Missy, Roo and May Stretching out every last penny whilst drowning in Budgets, groceries & laundry!

missymoo81

Hi!

I thought it was definitely time for a new adventure. I'm a 30 something mum of 2 small people 5 and 7, I work mostly from home and have a wage that doesn't match my outgoings. Lightbulb was this months rent that I had to put on my CC, which i know is a very slippery slope.

So I am going to use this to keep me motivated and most of all organised, organisation is key for me, as I end up running out of money as I spend on expensive things for convenience due to not planning ahead enough, like getting petrol from an expensive garage as i haven't got it sooner from the supermarket, or having to pop to the co op as its the closest supermarket as I haven't planned a head enough for meals and consequently pay twice as much for things.I think I'm entitled to some sort of tax credits/universal credits but I'm the worst self sabotager and get most of the way through the application and end up having to do something else and not finishing it!! I've also got lots of things to eBay which are just sitting there. I know, I know, I annoy myself!!!!

I've come from being married and having more money than sense, to being divorced and having no money, so I'm on a big learning curve!

I have a rotten cold at the moment, so not going into work but have done lots of emails and messages from home. But I have done 2 loads of washing, been to Lidl, put a stew in the slow cooker, tidied up a little, dropped some food off to OH and done yet more work.

I will write an SOA soon, but for now I'm spending as little as possible.

Achievements today since LB moment. I didn't buy a costalot coffee, I actually remembered my bags for Lidls (small steps), and i substituted beef for chicken in the stew I've put in the slow cooker which has saved me nearly £2. I also paid for my whole shop in £1 coins!

I bugeted £30 for shopping and paid £29.58, didn't get jam though as Lidl don't seem to do a basics one. I will definitely need to do at least one more shop this week. I'll probably do one on Thursday when youngest is at Rainbows. I've got chicken for stew for tonight, Fajitas for tomorrow and curry for friday, but need to get something for Thursday, maybe Chilli.... We tend to eat toast, porridge or egg sandwiches for breakfast, I struggle with healthy lunches, but children get free school meals and dinner is usually something high in protein.

Anyway now I'm rambling.....I hope you can come along on this journey with me. I love to read others diaries too as it really helps me stay motivated.

Anyway speak soon

Much love

Missy x

WannabeFree

Look forward to following Missy, I've missed your posts.

You can do this!

But first things first make sorting the tax credits/UC your first priority!

x

missymoo81

Thanks so much wannabe! I know I should I just have a massive block and I struggle to make myself do it. I think when I tried before there were so many steps and emails and stuff I didn’t understand as I’m self employed.... really struggled and then started to panic that id put something down wrong as it was telling me i needed to look for work and i really panicked, I tried ringing them but couldn't get through for half an hour... hence the anxiety over it. Thanks so much for your support am popping over to your diary now x

missymoo81

Right now I'm going to think of things I enjoy, like food budgeting. I think I'm going to have to do a comparison on the super markets, As I have a lidl and tesco side by side really close to work, and an aldi 5 mins from work too. I love Lidl as find it the least stressful place to go, but I bought washing powder earlier, and I think it was a lot more than the aldi one. anyone know how much the aldi 40 wash non-bio powder is? I've paid £4.89 for 65 washes....
Anyway I'm pleased with my dinner, stew pack was 82p, chicken was £2.99 and casserole mix was 22p. So just over £4. This should serve us for tonight and tomorrow and hopefully enough for the kiddies tomorrow too. Usually I would buy dumpling mix but lidl didn't do it, so i got a baguette instead, to dip!
I don't want to spend anymore than £20 for the rest of the week. I will need:

2 x bacon
1 x 15 eggs
2 x bread
8 x bananas
2 x 4pt milk
1 x mince
1 x pepper pack
1 x jam
1 x pack apples
1 x malt wheats
1 x kidney beans
1 x chicken breasts
1 x rice

ok have put it all in tesco and it says £20.32 so lidl should be a bit cheaper. would really like to get a packet of porridge oats in there too but I think thats a bit optimistic....

Ok just dealt with yet more work emails.

Just realised I need to get 2 birthday presents for the weekend! As we have two parties to go to. I also need to sort a babysitter for Saturday night.

I feel like baking... I might make some cakes tomorrow as snacks for the small ones. That's if I have time. Have to go to the tip and charity shop and try and sort out the spare rooms, as its the only free-ish day to do it, and working from home I really need an office/desk room. Also have beavers to run around for in the evening. Still feel super rotten with this cold though....

missymoo81

Have so much to do today and still feel poorly. Going to try and get off my backside and sort the mountains of washing that are everywhere!

WannabeFree

Hope you feel better soon and get done what you need to do

x

SpekySquarehead

Hey Missy,

I've subscribed and I'm confident it'll be a good year for you.

You've been on this site and these forums for a while, so I would recon you have a decent understanding of what to do. Couple that with your new determination this year and I think you'll smash it.

Yes you're making a lot of small steps for now, but those add up and they form good habits which bleed into other areas of life.

2 parties in a weekend in a lot and if you're anything like me, they seldom come cheap. Is it worth considering taking the car to save some dough?

Anyway, I hope you feel better soon

jwil

Welcome back Missy, hope you feel better soon x

[Deleted User]

Welcome back and happy shiny new diary xx

missymoo81

Oh hi purple, JWil and Speky, so grateful for your comments. I am really trying to re-educate myself. Dropped BF some sandwiches off at work just now, usually I would have bought some in a meal deal and then added other things on top. But I made some from home. So I’ve saved myself £4 today. Very happy with that. I have just watched an episode of Marie kondo! Am now in May and roo’s bedroom about to put 4 tons of washing away. Have sorted through my clothes and found a couple more bits to eBay. Onwards and upwards. Beavers tonight, need to find uniform! I fed a lot more positive than yesterday and I’m going to try and eBay tonight.

Have just realised small people could do with new school shoes... I bought some in September but because I had v little money I bought Sainsbury’s ones and they’re falling apart. I can’t afford Clark’s so I’m hoping that if I buy another supermarket pair I can make them last until July..... and is it wrong if I spend the smalls Xmas money on them? I got £10 each from my Nan and grandad for them..... feel a bit guilty..... hmmmm...

WannabeFree

Not wrong at all Missy! I have done it with my smalls several times before. It's better going on something they need rather than another toy or sweets etc.

Nothing to feel guilty about.