Ready to do it all over again ...

benbenandme

I'm the same Dangers - I lost 2 stone a couple of years ago and was going to the gym / running most days. Then I got a promotion which meant finishing at 4 rather than 3 and is office based, and it has made such a difference - that extra hour means I don't have time to go to the gym and get homs, shower and then do dinner, it just doesn't work for me now. So, I need to come up with some new system that does. Today the water is more of a challenge as it's not so sunny here, I will put a drop of squash in it to give it some flavour, that should help.

We've been and bought ds school jumper (£22), school shoes (£35), some petrol (£20) and a new car headlight bulb (£10). Nearly £100 gone yet again, it's so easy to spend £100 on almost nothing :cool:

beanielou

Scary how quick we can spend our pennies.

benbenandme

So yesterday I managed to drink my water, do my 10,000 steps and come in under on my calories :T :T

I did go for a walk in my flip-flops which was a silly thing to do and today the outside of my legs above my ankles aches. Ever since I did the marathon several years ago I have trouble with my knees if I walk more than about a mile in anything other than my trainers, my own fault really.

Today I have been for a walk around the block just to get a few steps in this morning, I plan to investigate holidays for next summer a bit more today, currently I'm looking at a weeks cruise (France /Spain) which leaves from Southampton (20 minutes up the road from me) and therefore involves no flying I need to look at some other options too though as there may be something else that floats our boat

This afternoon we're going to a model railway place with some friends, hopefully ds will love it

I'm running out of chances to make that final £4 that I need this month, must check out all my survey sites too.

benbenandme

Morning, so final day of the month, back to school is now looming large

Yesterday I stuck to my calories, drank my water but failed miserably with my steps. Interestingly the weather was rubbish and I just wanted to curl up indoors and do nothing At least when I'm at work I do get to move about more, and it means I need to force myself out at weekends to get those steps in. The sun is shining this morning so resolve is back and I will get my steps done today.

I do have £2 available to withdraw in quidco, so I'm edging closer to my target for the month, just need to find £2 from somewhere today. I also need to check that my accounts are in order ready for a new month.

I'm still considering booking a holiday for next year, I need to do some number crunching today and see if it is viable. Tonight we;'re going to a music event at the beach with friends, looking forward to it

benbenandme

Bank accounts all sorted and I'm feeling motivated for the month ahead. I've got 2 birthdays this month, the money for this is already in the gift fund, however my voucher stash isn't accounted for, so if I can get a gift from Amazon for example (currently have £23 credit there) then I will transfer £23 from the gift fund to my brothers fund.

So, the plan is shaping up as follows: if I do book a holiday it will cost approx £1500. I already have roughly £400 of this (£145 was saved towards ds scout trip that he isn't now going on, and the rest is from the Reading tickets). I have a £2 pot that I have been saving £2 coins into for a couple of years. I don't use cash very often but have religiously put them in any time I get one. I reckon there is about £200 in there to date. This would leave me about £900 to find. So each month I need to find £150 for my brothers fund then £80 towards the holiday fund. This sounds doable but will be quite tough and I will need to account for every penny, this summer the money has been flying out so at least being back at school should hopefully mean it comes under control again

benbenandme

Whoop whoop, I remembered my QMee account - I haven't cashed out this before, or indeed used it for ages, anyway, I had £2.69 in there so have cashed in £2 and that's August's target met ... just!

benbenandme

Morning all, yesterday I stuck to my calories, drank my water and did over 11,000 steps. Last night we went to an Ed Sheeran tribute event that was part of the air festival at the beach, it was good although a bit chilly, and I'd lready got the tickets (£5 each) so just spent £5 on a burger for ds.

So, a new month and I need to get onto the money making with a passion as I booked our holiday yesterday for next year :j :j We're going on a cruise (France & Spain) for a week. I am so so so excited already It costs £1400 in total for the two of us, I already have about £400, then there is the £200 in the £2 pot and I will chuck in the two months council tax money in Feb and March (pay over 10 months, about £300) and I need to check which month I get two tax credit payments in (paid every 4 weeks, so one month I get two lots, about £300). This means I need to find £200 plus spending money, which won't be much as almost everything is already accounted for, it's just for the days in port, although we won't do the organised excursions, we'll either stay on the ship or do our own thing in the port I plan to spend a large chunk of today reading the millions of boards I've found about cruises

dangers

That's a good price for your cruise - any interesting ports? Don't know if you'll get as far as Gibraltar but we spent a day there last year (we were staying in Spain) - I found it very odd. British shops but with a Spanish feeling and of course the Spanish heat.

I'd love to go on a cruise but the rest of my family aren't keen.

benbenandme

Le Havre, Bilbao and Gijon - nothing too exciting but that doesn't worry me, as a single parent travelling I wanted something easy and stress-free, and also not involving aeroplanes This ticks every box, ds can go off on the ship and do his own thing if he wants (while I eat lots of cake ). It also includes free wifi (ds and his phone are inseparable) and free parking at the port. The port is literally 25 minutes away, so we can get up, load the car, drive up and be on holiday within half an hour

benbenandme

I've moved my money from my wages into my brothers fund so now I need to get working towards the £150 I need to find this month. Signature updated.