Reality Check...

reality_check

I'm back!! Slacking at keeping this up to date and keeing an eye on my spends, I think it's just because my routine for updating this was when I was at work, but obviously I'm not there right now.

YNAB is wayyyy over my head! Far too complicated and I just don't get it. It seems so many people love it, but it's really not for me. I tried the saving pots but was always just too tempted to pay them to debts and never last more than a few weeks - I'm hopeless! Maybe 2018 will be the year for saving pots....

Pay day has been and gone, only paid minimum this month because I booked a holiday to Tennerife (bad I know, but reallyyy missed a summer holiday and need some vitamin D!!) I also booked a hotel in Glasgow for 2 nights and paid my share for that and OH booked a surprise weekend away last weekend so I paid for 2 nights dog boarding which was an extra not in the budget cost and also my quarter energy bill was due...STILL not switched!!

I have a bit extra in the bank, going to make a Christmas pot saving, cutting it fine I know but hope it stays intact! I might start buying things I know I will 100% buy like perfume, aftershave, make up I know my daughter will want....will start keeping my eyes open for Boots 10% off or similar deals and at least I have some money there and waiting. £250 is in the Christmas pot.

Going to catch up on some diaries and attempt to drink a hot cup of coffee........hope you're all well, thanks for posting xxx

Seasidegal58

Good to see you back posting. Can't believe it's only a couple of months till Christmas ! Yes - time to start thinking about the Xmas pressies again!:eek:

SSG x

reality_check

I know SSG, can you believe it!! October at the weekend!! I love winter and the dark nights though, can't beat being at home, nice and cosy in your pyjamas with the fire on, candles lit and the house all clean and tidy.

Trying to focus again on budgets, but really want to do some things to my house, but must try and resist...desperatly want a new front door, re-paint everywhere and get my carpets all cleaned before Christmas...also need a new dishwasher as mine is hopeless!! Only 4 years old, but I have to clean everything before it goes in so pretty pointless!!

Been going to pram fit and loving it! Also joined a Wednesday night running club and best of all it's FREE! We meet at a supermarket and they supply free bottles of water and a smoothie at the end of the run so can't ask for better than that!

xx

Poor_Single_lady

So nice to read that somebody else doesn't "get YNAB". It wasn't for me either. You sound Happy Reality. Hope you are. xx

reality_check

Thanks PSL, I really am hope you are well too!

I've decided to try get a bit of focus back about my debts I am going to do 'No Spend October' of course I will still buy food etc but only essential items and try eat the millions of food already in. No non essential spends, so let's see how this goes.

My bank wrote to me yesterday to say they are reducing my £2,500 overdraft to £900!! This is because I don't use it so are taking it off me. This was always a safety net and I never bothered about an emergency fund becasue of this, but the fees are sky high right now would be bad if I did need to use it! There is a number to call if you think situations may change and want to keep it.....don't know what to do!

Have a good weekend everyone xxx

reality_check

1st October - spent £31.03 in Aldi. £5.99 of this was on a bottle of prosecco to drop round to my friend with a card for her birthday, the rest was essential and should last us to the weekend. A lot of maybe wouldn't be deemed essential to some, but to me twirls, sticky toffee pudding, nutella and pancakes are! I know I could save money and bake things, but 1. I can't bake and 2. I have no time for that! But for me non essentials are the Aldi Jo Malone candles and diffusers and cleaning stuff that I don't yet need are the type of things I am not buying this month.

Spent £7.07 on 2 coffees and a cake in a little cafe - again I am deeming this ok as Sunday is a family day to spend together, weather was so bad and didn't want to stay in all day so this was a compromise for going for lunch/dinner.

Basically no spend October is cutting out buying 'stuff'. I am not going to replace not buying anything with meals out etc but coffee and cake is justifiable, to me.

Today should be a no spend day, waiting for the rain to go off and going to go a long walk with the dog and the pram, my mum and dad are coming for lunch, I made a big pot of carrot and coriander soup yesterday and bought those part baked rolls from Aldi so we will have that and some tea and biscuits. Also feeling like a domestic goddess since I have dinner made already, made shepard's pie yesterday for today so just need to make some veg later and other than that bit of cleaning and that's my day! Hope you all have a good week! xxx

reality_check

Ordered my daughter some perfume for Christmas, from my Christmas pot so that's not affecting my no spend October. Her favourite is Flowerbomb and normally £99 for 100ml but I just ordered it from Allbeauty and got it for £87.95! Present one bought!! I hope I can be orgainsed this year!! xx

Seasidegal58

I like Allbeauty for perfume. I wear Guerlain's Mitsouko or L'Heure Bleu and not all retailers stock it. I got nearly £20 off Mitsouko from Allbeauty last time I ran out of it! And youve made me start to think earnestly now about Xmas!

P.S what sort of exercise do you do at pramfit?

Rachel24

I've never heard of all beauty must have a look! I've not bought any xmas presents this year, it's the first year of me being disorganised. All my friends are turning 30 in the next few months so I've been concentrating on that. Xx

reality_check

I've ordered a few things in the past, normally find a good deal! I am always a last minute buyer with Christmas, I normally buy one gift round about now then take a back seat thinking I'm organised...hopefully history doesn't repeat it'self this year! :rotfl:
SSG I have never heard of L'Heure Bleu, had a google of it and it is on John Lewis for £227 for 30mls!!! :eek::eek::eek: you sure do have expensive taste! Now I really want to smell it lol https://www.johnlewis.com/guerlain-l-heure-bleue-perfume-30ml/p102221

Pram fit is going for a brisk walk/jog with the pram and then we do exercises like lungees/squats holding on to the pram :rotfl: we basically look like a bunch of nutters if anyone is passing! Then after it we now go for coffee and cake...so no logic there! Probably eat more than we burn off :rotfl: well...only me and 2 others do the cake part, the rest of the class probably go home and eat carrot sticks like you're meant to do!

I am also going to look into baby yoga, but goodness knows how safe that is! I am off to baby massage classes tomorrow for 6 weeks, it cost £50 but paid for it when I got paid, heard great things about it. I done none of this 20 years ago with my daughter so it's probably not even needed but got to move with the times! Plus it's good getting out the house and having a routine xxx