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Family of 4, paying back £50k in 4 years whilst trying to live eco friendly

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  • missymoo81
    missymoo81 Posts: 8,006 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Thanks Dp. At the moment I have 2 use again star bucks cups that I got for £1 each ages ago. 

    Forgot to mention OH still hasn’t had a letter re being stopped for driving etc the other week, it’s been 3 weeks so we’re hoping and praying nothing will come of it. He has absolutely learnt his lesson he’d been like driving miss daisy and the PC gave him one hell of a dressing down so I’m hoping it’s all ok. Fingers crossed. 

    So it’s Mar 1st today. I need to do a food shop tomorrow. Going to sit with my phone and write a shopping list later. Have just finished my book, fed the cats, hung some washing up and set up the fire stick for the children. Going to pick them up at 1830, need to call into COOP on the way back as have no dishwasher tablets at all, sometimes they have great YS stuff, so I’ll have a look but only but what I need.

    Budget for shopping next week is £50, going to stock up on a few things to build a little stock if there’s enough, for the leaner weeks. 
  • missymoo81
    missymoo81 Posts: 8,006 Forumite
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    Ok just spent £7.70 at coop, i treated OH to some half price cookies and some wine gums, he asked for some nuts too. They were so expensive also the dishwasher tablets were more than I wanted. I managed to get some half price bread and tomatoes. Need to plan ahead more and not pay stupid money at the COOP. Grrrr v cross with myself!
  • missymoo81
    missymoo81 Posts: 8,006 Forumite
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    Ahhhh mysupermarket doesn’t work anymore?! Gutted! That’s how I figured out which shop to go to! Does anyone know of any other sites similar? I’ll have to put it all into Tesco and see how much it adds up to.
  • missymoo81
    missymoo81 Posts: 8,006 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Ok in answer to my own question, I have just found an app called Comparasauras and that seems to be similar.
  • missymoo81
    missymoo81 Posts: 8,006 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 2 March 2020 at 11:49AM
    Ok have put a Tesco order through as the prices were pretty much the same as Lidl for what I wanted. Have spent more than I wanted as have decided on a little stock pile and got toilet roll etc. So I’m going to put a little box of extras like pasta, flour, beans, raisins Etc under the stairs so that on lean weeks or months I can just dip into it. My wages are so unpredictable. I’ve spent about £65 but I’m hoping I can even it out over the month....

    Panicking a bit about money, have spent more than I thought on the shopping, have spent £40 on amazon as needed a new frying pan as old one was in such a state you couldn’t cook on it anymore. Bought some more leads for chargers as they’ve all broken and some dvds for the children. Am having my hair done today, which should be £50, desperately need it as am super grey stripey and can’t dye my own as wouldn’t know where to start. Have managed to wait an extra 6 weeks though, so that’s a massive result. Not going to get my nails done anymore apart from to take them off. Have had to lend OH some money until Thursday so shopping etc has come out of my account too as work wages have been so unpredictable. Am v much wanting to build up an emergency pot for this.

    So spends this week apart from the above: £15 babysitter for tonight as have children and have to be at a work thing for 2 hours. Need to pay £80 dancing as still haven’t paid it...... £25 on Sunday for present for a party for Roos friend and I need to pay for May to jump at the trampoline place too, and for her to eat. And need to pay £10 sponsor money for children’s sponsored walk tomorrow! 

    Have £400 in my account but need to pay all of the above+  £100 to Barc card, and rent and all bills are due on Monday, I will get money before then though. Need to actually write down what is coming in and out and get a bit more organised! 

    Oooh also need to redo the £200 invoice from the other week as was wrong. Really need that paying!
  • PurpleFairy26
    PurpleFairy26 Posts: 3,903 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    You have lots going on but seem to be making good progress. 

    Do you really need to spend £25 on a present for you child’s friend? 

