Giving every £ a job

Blackcats

Thank you for the reassurance about smugness.  I'm aware that all of us on these boards are in different financial situations and whilst I no longer have debts I like keeping my diary here and find it keeps me accountable.  Plus, there are so many lovely people here.

I might have persuaded MrBC to switch his dormant bank account.  I'm going to leave him mulling it over and will edge forward with it towards the end of the week.  Will report back if there is any progress.

did a mahoosive Lidl shop to take advantage of our 10% off voucher.  Stocked up on tea, coffee, cereals, tins, baking goods, pasta, rice, meat and fish .  Not sure if this will save us money over the course of the month but the grocery budget is currently very depleted.

we were on childcare duties today for a 5 year old and a 2 year old grandchild.   We made a picnic and had a lovely afternoon in the park together.  Only spending was on ice creams which were definitely well deserved and very much enjoyed.  It's amazing how much mess a 2 year old can make with a Twister lolly!  Summer days make entertaining little ones so easy.  Slight hiccup when we were leaving their house as 5 year old had an absolute hissy fit which we gladly left their mum to deal with!  That's grandparents prerogative I'd say 😁

Blackcats

Trying to have a mini health and well-being re-set this month.  I've got a really sweet tooth and will happily eat sugary snacks at every opportunity so I'm trying to adjust and reduce processed sugar intake. So instead of my preferred choice of a bag of randoms to sustain me during the delights of a journey on the hideous M25 I took a pot of grapes which worked out ok.  I'm also taking my water bottle out with me so I can keep slurping.  It's so dispiriting to drive onto the motorway and within moments to hear the sat nav chirpily announce "slow traffic on M25.  Traffic jam ahead".   No wonder I want to reach for a handful of randoms or haribo!

I'm also taking my vitamins/supplements more diligently.  I know there are mixed views on the effectiveness of vitamins and supplements but I think that they might do some good.  I'm drinking 1 fruit tea and 1 green tea each day as I drink so much "normal" tea that I thought a couple of non milky cuppas is a good thing.  

I'm finding that reducing carbs is a bit more challenging particularly at lunchtime as we seem to default to sandwiches.

hopefully little tweaks will become enduring habits.

apart from the petrol we used today no actual money was spent.

savingholmes

Sounds like things are going well.  Well done on the new saver. Good luck getting DH to switch the account 

foxgloves

@Blackcats - I know what you mean about not wanting to sound smug.....you don't, btw. Back in the earlier days of these diaries, I used to think that you, @Onebrokelady & I sounded like we'd been the Spendy Triplets in the past! I have now been debt free for several years, & mortgage free for the last almost 5, but the truth is that both you & I were Spendy for many more years than we've been reformed characters. Having savings still feels like a novelty to me, & it definitely does to Mr F, who isn't as familiar with the figures as I am the budgeter in the relationship. When I am writing a diary post about my monthly Big Budget Day, I'll include that I paid into our regular savings & managed to pay a selection of savings pots & I too sometimes think, 'Should I include this?', 'Is my time actually done on here?' because I am no longer in debt & am now finally putting money into savings, as I should have been since I first started work in the 1980s.
Then, like you, I think that regular posting on my diary keeps me on the sensible budgeting pathway, & there's the chance that people less advanced in their dfw journey may look at folk like us & think, 'Yes, however late I've left learning to live within my means, I can do this'. It's never too late to change one's spendy wasteful ways, & I feel a lot better about it from an environmental perspective too.
I think that plastic cactus became symbolic, didn't it, lol?!
F x

joedenise

I entirely agree.  I think it's important for the current DFW to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Like you @foxgloves and @Blackcats my DH and I lived on credit for many, many years but finally had our light bulb moment several years ago and started overpaying the mortgage as well as saving.  We've been mortgage free for about 8 years now and I use YNAB to keep track of all my pots as I find it much easier than spreadsheets - quite honestly I had enough of spreadsheets when I was working to not want to keep using them once I retired!

Blackcats

@foxgloves you do the plastic cactus a disservice because as I recall it was not just plastic it was plastic and sparkly 🙃. 
I like the notion of being part of the now defunct spending triplet supergroup.  Team Olympic gold at the Games  throughout the 80's, 90's and some of the 00's for spending, wasting and ignoring bills and bank statements.

I like that the diaries on here describe how we are all at different stages of our financial journeys and are all open about what we are doing with our money and our continued lessons learned.

vitamins taken but must remember not to drink hot tea after taking a cod liver oil as I've had a fishy taste repeating on me all day.

Blackcats

@joedenise - your management of your multiple budget pots is amazing.
perhaps those of us that have been excessive spenders are well suited to switching to being good budget managers eventually?

I had some great customer service this week to share here as I'm aware that it's easy to moan and forget to acknowledge good service.
I received some letterbox flowers last week as a thank you from a friend.  As soon as I opened the box a couple of stems were already beyond saving and a couple of days later more than half had drooped to the point of no return.  I didn't want my friend to know that her lovely gift had disappointed so I contacted the company directly to let them know as usually their flowers are fabulous.  I had an immediate response with the offer of another bouquet which arrived today with a lovely "sorry" card.  This bunch is looking good already.

Today is the 3rd anniversary of my mum dying.  Some days it feels so long since I've seen her and other times it's like yesterday.  About 3 months ago my dad lost mum's wedding ring which he was wearing on his little finger.  Unbelievably I found it today just under his arm chair.  I'm sure we looked there but anyway thanks mum for guiding us to your ring x

joedenise

Not sure how many pots I've got but at the last count it was about 40!  I've got about 6 or 7 just under the Holidays bit!  They are the main reason why I budget so we can have our holidays without worrying about the money!

PennysIntoPounds

Raising a glass to you and your mum, and your dad. How wonderful to have found her ring today 

Lovely about the flowers

savingholmes

Aww so pleased you found the ring and around the anniversary of her loss as well. Can't believe how fast the time has gone. Hugs to you all. 

Glad the flower coming made up for the poor initial set.