Mrs S.....life after debt

MrsSave

I can't believe that a week of September has already gone!! It has been a truly expensive week! It was all budgeted for, needed and all planned but it's still shocking when it happens. Both boys are moving to the next clothes size. Ds2 is getting some hand-me-downs from ds1, but does still need a few bits. I've bought a few things for ds1 from Asda/Matalan and am keeping an eye on some jeans bundles on eBay for him. Ds2 had his feet measured and needed new shoes. The choice in Clarks was dreadful, there was literally nothing for his age that we liked so I have ordered him a pair from M&S at a fraction of the price (I've had a bad experience with supermarket shoes for the boys so tend to avoid those).

I mentioned a way of making a little more money and I've started that. It's going pretty well and I've made a few sales. I've almost broken even with what I spent out originally so I'm really happy with that in just over a week.

There's not much else going on at the moment really. Ds1 is back in school so back fully in the swing of things. He seems to be really happy with his new teacher and enjoying playing with his friends. Work has been a little crazy this week but we got through it (with the help of chocolate!).

MrsSave

Well........at the beginning of August I downloaded the habit share app to track NSDs. This week I have only had 1 nsd. And that was today. Not great. Tomorrow won't be one either as I'm taking ds1 on a clothes hunt! I've had 5 so far in September and that's far from good enough. Next week things will improve!!

Other than that things are going ok. I'm starting a house de-clutter. It's very slow progress but that's ok. At least it's going in the right direction. The living room has been done, and I've sorted the cleaning cupboard in the kitchen. I want to sort the bathroom cabinet and the landing next. We have quite a big landing with plenty of space to dump things. And there is plenty 'dumped' there at the moment. That's one of next week's tasks.

I've spent quite a bit of today in bed and feeling run down (hence the nsd :rotfl: ). I've done quite a bit of overtime in work over the last few weeks, and I find my head is buzzing a lot of the time and I can't just sit and relax. I think my body is screaming out for me to rest and eat healthier (next week's shopping list is looking nice and healthy!). Work is also back to normal next week so fingers crossed I shift whatever this is.

MrsSave

This morning I have reconciled YNAB. I update it religiously, but hadn't reconciled for a few weeks (probably since the beginning of the month). Everything is correct (thankfully) and I can see where I stand now for the rest of the month.

I've also amended my savings goals this morning. I had 2 priorities and have met them both, so have moved a couple of others up the list to prioritise and recalculated how much each will get. At the beginning of the month only the 2 main savings goals get money, then any money I make during the month, or any leftovers from other pots gets split between all goals (all at different percentages). I find that this works well, and I managed to meet my last 2 goals quite effortlessly. My next 2 goals are quite a bit higher in value, though, but I'll get there!!

I've got pork to cook today for dinner, and hoping for some lovely crackling!! Early-ish lunch, though, so that I can take ds1 clothes shopping. I need to take a look at my list to see exactly what he needs (and I'll probably pick up some things for ds2 as well as he's not far off moving to the next clothes size!). Supermarket fun today :rotfl:

MrsSave

I'm on the payday countdown!! Payday Friday, and a fresh new month starts next Monday. I have completely overspent this month. Just on random stuff, eating out and generally non essentials. I had a bad month in June, and we are in a similar situation again. My own fault. NSDs have been pretty much non existent. I have started Christmas shopping, but have money put aside for that so it isn't an issue. I think the problem is that Christmas shopping has put me in a spending mindset and I can't seem to stop!!!

Every Friday night ds1 goes swimming, and I generally pop into town to pick up anything I need. We then every week question, what shall we have for dinner. So far we have eaten out each week. One was just a McDonalds but that's still double figures. I am using the excuse that I have been unwell, was feeling rubbish one Friday and the one afterwards I was literally starting to feel better and had that day gone back to work after a few days in bed. Still, that needs to change. I'm food shopping today, and going to pick up some child friendly microwave meals at £1 each (I know, it's cheaper and healthier to make them but believe me, it will be an improvement!!!). I'm hoping something quick and easy will help, though what I am intending on doing eventually is being organised enough to make a slow cooker meal.

DS1 is having his school photos today and they're allowed family photos with siblings to I'm taking ds2 in as well this morning (I usually add them to Christmas gifts.....I'm sure people are delighted :rotfl: ). That's an expense for next month!! I need to write next month's budget this week....yikes!!

BettyBoof

I'm enjoying your diary Mrs S - keep up the good work!

MrsSave

BettyBoof wrote: »

I'm enjoying your diary Mrs S - keep up the good work!

