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Get a grip !
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Oh I hate that - working from home in winter I always wonder if I can expense the heating bill for that day
Still though, I'd rather pay for heating than go to work if I had the choice...
Sounds like you're doing well budget-wise SYA. We're already half way through the month, can you believe it?!0 -
I feel a bit out of control with the food budget to be honest.
I was meant to be trying to cut back but this week was £56.21 so that's £213.86 / £300 should be £180/300Must cut back somewhere as I don't want to take money out of savings to pay for food.
Bank rewards are now up to £7.24 towards Christmas fund.
£15 taken out of birthday fund for birthday cards x 3 plus £10 gift to my sister and a Mothers Day Card. I will take mum shopping when she comes down and buy her something nice for her birthday & Mothers Day.0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
House purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 Left work. 🤗
Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year (until pensions start at 60 & 67).
Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1
Living off savings diary
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p10 -
Something I'm considering: with stores, freezer etc, could you do a week without a trip to the supermarket? I think it's too extreme for me but I might try an absolute-essentials-only shop like milk and fresh veggies (my fridge is always packed with peppers, mushrooms, onions etc) limited to, say, £15 and see how far I can stretch my stores. I know I have tonnes of spaghetti hiding in one cupboard and cans of veggies and things! Then again you seem better at using up your stores than me so maybe you don't have enough to feed an army like I do0
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To be honest most of this weeks shopping money went on meat as DS is a large meat eater breakfast lunch & dinner. Our stores are very low after last month so I will cook up lots of meals and then freeze them.
I've got a beef curry in the oven and a breakfast bacon & sausage casserole. I've got a stew going in the slow cooker and am going to tray bake some chicken - Cajun, tandoori & piri-piri. I did a big chilli on Monday and a chicken & veg curry last night. Most of what I bought this week will probably be eaten this week.
New council tax bill arrived today increase of 4.99%gone up to £134 from £128.
Washing machine has just finished so I'm going to put that out in a minute as its lovely and warm out. The heating has been off the last few days apart from 15 minutes at 7pm and 15 minutes at 9pm and I'm hoping it will be off permanently from end of March.0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
House purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 Left work. 🤗
Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year (until pensions start at 60 & 67).
Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1
Living off savings diary
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p10 -
Really well done for yesterday. Meat 3 times a day. Wow that is dear. There must be a cheap way round it. Does he have a girlfriend? Tell him to go out with someone who owns a butchers???? Gosh.
It is sooooo foggy here. I am going to copy you and clean my oven door - first time in 9 years. If you don't hear from me it defeated me. lol.
Have a good day.Aiming for a minimal spend 20220 -
I know I couldn't eat that much meat - but he does pay for his share of the food. I have realised that twice this month I have popped into Morrisons on the way home and bought a hot cooked chicken for lunch for me. DS and his gf - at £6 a go that's only £2 each but £12 over budget, plus I bought some sauces in there too so that accounts for part of the £30 over spend.
The stew I made yesterday in the slow cooker was just for me (as DS doesn't like stew) and had 100g beef in it with loads of swede carrot leek & onion left over from the super 6 offers last week and made 3 meals for me. The rest of the pack of beef (300g) made 2 curries for DS also bulked up with red peppers, broccoli, cauli & butternut squash too. He does a lot of weightlifting competitions and is muscular build, not huge but not fat.
I have doctors this afternoon so will report back later0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
House purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 Left work. 🤗
Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year (until pensions start at 60 & 67).
Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1
Living off savings diary
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p10 -
You could send your son out to work as a Chippendale like in the Full Monty??? :rotfl:
Good luck at Dr's. Hope it goes well. I am totally wiped out from all my housework and having a rest.Aiming for a minimal spend 20220 -
Doc says maybe damage due to lump removed or scar tissue causing problem & only option speech therapy she is writing to ENT & million more blood tests ordered re exhaustion
Have doctors orders to exercise more so have been for a walk round the pond in the last of the afternoon sun. Its lovely round there this time of year all the birds ducks and swans were out in the nature reserve & blossom on the trees.
I get paid at the end of the month but DS gets paid in the middle so have just got his board money. I have paid my credit card bill £9.90 :cool: from the remaining month-free water rates direct debit & moved £100 into the bills account. I have £20 left in my personal spends and £20 petrol left. That leaves £86.44 in the food account for 2 weeks plus a buffer in the soa this month of £18.95 should be do-able0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
House purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 Left work. 🤗
Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year (until pensions start at 60 & 67).
Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1
Living off savings diary
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p10 -
This month seems to be really dragging. I'm glad its Friday.
I was tempted when i left work today to go buy something nice to have for dinner tonight but I was so tired I couldn't be bothered to go to aldee. I have just had some stew from the freezer for lunch and will have something from stores tonight.
I've been invited out for coffee at cost-a-lot in the morning but cant really justify the cost and think I will have a lie in / lazy morning instead, as they are going at 10am I would need to leave home at 9.30am
I'm out for lunch on Monday so will start looking for vouchers & deals.0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
House purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 Left work. 🤗
Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year (until pensions start at 60 & 67).
Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1
Living off savings diary
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p10 -
I am sure they will find the cause of your tiredness v soon. I had that and it was so draining. Take it easy. Eat healthily till they find out what it is then they can start you on pills.
Well done in looking for vouchers. Cost a lot - v funny and true. Rest as much as you can once they diagnose it you will be running around as usual.Aiming for a minimal spend 20220
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