Trying to beat this thing called debt..

Kittychick

Not a good day... My daughter asked me to look out for a certain item of clothing in the charity shops near me... It was so specific I didn't think I'd see any... Well of course the shop came up trumps and that was my NSD broken..
After my extra volunteering session this morning the husband and I went for a lovely walk along the canal to the next town... We had a wander round some antique centres and a good laugh at the prices of things from our childhood.. I really don't see how the 1970s has suddenly become so fashionable .
Well, I should have just stopped at that point and gone home... But no, I made the mistake of popping into a (nother) charity shop... Where I couldn't resist a White Stuff top and a Fatface t-shirt... So that's me down to about £26 for the rest of the week. In my favour.. I have lost a couple of clothes sizes this year and I have v few t-shirt etc that aren't really baggy. Also very little food shopping needed... Good job really!!
Also threw caution to the wind and rounded down the pennies in my bank account and transferred 5p into my savings account!
Back in volunteering tomorrow and hoping for a NSD :A

Kittychick

So, it's Friday again..
An OK week, bit more spendy than last week but that's all OK, nothing I hadn't considered and accounted for... Well, not so far anyway!
Only small amounts of shopping done, mainly fresh stuff, milk, fruit, bread and cat food. We have two freezers and one is mainly just for bread or as an overflow.. We seem to be going through bread at a rate of knots at the minute though and not been able to keep up on the yellow stickers..
Been sticking to meal planning and the freezer meals are going down.. We eat veggie most of the time-husband is 100% I'm about 90% so I think this keeps costs down. It's also really helpful that for the last two+ months our little supermarket has had Quorn fillets on offer for £1,normally £1.80ish.. Each time I go and I have a spare pound I buy a bag-a bag does us 4/5 meals. I need to get to Asda to get some chilli beans as that seems to be cheapest place at the minute and then I can do another big batch of chilli for the freezer..
A neighbour of my daughter has an 8 month old baby and was wanting to get rid of some of his clothes and equipment and asked if we could pass it on through a voluntary group as she didn't want it to go to someone who had to pay, even charity shop prices. I got in touch with our local food bank and asked if they knew anyone. They replied that they are dropping off some things for a young couple with a newborn baby girl and would these things be suitable? I explained what there was and that yes some would be gender neutral. I sorted out a bag with vests and baby grows for newborn and 0-3 months when the food bank member explained a little more. It is a young family where dad works full time and any available overtime on minimum wage and this is their first child. Health visitor is concerned mums at risk of PND and they are worried about being able to provide for the baby. I sat there looking at this bag of hand-me-down baby boy clothes and just felt so sad.. As pathetic an attempt at helping it is, I sat and made a pink crochet hat from some lovely soft cotton yarn. At least this little girl has something especially for a girl in this parcel from someone she'll never know. We have dug out an extra couple of bits of equipment that were my grandsons and are passing them on to the food bank as well. It's so sad, especially as my daughter and her partner are in a very similar situation with her being a stay at home mum and him working full time minimum wage... Luckily my daughter and partner have family who can support them on both sides.. Feeling quite emotional today..

Kittychick

Another no- spender so far, but in part cos I was downstairs on sofa with blinding headache and husband was upstairs with migraine-I thought he was working! Had message to say baby items were on way to family with a food parcel... Hope it helps

Kittychick

Definitely not a NSD today but within budget I really shouldn't be allowed in wool shops, another (nearly) £7 spent on wool, this week's been a big spender on wool which is quite unusual for me but because we've been out and about I have been tempted. Having said that we had a really nice afternoon with my daughter and grandson.
Did abit of a revamp on husbands account (with him), and there's a couple of things we need to check next week to see if we can get better quotes.
Bit of a splurge tonight with a takeaway, courtesy of husband.
Added 58p to savings account, nearly £2 in, hoping to get it up abit more tomorrow when it's my official rounding down day, will also make an extra payment on cc as well... All going in right direction..

wishingthemortgaheaway

If I came out of a wool shop having only spent £7 my hubby would be sending me for a health check.

Well done.

louby40

Kitty you are doing so well.

Donating the baby bits to the young couple is very kind and thoughtful - consider it your August good deed. When I think of the stuff we had for our first son it's quite ridiculous - you don't need half of it.

An old family friend taught me to knit when i was about 10 and I made loads of things back in the 80's - but wouldnt have a clue how to knit now.

Kittychick

Thanks wishing... And louby, we are very lucky financially and we know that. Although I don't do paid work I 'work' as a volunteer at a local counselling service-not as a counsellor tho!
Husband decided last year he wanted to do something against the commercialisation of Christmas and we did a 'reverse advent calender' for the local food bank and we gave a few bags of essentials, and some luxury items.. I also made some hats. Since then we have donated quite a few larger items and also added items to the box in the supermarket-I particularly add sanitary towels each time after listening to an item on Womans Hour.
As I said we are lucky financially but because I'm not in paid work things are trickier, hence me being here..as a way of focusing myself and getting my cc paid off on my limited available income as it's important to me that I do it on my own
Anyway, thanks for reading and commenting... Need to get up and feed the furries!

Kittychick

Showing £11 left in my account but I know there's £6 to go out from this afternoon.. Also bit worried I don't think my phone bills gone out recently but I'm assuming if there was a problem they'd contact me as they have my number.. Or they'd block my phone... So I might leave the £5 til tomorrows money goes in... Least it would partly cover it and I'd be in my agreed o/D.. After tomorrow's money goes in I'll transfer it to savings and transfer it back if phone suddenly goes out...
49p more into savings account, £2.33 now in 2 weeks.. When it gets to £10 I'll start looking to order husbands Xmas present, think it's about £12 on amazon.. We only spend about £20 each and then treat ourselves over the Xmas break...

DawnW

Kittychick wrote: »

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A neighbour of my daughter has an 8 month old baby and was wanting to get rid of some of his clothes and equipment and asked if we could pass it on through a voluntary group as she didn't want it to go to someone who had to pay, even charity shop prices. I got in touch with our local food bank and asked if they knew anyone. They replied that they are dropping off some things for a young couple with a newborn baby girl and would these things be suitable? I explained what there was and that yes some would be gender neutral. I sorted out a bag with vests and baby grows for newborn and 0-3 months when the food bank member explained a little more. It is a young family where dad works full time and any available overtime on minimum wage and this is their first child. Health visitor is concerned mums at risk of PND and they are worried about being able to provide for the baby. I sat there looking at this bag of hand-me-down baby boy clothes and just felt so sad.. As pathetic an attempt at helping it is, I sat and made a pink crochet hat from some lovely soft cotton yarn. At least this little girl has something especially for a girl in this parcel from someone she'll never know.

It was not a pathetic attempt at all Kittychick, but such a lovely kind thought. I am sure the young mum was delighted to receive a beautiful, new, hand made hat for her baby :A

Kittychick

Thank you Dawn W, they've been really playing on my mind... My daughter and her partner have it quite tough, he's on minimum wage, they do OK but it's not luxurious... My lovely husband has told them on more than one occasion that they will never be cold or hungry... For a young couple without that support-on an emotional level too, life must be very hard..