Crunchy pays off the loan early, and other stories

remote_control

Hi Crunchy,
I like your list, I am tempted to copy it down to do the same (with a couple of edits). 
We're always back and forth with school dinners! Whether it is worth it and also the nutritional value of them and packed lunches. 
We're having a tight month, I think due to things opening up a lot more. I think we'll be in our overdraft for the first time in years so I am going to have to find ways to earn extra money. 
Do you have time to do some card making with the children? A good way to use up bits and bobs and also save money on making cards for their friends.
Good luck with it all!

crunchy_time

Evening all!
@remote_control - glad we are not the only ones having a tight month! Good luck to you too! I’m going to really try hard not to do the school dinners thing this month - just don’t think it’s worth it.

update on goals:
I went for a run at 5am this morning - I didn’t make it the whole way round but at least I went.
Ended up about 20g under my protein goal but today I have tracked for the first time ever for protein and not calories so I am learning.
I was going to do some studying tonight but I’m feeling a bit weary after first day back so I’m just going to put my feet up and read for a bit.
All in all a good start to some new habit setting!
Crunch xx

crunchy_time

Hi everyone!
Currently sitting in garden with a cuppa. It’s glorious! Got my 4th load on the line drying today!
Update on goals:
We have £80 left for next weeks food shop so it’s going to be tight but we are determined to not go over. I dont want to be taking from next months extra money.
We have done well with this weeks food planning. The only time a top up shop happened as yesterday when husband bought a pie for lunch!
It has been hard to keep to the protein goal but at least I’m being mindful of food. I’m packing enough for my lunch that I don’t feel like getting a cake from the canteen as a top up anymore.
I didn’t manage any green smoothies as I forget to get spinach and didn’t want to do a top up shop!
Nothing will up date on the credit cards until next week when I get paid. But some good news - we can return the bike! Husband has sent it to the post office today so hopefully that will hit my cc shortly. 

I managed an hour of study so far and more planned tonight and tomorrow. Have managed 1/3 workouts. One planned in a bit and a run and another one in the morning. No yoga yet but I did do a run on Monday morning. I also haven’t done a house job over and above cleaning some of it today. 

Makes me think I’m trying to do too much?
Crunch xx

crunchy_time

Afternoon all!

just got home from a very drama filled day of work to find out that hubby has had a pay rise. Don’t know any the percentage is but it works out to roughly another £300 per month which is awesome. We won’t see it in pay packets until end of July but will use it initially to pay off the ccs and then probably save it with the aim of becoming debt neutral.

I’m proud of him he works really hard. Can’t help but feel jealous though, I don’t think I’m going to get any recognition for my hard work in the education sector this year! 

Collectively we will earn £5760 ish though which isn’t to be sniffed at at all. Feeling grateful.

Going to a socially distanced wedding in July now which I didn’t think was going to happen therefore haven’t budgeted for and need to find money for. I’m planning on making a plan tonight once kids are in bed and husband has gone to his sporting activity, for the next few months to make sure we have all outgoings covered.

Crunchy xx

crunchy_time

Evening all!

Currently having a gin and tonic whilst doing the banking as been paid today!  Managed to reduce my credit card by £200 - see below.

£54 interest
£43 - uniform for kids and clothes  PAID!!!!
£87 - weights and books - from spending money
£159 - Bike for DS.  Ordered wrong size - sent back - awaiting refund.
£61 - kids shoes Now £54
£53 - beauty products and toiletries for me.  Paid!!
£36 - present for friends baby - couldn't really afford it at time and have been paying it off gradually.
£172 - clothes for me  Now £72
Total: £698 Now £495

Have £50 spending money for this month for myself but will try to hold on to as much as possible so I can pay some of the weights and books off towards the end of July.

That's a great start!

Happy weekend everyone!

WinterWarrior

Well done on the payments. £50 doesn’t sound a lot for a whole month ☹️

crunchy_time

WinterWarrior said:

Well done on the payments. £50 doesn’t sound a lot for a whole month ☹️

That’s just my own personal spending money for socialising and anything I want to buy so it’s manageable.

crunchy_time

Morning all

I have made a plan for the next few months which is a whole new budget with the payrise as follows:

Husbands money £4500 per month

Mortgage and bills: £1930
Loan: £356
Netflix: £6
Spotify: £17
Credit card (privacy project): £70
Hair cut: £20
Jiu Jitsu: £60
Food £650 - upped from £600
Spending Money and clothes: £200
Fuel: £200
Family spending money for days out £100 - we are quite frugal but could save up for trips to theme parks and zoos.
Health: Varies between £8 and £115 a month as the kids Jiu Jitsu is £128 every term.  
Birthdays and Christmas £125
Savings £200 - saving up to clear the privacy project credit card and the £5k on the loan.
Holiday £500 

My money: £1161

Childcare: £176 - but varies
savings £200 - to save up to overpay the loan
House: £240 - new things for it and house maintenance
Loan £200
Clothes £100
Spending money £100
Office £6
Union fee £4.10
Charity: £10
Car tax £10.93
Children's clothes £50
Children's pocket money £60 - they earn their age each week and buy what they want from that.  They rarely get treated to toys by us.

I shall be using these budget categories to pay down the credit cards.
Car maintenance comes out of savings too so husband has taken out money from his for the air conditioning.
We have only been using Monzo for food but will look putting some categories on there.

We were out yesterday for a family day with friends so today is about husband (of course) and tidying up ready for the week with maybe a quick trip to the park if it doesn't rain.  Nice frugal shop for the week ahead though and looking forward to husbands pay day on Friday.

Crunchy xx

crunchy_time

Afternoon all!

Husband got paid yesterday so doing the money shuffle.

Minimum payments off loans have brought the consumer debt on them down to  £3047 so nearly in the £2xxx!

Managed to get the credit cards down a bit too - see below - interest has gone up and so has the food money unfortunately.  I made the mistake of letting husband loose food shopping last week and he bought way too much and spent too much money.  Ah well.  It is a new month now but a five week one and I am determined to pay some of this off this month.  It's a five week month so budgeted £750 for the whole month and £150 per week.  Shopping at Aldi significantly reduces it so I shall be doing this and shuffling the extra into the  the rounding up pot on Monzo and when husband gets paid chuck it at the credit card.

So this is the focus this month.  I am going to go and clean the kitchen now and raid the cupboards to see what I can use already.

Husband is going to the tip today and we are gathering up loads of things to get rid of and sell.

Crunchy x


Husbands
£125 Interest (I know - this is horrifying)
£65 Roller  - for our backs - it is really good and replacing one that broke.
£54 - Sports clothes for kids 
£120 - earphones - husbands supposed to be expensing these but of course hasn't done this yet!
£549  extra food money - this will be paid off at the end of June - see below
£139 - garden stuff 

Total: £1052

My Credit card
£70 interest
£87 - weights and books - from spending money
£159 - Bike for DS.  Ordered the wrong size by mistake.  AWAITING REFUND
£54 - kids shoes
£36 - present for friends baby - couldn't really afford it at time and have been paying it off gradually.
£72 - clothes for me
Total: £478

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Great news on the pay rise!  Bet you're looking forward to the summer hols