Munchin's Marvellous Debt Busting Diary

HairyHandofDartmoor

It sounds like things are going well Munchin. I hope your tummy settles down.

Munchin

Thanks HHD & SSG - I really appreciate how great my immediate and extended family is. My cousin in England pays for flights for her brothers to fly over to do work for her when needed because it's cheaper and also because she has peace of mind that they wont rip her off and they will do a good job:).

I'm in work at the moment and busy trying to figure out what leave to take up to Xmas. I've put in for the 31st Dec as we have the 1st Jan on leave but not the Monday. I usually work Xmas but new start and all that I'm going to look after self a bit more.

Yesterday baldy pup and nephew were charging round my Uncles fields like mad things while I did a lot of laughing and my walking was at a more sedate pace. We played cards, visited cousins and then ordered take out pizza (£17.70!!!!!). Proper relaxing Sunday.

I've looked at the old purse and it's a bit squeaky (it always is at this time of the month) but have a plan . I have £107.36 in my purse (don't normally have that amount but took some money out to pay cousin who didn't take it) and £173.33 in bank account. I need to pay for diesel towards the end of the week and have some house bits to buy so I will say I have -

- £107.36 in purse
- £102.54 in bank. Total -£209.90

Realistically I shouldn't need £200 odd pounds to last me 9 days so my plan is to have £10 a day to live on and that should cover everything. I was trying the £10 a week challenge and that was an abysmal failure so maybe £10 per day should work. The only thing it doesn't include is diesel. I will leave £10 in purse today and put the rest in an envelope. I need to gather up enough as I'm meeting volunteer peeps for lunch next Tues and ex colleagues next Wed.

Munchin

Weekly spends - w/c 19th Nov- tenner a day

Mon 19 - +£10 - NSD
Tues 20 + £20- - NSD
Wed 21 - +£30 -£3.75 lunch & £6.64 Tesco = £+19.61
Thurs 22 - +£29.61 - NSD
Fri 23 - +£39.61 - £2.10 (milk & treat) + -£6 (nephew)
Sat 24 - £41.51 - £34.87 (groceries, weedkiller, top & charity) = £6.63 - £4 (taxi)

Total remaining- £2.63

Seasidegal58

Sounds like you had an ideal Sunday!

Your idea of looking after yourself more workwise is a good one. It took me a long while to realise that!

Good luck with the £10 per day budget!

Lilith1980

Glad you're thinking about self-care more, Munchin. Definitely something I need to do more of. You're doing really well with your NSDs, I need to up my game!

Munchin

Thanks Lilith & SSG - I go great guns on the NSDs and then it falls to an a*se . I paid for a sandwich today as the team were bringing them in. So not worth it - really disgusting to be honest and a waste of nearly £4. Back to making my own.

I also popped in Mr Ts this morning for tea bags, milk, cereal bars and some choccy bars that I probably didn't need - really pleased I stuck to my list but hate breaking into my £10 a day thing even though that is what it is there for. I want to buy 2 things as well - a small hot water bottle for work - old office and windows don't shut properly so there is a gale blowing through the office. I've reported it but hands are like ice. I also want a small teeny bottle to bring milk into work but it will probably be just as cheap to buy milk each week. See trying my best to talk myself out of shopping .

I have no planned spendy days until Sat but I need to see what I should bring to my friends house and to book a taxi home. I already have 3 lunches booked into diary next week but hoping to spend no more than £40 for all 3.

Back to work...

HairyHandofDartmoor

The small hot water bottle would always be useful. A small travel cup or mini flask would keep your milk cold and would also always be useful.

But are they essential? When I'm tempted to buy stuff I try and ask myself "Can I manage without it?" If the answer is yes then I don't buy it. All money saved from resisting such temptation could go into a treat fund or emergency fund .

Munchin

Hi HHD - totally agree and also I know myself I have probably something similar already .

I rang the premises team in work and after they had explained how to shut the window properly and I had explained it wasn’t possible, they sent a guy down to look at it and he agreed it doesn’t close properly. Seriously if I don’t know how to shut a window by now there is no hope for me . Next step is someone will come and fix it but the other window in the room has masking tape round it so not holding out much hope for a proper fix.

Nephew is my carshare buddy today, so it will be a bit of company.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Well hopefully if they tape it there may be a small improvement in warmth. Can you ask them for a portable heater to keep you warm now they've agreed the window won't shut properly?

Good luck with not buying things .

Munchin

Hi HHD - they came with a technical instrument called a hammer to beat the window into submission . They then put silicon round it and told me that in the summer give them a shout and they will open it again..... They are going to provide us with a heater at least.

Nephew no 2 has borrowed £1 off me and now he is asking for another £5...I'm making him work for it .

Very very busy day in work and a meeting scheduled for 2 was pushed back to 3.30 so I wasn't out until 6 and there was an accident on the motorway so traffic was a nightmare. At home now and will shortly be having a glass of wine. Still loving the job.

Plans tomorrow involve weeding my dad's grave, and seeing my friends for drinks in their house and a little bit of work to stay on top of the mountain. Work on a Sat is a temporary thing until a project I'm involved in ends in Dec.