Thank you

MrsSave

My first day off this week done. I only work 3 days so spend the first 2 days of the week with ds2 and being able to take and collect ds1 from school. I absolutely love it!!

I write to-do lists regularly, and mine today was rather massive today. I've completed it all bar 2 things :j Unfortunately it's looking just as full tomorrow!! Food shopping came in at around £37 :j I'm hoping it will be even cheaper next week. My freezer is ready to burst so I'm going to go through it, write what we have and then meal plan for next week using that. Hopefully it will mean quite a bit left over from the budget which will make a fab start to the month!

One thing I didn't do this month was to take my 'spends' money out in cash and use that. Maybe that's one place I went wrong. It's so much easier to spend on a card because you can pretty much ignore how bad the situation is at that precise moment and deal later. With cash, all you have is what's in your purse and if it's not in there it can't be spent. Definitely something that will be happening in October once more!

MrsSave

October is here. Fresh month, fresh week, and the return of some motivation :rotfl:

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm going back to keeping most of my spending money in cash form as that usually keeps me a little more in control. I took £20 out today, but to be honest have no reason at all to be spending that this week.

I finally went through the freezers and meal planned from there. That meant today's shop was only around £21 :j the rest of this week's food budget is being moved to a Slimming World account. I have decided to return to slimming world. I hate that I don't have the motivation or the willpower to lose weight alone and that I have to pay for someone to tell me whether I've lost or gained, but I know that it helps me immensely so I now have £25 put to one side for 6 weeks worth of weigh ins. I picked up a magazine with today's shop which included a voucher for free registration......every little helps.

I wrote out my to-do list ready for this morning, and ticked off almost nothing :rotfl: The food shopping took less time than usual but instead of housework/jobs I played with ds2. Then ds1 was very quiet after school, pretty tired and just wanted cuddles on the sofa watching tv so that just had to be done (definitely not complaining at all the cuddles). He had his flu spray at school today so not sure whether that has wiped him out a little or not.

All today's jobs that weren't done have now moved to tomorrow. I really must do laundry if nothing else tomorrow - the basket is overflowing (I'm desperately trying not to think about the ironing that comes with it!!).

Right, an early-ish night for me

MrsSave

I'm still here, plodding along. I pop on here every few days to read other diaries but don't post much on my own at the moment. I'm taking that to be a good thing that life is boring and I'm just plodding along! I've got a week off work now and planning a bit of relaxing, a lot of housework and Christmas shopping. I'm away with work 3 times between the middle of November and the middle of December, as well as 2 other trips away so am trying to as much as I can done now to save rushing.

Work life is crazy (very thankful I have got next week off!), home life isn't quiet (things going pretty well with Mr S) and finances are Ok. Probably still spending more than I should (!) but I'm tracking everything on YNAB and doing ok.

I've re-joined slimming world (for the millionth time!), despite the cost as I really could do with shifting a few pounds. I've got my first weigh in today and after a really good week have got everything crossed I'm off to a good start. I've started an evening class in a language (wanted to do it for years) which was one of my only 2018 New Years Resolutions. There's obviously a cost in that too, but I'm really enjoying it (note to self......have homework to do :rotfl: ).

MrsSave

The joys of unexpected expenses. £200 worth this week :eek:

The positive is that I have managed to jiggle things around in YNAB so that I can pay it without touching my savings. Super happy about that. It means pulling my belt in a little more (feels like the story of my life :rotfl: ) but I am genuinely happy that my finances are ok to the point I've managed to deal with this.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned that I'm also getting a pay rise in work. Not a huge one, but an increase nonetheless. It has already been spent though :rotfl: Ds1 has been having swimming lessons since he was very young so we've now decided to start ds2 swimming. My pay rise is mainly going to pay for his lessons (there should be a little left over afterwards!).

I've had a good shot at Christmas shopping this week. I decided to make the most of my week off and go for it. It's really nice knowing that the money has been saved during the year so no trying to find money to cover things. All I have to think about is sticking to budgets :rotfl: I've left a chunk of money in both boys' budgets, as I know that on the run up to Christmas, ds1 especially will see things he likes and I want to make sure that he does get something that he will write on his final Father Christmas list.

I've also picked up things like their Christmas jumpers, christmas pjs and a Winter coat each (all from Asda).

My plan for today is to have a proper chill out and enjoy my child free, chore free and shopping free day off. Up early tomorrow for a weigh in (I lost half a stone last week - I'm amazed!) and then I'm taking the boys shopping for a few Halloween bits (it's budgeted for!).