Journey to... adulthood?

Urchhhh

Okay before anyone says... I'm not moneysaving here! I am trying to make it the cheapest way to do this though..


I'm getting two kittens! 4 years ago I got a kitten for Christmas and last year I moved out of my parents house but the flat we moved into didn't allow pets. We then moved to another flat when our daughter was born and we are allowed pets! But it would be a shame to move my cat now as she has turned into an outdoor cat and the location of my parents house is better than our flat for her getting out. She's happy at my parents and they are happy to keep her! Although they feel bad for me so decided to buy me a kitten... I couldn't decide which one out of two to get so they are getting both.

I've found a bowl for £1 each and a litter tray for £1.29 in Poundstretchers, OHs gran and granddad will keep their newspapers so we can use them as liners. Just need to find out the best place for food and litter. Litter is £1.49 in the same shop for 10kg. They will be ready at the end of the month.

I've also phoned the two local vets and found which is cheaper for injections etc. (both rated highly - turns out the one I brought my other cat to was more expensive!)
When we go away to America the cattery cost £10 a day ah so pre-asked my best friend (who lucky lives right across the road) and she'll happy look in on them and feed them. Going to give her £50/60 for doing it for me. I'm so excited because I've always grown up with lots of pets so I've missed them!


But anyway another NSD today so that's 5 days so far!

savingwannabe

That sounds good to me. I know from my friend 3dogs' experience that insurance is definitely worth considering to save on vet fees in the future.

Urchhhh

Yup was definitely thinking about insurance - just need to look into it


We spent £6.71 in Aldi last night, £4.99 in Aldi this morning and £1.51 in Lidl.
On the walk home we went past the chippy and spent £6.80 in there... I literally regreted it as soon as I walked out.


£38.72/£80 food money
Definitely no spending for a while!

Urchhhh

I always budget £30 for BT as when I do my monthly budget the BT bill hasn't updated and anything that we don't use get transferred into the emergency savings so this month its an extra £2.75 into the emergency savings (plus a 13p interest into my account!)

Urchhhh

Well we've stumbled across an issue, OHs work told him he would start next month but they turned around and asked him to start this week. Great means we won't have a big gap between pays and should get consistent money each month now (still has one pay to go from his old job which fills in the gap).
So we have 14 days he needs to go to work until payday - £7.60 return per day which is a total of £106.40 or he could buy 3 weekly tickets for £84 total.


This is still a lot of money we don't have budgeted. I've managed to pull together £45 from our piggy bank, the petrol money put aside, some of my 'pocket money' and the rest of OHs money.
If OH could drive it would solve all issues - I've decided this is going to be one of our next tasks as it would save a lot of money in the long run if he could just take my car to work!


I have nearly a full tank of petrol, I used to take OH to work and go swimming and go for a walk with my daughter and then drive back with him when he was finished. This was okay when his shifts were only 3 hours long and in the morning. They are now 4 hours long and over tea time. Its just ever so slightly too long to wait around, its okay every so often but not everyday.


I want to make it to pay day without dipping into our savings to cover this unexpected cost

Lala2015

Urchhhh wrote: »

Okay before anyone says... I'm not moneysaving here! I am trying to make it the cheapest way to do this though..


I'm getting two kittens! 4 years ago I got a kitten for Christmas and last year I moved out of my parents house but the flat we moved into didn't allow pets. We then moved to another flat when our daughter was born and we are allowed pets! But it would be a shame to move my cat now as she has turned into an outdoor cat and the location of my parents house is better than our flat for her getting out. She's happy at my parents and they are happy to keep her! Although they feel bad for me so decided to buy me a kitten... I couldn't decide which one out of two to get so they are getting both.

I've found a bowl for £1 each and a litter tray for £1.29 in Poundstretchers, OHs gran and granddad will keep their newspapers so we can use them as liners. Just need to find out the best place for food and litter. Litter is £1.49 in the same shop for 10kg. They will be ready at the end of the month.

I've also phoned the two local vets and found which is cheaper for injections etc. (both rated highly - turns out the one I brought my other cat to was more expensive!)
When we go away to America the cattery cost £10 a day ah so pre-asked my best friend (who lucky lives right across the road) and she'll happy look in on them and feed them. Going to give her £50/60 for doing it for me. I'm so excited because I've always grown up with lots of pets so I've missed them!


But anyway another NSD today so that's 5 days so far!

Hi Urchhhh! :hello:


Kittens can be pricey, BUT if you keep your eyes open for the bargains and you're savvy, you'll be just fine.
I can't tell you how lost I'd be without my boy, especially since I'm living alone.


I've been reading your diary - Well done, you are doing well! :T

Urchhhh

Thanks for reading:)


I'm just going to get some cat food from Aldi's £1.99 for a box of 12 meat and 89p for the dry biscuits so isn't too bad! We're getting them on Tuesday so I must tidy the house... as I think we'll lose them in the state its in now!


Got a slow cooker today from Aldi, £12.99 so testing it out today.
We're having pasta with beans, sausage, chorizo and peas. I've made enough for at least 4 portions. All either cheap or reduced price, I've priced up the ingredients and it looks like roughly 32p a portions


Not spent any of my food budget yet and shouldn't need to for a while. Slow cooker was budgeted for already.

Urchhhh

The other day I was questioned by a family member why on earth I use Aldi own brand nappies and wipes instead of pampers. The way she was talking to me, you would think I somehow was hurting my daughter by using cheaper (and still great quality) nappies.


So I've just priced it up...
I need roughly 220 nappies every 4 weeks, if I buy 8 packets of the 29pack pampers from Tesco that's £32 (for a total of 232 nappies) add on pampers wipes for £1.40 a packet I need 6 packets every 4 weeks and that's £8.40
That's £40.40 total


Aldi's
Packs of 56 nappies for £4.39 so I need 4 packs (224 nappies) £16.56 and 6 packets of wipes for 59p each £3.54
Total: £20.10


More than half the price cheaper!


Aldi baby event on next week and this actually will bring the prices cheaper as wipes are 49p a packet (come in boxes of 12) and nappies are 0.9p cheaper per nappy.


I'm so happy I've worked that out cause if I look at all the money I'm saving just using an own brand nappy its great!

Urchhhh

Ugh completely lost track of my money this month
Will update in a few days when I've worked stuff out
Although on the bright side, we have our cats!

Urchhhh

Right money has been a bit off but my granddad gave us £300 today cause he was worried we wouldn't have enough money since OH had a few weeks without a job.
Currently my accounts sit as follows...
emergency savings: £316.58/£500 (gain of £40)
Personal savings: £135/450 (loss of 15 but gain of 90 that we had to borrow for other things!)


We have also filled the car up, bought cats food for the next month and a half, OHs bus journeys for work, extra petrol money sat aside, enough to pay for the classes for my daughter I want to bring her to (baby signing, the instructor used to come into my work and she is amazing!) and some money to buy the next size up clothes! Went to Tesco and spent £1.45 and got loads as everything was between 1p and 6p!


So so so happy. That's helped us out so much