Tales from the Avenue

TalesfromtheAvenue

£17.10 profit from the ebay sale after postage, now allocated to 'holiday spends' pot.

I also found quite a good amount of 'stuff' to ebay last night. Washed some of the old clothes to freshen them up a bit, so will photograph and list them tonight along with the other bits I found. There's also some household bits that aren't suitable for posting, so I will try FB selling pages or gumtree for those. Nothing of great value, but will hopefully add a few more ££s to the pots and clear a bit of space.

I need to get some shopping tonight, so we're off to ASDA armed with my vouchers so I don't need to spend any actual money from the bank account.

I have been planning a few free & cheap days out over the Easter hols. OH kindly gave me a pass for a local wildlife place with DS loves, so we will be making use of that for the days we're not away. I'm also planning a picnic and fun day in the garden (weather permitting!) and a few egg hunts with some plastic fillable eggs I bought cheaply. DS just loves finding the eggs, he's not even fussed if they're filled!
Add in some Easter cake baking and a trip to the (local) seaside and I think we're sorted

TalesfromtheAvenue

I joined a couple of survey sites yesterday. I really dislike doing them, but they did help when I was paying off the debt I was in some years ago and, although not in debt now, they will certainly help with a bit of spending money, especially at Christmas, so I gritted my teeth and signed up to two. I've had a few surveys already, so look forward to seeing those rewards totals build up gradually.

TalesfromtheAvenue

A couple more surveys completed this evening, not so bad doing them whilst watching tv.

I've listed two bundles of clothing on eBay, I have three more items I could list but I've lost the will now for tonight, so I'll do those another time. Same applies for the bulkier household items I need to advertise locally.

Tea tonight was HM lasagne, batch cooked and taken out of the freezer for DS and HM soup for me that I made at the weekend. We shared some garlic bread given to us by DS's Dad yesterday, to use up.

ASDA shop came in at £28, but this did include 3 Easter eggs for gifts and £4 worth of plants for the garden. That's the Asda gift cards all but gone now.

I've started putting a few non-perishable groceries aside for our mininbreak with the kidlets at Easter. Will save the pennies later on and hopefully reduce the need to do a big shop before we go.

Off for a soak in the bath and early night

TalesfromtheAvenue

Oooh, bids on one ebay listing already and watchers on both

I have an early finish today as have a water meter being installed which should cut my currently monthly bills by nearly half. It's a nice sunny day so I hope to be able to do lots of washing and line dry it, maybe do a bit of work in the garden and walk to the shop to post the last ebay sale.

Lunch is more HM soup and some bread, tea for both of us will be something from the freezer

TalesfromtheAvenue

It's been a while but I'm sneaking back in...

Life has been busy. And expensive.

A nail in my (best) tyre last week cost me nearly £90. Wasn't a great end to our little break away.
The garage also gave news that I need two new tyres on the front of my car. It'll just have to wait, as I don't have the money to cover that in the car fund atm. Hopefully I'll be able to cover it after payday next week.

I have also had a cough and cold for over 3 weeks now and it's really starting to get me down. I'm not sleeping great as am coughing all night and today I feel like I've been hit by a bus. I have no energy at all, I just wish this flippin bug would do one now.

I lost track of the budgets and unfortunately had to transfer funds out of a couple of my savings pots to make sure the main account didn't go overdrawn. There's now only £75 in my car & house pot, the overpayments pot is empty and the ISA is down by £100 which I transferred to cover the tyre.

I have £50 left to last me until Tuesday, need to spend £10 on a gift for a birthday and probably don't need to spend anything else on groceries etc, so will make it last easily. Anything left will be swept into the car & house pot to try and build that back up again. It is worrying me that I don't have any savings to cover emergencies if anything goes wrong in this house. I had a minor emergency earlier in the month when there was an issue with the electrics in the house, thankfully, it's been covered by the home insurance, but will probably mean my policy cost will increase next year. I also need to save for my car's MOT which is due in the summer, just in case there's anything that needs doing.
This morning I have had a good look at the budget and finances and planned for next month. I just really need to keep up with YNAB for the entire month, instead of forgetting or getting disheartened with it all halfway through.

On a positive note, I have been doing lots of surveys and have already built up around £10 in payments which I'm pleased with. I have also sorted and earmarked lots of bits to sell on ebay or Gumtree too, so I shall make the effort to do so one evening next week.

I've washed and line-dried a tonne of washing today and cut the grass. It's a lovely sunny day here today and I was hoping to spend the day outside, but I'm feeling so rubbish and tired, so that hasn't really happened.
An early night is on the cards for us both tonight I think.

xx

Bobarella

Hello Tales

The thing about the water meter is interesting. We only pay £26 a month as it is, and I really can't see how we'd save money being on a meter, but it's something that makes me wonder every so often.

I hope you manage to shake the lurgies.

Bob

TalesfromtheAvenue

Thanks Bob. I forgot to add, unfortunately they are unable to fit a water meter as my main is shared. The guy who came out said that they can put me on a lower tariff as its only myself and DS living here, but it won't be as cheap as a water meter. I need to chase that up tomorrow as I have heard nothing since then, apart from them sending me a 'water saving' pack.


I've been feeling quite concerned about finances and the future today. I've even been looking into whether re-mortgaging to a lower rate deal will help me save money at all, but unfortunately it's unlikely to with my early repayment fees.
I think, the truth of the matter is, that I really have to pull the purse strings as tight as I can now. That is the only way I am going to be able to stay PT to be around for DS before and after school, pay the bills and not lose the house. Either that, or I need to find myself a man with money, or win the lottery!
Joking aside, it's so hard staying afloat when you're the only breadwinner in the house.

Honeysucklelou2

I really admire the way you have moved and gone pt to be able to be there for your son. I have every sympathy with being the only breadwinner. I find the financial anxiety tends to come in waves.

Bobarella

You are doing an amazing job. So sorry it's a struggle.

TalesfromtheAvenue

Thank you both. I agree about the waves of anxiety Honeysuckle. Mine is definitely worsened by not having any emergency fund too, I get so anxious about that, so that really does have to be my first focus now I think.

Thank you for your kind words Bob.
xx