Dusty's Frugal Fortnights

dustydigger

So here we go,the tougher fortnight with lots of big bills.:(

Dusty's Frugal Fortnight : 26th November - 9th December
income: £291 from Mr Dusty,£71 my pension, total £362
outlay:
Save the Children DD - £3
Water Aid DD - £3
Asd@ online shop - £65
birthday fund - £10
NS&I (for USA trip) - £50
gas and electric - £91
phone and broadband - £35
Asd@ delivery charge - £5
Home Budget Box (cash) - £141


total outlay - £403

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that requires a top up of £41 to balance the books. Ouch.
That's because of that £50 saving for the USA trip.Its only £280 saved so far,or £330 with this months addition,because of having to give a hefty £400 to DD1 with her sudden move to the new flat. And almost £90 of that £330 has to pay for a new passport.I want to sort out all Xmas cash allocations to family this fortnight,and then start the passport application process.My old passport lapsed years ago,and I know I am going to have problems with the application,as some of the questions dont apply precisely,and the passport was originally renewed in Africa.My daughter used to work in the Passport Office,and is sure I am going to need an interview.Oh,the joys of bureaucracy!:mad:. Anyhoo,thats the hassle in December,forget it for now. Plenty of things to crack my head for this month.:D

Onebrokelady

Yay glad your back,I wonder what happened,very bizarre that you were banned

beanielou

Good to see you today too.

dustydigger

Ouch! Not been on here for 2 weeks.:eek: Life has been fraught as ever,and my mental state very low,though physically I am a little better,the arthritis is in remission in the hands Just when I was ready physically to do some posting,I have been so depressed lethargic and struggling to cope with life I couldnt force myself into talking to people.You cant win.:)
For now I'll just post my budget and see if I can psych myself up enough later to make updates on my life

dustydigger

Dusty's Frugal Fortnight : 10th Dec - 23rd Dec
income : £291 from Mr Dusty,£71 my pension,total £362

outlay:
water rates- £36
Turn2Us DD - £3
life insurance - £20
asd* delivery - £60 (estimate)
butcher's xmas order - £50 (est.)
magazines/books - £25
HBB (home budget box - cash) - £141

total budget - £362
total outlay - £335
surplus - £27

So pleased this was my easier fortnight.
+ I have GD3 birthday and my perm,but I have been saving up for them,they are sorted:)
+I set up a new DD for a charity,Turn2us after watching a programme about how people when they lose their jobs,increasingly common in these tough economic times,are suffering terribly from the government's iniquitous universal credit and bedroom tax policies.So many people needing food banks,its disgraceful.Barely causes a ripple in society,but I bet if they tried it on in France there would be an even bigger national uproar than for the fuel tax riots:rotfl: (UK fuel went up 18% this year,and we just grumbled and tried to change our energycompanies. But once you've done that 2 or 3 years the pickings are slim.)
https://www.turn2us.org.uk
+my asd@ delivery is very small compared with previous years. I am stocked up with normal things,got all my drinks with the Tesc* vouchers and today my Icel@nd delivery of chocs,sweets,and a few frozen items was delivered. I can now put everyone's stuff in their bags,though,I do still have to get some magazines/books etc as stocking fillers,but the presents situation is pretty much sorted.I gave adults money envelopes,a bottle and sweets,only wrapping parcels for the Angel,Imp and Cinders (GGD1 is called Ella!:)).Oh boy,when all my kids were small,I spent weeks wrapping parcels after they went to bed.:)
Anyhoo,I wont need much from Asd@in fact most of it will be stuff for between Xmas and New Year,so I hope for a cheaper fortnight then.
+big bill at the butchers:eek: - lamb,chicken,beef,then cooked ham,pease pud,stuffing etc for sandwiches for tea/supper Xmas Day. I refuse to make a full meal that night,most of us just have a sandwich,then the whole kit and kaboodle of kids,partners,grandkids and a neighbour friend trot of to our local for the rest of the night,I flake out. But Mr Dusty,nuisance as ever,doesnt eat cold food,or cold sandwiches,so I buy us a takeaway and leave some of it for DD2,who always stays with us over Xmas and happily eats it at midnight!:D.£20 spent when we have a load of food in the house,but I'd rather pay for it than stand cooking after the Xmas dinner marathon,and 7 hours of visitors!:rotfl:
Doubtless I will use up that £27 surplus with things I will have forgotten but for the most part financially and planning-wise, Xmas is sorted:T:T

beanielou

Sorry that you have not been at your best.
Keep plodding

Chrystal

Hope you feel better soon Dusty. ((hugs))

Re the sandwiches have you tried the toastie bags that you put in the toaster? Brilliant for hot sarnies (as long as he'll eat the filling!) :eek::rotfl:

dustydigger

The only sandwich he eats is his ubiqutous peanut butter,when he once in a blue moon has mushroom soup for a light supper,or lightly toasted with omelette filling for breakfast. But classed as a meal,definitely not!:rotfl:
No,we'll enjoy our chinese takeaway a lot:D

beanielou

You are an :A

dustydigger

Sorted out all the Xmas stuff into individual bags last night. I was short a big bar of Galaxy for DS1 and a bottle of WKD for GD2,plus a few cans of lager for any visitor who doesnt want wine,so I think I have done very well preparing the goodybags this year:T
Got Mr Dusty to get down the case holding all the Xmas decorations from on top of the wardrobe,will sort them out tonight,and will put the tree up probably Thursday as its the history group on Wednesday afternoon. It gets dark so early I need to start straight after dinner. to get everything sorted before the lights go on.
At least I got the main work in the sitting room done last week,despite the somewhat dodgy knees,which dont like stepladders.Managed to get up the ladder and clean all the drops on the chandelier,(they were really really dull:eek:),cleaned the leather suite and polished the furniture.
Will change the curtains and clean windows tomorrow,but will ignore the blinds,which havent been cleaned for years,cant face stand on the ladder fiddling with all the fittings.:)
Still boxes scattered around the room though,and loads of books behind the couch which need to go to the charity shops,will try to do that this week.want it all sorted so that when I put the tree up thats it for the sittingroom,cosmetic tidying only from then on.