Wednesday 24th Feb - What small DFW things will you do today?

Baileys_Babe

make_the_change wrote: »

Not having a good week, after checking banking and having a few emergencies, realised we have £40 to last us two weeks don't know how we will do it.

What do you NEED to pay in the next 2 weeks? Do you have any food in the house to cover some or all of the meals? even if you do end up with some interesting combinations.

foxgloves

Make-the-change - Oh dear, that sounds tight, but don't give up yet! I would start by doing an audit of my fridge, freezer & larder to make a list of every food item available to you without spending any money, & as Bailey's Babe, suggests, you may be eating some unusual combinations, but it will help keep any spending absolutely to the minimum. Although I don't have any debt now, except for the mortgage, I do remember that horrible feeling very well, worrying every time I used the cashpoint or paid on a card that I'd be declined for insufficent funds, so I do sympathise & hope you make it through. Lots of very economical cooks on this thread, so if you are stumped by possible unusual combinations, post what you've got, & I'm sure we'll all do our best to suggest things. It's definitely going to mean absolute essentials only for a couple of weeks.
f x

make_the_change

Baileys_Babe wrote: »

What do you NEED to pay in the next 2 weeks? Do you have any food in the house to cover some or all of the meals? even if you do end up with some interesting combinations.

This is the amount left after all bills and rent is paid. I will definitely need nappies, wipes and at least two tins of baby milk. Plus travel but that won't be a lot. I have food which will have to last me two weeks. But will require bread and milk.

If I manage to get through these two weeks it will be the first time I am up to date with all bills and not pushing them back a week or borrowing. And I have started work on my finances for March already. Just feels so crap that I have managed to get into this position.

foxgloves

Morning Frosty Frugalistas,
Ooooh, what an icy morning we woke up to here. Garden frosted completely white & all the birds fluffed up on the feeders waiting for their breakfast. Smashed up 2 cheapo fatballs for the softbills.....much cheaper than the softbill mix/robin food sort of mixes & they yum it down in this cold weather. Only a few bits from me today. Have to prepare for a big meeting tonight, so deferring most money-saving activity to tomorrow & Friday.
*Laundry pegged out to dry on line. It's very cold, but the sun is shining & I did get yesterday's load dry yesterday, so am hopeful.
*Still using up things from the freezer, so will have taken out the last bag of our home grown aubergine slices for tonight's pasta, plus a portion of pumpkin soup & a home baked roll for my lunch.
*Sorted out suitable jars & lids from my stash ready to make mr f's favourite chutney next week - need to make it when I can still get big cheap winter carrots.
*Did a couple of surveys.
*Managed to get a final use out of a conditioner by squigging it around with some water in it. Glad it's finished. It seems utterly incapable of conditioning hair. Proof that the cheapest isn't always the best buy. Not if it's ineffective & I have to use treble the amount of anything else!
*Made a plan for getting stuff done the rest of the week, as we'd like to go on an outing at the weekend. Think will do ironing, big weekly house clean, meal planning, shopping list & various other domestic tasks tomorrow, then concentrate on Friday being my Big Budget Day, when I will also aim to catch up with all outstanding admin, chase up stuff that needs chasing, etc.
*Sew up 7 cats. Only did 2 last night, despite my good intentions. Much easier to sew the faces & attach whiskers in daylight.
*Make tomorrow's packed lunch.
*mr f will take me to & from tonight's meeting so I shan't have to pay parking or trog around by myself after dark.
That's it for today. Will be putting up much more of an effort tomorrow & Friday.
Love to all,
f x

foxgloves

make the change - Well, it sounds as though you do have some food in for the fortnight ahead, which is good. And starting work on March's budget already is good too. It does take a while for new ways budgeting/new attitudes with money to embed. I remember that with so much money going to pay off our debts, once we'd had our LBM, it was a while before we were able to get together an emergency fund. As you know, having an emergency while the budget is tight, can set plans back. It happens to everyone. After this fortnight, when you are back to following your budget, see if you can find any decent yellow-sticker bread offers & buy a couple of loaves to freeze. That will mean an emergency supply if you have another short month. A tin of powdered milk can be useful too. OK, it's not the best thing to have in drinks, but it keeps for ages & you can easily make up a jugful for emergencies. I know this isn't much of a saving, but when it's down to the wire, any little thing can help.
The most important thing (Listen to Foxgloves, for she has been a very silly girl with money in the past & has had to pay off a lot of debt!) is not to let this set-back get you down so that you are tempted to give up. Even if your food situation means you need to spend a small amount over the £40 as the end of the month looms nearer, it's got to be better than not budgeting, sticking everything on credit, not being financially organised, etc. Everyone has set backs with their money caused by emergencies. The mistake would be to give up!
f x

make_the_change

foxgloves wrote: »

