Our MFW Adventure!

Needhelpsaving

Hi Saving Holmes, thanks for dropping in. You're going great guns with your repayments (I have been dropping by your diary too ).

I had some more spends yesterday and today to confess to - £1 for baby club, £45 weekly shop and £10 on cake/drinks at English Heritage site (wasn't planned, but it made two kids ... and me happy ).

We had a lovely frugalish day out, as it would have been around £30 for entry and tea rooms, so I am taking the positives.

I have already sold 3 of the kids items listed online, and have added more today. I'm splitting them between Ebay/Shpock or some are listed on both. It's been great to see DD1 get excited about making some money (she told us she's saving for a house when she's big :j).

I've still got to list some bits and pieces, so i'll crack on with that tomorrow.

Needhelpsaving

Good Morning!

It's that time of the month again, payday has come round and I have spent some time closing my September budget and setting up my October budget.

Main points for September Budget Closure;

1. I overspent on 'Food' - this category was too broad and it ended up becoming a bit of a catch all for food, household, beauty and misc spends. I have broken these spends down in my October budget.

2. I've finished the month with a £0 overdraft and October will be cash only spends as I've been getting too 'swipe happy'.

3. I owe £164.65 to the credit card which has accumulated over the last 2 months. This was down to overspending, no excuses or major reasons, just poor planning and discipline on my part. This is my number 2 priority for October, as I need to save/earn approx £70 for a new tyre first.

4. I received a reply from the survey company that I had chased about a missing payment - it has been resolved and they sent me a £15.50 Amazon voucher :money: Still no payment from one of the M/S companies :mad:


Plans for October budget;

1. I have tried to be clearer with my categories, but I will review this again at the end of October. October is a cash only budget for spending.

2. I have picked up two mystery shops so far which will contribute towards earnings. I have had another ebay sale that was sent out yesterday - fingers crossed there are more to come

3. Continue to pursue new opportunities to economize/earn money.

savingholmes

Some real positives there. Thanks for visiting my diary too. Have a fun filled weekend

Needhelpsaving

Good morning!

It's been 6 days since payday and we're ticking along, we have had leftovers twice this week, and it's helped to stretch the food and reduce wastage. The fridge and cupboards are being run down and we will continue this over the weekend, so that I don't have to go shopping until Monday.

I am tracking my spending much more this month and have already started to notice trends that I need to work on. I used a tip from the local playgroup for DD2 new shoes, I went to the local Clarks outlet, had her measured and then ordered the shoes from Amazon using vouchers I had saved on there. They are older stock, so they were about £10 cheaper than others, but who is going to know?? And, if they don't fit properly, you can send them back. :money:

I currently have £35.86 towards my new tyre, so half way there :T

The money owed to the credit card has been paid from savings so there is no interest, but I have committed to pay the money back to savings, otherwise it's a slippery slope and we'll have no savings for when we need them

We're getting there!

Needhelpsaving

Good Evening!

I hope you've all had a fab weekend. Our weekend has been fairly relaxed and enjoyable (Den making, family visits etc).

I bumped up the grocery shopping to today, as tomorrow's plans have changed and it was better to get it out of the way ahead of time. I planned the meals and wrote the list before I went and spent £30.94 for our week of groceries :money:

This weekend I had an ebay sale that was sent straight out - £3.67 after fees and postage. This has gone towards my replacement tyre fund.

We're already having family asking for Xmas present ideas, and while I am trying to steer them away from plastic carp, I don't know how successful I have been:o I am going to suggest to OH that we do a small selection of day trips instead of more toys ... we'll see how that goes

Needhelpsaving

Low spend day today - I only spent £1 on DD2 playgroup entry

I have met 3 of the 4 goals I set myself for today, so I am happy with that. The 4th item will be rolled over to tomorrows list.

I have bids on 3 of the DD's old toys we have listed on the bay of e - we have agreed that any money made (after postage and fees) will go into their savings accounts so they see the benefit :money:

Needhelpsaving

So today has been productive, I've posted four ebay sales (3 of which were DD1's old toys). I've swept the money she's made (after postage and fees) into her savings account.

Washing is blowing on the line while there is sunshine :j, I've just chucked a big chicken into the oven to roast. I'll then strip the meat and use it for the next three nights meals.

I've been tracking this months spends more consistently and will tweak next months budget if needed to make sure I haven't over/underestimated certain budget categories.

This month's goal is to stick to my budget - no overdraft or credit card spends.

Needhelpsaving

Good Evening!

Well, the heating is on as it seems to have gone cold all of a sudden plus I need to get clothes dried , so it's a double whammy.

Today I did pick up about £8 of shopping (Bread, bacon at DH request and some snacks). I need to meal plan for next week and put together a shopping list for that.

Window cleaner paid (I haven't ventured up a ladder over a few feet high since a family member broke their back falling from one), so money well spent for me.


Money Saving wins;

- DD1 has been offered a brand new pair of trainers for free :money:

- I received a £1 off coupon in the mail, but they had sent me one that was out of date (thanks Surf:(), so I have emailed them and asked if I could have another one that is in date - nothing ventured, nothing gained.

- Still purchasing everything in cash, logging all spends and within budget.

- DD1 Halloween costume (for a party) came from the charity shop.

Needhelpsaving

Good morning!

I am ploughing through my to do list this month (and it's a biggie ), I need to just keep my head down and carry on.

So money wins this week are;

- Sold an old Iphone 4s for £16 - the cash in sites were offering £2, or £0, so I popped it on the bay of e, as it was not damaged in anyway and in full working order. Someone picked it up for £16 + postage :T

- I was FINALLY paid for a mystery shop I completed 5 months ago. Perseverance pays off, but I have decided that I won't do any more work for that company, as there is a big difference between 6 weeks for a payout and 5 months (not to mention the emails back and forth chasing them/being strung along). Lesson learned.

- DD1 was gifted a brand new paid of trainers and some halloween accessories, which would have cost us around £45/50 to buy new :money:

- Both girls had new (to them) wellies gifted to us by a family member, an as they are in the next sizes, I have popped them on the shoe rack for later in the winter.

- Tracking all spends and paying in cash has really helped me to get a clear idea of what my true budget is looking like at the moment.

Money fails

- I had to put a grocery shop spend on the joint account as I had left the cash envelope at home - I have moved money to the account to cover all bar £6 of it.

- Got carried away and booked an xmas day out. Took the money from savings, so need to add that into next months budget to replenish.

savingholmes

Great win on the trainers and other freebies. We all have money fails - at least you've noticed and can hopefully nip it in the bud and replenish your savings asap. We emptied our emergency fund this month - and I am counting the days until Tuesday when I can replenish a good chunk of it. I'm also trying to grow our savings ready for Christmas.