Time to Start Again....Again

FiftyQuid

Sitting here watching our Martin on the ITV show for kids/10 Things They Should Know. He's so fab!
Well I'm failing big time. Need some inspiration so I hope in the last 30 mins of the show I get some sort of kick up the jacksy from Mr Lewis.

I had a good week last week but then it all unravelled from the weekend. I went to a concert (tix were paid for already) with a friend. She drove and I stayed over at hers that night. I paid for the parking (only fair) and a couple of drinks in the venue. We went halves on dinner out which including drinks and a tip was £30 each.

Then the next day I met my hubby for lunch and a chat....another £25. I also called into George & H+M on the way and bought some tops and a woolly hat. £18.

I was off Monday & Tuesday and have bought my groceries for the week - about £40 in total as I also needed some non food items.

Topped up with petrol - £15.

I also bought that bag I was tempted by....and a basket load of stuff for the home (cleaning materials, bin liners, a new mug) whilst I was in that shop. £27 total.

I've also bought a hairdryer and a top online. £43 total.

I've stuck it all on credit card (except Saturday's social stuff that was cash) so it will come out in early December which will now make me overdrawn in December.....but in November I will be £7 in credit if I don't withdraw any cash at all between now and 30.11.18 or use my debit card.

I keep an Excel workbook for finances and what I have now done is introduced a new page which I have split up into sections so I can start to categorise what I am spending my money on and can see exactly how much extra money I am spending per month and on what i.e. groceries, petrol, hair & beauty, social etc. I used to use a site called Spending.com but it all went awry for some reason a few years ago and I think I really need sight of where every penny is going and the shock factor of realising I've spent say £200 on clothes, bags & shoes in a month! :eek:

I can't say I am never going to spend money on clothes, bags & shoes ever again but I have to set sensible budgets and visually see when I am approaching those budgets and have a talk with myself when I am approaching or have reached those figures. Right now I am still burying my head in the sand. I'm just putting stuff on credit card and worrying about it later and this absolutely is a recipe for disaster. I still have my fifty quid....but apart from that I have nothing at all for unexpected issues.

OK on the plus side, I've had a bit of extra time this week so I have cooked from fresh and have 5 freezer meals right now and will have a few more at the end of the week as I have meal planned and bought the ingredients accordingly. These will help in the coming new week as I won't have to buy much from LIDL or Aldi, just fresh bread, plant milk and some fresh veg/fruit. I have some cash left over from the weekend (£25) so I will make sure I keep that back for groceries in the couple of weeks as I can and WILL meal plan healthy & frugally. I have Jack Monroe's new book Cooking on a Bootstrap so will draw from that. Or just live on jacket potato and beans in the microwave!

Need to get a grip again. Again again again.