2018 New year, new focus and new mission

Choccygirl123

I really need to keep updating my dairy more often! 2/3 of the way through the month and definitely getting ready for pay day. Went to local market and stacked up on fruit and veg for £15. Aldi shop for £20 so being resourceful with freezer abd cupboard supplies. I'm back on slimming world so need to plan more than ever.

Choccygirl123

7th of October and I need to update my budget fir this month. It's been quite a spendy one so far with the eldest little-choc birthday. Half term is combo of couple of nights away on the coast and kids going to huge scout Halloween event. Still need to pay the £140ish for this once leaders confirm price.

Nights away are cheap as chips and a loveky self catering flat so chips will be a treat one night and I'll cook the rest of time. Planning on a trip to local town, plenty of walks and £2/3 (already saved the copper) in the arcade. After the last year we're so ready for a break and this will be out only holiday of the year.

Debts are really starting to come down and we did add the repairs to the 0% card. It pushed it up but that's the big spending on house done for a long time now. The credit card is 0% Halifax for 23minths abd balance is £1584 which included the cash transfer fee. Have set repayment as £50 which isn't enough to clear it, but I'm concentrating of smashing the smallest zopa as it's 3.5% and highest interest.




been saving like mad to try and clear some of loan. We're expecting a small insurance pay out so that's going off the smallest zopa loan.

Choccygirl123

Starting better habits again now excuse if dimmer madness out the way. Quick summary of where we're at.

The good points
- All bills paid for the month
- my car brim full of fuel and hubby's 1/2 full
- freezer rammed, but I'm on slimming world now so need to be careful when eating up stocks.
- esa £146 due on Tuesday 15th
- pip £450 due on Thursday 24th
- current balance in joint £244.42
- EF back at £1000
-sealed pot Xmas balance £1016.79 (have spent approx £100 already on sale bargain items)
- savings pots not completely empty £20 in kids clothing, £45.60 in car, £55.26 dog pot and £28 in kid activities scouts and music

The bad / planned outgoings rest of month
-Still need to pay for scout Halloween camp £140ish
- need to pay florist for friends 40th flowers £25
- hubby car fuel £45 in 7/10 days
- holiday food & spends £100
- fruit & veg top up shops £200

teafor2

Hi CG It's all looking good and you definitely seem on top of things. Nice to see you're pots are still on the go You've done really well to get the EF back up to £1k and your Christmas pot is fantastic.

Good to read you did the house repairs. I'm sure you'll have that debt paid off by the time it needs to be and at least you can benefit from the jobs having been done in the meantime.

Have a lovely day. xx

Choccygirl123

I will always keep the pots going tea. They really have changed the way I look at my money and help with budgeting. Just wish I could fill them up more :rotfl:

Have stopped buying fruit and veg in Ald1 safes up throwing it away as it passes so quickly. Went to my local market and spent £19 for the week. I'm really enjoying slimming world but have found it is definitely costing more. I feel so much more energetic sinccstarting 5 weeks ago and my skin better. Have lost 10.5lbs so off to great start.

Cash wise i'd forgotten it was hubby's friends big birthday yesterday . So nipped to Asda and found a lovely 1litreof vodka for £20 instead of £25. Reused shift bag and found a card on my stash.

Very low spend weekend planned with 40th birthday bbq party tomorrow. There's a local auction on tonight do hubby and I going along as have an eye on a clothes surer and study chair. Not been to one for years so quite excited! Will keep an eye out for any potential bargains that I could resell.

teafor2

Morning CG Yep, think I'd be lost without my pots now although hubby seems to think it's money I've got to spend, no matter how many times I tell him they're for things that need paying like dogs and Christmas and it means I'm not asking him for the money!

Fruit is funny isn't it. I'm sure what I buy from TEsco shouldn't last as long as it does but then the stuff I used to buy from Lidl didn't last at all.

Well done on the weight loss, that's loads :T Never been to an auction but it sounds fun. Hope you come away with what you want. Have a lovely weekend and enjoy the birthday BBQ. xx

Justforme

Morning. Just having a nosey through diary land picking up tips. A fellow slimming worlder here too well done on your losses and I totally agree running down and using up is so tricky and sticking to plan, I ad lib a bit to be honest ha.. Can I ask what you have pots for I really want to start pots/envelopes but after ideas of what ones we will need, my son Def needs a school trip one, and we need a bowling pot as that's my son's 'thing' other than that I am lost. Your selling fund is fantastic, we haven't had a local post office for last 12 months but one is opening in our local shop next week so I can finally start selling all my bits and bobs... Hope you enjoy your weekend xx

Choccygirl123

Hi Justfor me, thanksfor popping by. I've only been on SW for 5weeks and have lost 10.5lbs, but have noticed it's definitely taking a toll on my shopping budget! I have swapped to the local market and spend £15/£20 a week, but it last so much longer as is better quality. I still need to attack the freezer and I'm hoping to have fudge teas where I'll have leftovers one night and hubby and the kids can have the naughty pastry/pies and bits that are lurking.

I think everyone works their pots differently, but my inspiration all came from the lovely TEAfor2. Im a bit pants at budgeting and found no matter how much i tried to put the cash away, it'd disappear. I finally twigged that it needs to be in separate bank away from hubby.

We have a joint bank account and i have my own account with the halifax. I have opened up several accounts with them. I always try to use the child benefit just for topping up each pot as and when, but life sometimes gets in the way. I keep my extra income 'sealed pot' with halifax too and just ping any pay-pal survey, ebay cash across to that one so it's never in the joint cash. I'm still getting to grips with it and think when life settles down I need to send cash from the joint account too. It is such a nice feeling knowing when dog groomer due 4 days before pay that cash is waiting.

Choccygirl123

Busy and productive morning, out the house by 8:30, jobs done and shopping all packed away by 9:30! just sat with caramel flavour black coffee and a bowl of defrosted fruit, yogurt and oats (SW all the way!)

Today's summary
- collected two huge free boxes of glasses as desperately needed some wine glasses. Will rehome and sent to charity shop the ones I don't use
- shopping done at tesco, used £3 voucher and found hubby nice bottle of flavoured gin for his birthday at the end of month £12 instead of £15 - out of my account
- Picked up tesco own brand everything for top up shop and nothing chocolatey
-Joint account still has cash it in! Miracle balance available £35.62, but ESA goes in tomorrow.
-Currently cleaning the dishwasher with bottle i found under sink i'd forgotten about. Will let it finish then throw in all the free glasses
- uploaded extra medical documents for child 2's personal accident claim and chased the insurance company. Any cash she receives for injuries will go into her rainy day account. Complex claim but they should pay out for extended hospital stay and clothing after ambulance cut everything off. We've decided whatever this amount pays out we're going to pay it straight off the smallest zopa loan - which balance is £2794.46.
- This afternoon I'll add couple more bits and bobs back on ebay and continue with decluttering and extra cash making and start the ironing mountain that's hiding behind the settee

teafor2

Hi CG Blimey, you were a woman on a mission this morning weren't you :T Must feel good to be able to do things again.

Sorry to hear about DD's accident. Sounds nasty poor thing.

I need to do my on line shop in a bit but first I'd better empty the dishwasher. Also have ironing to do and bed to make. And lots of other jobs that I might just turn a blind eye to for now :cool: xx