A pound stretching maternity

MrsSave

I've just got back from the hairdressers. As I was only having a trim, they asked whether I wanted the cut and blow dry I'd booked, or just a dry trim. I decided just to go for the dry trim today, and it's half the price!! Today's hairdresser appointment has cost me £12. I'm very impressed with that. I have booked in one more appointment for before baby arrives, but I may cancel that closer to the time as it's very close to my due date.

Overtime money went in this morning and I phoned up to tell them about the holiday money. Apparently, discussing it over the phone and them then sending me an email stating what we discussed isn't enough. They need it in writing! Though, whilst on the phone, the man I spoke with sorted it out there and then so nothing for me to do. We'll see next week if I get the extra bit!

I'm on post watch at the moment for my maternity info from hr. It's been almost 2 weeks since I handed in my matb1 form. I've got another 6 weeks until I start my maternity leave. Plenty of time, but I'm so impatient!!

I placed a wine order with the wine club I'm a member of today. I was going to wait until Christmas, but because I haven't placed an order in a long while, they added 3 free bottles to my basket. Once I placed the order (cost £3.14 after taking off what I had in the account for 15 bottles!) I clicked through to take a 3 month holiday from them. As money is so much tighter at the minute, I figured that the wine club was a definite luxury that can be avoided. The wines at Aldi are supposed to be brilliant, so what I intend doing from next year is putting a little away with the Christmas food each month and then buying in Aldi. It's only a £10 per month saving (well £5 as I'll still be saving a little), but I guess every penny helps!

louby40

I buy Aldi wine and it's fine. They do one for under £4 and it's perfectly fine. A true wine expert would say differently I'm sure. Even the Cava and Prosecco are good!

MrsSave

Thanks louby. I'm definitely going to give it a go, will save a few pounds!

Yesterday was a low spend day. Spent £3.39 on Saturday night treats. We had over £4 left over in our weekly food pot so it came from there.

My mum had been given a £10 high street voucher, and gave it to me as well so in theory I came home with more money than we went out with!

I slept a lot of yesterday again. Most of the afternoon! We went out for food last night, but my parents paid. We're going to the inlaws for Sunday lunch today, so it should be a nsd. We won't have time for any shopping!!

My work day has changed this week because I've got a hospital appointment tomorrow. In theory work should just allow me to have time off for appointments, but because I work so part time I felt bad so asked to swap days instead! I'm Working Wednesday this week instead. I haven't heard anything yet about overtime on Tuesday, but if I get offered then I will take it.

Ds had a look through the Smyths toy catalogue yesterday and loved loads of different bits! Thankfully his Christmas gifts are finished or I could spend a small fortune again! I wrapped his gifts from Santa yesterday morning whilst he was out with Dh, so that's a job ticked off the list!

MrsSave

I found time to spend! Oops! I took advantage of the Works 10 for £10 on children's books and 6 for £10 on novels. I spent £20 but got free delivery and 16 books for Christmas/birthdays for people. I also got almost £4 in cashback from it.

I've decided to use the £10 voucher for Argos. Ds has wanted to get baby a Christmas present from the 2 for £15 toys there, so I've added 1 more gift to that. Total is £15 but using £10 vouchers so in total will cost £5 for 2 gifts. I'll be collecting them tomorrow.

We had a lovely lunch at the inlaws today. Ds had a good time playing in their garden as well. The weather was gorgeous!!

I'm going to do the weekly food shop tomorrow after the hospital appointment as it saves driving into town on another day. I'm going to pop to Aldi for some and then get the fresh fruit from Tesco. Hopefully save a little from just using Tesco. My budget is £30 but I'm hoping to be quite a bit under tomorrow.

hannahroberts1985

Morning,

I hope your appointment goes well.

