You’ve got to start somewhere!

girlatplay

Ladybuganddaisy wrote: »

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I spent £3.45 on a sandwich and a packet of crisps for lunch. Not very money saving I know! .

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I used to feel guilty when I did that. I have now got to the point where I've realised I have to eat and I should never feel guilty about that. I don't make a habit of it but if I do it I just accept it and try harder the next day.

If you haven't already then join the PAD (Payment a Day) challenge. It helped me pay off my debt first time around. It's really addictive and might be what you need

Ladybuganddaisy

Thanks girlatplay

This PAD actually really appeals to me so I think I might give it go on the credit card.

Day 8 -I set myself my own budget of £340 for the month for food, petrol, clothes, entertainment - basically everything except by bills. This was a bit of a random number so I suppose these budgets take a bit of tweaking! I’m still going to try to stick within it for this month and see how I go! But it is seeming like perhaps I underestimated how much I need to live on! (And not die of boredom)

I’ve spent £112.90 of that budget so far! I do find it really surprising how I’ve managed to spend so much in a week when I’ve been really trying to cut back. I suppose it’s £30 on petrol and another £20 on groceries and then bits and pieces. It all adds up!

Anyway day 8 is the start of a ‘new’ week, so starting afresh today

Ladybuganddaisy

I’ve just made my first PAD of £5.00 to the credit card taking that balance into the 2’s :j

girlatplay

Well done! It's really addictive. If you see 1p in the street pick it up and stick it in a jar and that's a PAD for the day (when things are a bit tougher haha).

Ladybuganddaisy

Day 9 - a day off with my dd. We’ve been and done a food shop, fed the ducks and been to the park. A busy morning really! I spent £32.52 on groceries bits yesterday and today so I’m all stocked up with a meal plan

I’ve sat down and calculated how much I’ve spent from my budget and how much more is left to last me until the 18th July. Spends are £145.42 which subtracted from £340.00 leaves me with £194.58

Not brilliant, not terrible, just got to keep going. I’ve also made another PAD of £5.00 to the credit card. I’ve agreed to an overtime shift this evening too so that’s extra money coming in.

I’ve been thinking a lot about my food bill. My dd and I love fajitas and eat them every week. I always buy a box with it all in even though we don’t even open the salsa! I could buy the wraps a lot cheaper so it’s just the seasoning. I’ve been googling fajita seasoning recipes so I think I might give it go. I’ve got a ton of spices and herbs in the cupboard so I think I could easily make the seasoning myself, put it in a jar and use it like I would usually.

This afternoon I have some money saving fun planned with my dd. Pretty happy with the park and feeding the ducks as that only cost me a tin of sweet corn (which apparently is better for them than bread) this morning. I’m going to get the paint out this afternoon :eek: A cheap cheesy pasta with bacon and peas for lunch and then snacks of cherry tomatoes and cucumber.

Feeling positive today :j

girlatplay

Ladybuganddaisy wrote: »

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I’ve been thinking a lot about my food bill. My dd and I love fajitas and eat them every week. I always buy a box with it all in even though we don’t even open the salsa! I could buy the wraps a lot cheaper so it’s just the seasoning. I’ve been googling fajita seasoning recipes so I think I might give it go. I’ve got a ton of spices and herbs in the cupboard so I think I could easily make the seasoning myself, put it in a jar and use it like I would usually.

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This is great! You're totally on the right track with this *thumbs up*

Ladybuganddaisy

Day 10 - I’ve made another PAD to the credit card this morning of £5.00. I worked the overtime last night and signed up to do a shift tomorrow and Sunday. I do feel a little bit like my whole weekend is taken up with work and I’m missing time with my dd. I do however have the whole of August off work so I’ll be able to catch up with some (cheap) days out with her then!

I’ve yet to make the fajita mix girlatplay but I will!!!! I’ll let you know how it goes!

I’ve got my eBay items ending on Saturday too so hopefully I’ll have a few more quid to send across to the credit card. I’m looking forward to getting my next credit card statement and seeing it be less (hopefully a lot less)

I’ve bought petrol this morning so that was £20.04 but nothing else yet! I’ve got a friend coming for dinner but the food and wine has already been bought.

I have been adding bits to my amazon basket. My dd has a lovely (very elaborate) paddling pool but I don’t have a pump. With the hot weather due i like being outside and the paddling pool is great entertainment (not to mention free) for dd! So I do actually really need it just wondering how long to put that purchase off for. It’s not much money about a tenner and it’s funny because before I would have bought it without a second thought!

Ladybuganddaisy

Yesterday - day 11, great day in the sunshine! Bought a pump for the paddling pool which was £15. And some picnic food £17.97 and dd and I juts chilled in the garden. I did my overtime shift so that’s extra money coming in :j

My eBay items ended with a £45 total. I need to post the items tomorrow and obviously that doesn’t take into account postage but I’m pretty pleased with that!

Today - day 12 - no spend day today, we are going on a picnic and a bike ride! I’m working another over time shift tonight too!

I’m going to do a PAD of £10.00 for today and yesterday!

Hope everyone enjoys the sunshine, it’s so much easier to be money saving when the weather is nice and we can hang outside :j

Ladybuganddaisy

Day 13 - yesterday was just a work day and I had to get petrol and some groceries as my friend came over for tea. So spends were £5.83, £3.00, £6.30 and £22.76. Not brilliantly money saving but hopefully over the next few days it will be a bit better

£52.04 transferred to the credit card as my PAD for the day. It just rounded down my account balance so made sense to me

Here’s to another good day at work in the sunshine :beer:

Ladybuganddaisy

Day 13 - a good day at work, had a cheeky look in some of the charity shops in town on my lunch break. I bought a puzzle which I know my daughter will love. It’s been in my amazon basket for ages (which Xmas stoking in mind) it currently selling for £7 and I got it for £1.25. It looks brand new! Is it terrible if I put it aside for her stocking even though it’s second hand? She’s only 3, I don’t think she will notice

I am tempted to make a bit of a plan for Christmas in terms of pressies for dd. I tend to go way over the top and spend a lot more than I should! I’m wondering if I start planning now I might be able to get some bargains, use some vouchers etc.

Other than that not much to report, I’ll be making some tea out of what I’ve got! Nothing very inspiring I fear!