No spending for a year ???

asparagus1968

Hi,I'd go with overdraft too, for the reasons you make above.


Topcashback is just like quidco I think

NO-SPENDING-FOR-A-YEAR

Thank you Asparagus xx

Well the grey days really do get me down so i'm trying to think of No spends ways to lighten the mood!!
A good old spending spree is out of the question (how i've previously cheered myself up)i think tomorrow i shall speculate a whole £1 of my £2.12 to buy a bunch of daffs, the essence of spring time and a reminder that it won't always be winter!!

Lou xx

NO-SPENDING-FOR-A-YEAR

Good morning all,
Tad blustery again this morning!!
NSD day yesterday which is always helpful in light of payday still being 2 whole days away.
Kitty no spends has been eating for England this week so of my remaining £2.12 a can of cat food will be winging it's way home tonight and I'll still have enough left for the daffs!
Needless to say I would have willingly spent the whole of my £2 on food had it been required as kitty no spends is my very much loved and spoilt youngest child ☺


Decision made last night that no holidays will be booked this year (not essential spends), we had struggled with the idea as DD's so look forward to the family holiday, never extravagant but always a few weekends over the year - feeling a tad sad and stupid about it, there are always consequences to stuff I guess and when your own stupidity and greed then affects your children it doesn't sit easily.


Anyway, lunch courtesy of the back of the tin cupboard again (soup, fruit and roll from home) - & dinner courtesy of the freezer (leftover Bolognese)


Hopefully just cat food spends today


Have a good day

1974nicola

I feel your pain Lou. Also doing the no holiday thing this year. It just feel I cant justify it.

I have 'sold' it to the children with no holidays this year = a bumper one next year. They've always wanted to go to Florida but we've never managed. I truly think just due to poor money management. Hopeful that next year we will be able to.

Can I just say though, if you're feeling bad that your mistakes have impacted your girls, remember that those same mistakes have also positively impacted them in the past. My children have had lovely holidays, clothes, toys and experiences. The debts that we have racked up were not spent solely on my husband and I. I can imagine that you'll be able to say the same.

take care xx

NO-SPENDING-FOR-A-YEAR

Very true, because we wanted the girls to have 'everything' and not have to say no it has definitely contributed to where we find ourselves now and in the past - not a terribly good example of having a sound financial outlook forDD's though!!
Eek next on my list must be to get them saving some of their pocket money for the future (wish I'd been shown that but my dear dad wanted me to have everything too, I do miss him)


Ooh we're def gonna be holidaying next year too - for sure!!


Lou xx

NO-SPENDING-FOR-A-YEAR

Quickly rushing through this morning as going to be out most of the day at DM's which is a computer/broadband/wifi free zone!!!
Sold something on [EMAIL="eb@y"]eb@y[/EMAIL] last night £6, so by the time I sort the fees it'll be nearer £5 - all adds up and another £5 off of the overdraft.
NSD yesterday as getting kitty no spends food today as I knew he'd have enough to last until tonight (65p)
I So wanted to see the lady on GMB who could apparently live on £6.50 a day, think I must have been in the shower when it was on, will have to check the website later!!


Have a good day,


Lou xx

1974nicola

Och well, Lou...... we can't be good at everything!

We've given our kids a nice life but maybe a messed up attitude to finances. Maybe they'll go the other way and be really sensible so as not to make the same mess as their parents.
That certainly worked for my sister. She saw the mess that my parents made so she was/is very frugal. I think she's practically a millionaire now so well done her!

I'm trying to work on it with my children now. I give my older two their pocket money and dinner money once a month and it's theirs to deal with. They're crafty though...... they come home for lunch to inflate their pocket money. Well done them, I say!!

asparagus1968

Hi there, the lady on GMB was Ilona- she posts on here too!
she has a blog, see below, she has some fantastic ideas, and seems to be a lovely lady.
http://meanqueen-lifeaftermoney.blogspot.co.uk/

NO-SPENDING-FOR-A-YEAR

Thank you Asparagus xxx


Thanks too Nicola, hopefully our children will learn from our mistakes too, and it's never too late to teach them positive financial choices (just as soon as I learn them myself..........☺)


Well I've been missing in action for a few days, just a very, very busy few days but happy with what I've achieved although checking in with my monthly finances today I realize it's likely i'll be £100 overdrawn at the end of the month so must get £100 back into the mix somehow (Ebay?) or carve away at the shopping or cash spends budget, both of which will be pretty hard to cut back on further.


Week one of Feb - Had to pay for a couple of things at school for DD's £20 & new shoes for DD2 £20 which had virtually eaten up the £50 'Misc' budget this week - hopefully I won't need to spend any more than the £10 left until Friday!!


Food shopping came in a little over budget but no where near as expensive as the 'payday' shop would normally be - another £300 off of the debt this month, now to stick with it for the rest of the month!!


Lou xx

NO-SPENDING-FOR-A-YEAR

Good morning lovely people ☺

A little more time on my hands this morning, so lets get started!
Slight minor detail that I'd forgotten I've dentist & DD1 haircut this week - Eek - so much for staying ahead of the game (note to self, add appointments into my paper diary as well as on the blinking phone planner that I never look at!!)
So with £10 'misc' money & £10 'my cash' left until Friday, the £20 will need to cover £35 (hmmm) so will need to use some of next weeks 'allowed' spends (not ideal but needs must!)

Kitchen cupboard clearing has gathered momentum over the last week.
I'm aiming at a cupboard or two a day after work and I've been surprised at how much I've achieved but also how long it's taken to do each cupboard - needless to say too much packed in for too long - I don't think I've had a good cupboard clear out since we moved into this house 5 years ago.
Glad to say only a couple of things were out of date and what with my new ordered look I can easily find what I need, once it's finished I can see it will motivate me to get back to cooking & baking more as it won't be such a challenge finding ingredients, tins, pots & pans ☺

Also sorted a few more cosmetic bits and bobs to streamline the wealth of 'back up' 'just in case' stuff tucked away - maybe it's a fear of not being able to afford to replace things that makes me hang on to stuff - who knows!!
I can honestly say it's been quite cathartic sorting through and making positive decisions and although quite painful to begin with the further forward I move the easier it is and I'm beginning to feel a sense of impending 'freedom' from the dark cloud of too many belongings and debt dragging me down.


I'm keeping myself in check with the impulsive (non essential) spend thoughts too, sorted some photo's out over the weekend and decided I best buy many albums to house all of my stray prints, gave myself a talking to and decided to get a 'free' cardboard box and pop them all in and so they will be organized and in one place without spending anything - not as aesthetically pleasing but perfect for someone with no money and can be changed in the future ☺


Have a great morning
Lou xx