2018 New year, new focus and new mission

teafor2

Mmm, your extras sound good. I try not to worry too much about the spends on food at Christmas, it's always a shocker but evens itself out afterwards when we're still eating turkey and ham in the NY :rotfl:

It's a half day for DS on Friday so he's happy about that. Do they do that at your DC's school? Hope you have a lovely day.

Choccygirl123

My two finish at 1:45 and school buses ship them all out at 2. Ny hubby has already finished work and is using up some left over leave. I can't wait Friday night to just to snuggle up the four of us.

Go to admit this is the first year I've really had to watch the food spends. We've now got 9 for Christmas lunch, so we didn't go for the supermarket turkey in the end. Hubby ordered a butchers one with bacon, mini sausages abd stuffing. We've been buying all the extra bits over last few weeks like prawns booze etc. In years gone past we'd happily spend £300 in one shop around this time.

I'm trying to keep control of the spends because once it goes wrong I give up. My aim this year is just to scrap through without hitting the overdraft.

teafor2

Wow, 9 is a lot for the actual lunch, but from what you've said I bet your DC will be a massive help in the kitchen.

For the past few years it's been more about us making the decision not to spend so much on food and gifts. None of us are real foodies anyway so anything a little bit out of the ordinary, like cheese with bits in, is a big thing here :rotfl:

I'm looking forward to Friday as well or rather Saturday morning when we don't all have to get up at the crack of dawn. Bliss. x

Choccygirl123

It's an extra 3 which in scheme of things is just few extra spuds and veg. Hubby always cooks Christmas dinner and I prep all veg, make stuffing abd trimmings and help him with timings. I love doing it together and it's part of our tradition now.

I'm a bit of foodie and just love Christmas treats. My poor waist line doesn't live it as much! Our local health authority Alsace a trail to encourage middle aged people to buy more healthy and we've been accepted for a 12 week slimming world trial. I need to lose 2stone which will help with my recovery and majesty physio easier.

Choccygirl123

Food shop is done....thank goodness! Up early and visited Aldi, Tesco and Asda in town and home by 10:30! Money is stretching but not that far. We've had to buy fuel as well so the account is looking empty!

Available balance £2.46 :eek:

Still have the balance to pay for the turkey and meat order which will be around £65. Rather than dip into our EF I've said to hubby I'll pay for it out of my account. (Sorry tea..our pact doesn't start until jan) I'm going to say to dad I don't want him to pay, he's always really good and potters around doing jobs I'd have to pay for.

I've got £157.48 squirrelled away in my own account. This has been adding up over last few months as I've been pretty much housebound since August. It's paid for the odd lunch out with friends, but I've not bought any clothes since July. I have paid for all hubby's Christmas presents too, so I'm chuffed it's doing so well. Normally I'd be in my OD by few hundred at this time of year!

Just waiting for family to arrive and then can relax and finish icing our Christmas cake.

teafor2

December is just a trial run Choccygirl If we can survive this month with even just a few pennies left over and at least acknowledging we need to think of ourselves in the NY then we deserve a pat on the back.

Love the sound of you and hubby making Christmas lunch together. I tend to just do it myself, only me to blame for that though....again

Have a lovely day with the family. x

Choccygirl123

I vowed we wouldn't hit the OD or credit cards again, so moved £100 from my account. New year is definitely a new start though and I'm going to be selfish!

Money wise account now showing £102.46 available and hubby going to pick up turkey, sausage meat, mini sausages and bacon today. We do get 10% discount off with local butcher due to my hubbies work. I'm expecting it to empty the account. I'd love to see few pence (at least sat in there) but if it goes over I'll take the outstanding out of my £57. I really am starting as I mean to go on for 2019! No more overdrafts or credits.

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas. X

Choccygirl123

We're officially ready for Christmas! Hubby has collected the meat order for butchers, panic bought some extra wrapping paper and a couple of extra bits including two huge pork pies. Total spending all logged and I've transferred £18.24 from my account so our account available is zero!

This is officially our first Christmas that we've not added to Christmas card debt of been dig in our overdraft. Feel like making progress st last.

My pay is showing as pending £340 sick pay as I normally get paid 25/26 of the month. Plan is to try and scrape through to hubbies pay day on 31st with spending another penny! Cupboards are rammed, we have huge turkey, loads of trimming and fridge food of yumminess.

Looking forward to updating my debt total on 31st which is the anniversary of our diary. I know the debt has shifted much, but with everything we've achieved diy/house improvement, holiday and me being in long term sick. 2019 will be a challenge for first few months but we'll get there.

Choccygirl123

By hook and by crook we've made it to my pay day without hitting a CC or OD. Our shopping is complete and we should only need bread and milk in couple of days. Hubby will be paid on 31st December so it's all good.

I've bitten the bullet and finally applied for PIP. I need a major reconstruction op and skin graft in the new year and it'll be a long healing process. I think work will let me go in the new year due to funding, so every penny counts more than ever. I just hope that if this is the case I'm hoping I'm paid At least until end of Feb, due to hubby have to repay hr muck up on his claims.

Available balance £340.03

teafor2

Well done on not having to dip into a CC or OD, that's a fantastic achievement. You should be really pleased with yourselves.

I've no idea what PIP is but goodness me Choccygirl, a reconstruction op and a skin graft sound a major deal. I really hope everything works out for you.

Wishing you and your family a Very Merry Christmas. xx