Debt Goals

[Deleted User]

Just read through your diary, well done on everything so far! I love an excel spreadsheet for budgeting

Sorry to read about your mum, hope she recovers quickly x

takingcontrolatlast

SSDD23 wrote: »

Just read through your diary, well done on everything so far! I love an excel spreadsheet for budgeting

Sorry to read about your mum, hope she recovers quickly x

Hi :wave:

Thanks for reading and popping in!

Honestly SSDD23 I was so chuffed to be able to create one! I do love it but have to stick to the plan ! But I'm hoping it keeps me focused.

Thanks for your good wishes - she's still in hospital and it may be another week - we need to as a family have a discussion with the medical team regarding the best options for her - she is getting worse with the dementia and her mobility and we need to ensure she has the best care in moving forward. Its such a shame.

But thank you

x

takingcontrolatlast

I'm looking forward to June (where has the year gone already)?

I have reconciled my new "toy" - my super spreadsheet - I want to name her :rotfl: There's only one dd to come out mid June. This payment is so out of place that I am moving it to the end of the month with the rest of my bills.

Tip from Foxgloves diary - is to shop from home - and so far I have made a gift using unopened items (bath salts, face mask, body balm, body shop bath sponge), recycled gift bag and wrap. I had allocated £10 for a present and as this is saved - this will go towards my next debt (have updated signature).

I will be working on my meal plan in the morning but I'll have a busy weekend with shopping and visiting mum and family (why do weekends go so quick) !

I'm going to keep a list of the frugality I can achieve the 1st week in June.

1) Gift using "resources" already in the home (technically May but I don't care its on the list)

Enjoy the weekend
x

takingcontrolatlast

Its Sunday morning already!

I'm really tired tbh - my old cat has kept me awake on and off since around 4am

I'm meeting with family later to discuss mum and then on to the hospital.

DH is cooking dinner today (beef stew) and we usually have enough for left overs for tomorrow (won't have to cook - yay)

My frugal list/shopping from home week

1. Made friend gift using unopened resources from the home and
she loved it
2. Havent used the dryer to dry clothes - although my landing looks
like a launderette with maidens and its like a mammoth activity
course to get to the bathroom (and I hate having clothes
everywhere) ! Still i'm saving.
3. DH put £10 petrol in the car for me from his personal allowance.
This saving from my pot has gone towards debt
4. I have £17 worth of vouchers for T*sco - if I do use these this
week it will be towards petrol due to the hospital visits/parking
or I may buy a present for my newly sourced presents box -
keeping hold of them for the moment
5. Will make mum packed lunch so I dont have to buy any food
- was guilty of buying her a meal deal yesterday at £3.95 :mad:
I haven't gone shopping yet and had no bread left to make her a
sarnie
6. I love to read and have nearly finished a "borrowed" book - crime
thriller - author Chr*s Carter - I've read all his collection although
he does have a new book out which DD1 has purchased and I
will borrow (no spends for me)

Enjoy Sunday x

brizzlegirl

Just popping in to wish you well on your journey to becoming DF and being able to live in your retirement (good advice to stick with the DB pension) ...you WILL get there

Best of luck with caring for your mum. Hoping the decisions, whilst never easy, come to you and your siblings/wider family.

Brizzle x

takingcontrolatlast

Hi Brizzie:wave:

Thank you so much for your kind words - I do appreciate them.

It's not easy making decisions but I just have to remember what is the best care plan for mum and hopefully we all can agree. Then we speak with the hospital team on their views.

I NEED to be debt free and I've starting scaling things right down. When debt free it will be filling up that pension pot! The sooner I can go either part time or retire the better !

Best wishes x

takingcontrolatlast

Just a quick update...I allocated £5 towards parking fees today for the hospital. As it turned out the parking was free - therefore the £5 has now been put towards the family member debt.

I've sourced a free garden pot from my DS - I can now plant my mint plant in there

I'm tryng to be more frugal and I want to grow my own - tomatoes are next on the list!

Hope to save on shopping tomorrow to throw at the debt.

x

takingcontrolatlast

I had a fairly decent night's sleep which helped with a positive outlook for the day. I'm finding i'm getting really irritated atm and I'm just trying to "let things go" and move on.

Well I have used my T*sco points - I bought a top for £12.50 which will be used to go with a pair of pants I've had a long time (going out for friend's birthday on Saturday - budgeted with personal fund and i just hope its not expensive and I come home with change) and then the top will be used for work and will get lots of wear out of !

The £4.50 points balance went towards a very large box of soap powder which should do me a month or more! - savings towards debt £20.

Unfortunately I had to buy lunch today but now have bread in to make a sandwich for tomorrow!.

Continuing with the theme for shopping from home/frugality... I am using up the bits left in the deodorant bottles that DD1 and DD2 seem to accumulate - and my own - before I buy anymore.

I'm also using up body lotions to make myself smell nice - dont need perfume when using these and I have a variety to choose from

I'm using up the cleaning products and not replacing any till that cupboard under the sink is depleted !

The heating is turned right down and lights are off!!

Another long day tomorrow as back at the hospital

I have no prepped meals for tea and its time like this i wish i had... hopefully at the weekend i can try and batch cook something

zzzzz goodnight

takingcontrolatlast

I'm so glad its the weekend - work has been really stressful and with visiting the hospital a few nights a week - I'm really exhausted.

Just got back now. I'm showered and ready to settle down for the evening - DH has a bottle of red wine for me... I think I'll have one glass and be out for the count!

I'm out tomorrow celebrating a friend's birthday and whilst I'm looking forward to it... I could just do with a day at home - cleaning, shopping and I could do with batch cooking a chilli or something... but i should embrace the fact I'm out and instead of batch cooking chilli I will actually be "chilling" :rotfl: (poor I know!!)

I'm doing well with regards my frugal work - using up stock etc. I gave my sister some clothes I dont wear anymore and she gave me a plant container in return

I have been reviewing my spreadsheet forecast and I so want to stick to it as I could possibly have an emergency fund of £1000 saved to go into the New Year, paid off 2 big debts and contributed my share of Xmas!!! It really is a big ask but I'm intrigued to see how much I can achieve... as life as I know it throws curveballs my way!

I'm concerned that I'm not going to hit the target of £1000 by the end of August but we'll see how I get on. I hope to do some more overtime over the next few months, save on the shopping, may try a car boot sale if I can acquire good stock, try and do some knitting to sell and see if I can jiggy my budgets.

I'll meal prep for Sunday's shopping and see if I can scrape together more pennies

Enjoy the weekend x

foxgloves

Sorry things are stressful with your Mum. I remember the stress of trying to get care plans up & running...... I lost my Mum last year, & Dad barely a year before that. You are right that all the hospital visiting is mentally & physically exhausting. We tried to take in packed lunch & snacks when we could, but I will freely admit we also used the hospital 'C*stas' more than we could really afford. We need to try & keep our good financial habits going in difficult times, but it does make it harder.
My best wishes for you & your Mum anyway.
F x