Why is spending money so easy......

Snwps

NSD 2/15. Quiet day today. Done some cleaning, then popped up allotment got more runner beans, tomatoes, cucumber and raddish. Lettuce is up house as 'pick when needed', so plan on having a nice salad tomorrow for tea after an unusual Sunday roast. Aint had one in ages so we're having a cheapy chicken dinner with roasties. Cant wait. 

Then home and had pasta and garlic bread for tea. Good value but very tasty dinner. Plus nice and filling.  

Need to do a small shop tomorrow to get easy snack food for boys while we're away for next few days. Pot noodles and sausage rolls etc. 

I've made a small tweek from September YNAB pots. I normally lump all food/groceries into one pot. From this month I've added a separate pot for 'Unplanned food spends' to split and keep track of the odd trip to the corner shop for milk or DH popping to Tesco to get a meal deal on way to work instead of taking lunch from home. I think this way it'll show DH just how much the odd corner shop stop add up. Plus I think it will make my grocery shop pot look more reasonable as I can never stick to the weekly budget cos of these unplanned shop stops. 

Food will be split into:
Grocery shop - weekly
Unplanned food spends 
Take aways/eating out

I may have some extra funds coming in end of next month. I don't want to say anything yet in case I jinx it, but if all goes well and this does come to be, we'll be adding this to savings and most probably use towards electric/gas over winter. I'm hoping any extra unplanned income over the next few months will go to EF instead of debt.

Still aiming for DFD of June 2023.

Snwps

Another NSD 3/15. Had a day in today. Weather outside is rubbish, feels like winter so made a roast chicken dinner. Aint had one in ages and it was lovely, everyone enjoyed and spent the afternoon stuffed on sofa watching movies. 

I put off going shopping today, will go in the morning. 

DH job no 2 payday tomorrow. Unsure how much he's getting paid as not received his payslip yet. Hoping to clear one of the cards this week. 

Snwps

Back from a nice few days away. It rained but was still nice to just chill with DH and have some alone time. It was a spendy few days but was as expected. We ate out and had to stock the cupboards/fridge at home for the boys. I also left them money to order pizza, save them cooking. All spends come from DH pay job no 1. Pleased no credit used.

Today would have been a NSD but I had to order a new bag for DS2 for college. DS1 has decided the one he's had the last few years will do and dont want a new one. I'm not going to argue and will happily save the £20. 

Still waiting on timetables for college. DS2 starts tomorrow. Im a little nervous for him. Hes calm as a cucumber, not bothered at all.

Made another payment to debt. Currently stands at £17,588.64. Still have a lot of payments to make this month. 

I'm relieved with todays announcement with the gas/electric cap. I'm eagerly awaiting (as is everyone I bet) to see exactly how this will work and what the rates for the next 2 years will be. I'm still planning on purging where I absolutely can to reduce my electricity usage as I'm still classed as a heavy user. I'm hoping to save more by cutting right down. There's a lot or chatter on the energy boards on here. 

Snwps

NSD 4/15. Keeping track still going well. 

It never rains but it pours - so we had an announcement in work this week that we're getting a bonus paid in the next few weeks to help with the cost of living crisis/over winter fuel bills. A massive help which I'm so grateful for. However, I had my boiler serviced today before the weather changes, as I do every year, and it turns out I need a new boiler. To a point, he actually !!!!!! down my existing boiler as it's unsafe. I could have cried. Lucky we're not using the heating at the moment and we only use the hot water for washing dishes so can do without it until its fixed. So Im using my savings to pay for it now then when the bonus money comes in it will go back to topping up my savings. So its good that we're having this bonus but Im gutted as it could have shaved a month off my DFD.

badmemory

I hope you used a one man band type person for your boiler service as the Homes..erve/BG type person have history for doing this when they just CBA/see a nice bonus in it for them.

Snwps

badmemory said:

I hope you used a one man band type person for your boiler service as the Homes..erve/BG type person have history for doing this when they just CBA/see a nice bonus in it for them.

