Frugal, thrifty, make do, mend! Let this debt come to an end!

Elisheba

Just a little touch base post.  I have my mum staying with em, so food budgeting and keeping the energy bill low has gone out the window a bit. Since we can't really do anything I don't think my spending has been too bad in other areas and I am keeping things pretty much under control.  The only things I have bought have been for my dog as far as I recall.

For April I will keep a note of all spending again, and work out where I am in my debt countdown.  Everything seems so surreal in lock-down, like its constantly Sunday - even although I am working from home.   Its been hard to stay motivated on the frugal lifestyle, especially as I can't shop around anymore as it would be irresponsible (and I can't face all the queues!).  Still I am trying to keep my spirits up and pretend I am living in wartime, only wartime with central heating and internet!

Chrystal

Hope you're keeping well Elisheba.

Elisheba

Well, Mum has gone home now.  While she has been with me - between her only wanting what she wanted, and the horrendous queues for shops in lockdown I didn't manage much in the way of frugality. I also really blew the bank when I went to town and spend £2k on a family holiday for us all this summer.  Oops...

So essentially I am back to where I was in the debt stakes in February, which means I am still a bit ahead on this year but not by much. However, now I am on my own again, I can be frugal and have the time to go though my finances more regularly.

Changes since I last posted in my life include a new working pattern where I end up with 3 days off most weeks so thats cool, although my working days are long - what with a 10 hours shift, 2 dog walks, feeding me and the animals and the fact I need a lot of sleep (and I'm not getting enough).  Being really structured helps, and I suppose one of the positives is that I don't really have time to do any sneaky shops so money is saved.  I don't really have time to do any shops on working days - so things like milk and bread are at a bit of a premium!  Still, I'm still working it out so I'll get there.

Chrystal

Good to hear from you again. 

Don't forget that you can freeze bread and milk, which makes life much easier.  XX

Elisheba

Chrystal said:

Good to hear from you again. 

Don't forget that you can freeze bread and milk, which makes life much easier.  XX

Thanks, @Chrystal Normally I would, but after my mum staying with me for a few months my chest freezer is full - its all really random stuff as well, some of which I would never eat annoyingly! I'll have to focus on getting it emptied a bit.

Elisheba

I thought I would water down what was left of the milk, only I watered it a bit much and it was basically white water  However, it has lasted me an extra day, so a penny saved and all that. 

I forgot yesterday when I was writing what I need to buy this week that I also need rawhide dog chews.  You can get 9 cigar types for £3 at B&M and they last quite well and settle my dog in the evenings.  I'll have to go out to the shops after work to get them.  

Moneysaving wise today, other than the milk and dog chews I don't plan to spend anything.  I'm having soup (left over from my holiday), bread and possibly some salad for lunch.  I have a pot of yellow sticker mango kefir for dessert as well if I fancy it. Dinner will be pasta with a jar of pesto mixed with feta, onions, mushrooms, and whatever other veg I think to throw in.  I'll make enough to freeze and have it again next week.

I have re-downloaded all the receipt apps.   With lockdown and being busy with mum I had stopped using them, but now things are more normal a few extra pennies here and there is always helpful!

I was reading through some frugal living blogs last night to give myself some idea.  Little things I had forgotten about like watering down the end of the milk, only putting washing up liquid on the sponge, not using too much washing powder - its good to remember them again!

Before lockdown and it all going pear shaped, I had intended to start making my own cleaning products.  I think I will put these on the to do list again, and see what i can make as and when i need them,

I also have a friend who is making her own dog food (not cat food as its more complicated).  I might look into that and see if it is worth the extra work and if it is really more economical after you buy the meat and multi vitamins and fish oil and whatever else she adds to it.

Elisheba

So today I have been thinking of things to help get me back on the MS wagon again.
* I'll sign up for the Lidl app later in the month to get the £5 off when I am doing my next big shop.  
* I have a Fitbit I need to sell so I will get that listed on Gumtree/FB this weekend
* I can have a look for other things I could sell, and look into how you put them on Ebay
* I have some slippers I need to post back to the catalogue (when I'm not being MS I would be too lazy to do this, and they would just hang around unwanted forever)
*I discovered I have £2.50 in Tesco vouchers, so that can go towards milk this week and next week

Realistically, looking at my budget I need to put money aside over the next few months for all four nieces birthdays and Christmases - £240 at least, and my car MOT and Service in November (which I am expecting to come in at £500 minimum as it probably should get a new Cam belt).  This means I am not going to be able to overpay anything more than the fixed payments I have already set up on credit cards until after Xmas.  Annoying, but at least I know I will have money to pay for the things I need in the next few months.  

I should be able to keep costs down for pocket money and food, and my phone contract runs out at last in October (I think) so I can get a SIM only deal and save £15/20 there.  This means if there is any money left over after Xmas (hahahaha - I know, I know) then i can fire that straight at my catalogue which is highest interest I think. 

Now all the relief on overdrafts is finished I am interested to find out what my charges will be every month.  Before lockdown I organised for almost all my payments to come out at the end of the month in anticipation of the overdraft interest changes, which should make them pretty low but as everything have been topsy turvy that remains to be seen.

I was quite proud of myself today.  I thought - hmm, I am running low on toilet roll, I should see what deals there are.  Then saw the webpage for the plastic free 'Don't give a cr*p' stuff, and was just about to put my card details in and sign up for a subscription when I thought to myself - this is double what you would normally pay, why are you doing this?'  So I din't sign up, and I didn't buy any massive deals, and I will go into Home Barg*ins and buy there loo roll as its is cheap and cheerful and does the job.  Problem solved!

Elisheba

Well it turned into a NSD as I couldn't be bothered to go to the supermarket for milk. If I get up in time I'm walk the dog that way in the morning and pick some up. 

Had an absolutely lush dinner. Found a jar of fancy red pesto and mixed it with mushrooms, a pepper, half a courgette, and some spring onions, and then mixed a packet of Feta through the whole thing. Had a massive portion, and have two more portions to freeze for next week and the week after. 

The metal watering can I ordered my last splurge arrived today. It was a little smaller than I expected but no big problem. Then I put water in it, lifted it, and the handle basically crumpled! So that's no use at all. I hope I can get a refund easily enough. I bought it through Amazon. What a useless product! 

missymoo81

Hey Elisheba! I’m so happy you started posting again! I used to love reading your posts! Very annoying about the watering can! But well done on the toilet roll!

Elisheba

Morning all. 
Well, I spent a grand total of 43p yesterday, and I found 5p so came out 38p down. I bought two cartons of milk and a yellow sticker tub of mango kefir which was 75p, but as I has £2.50 in Tesco vouchers hence the low spending amount. The kefir was only really to make the spend up to enough, and it only occurred to me afterwards I could have just bought another carton of milk instead and found some room so ehow to freeze it. Ah well, live and learn!

Today I'm being taken out for my birthday surprise, so I don't imagine I'll have to spend much. I do need to buy the rawhide dog chew cigars tonight though. My dog gets quite hyper in the evenings and they really help to calm him down.

Not sure what I'm doing for Sunday and Monday yet. Thought I might book a National Trust slot on Monday and take my dog a good long walk, then I could have a cream tea and I think NT are doing eat out to help out so it would be half price 😁. Depends on the weather though - I'd have to leave my dog in the the car for the cream tea and obviously I can't do that if it's too hot.

I should meal plan for the week as well, and do any shopping needed and batch cook any meal I need. 

I must also remember to upload my milk receipt onto the receipt apps.

Well, onwards and upwards. Must get on and get Saturday started. Have a lovely weekend anyone who reads this 😊