The hardest challenge yet

Snowy_Owl

HI Elantan,

just read through this thread and it looks like some of the things I was thinking have been implemented!!

First of all congrats on all you've achieved so far!! major achievements!!

* was going to suggest fullk stiock-take of food cupboards, freezers, frigse as wellas toiletries and cleaning products. Clear out OOD stiff and then start planning round that / start shopping list of essentials but sounds like your on taop of all that!!!

* How to do store leftover food / batch cooking portions in freezer?? Personally I use freezer bags. May not be eco-freeindly but easy to label and saves a lot of space.

* As Monnagran said, decide on your priorites....cut out ALL treats and save( hard to do...), nice wine? how basic do you want to go with shopping? what products will you not scrimp on??

* If eating out. make a wish list of restaurants you want to go to and plan them in - say once a month or whenever suits - and look forward to it!!! Suggest to the folks you eat woth i they want to take it in turns go to each others housesand how you want to do it - everyone brings a dish for a pot luck or someone just cooks and you all put into a kitty on the night towards the meal

* make use of anything you;ve got on loyalty cards - boots for toiletries, make up and perfume....Tesco for entetainment vouchers towards cinema and restaurant vocuhers (mainly chains)

* If hubby going through a hard time at work, cut him a bit of slack. Just implement what you can at home and just go with it. If he gets lunch out at work, that mentally might be a buffer just for him getting out for a bit. Sounds like he has loads going on at the moment there. Chances are he won;t be the only one affected. One step at a time!!!!!

Good luck.....

Wednesday2000

How is it going Elantan?:)

I have been watching inspirational money/budget videos on YouTube for the last hour or two. I am going to get my bum in gear.:T

I am going to set up a regular saver at our bank tomorrow as my husband gets paid. £600 from our joint account into savings each and every month and no arguments. Anything we can put away on top of that will be a bonus.

I'm going to trawl through our outgoings and see where I can make cuts. I'm sure I have "saver" plans for supermarket deliveries that I hardly use!

I'm going to switch all my supermarket shopping to Tesco or Asda, no more Ocado as it is too expensive.

I have to start taking advantage of things like Tesco vouchers as I don't bother and I'm probably paying full whack for things that I could get discounted.:doh:

No more mindless shopping on Ama*on. I'm going to try and not buy anything from there until the end of January, except essential stuff we need like pet food and pet flea treatment.

boultdj

Remember to go through topcash back and checkoutsmart to see if you can get some saving's there as well Wednesday.

Wednesday2000

boultdj wrote: »

Remember to go through topcash back and checkoutsmart to see if you can get some saving's there as well Wednesday.

Oh yes, I did join Quidco but forget to use it most of the time.:o:D

boultdj

I've put it on a screen saver to stop me from forgetting Wednesday.

elantan

Hi all,

sorry I've been MIA, it's been one disaster after another on the caring duties side, I had decided that we were not going to be dealing with the xmas meal as we felt a bit too much pressure with dealing with everything and still not talking to our son etc, the in laws had decided to just do something small, so yesterday we popped down with their xmas presents, before we left I double checked with OH that we deff were not doing the food this year and our plan of having a day hiking a hill followed by a lovely meal just the two of us was agreed.

We left the house got in the car and headed down to the inlaws, we arrived to a very ill mother in law, who should be in hospital but is refusing to go, so guess who is now having to do the whole xmas stress?

Landed up having to go to M&S on the way home and buy stuff in, as I'm working 13 hour days monday and tuesday I want to make my xmas day as stress free as I can. this obviously comes at a cost, a cost which we didnt plan for, which we dont really want but feel we " need " to do.

boultdj

Rat's! Not nice for you at all.

elantan

I recognise I'm moaning and there are so many people worse off than we are, we are fortunate in that we are both earning and will manage.

But none of this leads me to where I want to be, so with that in mind January will bring in changes, just now we are in a situation we cant change and even come January we will still be somewhat in the same situation, however the societal pressures on us will not be the same.

xmas spends £100 on son
xmas spends on sons GF £50
xmas spends on mother on law £60
xmas spends on Father in law £50
xmas spends on aunty £10
xmas spends on sons GF parents £10
xmas spends on food and drink for all coming on xmas day £200 ( very expensive I know but it's been a rush job and we are providing everything for 6 people one day and 6 people another day)

if I had known we were doing the xmas day this year I wouldve prepared better and priced things, but as it's just been kinda chucked onto us we had to rush things and just landed up in m&s ... better taste good
we are currently not on speaking terms with son .. but I have no doubt he will turn up on xmas day as if nothing has happened be polite for a while then start his rubbish and I will kick him out again


the credit card is being put in the safe after new year and we will be using cash for a few months, I am off from 28th december till 6th january so fully intend on getting sorted and organised for next year, I have informed oh that as far as anyone is c0ncerned we are both working, we need to spend time sorting ourselves out for a bit, we have had to sacrifice so much on the last few months that it is starting to effect us, and as I'm sure we all know were meant to put the oxygen mask on ourselves first, if we dont take time for us we wont have anything left to give

dreaming

So sorry to hear your plans for a quiet Christmas have gone awry but although there has been unexpected expense please try to see this as a blip in your plans, and you will still get to where you want I am sure - your just may have to take a bit of a detour.
I know what stress family disagreements/estrangement/illness can bring. Even if you feel you have mostly come to terms with things this time of year can give the heart a few pangs. I hope you get some time to yourselves before New Year and things will look much better soon. Best wishes.

maddiemay

Sorry to read of your unplanned Christmas activities, been there a couple of times with both OH's and my mother. Take several deep breaths and look forward to (hopefully) enjoying some low key stuff with OH afterwards and re-hashing your financial plans to start the New Year.