Keeping our options open

becky170

Yes the 72hr rule sounds like a good one to follow to help cut out impulse spending. I usually spend a long time debating whether to buy things for myself, but when it comes to the kids I sometimes find it hard to resist. DS definitely needs new PJs though as his head is getting too big to get his current ones on
He's not the tallest though so we could really do with separates for him now as he's one size on top and another on the bottoms, but I've not seen many places which do them for kids. Apart from that both kids have tonnes of clothes so I really don't need to buy anything else for them for a while.

becky170

I managed to list another two small bundles on EbAy. One already has a bid on it The stuff I listed last week ends today but so far there have been no bids on any of them I'm getting quite addicted the checking if anyone has bidded on them and how many people are watching.

I've had 3 NSDs (well that's if you don't include bus fare to get to work) so far this week. DD is ill again so going to have to stay off work today therefore today should also be a no spend day as we'll be staying tucked up at home in the warm.

Nicky_Noo_Na

Hope DD is on the mend and glad the cleaner has impressed you so far!

When we got our bathroom done it only took 2 weeks to complete and maybe 10 days without a bath/shower. I was pregnant at the time so only one child to top and tail and went to my mum's for the weekend in the middle of the chaos for a good wash Haha. We have a downstairs toilet but the plumber just put the old toilet back in every evening (I was weeing several times a night - 7 months pregnant) and it really wasn't too bad. I was at work most days and just went out to play groups and museums on my days off with my eldest. Just wanted to say it might not be as bad as you imagine.

Good luck reigning in the food shop, prices are increasing all the time! I do a weekly online shop with tesco and try not to top-up shop. Nappies from aldi are the best (and cheapest).

becky170

Thanks Nicky. I guess we'll have to bite the bullet about the bathroom at some point. We've not been able to use our shower cubicle for two years as it leaks (even after resealing) and as I didn't see the point in spending a £1000 to just get that replaced without doing the rest of the bathroom we've had to make do without it. I do miss having a lovely shower though. The rest of the bathroom is serviceable so technically there's no rush. Even just doing some cosmetic work like painting, resealing the sink and having new lino would make a big difference. Maybe that's the answer!

Well I've not got much money saving to report. My payout from Quidc0 cleared so that was £8 off the mortgage so my total for this month is £708 overpayed. Next month's overpayment won't be so impressive but every bit helps. I have managed to take lunches into work but I've brought coffee and breakfast twice this week as I forgot to buy breakfast bars to take in with me. We had a MrS online delivery with a £12 off voucher. I need to add up all our food spends to see what the damage was for this month.

I've not been doing very on the decluttering. I've been sorting through another bag of baby clothes to list on Facebook/eBay. I ended up buying some postage bags from Amazon as I had run out of ones to reuse and one of my eBay listings which ends today has bids on it. Therefore I've failed in my challenge not to do any online shopping in January but it was in aid of helping the decluttering now I've got to sell more stuff on eBay as I've got 40 postage bags :rotfl: think I'm going to raid my wardrobe to look for some dresses to sell today if I get chance. There are definitely a couple in there that I don't fit into but have kept as I loved them.

savingholmes

40 postage bags - there's a challenge!

£12 off voucher sounds nice.

On the bathroom - I watched one of those do your house up type programmes to try and sell it and Sarah recommended getting stand out lino. I repainted my walls a lovely grey blue and got really funky lino in 3 different colours and textures. It still makes me chuffed every time I look at it. For Christmas we got 3 radiators swapped for heated towel rails - (2 radiators were leaking anyway) - and one of DD's friends said with the lino and the towel rail it looked like an instagram or pintrest picture - so chuffed with that. Small changes can make a big difference.

becky170

Yay it's the first of the month so my mortgage overpayment of £200 should have gone out today. As it's February there won't be any council tax payment going out so we'll probably overpay that as well but just need to discuss with DH. I've now just got to pay £100 in the new car fund and move money around into my regular savers and then I'll be all set for the month.

In January I managed to sell 4 items on Facebook and 3 lots on eBay so I think I've made a grand total of £10 after postage and fees :rotfl: let's hope I do better in February!

MrS has sent me lots more £12 off £80 spend vouchers so I may be doing my online shopping there this month. I did manage to come in £20 under budget on my food shopping in January. February is a shorter month so hopefully I'll be under budget again

savingholmes

well done on the OP. Any extra money is to be celebrated. Money off vouchers also sound good.

becky170

I managed to sell one item on Facebook and two on eBay last week making a grand total of £7.50 I've already sold one item on eBay this week although I've not had any bids/many watches on my other items ending today so it may be my first and last! Anyway that's another couple of bits out the house. 
Tomorrow is my day off so I'll be off to the post office to post my eBay sale and then off to M&S to get a valentine's meal for two. DH has some M&S vouchers from work so our valentine's meal will be free I've just got to remember to buy him a card now!
I've started doing a couple of online surveys. I'd forgotten how tedious some could be, but I'm sure a Tesco voucher will come in useful when I've done enough surveys to pay out. 

debtfreeoneday

Well done on the OP!

savingholmes

Congrats on the OP. Nice to have free vouchers for M&S too. You have reminded me must wish DH Happy Valentines!