drying off in rice at husbands work place so if it ever works this will be a spare in case dropping in tea ever becomes am issue again.
I looking forward to my current contract ending as I want to do a rolling month sim only 30 day deal. I think I will save so much money doing this, there are some great offers around.
Looking at my debt I was -400.13 overdrawn just before pay day so hoping to get this down to 200 is of by this month.
I have put 20.00 worth of petrol in for this week but last week did not need to fill the tank up so that's 20.00 saved from that bit of the budget.
On Friday I spent 79 pence on a 2pt milk from Tesco express. That is such a difference in price from Iceland 4 pence to be precise so I will not be lazy next time and will buy a better value one as have b&m and lidl ony doorstep so have no excuse.
Total cost of bits and bobs for the week 4.12, which is a saving of 88 pence from my 5.00 per week budget. I can safely say everything I purchased was a need not a want and were family necessities.
I also did my maim shop online as I think this helps me to think and budget better. I spent a total of 59.55 and my budget was 70.00 so a saving of 10.45
I have bought a lot of supermarket own brands this time. I have also been looking for low budget meals and have meal plan for sweet potatoes and mince pie will show and share this with you once made. I am going to make in advance on Monday or Tuesday night so we can have it for the following evening.
Here's to another frugal week.

Faith76

Well to summarise this week I have overspent on my £5.00 for any extras. Started off well on Monday with a NSD, then on Tuesday I had to buy nappies so that was 4.99 straight away. Then I bought two loafs of bread for 1.50. Thought I would get better at B&M but the bread was quite pricey there so walked straight out.

On Wednesday I was obliged to pay 50 pence for a lovely piece of cake a friend had batched baked for charity. The cake was very very nice.

The coffee machine at Booths has broken so bit of a downer none of their lovely coffee on Wednesday or Thursday. I purchased some milk two lots of 2 pints ofilk at 78pence. Ouchy, now I am watching the pennies that is nearly 15 pence more than Iceland. I am a bit confused as the loyalty card said it price compares and you pay the same as other shopping stores but that has not been the case and I have not received any points yet, will read all the info again and see if I have missed anything.

Have listed four items on eBay, some clothes and shoes so fingers crossed

And I am waiting for a few competition prizes to arrive. A children's book from tiger press which will be stashed away for youngest daughter for Christmas, Some Bisto sauces, some Oxo goodies and Tyrrell's crisps Mint and butter flavour. Comping is addictive and a money saver.

So I think I need to be a bit more realistic and maybe stretch budget for extras to 10.00 maybe, I will see.

On the positive I am up on my petrol allowance by 20.00 but received a bill from school for eldest daughters guitar lessons for 40.00 so DH will have to go halves. I don't know if guitar lessons will be offered next year but Judging my daughter she is not overly keen so we are not going to do these lessons next time.

Planning some baking tomorrow with the kids but going to use as much as we can from what we already have. Chocolate cakes hopefully