2018 New year, new focus and new mission

Choccygirl123

Nothing cash to update. Hubby needs to fill his car again for busy running kids around weekend. Meal planning and prepping going well. Had a random meal last night but it was tasty and filling, even if hubby did look at his plate and say !!!!!!?

I made pulled pork on Wednesday and had a bit left over for yesterday, but not enough for 4. Decided to throw it into boiled rice, sweet corn, carrot and peas . Mixed well and covered in grated cheese....pulled pork surprise! It was lovely. The youngest has taken the leftovers for lunch. It feels like we're changing our habits. I know previously the leftover pork in fridge for couple of days and it'd have ended up in the bin. Small victories!

Counting down to pay day again as scraping through the month again!

teafor2

Morning CG Laughing at your husbands reaction. You'll have to make sure there's some pulled pork left over in future if it was a hit.

I'd love to be able to get away with homemade soup and rolls one evening for a quick meal but I know hubby would say "ooh a starter, what's for mains" :rotfl: Even baked potatoes have to have chili with them, which although lovely defeats my object of just being able to grate some cheese and add beans.

Hope you have a lovely weekend. xx

Choccygirl123

Well July has turned out to be a horrendous month cash wise! Unexpected bills, and unavoidable and unexpected extra spending and we're officially skint. I've had to use our full £800 EF to pay them and I'm gutted. Definitely feel like one step forward and two back. The positive is that our debt hasn't grown.

I have managed to pay for a week by the water as our holiday. Will be very low cost spend and the rest August the kids are busy with free bits planned. I'm hoping to clear the £85 music lessons and club fees for next term £55. I'd love to add £100/£200 back into EF but need to work the budget out.

The saving pots still have few pounds squirrelled away, but nothing huge. I need to draw a line in the sand and get back on track now.

Spending wise, the car needs fuel £60 and kids need £5 each spend for trip. I've made us the challenge of only spending this! Roll on pay day. Arrrrrghhhh!

teafor2

Oh blimey CG I'd be really gutted if everything I'd saved had gone as well. But like you say the silver lining is you've not put anything on a CC.

A week away sounds like it'll do you the world of good. Family time is just as important as paying down debt in my humble opinion, although getting the balance right is also essential and something I have no doubt you're absolutely on top of.

We went to the pier last night with DS and I got stung for £5 as he'd left his spends at the van. :cool: Not done anything like that for months though and we all really enjoyed it so not complaining.

Have a lovely evening and enjoy the rest of your weekend. xx

Choccygirl123

I am gutted tea and I'm cross. Not all our doing but we've left £500 to myMIL ...long story and I'm too cross to even write about it. I say lend, but know I'm more likely to be a size 10 again than to see a penny. It's done now but a line is drawn!

Moving forward I can't wait to sort my budget for August and see how much I can get hidden away again. Of course, I need to think of new school bits for September but hoping it'll be 2 pairs shoes (only buy Clark's as last so well) abd a new blazer for #2.

The only thing that's keeping me smiling is my sealed pot bank for Christmas is looking really healthy. I've spent £92.75 bought a few bits and bobs so far and there's still £788.03 sat in there. Going to keep selling and surveying until I hit the 1k made this year! I've made £880.78 since January. Hubby suggested we take the MIL cash out, but no chance! I've worked too hard saving that and I know I don't had to worry about Christmas.

teafor2

It's hard to comment without knowing the background but it's a shame if you've been good enough to lend the money that you think there's little or no hope of it coming back. If that were me I'd probably encourage small repayments that took ages rather than have nothing back, but only you know the best way forward.

I do think sticking to your guns about using the Christmas pot is right. That's money you've personally put the effort into saving so I'd feel the same way. You've done really well saving so much :T sounds like Christmas is going to be good on all fronts in your household and starting the NY without taking debt for it forward will be fantastic.

I have a full uniform to buy for DS, plus new shoes and a new rugby shirt because they've changed the design :mad: So quite a bit to spend but thankfully there's only him to buy for. xx

Choccygirl123

I've drawn a line and let it go. It's been eating me up because it's been a regular thing over our marriage. This officially last time. I'm done not another penny. After the bumping year we've had with my health and no sick pay. I'm blinking annoyed but it's too late now.

I'm concentrating on sorting August budget out as it's finally pay day tomorrow. Yipeee! I need to get us on back on track, eating healthier and sticking to our budget.

Choccygirl123

Pay day has been and gone and it feels good to have some cash again.

I've paid off the music lessons, £30 towards the next school trip and £15 into the lunch account. I love seeing the bills flying out and everything being paid another month. Getting to that point where account nearly empty whilst waiting for the next lot coming in.

I'm loving have the kids around abd we've been busy decluttering abd selling bits and bobs. Just had another 5 items sell on eBay so need to get them wrapped.

My sealed pot bank account is looking great and I've nearly hit my Xmas target. Balance today is £842.17 (already spent £92.75 on presents in the sales) keeping on selling until I hit that 1k total made. Just £65.08 to go, but I love round numbers so trying to replace the £92.75 I've already spent.

teafor2

Hi CG I like 'pay day' as well and especially knowing what I've got left to play with.

Sounds like you're on top of everything and your sealed pot Christmas money amount is amazing. I'd be inclined to aim for £1k as well, even though you've already spent some. Remind me, have you only been doing this since January? If so you've done fantastic. :T I Don't doubt for one minute you'll hit your target with still quite a few weeks to go - just checked that and it's 20 weeks and 3 days

We're also enjoying the holidays, especially the more leisurely starts to the day. xx

Choccygirl123

Wow summer is nearly over and I feel like I've blinked!

We've bought all the new uniform, sports kits, shoes and stationery supplies and are officially ready for back to school on Wednesday.

Money wise everything has been budgeted for I've kept hold of our spending. Just waiting for rest of our direct debits to go out and rental to come in, but it's looking ok.

Tea my 'sealed pot' is from 1/1/19 and is any extra income from selling junk, cashback and surveys. I've had a selling frenzy and hit my target! The balance currently stands at £1026.30 (excluding the £92.75 I've already spent on Xmas presents)

Targets
Post on diary daily
Meal plan
Check banking daily
Sell sell sell the junk!