Sounds like a few more Christmas bits off the list well done. The works book deal is too good to miss out on isn't it! I have a load of childrens ones stashed away and when DS is really good I give him a new one. It's really cute your DS is picking out presents for the baby. Sounds like he's going to be a great big brother. Xx

MrsSave

Thank you

The appointment went ok. Baby is breech, but still time to turn so not too concerned about that yet. I was hoping to be discharged by the consultant thinking everything was going really well, I've not had to go into hospital at all, etc. but they won't let me go!!! A few things 'could' have gone wrong last time, though despite everything ending up going really well with ds I'm high risk for things going wrong this time. It means I'm at a slight risk of early labour, am unable to use the midwife led unit (even though it's in the hospital itself) and will have to have a cannula (those things scare the life out of me) in my hand from the start of labour in case I need putting on a drip! The good news, though, is that baby is looking good and is already over 3 lbs.

I have to go back in 6 weeks for another scan so fingers crossed baby will be head down by then! The consultant started talking about my birth plan, etc. It still feels far too early to be thinking about that!!!

I picked up the things I wanted in town today, though I did throw random things into the trolley at Aldi and tesco! The total bill still came in at under £24, so well under budget.

I spent last night and today looking at switching mortgage. We've still got a year left of our fixed deal, but the interest rate is quite high in comparison to offers out there today. I've worked out that if I was to switch now and pay the fee for switching early, I would still be £800 better off by this time next year. It seems like a no brainer. It would bring the monthly payments down from over £600 per month to around £470. The extra money each month would then mean we would be able to save a little each month whilst I'm on maternity leave. It will leave me feeling happier, because we were at the point where every penny of our income was pretty much accounted for. I'm going to look through it again with dh this evening, but it all looks straight forward enough.

I'm then going to look at different savings accounts. I may open a regular saver, which seems to have an ok interest rate. I'll look to see what other options we have as well.

I'm not working tomorrow, but to be honest I'm pleased. I had a little snooze this afternoon, after only 3 hours sleep last night. Ds will be at my mum's for the day tomorrow (other than school) so will have a lazy day. I'm then working Wednesday this week.

MrsSave

So, today I've given my YNAB a bit of a makeover! Sorted out categories, made everything easier to read, etc. I've also reconciled so that everything is up to date and matches our bank accounts. I've withdrawn the premium bonds money so am just waiting for it to reach our account now. I'm hoping that will be before the end of the week so that I can pay the erc on the mortgage and get it switched.

This now means, though, that my emergency fund is going to be £0. Yikes!! I know that's not good, but I'm aiming to build it back up ASAP. I'm aiming to get £200 in savings by the end of the year.

I'm in work tomorrow so Dh has to take a day off to look after ds. They'll both enjoy that!! Tomorrow should be a nsd (today was!), though that will be the last of them this week!

hannahroberts1985

Morning,

Hope your work day goes quickly. Even thought your emergency fund has gone in the long run you'll be a lot better off for it so a good decision I think. X

MrsSave

Thank you I know it's the right thing to do, but it's still a little scary short term!

Work went well. I'm really enjoying doing this job part time. I go to work, teach, mark, plan a little and I'm home at a decent time. It's what I wanted from teaching without the rest of the rubbish!

Today has been a nsd. That's the last of them this week now.

I still hadn't heard from hr so I contacted them asking whether they could give me a breakdown of what I'll be getting. It works out I'll be getting 4 weeks at 100%, 2 weeks at 90% then 33 weeks at smp rate. That's better than I thought. The best bit is that it has been worked out based on my wages when I was almost full time :j

I've been had my £25 voucher from M&S for taking out their credit card. I need to use it by December 10th, so will pick up some food bits to put away for Christmas.

Premium bonds money isn't in the account yet. I'm hoping it will be in by tomorrow, or Friday at the latest. The bank have sent a message saying that the changes to our mortgage have been approved :j Just need the money now to pay the fees

MrsSave

I've just checked topcashback, and I had £30 ready to be paid out :j

Today has been a good money day. I wish every day was like this :rotfl: