£16,000 debt, turning regret into positive action.

LadyP01

Coming to the end of the week and Iv achieved so much.

Christmas update:
I have 3 people left to buy for two of them it’s just stocking fillers so nice and easy and one of them is a gift for a max of £20 but I’m looking for offers.
I did start getting carried away as I was out and getting swayed by all the pretty stuff but I have sat down and put it all on paper and I don’t need to get a few of the extra things I was wanting to get. Yes it would be nice and yes they would love them but they already have good presents from me and they will also get loads of gifts anyway so sticking to budget.
I have £120 left to get the last few bits so Im on track.

Relooked at my money for the month and again on track but I do need to be careful about overspending this week. I’ll talk to my oh about paying half each for everything rather then taking it in turns so we both feel the value of the money. Eating at home as much as possible is also needed to save the money.

Overall Iv had a good week, feeling very organised, refreshed and on budget.

Cherryfudge

You're doing a superb job! I'm not nearly so far ahead with Christmas (and I reckon the shops go over the top with tinsel and glittery stuff as we get closer, to make us think that what were great presents bought early, aren't nearly bling enough. It kind of throws my judgement out of kilter, seeing how much more sparkly things gets compared to what I've bought) !

Eating at home/taking pack ups is definitely the way to save money.

LadyP01

I know what you mean! You find the perfect gifts and because you have already seen them there not as special or as new to you as that luxury looking item that looks more luxury because of the Christmas packaging they have popped it into or like you say the lights and decorations.

Once I’m done with this years Christmas items I’m going to make a list of everyone’s birthdays that I need to buy for and get everything online in the sales so it’s done. Iv already started taking pictures of items to keep an eye out for. There’s a lot more gift items at Christmas so that’s perfect for birthdays and again get them wrapped and sorted so there’s no panic on the lead up to someone’s birthday. Kids especially I can get toys for them in this years sale that are ages appropriate and have them ready and waiting.

Today’s a day off from the Christmas and saving organisation. Just a spend free day with the oh enjoying our Sunday together... magic and relaxing hope everyone else’s day is as good

LadyP01

As I was getting ready this morning it dawned on me the little changes that I started making in feb that have saved me a fortune over the months.

First change I made was to switch from baby oil to body lotion. Not due to price of consumption but because I had loads of body lotions from Christmas that never get used so I focused on using them everyday instead. I still have the baby oil left that I had all those months ago and I’ll use that now it’s getting colder and then back to body lotion once it’s gone. I used to get new baby oil monthly.

Another save is shampoo and conditioner. I purchased me second lot this month. I mix up high end brands with the cheap £1 bottles and always use one high end with one cheapnin rotation. This has actually improved my hair quality aswell as saving me money. The only issue is the £1 shampoo doesn’t keep hair clean for longer then a day so if I know I need my hair to last longer I’ll use the premium stuff. I also use the £1 hair mask once a month and this also does wonders for my hair and that one pot has lasted this whole time.

Body wash... I use everything up from Christmas, gift sets keep me going all year and I’m very thankful for them. I don’t really have baths unless I’m really cold or need to relax so I use the bath stuff as shaving cream, quick mix with water and it’s perfect for legs.

Perfume... i had lots of perfumes that I hardly used. Since starting this journey I decided not to waste anything so Iv been using them up. Iv now been on the look out for cheaper perfumes that smell great and with some great success, I have put lots of perfumes from £6-£15 on my list making perfect stocking fillers and cheap gifts for people to get me and they will see me through the year.

Petrol... filling up little and often has given me a saving and I can push my tank an extra few days if I really think about it.

Eating out... i have a discount card for restaurants which I coudnt get rid of but it has seen me save over the year. Equally I use online vouchers a lot as there’s always an offer on somewhere. Can’t stay in all the time.

Gifts: I have used charity shops heavily this year and I am so pleased with my thoughtful presents. My best Christmas present cost 80p for one person and I can’t wait to give them it as it’s perfect for them. I check the quality of everything and a lot of items are in such great conditions. I’m wondering if we will see a spike in gift items on eBay and local sites from unwanted Christmas presents as that would be handy for some saving items.

I just wanted to jot down some of my saving items as it really got me thinking today how I used to spend money to how I do now.

Cherryfudge

I'm another who uses up gift body lotions all year! Some are so gorgeous that I save them for just before bed so I go to sleep with the nice smell and don't have to wash it off five minutes later because of some need for clean hands that I'd forgotten about.

When you say about shampoos and conditioners, am I right thinking you taking it in turns to use the cheap then the 'posh' one? I've just got a £1 Argan oil shampoo to try because the more expensive one isn't leaving my hair in particularly good condition, and Argan oil has suited me in the past. I wonder if the cheaper shampoo just does the basic job (so needs to be used more often but because it's gentler it isn't so hard on your hair?

I too bought a Christmas present in a charity shop the other day. A cruet set in some antique china that this person collects - all of £2.99. I've started to go to charity shops again but it could be too much temptation.

You must have saved a fair amount with all those things you haven't had to buy!

LadyP01

Hey cherry fudge, yh it’s just as good as the other stuff I just find after a day my hair is greasy not massively but to much for me so I need to wash it. I use the Argan oil shampoo and the deep conditioning as the cheap ones and they are good they should work well for you.

Cherryfudge

Excellent - I'm looking forward to trying it! Still have plenty of Argan oil conditioner but I see that's in the £ shop too.

LadyP01

Back after a week. I have £35 left in my bank account? Not sure if that’s on track or not at first glance although I feel it might be. Update on that tomorrow.

Lots of Christmas presents arrived by post this week so wrapping will commence this weekend.
I also found a few stocking fillers I was looking for at massively discounted prices.

Had a lot of spends this week... third hair cut of the YEAR usually I have around 7/8 cuts a year but this year Iv got that down to 3! Iv let it grow out and do some different looks with it until it becomes unmanageable and then got it cut. Let’s see if I can push my next cut till March?

Lots of spends on parking, cinema, food and drink this week although we have choose cheaper options where possible and eaten in where we can.

Hope your all having a good weekend

LadyP01

4 days left till pay day.

Counted everything up today and I have over £50 left and just one bill of £19 left to pay. A great month but I wish I’d been able to pay more off to debt.

Two more payment before the year ends fingers crossed I could get another £1000 paid off.

Christmas is also nearly done. Iv purchases two more extra gifts and I’m
Struggling with a couple of other ones but I’m feeling really organised still

LadyP01

More money spent today. Some of it as I was bored but all on stuff I needed but stuff I was going to wait till payday to get. Either way it was all gifts and all came out the present pot so still on budget.

I might sit down in a bit and do next months budget. Ideally I need to be paying off as close to £900 a month if I want to hit my may target I appreciate that really that will probably be more July but I want to at least put £700 away whenever I can.

December is going to be a hard month with lots of met ups. Iv scaled some back to cheaper things but it’s the month to be sociable so a few outings will be good.

I’m hoping that by this time next year I will have a pot of £4000 built up for house savings!!! That’s the dream and that’s the aim and it’s more
Important then ever that I remind myself that the goal is to have all of that saved up for then so I don’t overspend.

Back to Christmas shopping. I have overspent on the oh’s presents because I wants to treat him. Now what I have got is a lot less then usual but still way over the £60 budget we have set. I need to stop so I might just get the one cheap item I wanted to get that costs the same as a coffee which I had at home today instead of out so that’s a saving to pay for it and then stop after that.

I hope everyone likes there presents this year and I’m looking forward to being extra savvy wth next years presents.
Getting closer to completion...