Giving every £ a job

lucielle

You have to take the wins where you can get them. 

OH like David Gray, I’m not so keen. 

L

Blackcats

@lucielle - I'm the David Gray fan.  OH likes some songs but has been known to use the word dirge to describe others.  He'll love the concert I'm sure 🥴. He had blooming well better enjoy it!

just back from a couple of days away in Kent which included a fabulous safari (obviously Kent is well known for its lions, tigers and 🦒.
had a very close encounter with Helene the camel and her gang who plonked themselves in front of and alongside the safari truck and refused to move for 10 minutes.  Was very worried about being spat at but fortunately the train (collective noun) of camels refrained from spitting although one did a very, very long wee.

some money has been spent which I'll add up later this evening.

savingholmes

Sorry your Dad had to wait. He sounds really resilient. Hopefully that means you have good genes too.

Glad you had a fun time away.

Blackcats

Thank you @savingholmes.  

Well September has been lots of fun but very busy and fairly expensive.

we've had our IoW holiday, a 3 day mini break, a night away to visit a v poorly family member, 2 concerts and tomorrow is a meal out to celebrate a big birthday.  That's the final entry in our social calendar for a few weeks.  I'm ready to hunker down and re-energise in quietness.  As a very definite introvert personality type I do enjoy socialising but it depletes my energy rather than energises me.

in addition the dishwasher had to be replaced and the garden room spends have peaked. Oh and those David Gray concert tickets foisted themselves on me.

all I can say is that the just for points credit card has been busy!

however, with some forward planning it will all be paid in full.  Holidays and trips are covered in their savings pot (now at just above £zero.
garden room has its own fully funded pot.
dishwasher is covered by replacement tech pot (also now hovering at just above £zero.
concert tickets will use my personal spends money and £100 from the concerts pot.

There was a time I thought nothing about amassing huge credit card bills but now I feel a bit "eek" when I check the balance.  I'm actually going to be looking forward to paying the balance off on 25th October and returning to £0.  Until then the savings pots will earn some interest for us.

Blackcats

Just had an hour with notebook, coloured pens and a ruler finishing off the September finances.  Eek is all I can say.

there will be spending tomorrow as it's the thrill of Lidls day. There is £66 left in the grocery budget and the meal plan is designed to use food from the freezer, so I'm aiming (was going to say hoping but that implies that my spending will be by luck not judgement), so I'm aiming for a £50 or less shop with a nice surplus to slide across to our Christmas savings.  We will trigger the 10% off our next shop so will do a stock up shop next week.

we will be hunkering down for the next couple of weeks with minimum spends and maximum fun and relaxation.  Flasks for trips out and home cooking to keep costs under control.

did ok with my mini re-set but reducing carbs is tough,  really helps to plan ahead to have non-carby food available and to not end up with carbs for breakfast, carbs for lunch and carbs for dinner, not to mention carbs for a snack.  

savingholmes

Check if you have a £5 off £40 spend voucher - I did - it all helps. 

Well done for creating a plan to rebalance. I think you are doing fine. There are always going to be months where spend is higher than anticipated. You are good at reeling it back in afterwards.

Blackcats

Thanks @savingholmes - no voucher unfortunately but we kept spending to £46 which I'm pleased about.

spendy September is drawing to a close and whilst I've had lots of fun I am also looking forward to a quieter and cosy October.  That said, we are away for 4 nights at the end of October and have a family "do" to attend so still got plenty to look forward to.

Just about to finalise September's banking ready for a shiny new month.  

Sarahwithlove

Glad you had a good time away. I'm assuming the outlet place was GQ. Did you resist any other spending than your coat? Lindt shop is only one I really go in. 

Sounds like you have all your card expenses covered and it's what they are there for. Though I hate taking them out my savings I also hate spending on my card. Lose lose situation haha. 

Blackcats

@Sarahwithlove - yes it was GQ.  It was very convenient to go there when we got off the ferry.  I resisted all other shops but MrBC bought some much needed clothes.  His jeans were about to move into the ripped jeans phase and whilst that might be a fashion statement for trendy young folk, it's not a pensioner friendly look 🥹

A very wet day today.  Find myself humming Rain, Rain, Rain by Roxy Music.  The cat walked to the front door, changed his mind and hurtled back inside.

A cosy evening planned tonight.  I've made a ginger and apple cake to have whilst watching Bake Off and MrBC has promised to make frothy hot chocolate.

savingholmes

My cat has been having a similar response to the weather.