Choccy's last debt diary! Tme to stop messing and focus.

Choccygirl123

Arrrghhh forgot hubby and had a treat as both took extra day's leave. We met friends for lunch and spent £29.90. It's the first takeaway or food eaten out since start of December.

Choccygirl123

So i typed up a post and got distratced with a million and one things last night and it's still sat on in the preview box this morning. Back to earth with a bump and Christmas is definitely over. Work was good, nice to see everyone and hear their christmas stories. Do feel a little stressed about covid, but know a lot of people are.

Had a great surprise - the dog's insurance emailed to say they've paid £148.11 and it'll be in my account within 5 days. Happy it's processed already and delighted it's more than I thought. Have updated my spreadsheet to include this refund and will move it over to the dog saving account as soon as it arrives. Means i'm nearly 50% of way there for the next 6xtimes in June. Have checked my bank this morning and it's already pending as coming in.

Yesterday was a NSD number 5 for 2022 and today will be number 6! Avoiding the shops is the answer and it seems silly, but if we don't go we don't spend 

Last night the teenagers discovered dried potato for the first. it reminded them of primary school meals. I was sorting out my pantry cupboard and found 3 packs i'd bought during the lockdown in case we really struggled to get out if isolating. I'm trying to use up a lot of my stores, so last night's meal was a family steak pie, packet mash and spag hoops - teenagers loved it. Tonight makes it double pie night (emptying freezer) and we're having scotch pies (family favourite) real boiled potatoes, carrots and peas. I feel like i've had a huge mind switch and am making meals out of the food we already have, rather than nipping to the local shop because I fancy something else.

Account is looking pretty empty this morming with a meager £39.50 sat in there. I do have £97.98 in cash in my shopping wallet. With a largish shop tomorrow, the cash will keep us going until my last money coming in this month arrives next week. Will probably need to fill teenager's 1 banger up tomorrow, as we've been out praticising quite a lot and it's dropped below 1/4.

pennywisepoundstupid

All sounding good with you, Both my DC have passed their test now and i don't know which is more terrifying teaching them to drive or when they have the freedom to go out on their own.

have a great weekend xx

Choccygirl123

pennywisepoundstupid said:

All sounding good with you, Both my DC have passed their test now and i don't know which is more terrifying teaching them to drive or when they have the freedom to go out on their own.

have a great weekend xx

It's a scary thought that she"ll be independant. It doesn't seem two minutes since she was born.

Choccygirl123

No updates over the weekend on the thread, as was too busy being lazy.

Saturday spending - Food shop £85.66 and fuel DD's car £30.13.

Sunday - Managed another NSD number 7 of 2022. T

Today - NSD fail as I need 2 lemons for a GCSE food tech lesson, 2 grabs bags of crips fell in the basket too £3-05

Choccygirl123

Another day I missed my update yesterday. Need to keep posting, as it helps keep me focussed.

Tuesday -  had a bread fail last nght and I needed a loaf for today. Grabbed milk as well in the coop and spent £3.35.

Today - Going to fill my car up, which will hopefully last until pay day.

Determined we're not going to hit the overdraft, so I need to keep on track. We've got one direct debit £17.49 to go out and £14 for the window clearner if he visits this month. The last income arrived today, but I also have a £60 refund due this month but will be couple of weeks for it to be processed.

I've been packaging up a few bits from hubby's clear out i've sold on ebay. Made around £125 before postage costs, so have said I'll move £100 across to his account towards a new coat. The rest of profit I'll stick in our xmas 2022 saving pot. I've managed to keep my postage costs down, by using 3 x 1st stamps received from surveys for each parcel and will pay for the additional 65p each on. It usings up some of the stamps, as i've got quite a few sat in the drawer.

Choccygirl123

Had one of those days - work was manic,
a parent's evening and evening a million and one things yo do and I feel rough. I had a NSD fail and we had a chippy dinner. Our first takeaway in 6weeks. It was lovely, felt like a treat but was £17.20.

Budget for rest of the month is £220 for food and fuel. Going to do another big shop on Saturday but need to check all my stocks first. 13 days to push until my pay day!

Choccygirl123

I love that feeling when you wake up and it's Friday. This has been such a long week and as a family we're all ready for a break.

I've taken out one random sirlion steak out the freezer for dinner. Will make a stir fry and bulk it out with loads veg and make it a competition to find the meat lol

Determined to make today a NSD, as have slipped a little this week.Will do our weekly shop tomorrow and am focusing on using stocks from the cupboard and freezer. Hubby was making noises about a curry tomorrow, but after the chips last night I'll buy a curry box from the supermarket as a compromise. 

12 days to pay day and start of new budget.
£220.59 left in the account 
£17.49 DD still to go out
£14 if window cleaner turns up
£189.10 available for food and fuel 

pennywisepoundstupid

All sounding good with you, we are trying to use stocks from the freezer but i still managed to spend £64 in lidl, those offers kept jumping in my trolley.

Choccygirl123

pennywisepoundstupid said:

All sounding good with you, we are trying to use stocks from the freezer but i still managed to spend £64 in lidl, those offers kept jumping in my trolley.

Thanks pennyw, I know that feeling! I've still not managed to empty a freezer drawer yet or empty my tin surplus out the coat cupboard. I can't resist a bargain.

We have had quite a spendy weekend. Hubby nipped you local coop for bread and bacon on Saturday morning £14.41 (two lots of chocolate, my gf bread, gluten free crumpets , 2 packs bacon and sausage and a normal loaf. 

At least it meant we weren't shopping on an empty stomach. I needed quite a lot of staple bits - Mayo, ketchup, dishwasher tablets , gravy granular etc all the bits you take from granted in the cupboard. Don't go to Tesco every week so I got a free g/f bits too and that soon bumps up the spending. The gf fish fingers were £3.20 for 12. It's frustrating, but sometimes nice to have a craving treat.

I did say we buy it this week, but we'll have to be mega careful. I did fight the urge for a McDonald's milkshake though. Eldest took me out for a drive yesterday and she'd asked if she could get a treat for them both -  £4.68 for a frappe and milkshake but I had my coffee I'd made at home.

other spending nipped to poundstretchers whilst out on the drive and bought some mini dehumidifiers for the teen's car. It's very old and the windows get bad. Got a pack of 6, so should hopefully last few weeks until spring. Bought anti mist wipes too, treat myself to a bottle of black harpic for cleaning the loo abd some compost food bags. Spent £9.06

The youngest  wanted to swap £20 wages in cash for £20 into her bank account. Added to weekebd beating and last direct debit leaving, the balance now is £54.24 with potential of window cleaning £14 coming. £40 in account and £20 cash will definitely keep my shopping list purposeful!  

9 days to pay day and enough petrol between the cars to keep us driving.