£67,031.92 is a frightening number indeed....

DawnW

Presumably the pricey knitting pattern can be used again for other baby presents?

[Deleted User]

Morning,

That looks like a doable list.

Have a great day xx

warby68

Did you really NEED the £4.20 baby pattern or just WANT that one as opposed to the myriad free ones or one you already had?

Just throwing it out there

Treadingonplaymobil

warby68 wrote: »

Did you really NEED the £4.20 baby pattern or just WANT that one as opposed to the myriad free ones or one you already had?

Just throwing it out there

If I'd had one, believe me I wouldn't have spent £4.20 on one! The only one I had was for much finer yarn, and the pattern was cheaper (and less wasteful) than replacing the yarn. The regret is that I'm sure I could have found a cheaper/free one if I'd been more organised and done it further in advance, as it's a really basic pattern. On the less gloomy side, at least it has a few size options so I can make a bigger size for the same baby for Christmas, and if anyone else has a baby they're all getting this pattern knitted - it's a lovely easy knit and quite quick as the wool is DK so thick-ish (I usually knit with fingering weight, so everything takes forever!).

System

All sounding very positive, your lists are all very achievable.

Do you find that motorway travel is becoming more and more stressful. We have had a few bad journeys going south in the last 12 months.

As for the knitting pattern, if you are like me I have mine for years. The one I am using at the moment is 55 yrs old , the one my mum knitted from when she was expecting me. New ones are expensive though but sometimes wants must !

warby68

Treadingonplaymobil wrote: »

If I'd had one, believe me I wouldn't have spent £4.20 on one! The only one I had was for much finer yarn, and the pattern was cheaper (and less wasteful) than replacing the yarn. The regret is that I'm sure I could have found a cheaper/free one if I'd been more organised and done it further in advance, as it's a really basic pattern. On the less gloomy side, at least it has a few size options so I can make a bigger size for the same baby for Christmas, and if anyone else has a baby they're all getting this pattern knitted - it's a lovely easy knit and quite quick as the wool is DK so thick-ish (I usually knit with fingering weight, so everything takes forever!).

I was only teasing you a bit in case there was a washing up bowl scenario going on (;) but you've made a really good point - that it came about because you were 'last minute'. That's so true of a lot of things where planning ahead gets you cheap or free and last minute means you pay through the nose. Simple stuff like not letting things run out so you HAVE to buy the replacement as full price because you can't then wait for the offer. Great for branded stuff which has a regular cycle of offers. Obviously you need a bit of spare budget as well to be able to stock up just a little or buy ahead on offers. Maybe this will be something else your SLOWER year 2 and your non-raided savings pots will bring - Christmas is a great example where you can save a fortune by buying certain things earlier.

ellen_vannin

I agree totally with Warby - last minute purchases are always more expensive.

You are doing well very well , mindset has changed a lot in the year. However some of your purchases still need more consideration in my opinion. But only you know your life and how things work - in the end it comes down to how much you want the extension?

Planning ahead when you have time always saves money - I have bought Xmas cards and tags for pence in Wh Smiths and M and S in the last week.

Having said that I really enjoy reading your diary every day - it makes me consider my own purchases more.

Treadingonplaymobil

Week 53: Day 2

Bleurgh, not feeling the half term love today. Two of the DC were absolutely miserable for about 60% of the day, just grotty and tired and teary, and it was an afternoon of minor injuries, tantrums and general unrest. Fingers crossed they wake up on the right side of bed tomorrow!

The sweetcorn fritters we had for dinner (with pancakes for pudding, of course) were yum, it's a great mega cheap recipe. Used up the end of a bag of frozen sweet potato fries and some normal fries too.

Nothing more to write, slightly wiped out by my day!

Three things to do today
1. Menu plan. Done.
2. Food shopping. Done, very cheaply although a few bits to buy in Sainsbury.s tomorrow.
3. Plan work for this week for maximum efficiency in minimum time. Done. Not quite sure how it's all going to get done though.

Savings/Spends:
- £36.52/£28 February 'rounding down' overpayment pot (moved across the rounding down pot from my business account).
- £1,046.80/£5,000 2018 debt repayment goal.
- £37.61 Aldi (food shopping). Probably need to spend a tenner more in Sainsburys on things like dried pulses, then that will get us through until Sunday.

Cherryfudge

warby68 wrote: »

I was only teasing you a bit in case there was a washing up bowl scenario going on.

One day, TOPM, you will write a book entitled "How I didn't buy a washing up bowl and saved £67,031.92 " and you will make a fortune and be featured on the front page of MSE.

Think it's time I went to bed.

Treadingonplaymobil

Week 53: Day 3

Cherryfudge I think you have chosen the title of my book . I frequently think of my fellow MSE-ers while doing the washing up in my ugly, cheap but very functional washing up bowl!

Up early, about to go and do my yoga, and really hoping for a slightly less stressful day today. Hoping DC3 in particular sleeps in a bit and wakes in a good mood. We've got a quiet morning then meeting a friend for a forest walk this afternoon, so hoping for a cheap day. Might pop into the supermarket and grab some juices on the way to save buying extortionate cafe juices. Feeling fairly poor after expensive meal and diesel on the way back from my dad's.

Forgot to mention, had a horrible moment with the car yesterday when it lost power going up a hill on the dual carriageway. Managed to pull over and turn the engine off and on again and it was fine, but it was a bit hairy, with all three DC in the car too. It needs to go in for a service anyway, but I do hope it isn't anything expensive to get it fixed. I will actually cry if it drains all of my savings pots. I wish we could manage to go long enough without dramas to get an emergency fund together. Will get DH to book it in for the next few days if possible.

I am waiting on payment for a client booking for next week which will, assuming it happens, take me (FINALLY) to three months' buffer in my business account, so I think rather than using what's left after topping up the buffer (about £70 I think) to overpay debt I'll shove it straight in the emergency fund to help towards the car service.

We attempted the Virgin/Partnership balance transfer again last night, hoping it goes through and I don't have to go through the performance of changing my name on my Partnership card.

I'm hoping I can get out of the financial doldrums today, and have a better day with the DC than I did yesterday.

Three things to do today
1. Pack and post orders for smaller business.
2. Arrange playdate for Friday.
3. Focus properly on the DC when I can today, rather than being half hearted, in an attempt to kill-with-kindness any nascent tantrums!

Savings/Spends:
- £37.68/£28 February 'rounding down' overpayment pot (moved across the rounding down pot from my business account).
- £1,046.80/£5,000 2018 debt repayment goal.
- £34.35 dinner in services on way home (from family entertainment budget)
- £16.50 on scrapstore visit (£9 membership for the year, £5 on scraps and £2.50 on foam paint rollers) (from Christmas budget).