The time is now:

nowpanicking

Hi Littletinks :hello:

You are doing amazing!! Great saving on the mobile phone. I went to sim only for about a year I think but last year I was tempted into upgrading again so when the contract runs out I'm definitely going to go sim only again.

I'm also loving the meal planning and also find that it makes such a difference to the grocery spends. I have overspent slightly this month on groceries but not as much as usual... An area for me to work on in the next 4 weeks

Hopefully next week isn't so stressful at work and you manage to stay away from the sweets

NP x

ImpulseSpender

Just caught up with your diary and you're doing an amazing job! I really love what you said about making your money work hard for you. I can definitely agree with this one.

Littletinks

nowpanicking wrote: »

Hi Littletinks :hello:

You are doing amazing!! Great saving on the mobile phone. I went to sim only for about a year I think but last year I was tempted into upgrading again so when the contract runs out I'm definitely going to go sim only again.

I'm also loving the meal planning and also find that it makes such a difference to the grocery spends. I have overspent slightly this month on groceries but not as much as usual... An area for me to work on in the next 4 weeks

Hopefully next week isn't so stressful at work and you manage to stay away from the sweets

NP x

Hey NP - thank you so much x . I'm really focused and probably more focused than I've ever been. This week saw the end to a big project I've been working on for nearly a year - everything finally came together. So now it's competed it's time to breath and leave the sweeties alone lol :j

I totally agree about the meal plans. OH hasn't even noticed that I'm not spending anything like I was previously. The reason is, before I was over buying, and. now I buy what we need.

Loving your diary too - your doing fanatically well, eight weeks in:A. Just think our debts are going down not up, making small sacrifices here and there, I feel will make a big difference to my finances over the course of the year
X

Littletinks

ImpulseSpender wrote: »

Just caught up with your diary and you're doing an amazing job! I really love what you said about making your money work hard for you. I can definitely agree with this one.

Hey ImpulseSpender :hello:

Thanks for taking the time to read my diary and for your lovely words of encouragement.
My thoughts are as I just said to NP, a few small changes will make a big differences Over the course of the year.

Littletinks

Week 6
This week has been a tough and busy period at work, but I'm hoping things will settle down now we have finished a big project. We went to my OH Aunts 90th bday party this weekend, it was a great Do. If I only have half the energy she has should I reach her age, I'd be happy. We seem to go through times when every weekend is busy like the last three weekends have been, or we have nothing happening at all! We have no more weekends away until Easter now. Funnily enough this could see my spending going up, as I haven't had to pay for the last two weekends away. Looking at the diRy we have Mather busy three weeeknd on the trot end of April/May.

This week has not been a great in terms of spending habits. Dinner out + one takeaway with a friend. On top of that, I've booked our Easter weekend away. Got a great deal though with Voy@ge. We saved over 50% on the normal cost of the room alone, for a two night break. Our deal inc 2x free spa treatments, bottle of Processco and dinner on the first night. OH and I have gone halves on paying for this.

This week:
- Zero NSD THIS WEEK! 😧
- Eb@y £23.00
- VSP £8.95
- Started my 30 day rolling £5 sim 👍🏻
- Saved 33% with an online code for OH Valentines Day card.
- Easter weekend away £130 (my share)

Next week, I need to tfr the min monthly requirements to my new a/c, hopefully they will transfer my £150 soon. I've a catch up with a friend on Saturday but I don't think I'll be spending much, that's the plan anyway. I also need to get back on track with NSDs, although this week has been the first week since starting this where I've had no NSDs, so I think I've done well until now.

I just thought🤔, it seems hard to believe that next week will be mid-month already! I love February for being a 28 day + council tax free month. It's also starting to get noticeably lighter in the evenings. Big thumbs up to Feb 😉 - on to week seven .......

Littletinks

Week 7
( After typing this out lastnight I forgot to post it :laugh:)

I can't believe how the weeks are flying by! Work has been a lot less hectic this week (yay). I've been through my finances this week and I'm still on track (double yay). I said in an earlier post a couple of weeks ago I was going to set myself a £200 personal spending budget for this month. After doing some number crunching I'm getting pretty close to this, after spending £50 on my OH for his Valentines gift and £18 spent on sending flowers to friend for her bday, I have £49.48 left until the end of the month. I'm hoping not to go over, and tbh I should be fine - I have lunch out with a friend on Friday, and a fairly quiet weekend next week. Food shopping budget which I set at £300pm is going very well, I've spent £148.97 to date and have next weeks meals bought and planned for already. Of course this has been helped by the fact we've been away, eaten out and had a few takeaways. So these past 4 weeks to do not truly reflect 'our normal life'.