Ye I had our local plumber up who fitted my bathroom a few years ago and he's as good as gold. I could see the pity in his face when he was telling me. To be fair he even showed me the issue and I'm glad we had him up to do the service. Long story short but when the boiler was installed about 10 years ago the fitter made massive boo-boos and I have no idea how it's not been picked up in the usual annual service but it was leaking carbon monoxide inside the cupboard/unit.

I used to have these boiler service/insurance years ago but cancelled and saved for the annual service which has saved me lots. The boiler replacement wouldn't have been covered if I had the insurance now though, its only repairs.

Snwps

Yesterday would have been a NSD but I had to pay for the new boiler. Today wont be either as I need to pay for parking later for an hour and pop to get some coffee and milk as we've run out. 

Another couple of payments made to cards and debt is now £17,282.58. Next payment isn't until 20th so shouldn't be any changes in the next week. 

I've just checked when we last used our cards and it was 15th August. It's been almost a month and we've not added a penny to the debt. This is a milestone. This is a habit we need to stop. As much as Im on top of whats in the bank DH is blissfully ignorant and if he's out and about instead of paying by debit card he'd prefer to pay by credit card. So I've taken them off him now so he has to check his bank before making a purchase. He's also been a lot better at taking food to work from home instead of popping to the shop on his way. 

In all fairness though he's picked up lots of extra shift over the last few weeks and it all goes to the debt. 

Snwps

NSD 5/15 yesterday (Wed 14/09/22). Didn't go anywhere and didn't have take away (DH was off work - only night off this week). Had to get fuel today though. 

Absolutely shattered today. Im having terrible trouble sleeping, or should say getting a full night sleep. I seem to be very restless and waking constantly through the night. Got stupid stuff going round in my head and just cant switch off. Considering buying some of those herbal sleep tablets to see if it helps. But I hate taking medicine unless absolutely have to. Looking forward to quiet weekend. 

DH working away this weekend so need to pop up the allotment on my own. I don't like going by myself but if the weather is dry I really need to paint the shed before weather changes and winter arrives. Other than that no plans to go far.  

foxgloves

I can sympathise with the insomnia...I've just had a night exactly as you describe - woke up at Stupid past three am & then just couldn't switch my brain off. Had to get up in the end as was sick of lying there!
Frustrating about the boiler, but very good news that you haven't added to your debt total. We are thankfully now debt & mortgage-free, but back when we were debt-busting, it really helped me to think of credit cards, loans, overdraft, etc, as 'Somebody else's money', definitely not mine. I'm sure this shift of mindset (we'd previously both regarded available credit streams as an extension of our money) was really instrumental in effecting the pay-down which needed to happen..It can feel like a slog, but it's so worth it. I enjoy our simpler lifestyle now & don't miss all the stuff we used to buy.
F

Snwps

NSD's not been great since last posting. We did have a NSD on Monday (6/15) but that had a lot to do with everything being closed!!! Today should be NSD #7/15 all going well. 

1x DD payment has come out of the bank since my last tally up. Debt at today is £17,184.14. 

I need to buy new work boots for DS2 for college, I've already bought the work overalls. I'm going out with some friends on the weekend so that will be nice to catch up. We normally do take away in one of our houses but as its a friends birthday thought we'd book a table and have night out. Looking forward to it. Then next week its my nephews birthday so need to get a card and a little pressie. 

I can feel the weather is changing. I'm still putting the washing on the line where possible to dry the clothes otherwise they're on the airer taking up space in the kitchen. But it's better than the tumble. Still no heating at the moment and I'm rather enjoying snuggling up with the dressing gown and blanket and scented candles. One of the best parts of winter. 

Still not spent on the credit cards and we're sticking to the budget. Usually need some re-jigging but we're getting there. 

Payday for me next week and looking forward to taking a big chunk off the debt and getting into the lower £16ks.