Striving to save and stay solvent!

MeandO

Had a lovely weekend, but seems like a long time ago already.

Still keeping track of spends in YNAB. Budgets not looking great but only 8 days until payday, so should be fine. Child benefit should be paid in soon too.
Tesco sent me £7 off a £50 spend voucher, so I think I will do a big shop just before payday as that is quite a saving.

I paid £15 of old £5 notes into my bank account yesterday that I found in a forgotten stash, so that's boosted the funds a little.
5p roadkill found too.

Some family members stayed last night for an event that was on locally. Was nice to see them and enjoyed having company in the house, DS was over the moon too. They've left today and it does make me realise how much I miss having 'my people' around and how much DS misses them too.

I need to fill the car up with diesel today as is presently running on fumes. Should keep me going for the best part of 3 weeks then as have no long distance trips planned.

Happy Thursday all
x

MeandO

I had another Tesco online shop delivered on Monday, making the most of my free month of delivery saver and using a £7 off a £50 spend voucher I was sent. Still liking the ease of the online shopping and it has highlighted that I only really do 'big shops' twice a month. I just need to stop the 'picking up things I don't need' when top-up shopping in between.

Lunch was a lovely mystery tupperware meal from the freezer (label had fallen off) which turned out to be lentil and chicken curry I'd made a while back. Had this with a naan leftover from a supermarket curtry meal OH and I had last night and a bit of salad. Yum.

I've had to buy some summery clothes to survive this heat unfortunately. My wardrobe consisted pretty much entirely of jeans, hoodies and long armed tops (as I don't like getting my arms or legs out), so I've bought a few cooler tops and a pair of cropped jeans. All purchased from tesco/asda/DP sale, but money I didn't really want to spend. Also purchased DS some school shorts to keep cool in the heat.

I'm also, unfortunately, no longer debt free. I opened a credit card account a while back with sainsbury's 0% on purchases (for ages) offer. So far though, I've been really disciplined with it and have already paid back £75 as an extra payment to it, beforethe first payment has even been due. There is currently around £175 on it to pay back which I'm hoping to be able to pay off next month.

I do feel like I can breathe a bit now in case of emergencies and I am very reluctant to spend on it, so am feeling confident I won't be running up debts I struggle to repay.

This morning I've taken advantage of a free £12 Argos CB offer with TCB. I've gone all out and ordered a new plastic washing basket as mine has broken in 6 places and I'm fed up with dropping washing on the way to the line, and some pegs as mine seem to have been eaten by the peg monster lately. After the £12 CB, it would have cost me £1.97. :T

We had a day out last weekend thanks to some tesco clubcard vouchers and OH topped up the extra needed for entry fees. Kids enjoyed, I was waaaaay too hot and glad to leave, but only cost me £3 for ice creams in the end as we took a picnic.

Payday is 2 days away and am looking forward to stashing a bit more towards savings and paying a bit off the card. Am reluctant to spend now, much prefer seeing the savings go up!

X

anna_1977

Hi MeandO
I have just come across your diary and will be subscribing!
Regarding joining SW or WW - I live in Hampshire and our Dr's have started doing a referral service - I went to see Dr, said i was feeling down and rubbish about myself and was referred to my choice of WW or SW for 12 weeks. also with that was a 12 week gym pass for only £50! might be worth looking into.

Another thing I started this year was something called Shop and Scan - you basically have to scan your shopping with a small barcode reader, submit readings and photo/upload a copy of your receipt. I started in October last year and already have £65 worth of Amazon vouchers saved up - if you want me to refer you to do this send a PM.

Good luck

MeandO

Thanks Anna, very kind of you to pop in and post. As for SW and WW, I'm sure I'd benefit from them (done both before ), but it's as much a time issue for me now unfortunately as there aren't any meetings close to me at a convenient time (ie. when DS is at his Dad's).

Shop and scan sounds interesting, I'll take a look, thank you!

MeandO

Payday was on Friday and I've had a fairly spendthrift weekend so far. I did spend £30 on a gift for DS for Christmas, but it was half price and will be put away now to save me money later on.
I also picked up my washing basket and pegs, paid for by a TCB offer. Basket is a bit flimsy, but it'll do for now.

Money has been transferred to various pots and YNAB is up to date.

Tonight I need to chase a return I sent off a week ago and get some orders made and ready to post.

I caught up with lots of surveys this morning, I'd not done any all weekend so there were a fair few to do. Hopefully I should be able to cash those in soon.

DS needed new trainers, school shoes, shorts and a school t-shirt, so that lot came to £46.50 as shoes and trainers were in the clarks sale. I budgeted £50, so a few £'s under budget there which I'm sure will be needed in another pot soon.

We're supposed to be having food out tonight, but I have some vouchers, so should be fairly cheap hopefully.

Happy Monday all
x

MeandO

Last week I had an email come through with 'your energy bill is due' from a company who used to supply the house when I moved in. I had a nightmare with them at the time, they acknowledged they'd messed up and waived some charge, promising I'd not hear from them again. Well, 7 months later I receive a bill for £158 from them. :mad: I phoned up and complained, even the guy on the phone admitted it should never have been sent 7 months later, he waived £20 but that's all they will do, so I've just had to put £138 on the credit card.

Fed up!

MeandO

Meal out was £21, paid for in cash with money I had in my purse, so no dent on the bank account there.

I tried to track the return I sent over a week ago - it looks like the courier company have lost it as it's not reached the destination and they have no idea where it is. I need to chase that up tomorrow and see what can be done about it as it contained around £100 worth of goods for refund.

MeandO

Returned package sorted after a lengthy call to customer services. £115.60 refunded to the credit card.

I've had another order for £25 from my small business, so need to make that and get it sent. I also hope to list a couple of things on ebay tonight as it's the last day of the £1 capped fees offer. I don't have much to list presently, but there's a couple of low value bits to put on there.

I've brought lunch to work for the rest of the week now (eggs to scramble!), and I shouldn't need to buy any groceries this week either.

I had a quote for more work needed in the house last night - another £310. So when I've paid for this and the door/windows in July, I'll only have around £400 left in the account to cover the rest of the bathroom work needed + the car MOT and insurance due the latter half of this year.

Best I get saving then... _pale_

Chandelier.

It's awful when things crop up isn't it? Have you had more then one quote for the work needed so you can compare?

You're sounding very organised with your lunches to work. I started off being organised then it all went a bit pear shaped .

That must be so frustrating with the energy company. Can you send off a big complaint to the CEO regarding this?

Have a good day.

MeandO

Hi Chandelier, thanks for popping by

Yes, believe it or not, that is quite a reasonable quote as the same guy is doing it that is completing the rest of my ongoing renovations of old doors and windows, so has given me a good price. He's a lovely chap too and very trustworthy, just a shame I don't have more dosh in the bank to cover everything without feeling a bit squeaky about it.

I don't actually get a lunch break at work now, so I have to bring lunch in or not eat - believe me, I was never this organised when I was full time! :rotfl:

I was thinking of sending a complaint, but I'm juggling so many other things at the minute that temptaion is to just draw a line under it and move on (and never use that particularly "un CO-OPerative" energy provider ever again.