Making the pennies work the other side of maternity leave

mummylewis

Distractions are good! That's one thing I'm looking forward to about going back to work, that I will hopefully be too busy to think about going shopping or picking up 'a few bits' just to get out the house which invariably means at least a tenner on crisps chocolate and beer!

I couldn't avoid the shop today though - however I resisted all the queue barrier crap and 'special offers'. Got exactly what I went in for - milk, formula, onions and some fruit. Around £17. It's a bind that the only shops in walking distance in any direction are co-ops as i think they're quite expensive but it's cheaper than spending a fiver getting to and from sainsburys on the bus to save less than that overall.

DH making chilli for tea tonight. We've started adding butter beans as well as kidney beans and putting two different coloured peppers in instead of one to stretch it out further. That combined with not being piggies on portion size we can go from 4 portions a batch to 6.

ML x

mummylewis

Morning all.

My evening with a friend last night came in at £7.25 - not bad at all I don't think. And I paid for it all in change
DH was home so I could use his bus ticket and the food drink was a wetherspoons deal, less healthy than desired but tasty!

I've just released £70 from PayPal back into the bank from eBay sales that are now available. With any luck the overdraft will be at £200 instead of £400 by the end of the month. It'll only be worse than that if I have to dip in if the food money doesn't stretch. 23 days til payday and £45 left. Food in the cupboard though.

I did put £40 on my credit card just now for the nailsinc offer that was in the MSE email (http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/nails-inc#deal36280) because I can seperate them out and that sorts a few Christmas presents. Not the best month for present buying but I'd rather save now than spend more later.

Not going out today so no more spends and shouldn't be any tomorrow either.

ML x

mummylewis

Evening!

Had a busy couple of days so updating late! Yesterday was visiting PIL while DH was at work and today was helping out two colleagues with their hair! And naturally as today is Saturday I took on the weekly British gas challenge to use ALL the electricity between 9-5. 6 loads of laundry with some tumbling, all the ironing and cookies baked for DH to take to work tonight.

A nice cheap but tasty dinner (spicy chicken stir fry with egg fried rice) tonight and probably a chilli tomorrow that's already frozen so no cooking!

Today is technically my last day of maternity leave and from tomorrow I'll be on annual leave for 4 and half weeks.

20 days til payday. Will include all leave pay, and a few KIT days that missed the payroll cut off date for last month. Just hope with the extra added on the tax man doesn't help himself to more than he should in an emergency type situation.
We just found out that tax office mucked up DHs tax and that he actually owes them £1k. NOT what we wanted to hear. Going to set up a direct debit to start this payday for £75 a month as we just don't have it to pay all at once.

Hope you're all having great weekends :beer:

misstara

Hi ML, just popping over to say hi after you posted on my diary. How annoying about DH's tax but at least you don't have to pay it back all at once. Hope you've had a good Sunday

mummylewis

Hi misstara, thanks for your message
Yeah I'm glad he doesnt have to pay it back all at once. One small relief!

Yesterday was a no spend day but needed a few bits from the co-op today for about £20. Almost no spare cash left now and think we'll end up at the bottom I the over draft by payday. Damage limitation now. DH is on board and we'll get there.

The Nails Inc package arrived today, a few things for me but also my friend and brothers girlfriend sorted for Xmas.

Got to get a few bits of clothing for DD this week but hopefully will get them on sale racks.

Have a great week everyone 😊

ML X

mummylewis

Evening!

I've been very neglectful by not posting for 18 days, its been a busy few weeks.

Had a couple British Gas challenge Saturdays in that time, in usual style - done ALL the laundry, tumbled dried sheets/towels/baby suits, ironed DHs work clothes. Sometimes a Victoria sponge too but been laying off those of late.

I tried a pair of trousers on the other day and I couldn't get them done up, they were the size above my usual size. Queue kicking my own backside into gear to get rid of the post pregnancy pounds. I've been walking a lot, starting a work out class and getting a really old workout on dvd that is amazing! Hopefully I'll get that next week. Also, saving money on not eating crap

Payday tomorrow. Some extra money in should mean the over draft is paid. Its not as much as I'd hoped because I don't get bonus payments on maternity leave so it only counts for half the year. Still better than a kick in the teeth!

Looking at mortgage deals again today to see if anything had changed. Currently one at 2.79% I can get and reduce payments down from £650 to £485. £165 extra in my pocket per month will make paying off debts so much easier.

ML x

mummylewis

Evening all

So payday came and went, didn't get as much in bonus as I'd hoped for but still better than a kick in the teeth.

We've been calculating like crazy with projections and the like for a debt free future and decided to consolidate.

We also need a new bed. NEED. Knew it was bad but then I slept at my mum's house and go the first time in a year I didn't ask up with aches all over.

SO. We've got £15k loan. It has consolidated everything, overdrafts, loans, credit cards, mum, the lot. Will save us about £90 per month in interest alone. The new repayment is £200 per month, we're used to paying £450 so will be putting the rest towards it in overpayments. When the mortgage goes down too there's scope to pay more although we might just save that and keep it aside for a rainy day.

I'm excited. I feel more in control. My Spreadsheets are happy. Today is a good day.

Have a great bank holiday monday moneysavers, this is my last bank holiday off for the foreseeable so I'm going to savour it. First day back at work on Friday.
:beer:

ML x

mummylewis

Afternoon!

Payday today and this is the first regular payday since going back to work. This will be the salary every month moving forward.

We got to payday without going into the overdraft, and now have to do the same this month. If we can't there's basically no hope for the future because we'll just start next month worse off and be twice as difficult. SO - the main shop is done and delivered. Enough formula, bread, meat for the whole month. It'll just be small fresh top-ups and I'm budgeting £60 for that.

We're going to be taking packed lunches to work everyday and i'm not going to take my debit card to work at all - no caf! temptations!

Things that might make the month difficult:
Daughter is growing so fast that we might be in the next age range soon. I may look at sainsburys 25% off now just in case (although what I really want is the double up nectar voucher offer back as ive £30 in points to = £60 in TU vouchers)
I need some more winter friendly shoes - I bought some for £50 but I'm not in love with them so I think ill take them back. I may just wear my walking boots to work and change into other shoes when I get there to save that £50 altogether.

First loan payment comes out tomorrow and me and DH will sit tonight to budget everything and I'm going to teach him the ways of my spreadsheets. He doesn't get the same sheer joy from them that I do but has admitted if I didn't do it, we'd be worse off and that maybe he should know what we pay in bills each month.

Home insurance due for renewal on 8th Oct. Halifax want an extortionate amount to renew so I'm going to shop around. Reading other parts of MSE I've signed up to quidco to see about getting a super deal with cashback (so far legal and general are the winners). Will post my choices when they're made. And in the mean time if anyone knows of a super deal, please let me know!

MLx