    Also re hair dying yourself. It’s really much easier than you think. If you get one that washes out (normally about 24 washes - can pick them up for about £4) as a starter it won’t be the end of the world if it’s not what you want. G00gle tips for dying your own hair first and have a go you’d be most surprised at the outcome I think and how easy it is. Just a few tips from me. Use and old towel and keep it just for that purpose - clip it round your shoulder whilst applying the stuff - don’t wear a top underneath as you’ll need to undress to get in shower and don’t want to faff getting a top off over dyed wet hair. 

    Put lipsalve or Vaseline around your hair line. I use lipsalve as it’s easier to aim! When you take the gloves off they provide you with, leave them the right way so you can put them on again to rinse it off in the shower so it doesn’t stain your hands. 

    HTH and saves you a few £££
  • missymoo81
    missymoo81 Posts: 8,006 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Ah thanks so much for taking the time to post purple fairy. Fantastic tips! I will definitely google it and see how I get on. I can’t use a semi on my hair unfortunately as my hair isn’t grey it’s bright white permanent is the only thing that covers it. But I think I’ll be brave next time and try it, I might just try it underneath and see how it turns out. I’d need two lots of dye as have a lot of hair. But at the most it would be around £10-£15 wouldn’t it? Would cancel this appointment but she’s come in especially and moved loads of people around to fit me in! 

    And you’re right £25 is a lot to spend on a present, it’s £10 for the present £10 for pay to jump and £5 for food whilst everyone else is eating. 

    Thanks so much for taking the time to reply x
  • Isitdoable
    Isitdoable Posts: 96 Forumite
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    edited 2 March 2020 at 8:01PM
    You seem on the go as much as me missy moo!  My food budget totally went to pot at the end of last month too.  I have really struggled with time to meal plan, but I also worked out, I went to the shops about 13 times in Feb....so actually, I could use some of that time to meal plan properly - and do far less shops, and also save money!  I'm trying to work out how it can best work for me, but my thoughts are to do one big bulk shop online for the whole month, and then small fresh top ups weekly - then I can take advantage of Aldi for those, but still get the dried/canned/tinned bits I love from Sainsburys!
  • missymoo81
    missymoo81 Posts: 8,006 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Hey isitdoable, I think I’m going to do the same thing. Or maybe I’ll do a big shop once every 2 weeks, and a smaller shop the second week. I’m going to try and only go to the shop once a week as otherwise I spend so much more. 

    So yesterday was not a good day. I spent so much money, hair was way way more than I expected so not doing that again. I bought myself some new pyjamas as primark had some on and I barely have any, I spent £23 but I feel quite bad about it. As didn’t need quite so many, so may well take a set back. 

    Ended up buying coffee as the motorbike broke down and was stranded! 
    So food wise Had stew last night and there’s enough for tonight. 

    Am so tired got 5 hours sleep, going to do the school run and go back to bed. Need to be at the gym for 1230. It’s homework night tonight, really need to do mountains of washing and hoover and mop the floor. OH is working tonight so going to go through my Budget and maybe have a bit more sleep as really struggling at the moment. 

    It’s the sponsored walk for the children today and non school uniform, need to find them something blue to wear and part with £12!

    Will write more later.
  • Suffolk_lass
    Suffolk_lass Posts: 10,309 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 3 March 2020 at 2:46PM
    Forgot to mention OH still hasn’t had a letter re being stopped for driving etc the other week, it’s been 3 weeks so we’re hoping and praying nothing will come of it. He has absolutely learnt his lesson he’d been like driving miss daisy and the PC gave him one hell of a dressing down so I’m hoping it’s all ok. Fingers crossed. 
    I believe that as your OH was stopped by a police officer they have six months in which to initiate a prosecution. It may have changed but the 14 day rule applies to automated (camera-triggered) events - that is how long they have to notify an intention to prosecute. Sorry...
    Save £12k in 2025 #2 I am at £4863.32 out of £6000 after May (81.05%)
    OS Grocery Challenge in 2025 I am at £1286.68/£3000 or 42.89% of my annual spend so far
    I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
    My new diary is here
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