Make-the-change - Oh dear, that sounds tight, but don't give up yet! I would start by doing an audit of my fridge, freezer & larder to make a list of every food item available to you without spending any money, & as Bailey's Babe, suggests, you may be eating some unusual combinations, but it will help keep any spending absolutely to the minimum. Although I don't have any debt now, except for the mortgage, I do remember that horrible feeling very well, worrying every time I used the cashpoint or paid on a card that I'd be declined for insufficent funds, so I do sympathise & hope you make it through. Lots of very economical cooks on this thread, so if you are stumped by possible unusual combinations, post what you've got, & I'm sure we'll all do our best to suggest things. It's definitely going to mean absolute essentials only for a couple of weeks.
f x

Thanks, I will do that.

DD and DS2 over grandads Saturday so they will get treated then. OH will be seeing his children at his mums Friday and Sunday so that's lunch and dinner sorted for him and he normally brings back a few treats! I have a packed freezer so some imagination required!

make_the_change

foxgloves wrote: »

make the change - Well, it sounds as though you do have some food in for the fortnight ahead, which is good. And starting work on March's budget already is good too. It does take a while for new ways budgeting/new attitudes with money to embed. I remember that with so much money going to pay off our debts, once we'd had our LBM, it was a while before we were able to get together an emergency fund. As you know, having an emergency while the budget is tight, can set plans back. It happens to everyone. After this fortnight, when you are back to following your budget, see if you can find any decent yellow-sticker bread offers & buy a couple of loaves to freeze. That will mean an emergency supply if you have another short month. A tin of powdered milk can be useful too. OK, it's not the best thing to have in drinks, but it keeps for ages & you can easily make up a jugful for emergencies. I know this isn't much of a saving, but when it's down to the wire, any little thing can help.
The most important thing (Listen to Foxgloves, for she has been a very silly girl with money in the past & has had to pay off a lot of debt!) is not to let this set-back get you down so that you are tempted to give up. Even if your food situation means you need to spend a small amount over the £40 as the end of the month looms nearer, it's got to be better than not budgeting, sticking everything on credit, not being financially organised, etc. Everyone has set backs with their money caused by emergencies. The mistake would be to give up!
f x

Thank you for your kind words. Last night I couldn't sleep as I really thought this month we were on track but I obviously let things slip a little with kids over half term. I am determined to try and get through this. I only have one emergency (known about) next month and that is a cot mattress for my DS2 and he NEEDS one as too big for Moses basket now. I guess I will just have to explain to mums that it's just a card for Mother's Day and maybe a little something (cheap) later on in the month. Even have to miss a close friends 30th due to this.

Baileys_Babe

make_the_change wrote: »

This is the amount left after all bills and rent is paid. I will definitely need nappies, wipes and at least two tins of baby milk. Plus travel but that won't be a lot. I have food which will have to last me two weeks. But will require bread and milk.

If I manage to get through these two weeks it will be the first time I am up to date with all bills and not pushing them back a week or borrowing. And I have started work on my finances for March already. Just feels so crap that I have managed to get into this position.

I know you don't feel like it but congratulate yourself on not going in to debt or pushing bills back a few weeks.

Keep posing on here we are a friendly bunch who will be cheering you all the way, remember however small your steps are they are in the right direction.

make_the_change

Baileys_Babe wrote: »

I know you don't feel like it but congratulate yourself on not going in to debt or pushing bills back a few weeks.

Keep posing on here we are a friendly bunch who will be cheering you all the way, remember however small your steps are they are in the right direction.

Thank you. You're all so lovely. Makes me tearful now x

allydowd

lego_mum wrote: »

:starmod: Order Dh's repeat prescription :A I'd have forgotten that if Ally hadn't mentioned prescriptioins! thanks Ally!

I aim to please. :T