Giving every £ a job

PennysIntoPounds

What horrible news, I'm so sorry 

lucielle

Sending gentle hugs and my sympathies to you and the family. 

L

Sun_Addict

Sorry to hear about the family member loss. So sad just 15 years old. It was a terrible tragedy. 

Makingabobor2

Oh what awful news. Sending hugs. X

Blackcats

Thank you for your kind messages.  

Today has definitely been more spendy than MSE but I'm so excited that the spend was on concert tickets for a music icon.  MrBC was straight onto the ticketing site as soon as tickets were released and we are 3 rows from the front.  It's a small, local venue and I think the show is going to be a warm up ahead of a bigger venue series of gigs.  Our concerts/subscriptions/membership pot is now as empty as empty can be.

we are doing well this month with our grocery budget so I will aim to put a good underspend across to the empty pot at the end of the month.  That will keep be focussed on continuing to eat from stocks.

RebeccaPAgain

@Blackcats I am so very sorry to read about your family member and the tragic news - so terrible and am sending support over the net.

Your 2026 plans sound sensible, particularly looking at the eating out etc for the month and working budget accordingly.  This is the approach I took but I do find that I then get annoyed and feel set back if something unexpected comes up so I pop in a mop up "miscellaneous" category. Having said that, I often find that category goes over too due to DH and his "I just need" mentality!

Blackcats

Thank you RebeccaP.  The mop up miscellaneous pot sounds useful.  I keep a float amount in the current account but then I get jittery when it dwindles.  

MrBC has been very productive and has plumbed in the new washing machine and fitted a shelf for our CDs in our music zone.  Our new mattress arrived on Monday morning and we were able to give the old mattress to a family member who has just moved into their first flat.

i moved an ISA to a better rate within the same provider which will pay an extra £279 interest over 12 months.  It was very quick and easy to do but banks are cheeky with their rate drops.

there's £139 left in the grocery budget with 1 shop left to do next week.  The freezer and cupboards have been very generous during January. 

PennysIntoPounds

Cor that's a productive time at Blackcats Mansions, well done that Mr BC, and well done you, what a difference in interest 😲

lucielle

Good move on the interest rates. I’m money juggling as well. 

L

Blackcats

PIP- MrBC seems to have ants in his pants as he is busily doing tasks that have been on his WTL (w*nky tasklist) for quite a while.  I'm balancing supervising, quality control and motivational roles.
@lucielle - when I retired a bit early i took on proactive money management including chasing good interest rates, a bit of investing and budgeting.  I really enjoy beating the financial institutions at their own game especially after years of being indebted to them and subject to them and under their control.

we had a lovely morning that reminded me of all that's good in our community.  Our indie bakers had a couple of local amateur musicians playing and collecting for our very local charity for kids.  Some of the children were brought along by their carers and the joy that the music gave them was so moving.  They are profoundly brain injured children and seeing them tapping their feet and clapping their hands made me a bit teary.  The bakers gave the kids and their carers cakes and hot drinks which was very kind of them.  Nearly £400 was raised in the collecting bucket which was brilliant.

Moneywise things are looking ok with a week of the longest month to go, although there are still groceries and petrol to buy.
An item has sold on vin ted for £3.50 - not a fortune but it will help the pixie dust pot.  2 more items to list over the weekend when I get aroundtuit 😉