Preparing for the biggest move of our life

bellevie

I've only been back at work a week, and already I was so ready for our next week off
I collected the car today, MOT on old car was fine so got the higher px value for it. I felt so nervous driving back in it, but Im sure it wont take me too long to adjust!

Car tax has been sorted so that's out of the way. I've declared that I sold the other car and cancelled that DD.

Forgot to put in my mileage expenses before I left work on Friday, but there wont be a huge amount due to my 2 weeks off in this mileage month.

Free lunches stops for DD as she is moving into year 3 so we have been getting used to making her packed lunches again whilst she was at summer camp. She has learnt to make her own sandwiches which will help me out a great deal as it tends to be such a rush in the mornings!

I am going to have a browse, to see how I can make it even cheaper eg buying juice multipacks etc. Cheapest I have found so far is Aldi / Lidl, but if I can get the cost even lower I will do. I previously put in squash in bottles but in year 1 / reception they were forever leaking or going missing then turning up mouldy :mad:

PE zip up & tights are from primark after supermarkets didn't have her sizes. Shoes we didn't end up doing as the ones I got her at the very end of summer term still fit and as good as new. I will probably need to replace by Christmas I think.
DD agreed not to replace a school bag as she has a decent one she barely used last year, and I just couldn't justify the cost of the new one she requested from Smiggle! I may add it to her birthday or Christmas list. Pinafores still fit as they were too big last year, so I just got 1 skirt and some new shirts.

So I think we are all set!!

Dropping Mr T off to Kennels tomorrow, I am feeling really guilty, I hope he isn't too cross with us when we pick him up!

Tinkerbelle2000

Congrats on the new car Bellevie. Unfortunately that is going to be my next expense and one I worry about a lot.

Mr T will be fine in the kennels and if he's anything like Mr D he will knock you over with excitement on your return.

Tink xx

bellevie

Its very strange in the car, I think it will take me some time to adjust!

I was very wary about it, but I just wasn't sure my car would go on much longer and my role at work is car driving so I would have been in a right pickle!

Mr T went of happily, its very strange without him here. They have him marked down as sociable so will allow him out to play with the other dogs and go on group walks which I think he will like.

I cant believe its just a week until school restarts, the summer has just flown.

Kennel fees were 75 instead of 90 as I'll be picking him up in the morning on collection day, that was a handy saving. They also stock the fish food he is on so I didn't have to give them his remaining supply which was helpful! I was trying to work out if I could stop at PAH enroute somewhere to pick some up so I wouldn't run out when we got back!

We have quite a bit of food to take with us, so Im hoping for minimal expenses. Car is full of petrol that should see us there and back just about.

I'm not going to be able to relax until Im there, Im so worried about getting lost, despite having phone, satnav and written instructions! I had better dig out my emergency essence!

Tinkerbelle2000

Hope you're having a fab holiday and you didn't get lost lol.

Tink xx

debtaghh

Just read your diary from the start. You are seriously amazing, it sounds like you have had a hard life but yet you still are working full time and trying to save to buy your own house, true inspiration. Have subscribed.

bellevie

Thank you debtaghh :)that was a nice message to read on my first day back. I will search for you once I have updated if you have a diary

bellevie

So we made it there and back safely :j

We picked up Mr T enroute and got home just before midday. Mr T was delighted to see us and was engaging well with the girl who brought him to us. He weighs the same and seemed his usual cheery self.
We gave him a good bath when he got home, and for the first time ever he fell asleep on my lap whilst I was drying him instead of racing round like the loon he usually is! He has been drifting in and out of sleep most of the afternoon, making up for all those hours he missed off the sofa!

Holiday was brilliant, amazing. I cant believe how lucky we were with the weather. Spends were kept down low, I didn't keep track but we had 2 dinners out by the seaside, once £6ish the next £9, a couple of icecreams, and some small treats for DD keepsakes etc. We were there for 5 days, I think twice we managed to spend £20 a day, one day out in the town centre, and our last night when I treated DD to a memory frame with the characters that paraded on stage every night My bank accounts where ahead of my spreadsheet where I had budgeted for spends.

I have now bonded with the car It didn't let me down once, ran like a dream. I spent the whole journey there and back with a smile on my face everytime the car decided my petrol would last me longer! The tank was full when I left and the car estimated that was 249 miles. The journey there was 105 miles, so 210 miles in total, and when I got back the car still read 150 miles left! So if it does me another 150 miles, £40 will have allowed 360 miles. For an automatic I was seriously impressed. I am aware that maybe the economy was better because it was mainly motorways, I probably wont get such a good return on the local roads. It still made the journey a lot cheaper than it would have been in my old car

Tomorrow I am planning to do a food shop. Aiming for no freezer foods as it needs defrosting. Budget is £30 but Im hoping for lower as we have meat, fish & breakfasts.

Bills are up to date. Savings for the first time in months remain untouched!! Though I do still have another 18 days till payday, so I had better not count my chickens just yet :rotfl:

It felt so good to just for a few days forget about everything. I completely switched off, and thought about nothing other than how beautiful the sky was most days. I havent done that for a very long time
DD wants to return next year, I am definitely tempted but Im wary that it was the weather that made all the difference. A week of rain and I wouldn't have fallen in love with the beautiful blue skies.....

Tinkerbelle2000

Your holiday sounded lovely Bellevie, making memories with DD. Have you ever said how old she is? I'm impressed with your spending too.

The car sounds amazing. I'm hoping this time next year I might have the funds available to get another little run around. I seriously thought mine was going to scrap heaven this time so I'm made up I've got more time. I've never driven an automatic, don't think I could get the hang of it, but the fuel usage sounds fab. Have you given her a name yet?

Tink xx

bellevie

Hiya Tink,

DD is almost 8, she loved every second.

Automatics are generally more expensive to run petrol wise and they are always at least £1k more than the equivalent in a manual - so if you can avoid it I definitely would! I passed my test in an automatic so am tied to them unless I resit my test to upgrade to manual, but I dont think I could adjust after so long in an automatic! I was really surprised at how little she cost for the journey, so the manual version must be an even cheaper runner!
We havent named her yet, our last one was easy to name, but the number plate isn't giving us any hints atm

I'm not over the moon that I had to go down the hire purchase route, but Im hoping if I'm not paying out for works every few months that I will clear it down a lot faster....well that's the plan!

I am liking your very organised signature!! Do you have a method, are you clearing them down in any particular order?

xx

bellevie

Well the shop today was a fail, I knew I should have gone to Aldi, but I was dreading how busy it would be!

I overspent - 1 non essential car freshener, 2 weeks worth of lunch box drinks, reduced chicken drumsticks - for the freezer which I had vowed not to do!! I done quite well with stocking the fresh fruit & veg up though. All the prepacked items were too expensive so I opted for the self bag fruit & veg and was surprised at how much I could get for a lot lower than the pre-packed item charges.

I usually target Aldi or Lidl on Wednesday mornings which is my morning off, but this week there are team meetings which I have been asked to attend. I will reclaim the time, but I wasn't sure I would manage to this week as I'll have a lot to catch up on. I will try to pick up more bread and fruit towards the end of the week on my lunch break, which will cover the weekend and last until NEXT Wednesday when I can resume my discount shopping!

The car finance paperwork has gone through, it asked me to set up an online account and it says they have discounts with major retailers, savings on food & clothing....I will check that out, if I can save any money on day to day spends it will all help clear the finance quicker.