Budget Wars - A New Hope (with apologies to George Lucas)

Bobarella

Hi All

Setting my intention to have a good positive day today. OH has his work Christmas do tonight so just me and the children today.

I did manage some good things yesterday too despite the funk.

- Went to the supermarket and used up all my extra point coupons, for example 100 points of you spent £5.25 on coffee. We get through 2 packs a month anyway so buying two at £3 each makes sense, just bringing a necessary purchase forward.
- Scored 5 loaves of Kingsmill for 19p each instead of £1 each, YS. All in the freezer now.
- Worked on my social media for the business, follower numbers going up nicely across all 3
- Vacuumed and dusted our bedroom, and Vacuumed DS room, plus cleaned the kitchen counters. Up to date on all laundry, DW etc.
- Ate up a bowl of home made soup for lunch that had been bothering me sat in the fridge for a while

Ok well I'm off to get up and going.

Bob

wishus

Hey Bobarella... Apologies... only recently returned from an AWOL from MSE of a few months, so didn't realise you'd started a diary too - subscribed now!

Bobarella

Hi Wishus no worries, lovely to have another Turtle on board!

Bobarella

Had a good day. No dramas for once. Met people at the business this morning then rest of the afternoon to myself. Me and DD went for a lovely walk along one of the prettiest shopping streets locally. Lots of Christmas lights & lovely shop windows. Saw the best Christmas card for my OH in a small independent shop. Has a picture of a sprout on the front and underneath says 'I hate you too' it will make him giggle. I found a 20p coin among my roadkill today and used it to pay for DD to have a go on a little electronic ride outside a shop. She loved it although I was a bit scared she'd fall off (she didn't) She also enjoyed playing in a basket of pinecones outside the florist. It's the little things..

I had decided this year that I would donate money to two charities in lieu of one gift each for the children. So I have done that now. Went for The Blue Cross, for animals & the Syrian Refugees Appeal. The ads where they say that so many of the children don't have a warm blanket have been so hard to watch.

Think that's me for the day.

Bob

Bobarella

Evening All

Had some good fortune today, the person I had the misunderstanding with the other day does still want to book! Really pleased.

Gearing up for two 12 hour days in a row this weekend, & then it gets busy next week

Will still see the family as OH will bring them in mid day.

Had a really nice trip to the park with DD in between work stuff. We fed the ducks, and I spotted 20p in the pond enclosure so shimmied over the little fence when no one was looking, including the Canada Geese, they are scary! And nabbed it

Hope you all have good christmassy weekends!

Bob

Bobarella

Evening All

Wow that was quite some weekend! Arrived home from event 3 about an hour ago. Quite tired. Might need a sit down. Saturday's event was good for PR, got lots of useful social media shots out of it, the clients were happy, I again didn't take much. I don't think it's worth me doing the own sales stuff when we open for these events. I have done two where I've done a 10 hour shift for about £10 an hour. I'm not moaning just saying well I've tried that and it doesn't work so let's move on.
Today started when I was woken by my OH saying it's almost 8.30 what time is your morning event? To which I nearly died scrabbling out of bed as I was due to let people in at 9. Had time to clean my teeth (& get dressed) & jump on my bike and scramble off. So of course the customer was 30 mins late....anyway then came home for an hour as they didn't need me there for the duration. Went back for 12. Did the catering for the afternoons event, packed down and left. So today I have cycled to and from work 3 times, roughly 30 mins each way. Buns of steel by Christmas.

Tommorow we have a really important day at the business getting ready for a big event. The next 2 weeks are so important.

At the moment, although I still have to collect it all in at this point, I have a solid £500 surplus, a 99% further £100 & a possible £100. So £500 to £700 extra to gather in before Christmas Eve.

I want to get my son a gift that costs £138. It sounds a lot but his other one he's had since he was 3 & still uses almost daily when the weather's good. So buying a bigger one that he will absolutely love and get years more from is a good economy to me. Since our month runs to the 25th in any case and I have already covered out home bills (as in OH has) I have to pay 1 small bill of £30 and our food/travel till then. I am very pleased with that and feel a real motivation to be as stingy as I can to keep as much of the extra money as possible. I am planning to use it as a buffer/ money towards my accountants bill.

There is still one worrying thing to overcome but I have taken a calculated risk which I will live with. Show me a small business that never does that and I will be shocked.


Night all

Bob

Seasidegal58

Just catching up with your diary bob. As usual I am gobsmacked by how much you get done in a day........ plus all the money saving too. Puts me to shame.

Cheeseface

Being self employed is so scary! You're amazing to do it with small children.

I'm self employed but only overhead is petrol, I'd be a real nervous wreck otherwise. I think you and I are both natural worriers. If I'm not worrying about a real issue, I'm replaying something that happened 20 years ago in my head or imagining something for the future.

hugglemonster

Another busy weekend Bob, likewise I don't know how you do it.

I'm all for trial and finding if it doesn't work then moving on, better to find something that is more financially and time viable for you and the family. Hope the next two weeks go well and everyone pays up on time.

Sounds like son's present is a no brainer if he uses it so much well worth the money.

Have a lovely day, H x

f0xh0les

Well done Bob! Hope this week is not too crazy for you. We are on the countdown now til the end of term. Mine finish on the 16th. When does your's break up?