This week I've:
2 X NSDs 😊
eBay £10.50
VSP £8.40 (Pot is very close to hitting £50 - it soon adds up )

This weekend has been our first weekend at home for 4 weekends. It's been quite nice not having to go anywhere. We popped out to our local last night for an hour and got a take away which OH paid for, and spent the day pottering around at home. My neighbour popped in for a cuppa so was nice to catch up as she has been away. Today we've been food shopping and for a nice walk and pretty much done nothing else, so all in all it's been a nice relaxing weekend, ready for the new week to begin. On to week eight we go .....

nowpanicking

Hi Littletinks!

You're doing really well :T Can't believe you're at week 7 already although I guess you're actually at week 8 now as I've not been on the site in a couple of weeks.

We're having a quiet weekend this weekend as well which is nice as we've been pretty busy the last couple. Budget is kind of dictating that we don't do anything but actually, I've quite enjoyed it. Weather has been so mild as well so walks are a nice free activity

£200 for personal spends seems pretty reasonable to me. Sounds like you are managing that pretty well.

Hope your week 8 has gone as well as week 7!!.

NP x

Littletinks

nowpanicking wrote: »

Hi Littletinks!

You're doing really well :T Can't believe you're at week 7 already although I guess you're actually at week 8 now as I've not been on the site in a couple of weeks.

We're having a quiet weekend this weekend as well which is nice as we've been pretty busy the last couple. Budget is kind of dictating that we don't do anything but actually, I've quite enjoyed it. Weather has been so mild as well so walks are a nice free activity

£200 for personal spends seems pretty reasonable to me. Sounds like you are managing that pretty well.

Hope your week 8 has gone as well as week 7!!.

NP x

Hey NP

It's good to see you back I hope you're keeping well.

I'm afraid this last week it's all gone to pot. I've overspent massively, so I'm really hacked off with myself. I feel like all the hard work I've put in this month has been wasted. Sorry I'm moaning, but to say I'm annoyed with myself is a massive understatement! The silly thing is now I'm thinking sod it, I've still got some money left before payday next week and I'm tempted to spend it. That's not a healthy attitude to have I know, so I need to kick myself up the butt and get back on track!
I'll update my diary later, but I'm about £75 over my personal spending amount. Plus I went wild in the aisles yesterday . You're totally right £200 should be enough, but I've taken bday present etc out of it this month and it's gone wrong.

X

Littletinks

Week eight

Well it's happened, I'm starting to loss focus and have had to go back through my account and work out what I've spent this week. I've also overspent by £75.18 from what I had allowed myself as personal spending money for the month. To date I've spent £275.18. I'm so annoyed with myself :mad: as it's been going well until now. I did spend £130 on presents for others this month, plus £20 on charity donations so 'my' actual personal spending was within my limit, however I can it dress up it as much as I like, I went over by a fair chunk irrespective of what I spent it on

This week
4 x NSD
£4.46 VSP
£23.00 eBay.
£15 lunch with friend
£10 charity donation

I went supermarket shopping this weekend, everything I wanted on the list could have fit in a shopping basket. Instead we got a trolley and I was throwing things in like I was a contestant on 'Supermarket sweep' so I seriously overspent, shopping came in at over £130. Yesterday's shopping was like my old shopping days, see it, grab it and chuck it in the trolley. Which means I spent almost as much yesterday as I have in the last three weeks combined! I suppose one saving grace is I've bought my Easter Eggs as we are seeing family next week and we won't see them again before Easter. But it's no excuse!!! I don't know what's wrong with me this week:mad:! I feel Iike I've really let myself down having done so well so far, although I'm still (just) within the £300 food budget.

There's no sign of my £150 reward from N@twest yet, but it did say by April lol.

Sorry this week is just a rant about how I've spent carelessly, and I need to stop and nip these spending habits in the bud now!

Next week is the start of a new shiny month, spring looks like it's here, and I will try and stay focused and get my mojo back! Here's hoping for a better week next week!.....

Littletinks

:j I've finally done it! :j

Hooray!!!
I can't tell you how pleased I am to be able to you All I've made a payment of £349.81 to finally kill off Debt 1 today. This has been hanging around for so many years and I've finally paid of it all off and before the end of March ��. I have no doubt that making my pledge here at the start of the year has been a massive contributor to my achievement this morning. Thank you everyone for all your 'likes' and positive posts.

Now to focus on Debt 2!

Have a great day everyone and best of luck with your own goals. I'm off to change my signature