Looking after the pennies

Naomim

Ha! I'm no way near Marie Kondo type decluttering, more like Hoarder Homes 😂

I stopped watching YOU halfway through season 2. Might have to try again although my evenings are taken up by Married At First Sight Australia 🙄

Curry sounds lovely, not sure what our plan for food is tonight. Might do a pasta bake.

Lookafterthepennies2020

Oh I'm quite brutal with a de clutter I'm not overly sentimental so love a good clear out.  If it's tatty etc that's my fave straight in the bin bag.

My problem is a lot of it's good quality so I think charity then no save this and sell it, then I make piles and don't. I even have done a bag and thought if this doesn't sell in X amount of time l, take to charity shop. Then don't lol.

Naomim

That's me too. I had so much stuff for charity at one point it was about 5 black bags! I'm terrible for a flat surface, if there's one I'll put stuff on it.

Lookafterthepennies2020

Good morning all,

I have four bin bags ready for the tip so far and I'm going to start on some of the kids stuff today hopefully, I am doing a shift at the pub later (£44ish).

I am planning a spendy day today, but a budgeted one.  I have noticed the cutlery fairy has been again and we are very low on spoons.  Argos have a basic set for £5 in stock and I have a voucher for £2/3 so going to get those ordered.  I also need to do a food shop, we have budgeted £70 for this week so I'm going to have a pantry count up as we have tons of rice and mixes/sauces already.  We are terrible for food spends so really want to try and get this under control so will be interesting to see if I can stick to this.

OH had his night out and will be in bed most of the day I can imagine as it was very late, or early actually when he got in.  I will be powering on regardless lol! Enjoy your Saturdays everyone! 

Naomim

I had a very lazy morning whilst MrM took 11yo to football but I've now had to come out with her for new boots. £57 which isn't as bad as I feared now she has adult size feet. Now to sell some stuff to make some of that money back! 

Lookafterthepennies2020

I was also spendier than planned, I got a new duvet set which was on sale for £16 and a fitted sheet for £4 both from Matalan and very good quality.  I also bought the boys a new pair of fleeced pjs each, they are both growing so quickly atm and as I have switched the heating from constantly on to Auto felt it was justified.

I did however show some restraint, some lovely grey towels were on sale £6 bath sheet £4 towel and £3 for the hand towels…I was eyeing them up and was with my mum so asked if she wouldn’t mind maybe getting them for towards my Xmas present as she was buying some.  She bought me 2x sets of each so once Xmas comes can throw some of the older scraggly ones away! 

I’m on my 3rd wash of the day and me and Oh are in silence today, he spent £130 last night so £50 over budget and I’ve told him I’m not doing a shared budget if he’s going to keep spending and I’m topping up or being tight.

I’m interested how others manage when the Oh isn’t on board? Anyways, I’m revisiting the budget tonight to damage control and going to try somehow work it out separately ! 

WinterWarrior

Oh that’s so hard with the budget. We have separate finances, pay half of the mortgage each and then have allocated bills we each pay. That way if he overspends on ‘man things’ I can quietly roll my eyes and not get involved. I do have the slight worry that if I’m saving and he’s spending, come retirement or any huge milestone I may end up losing out if he has to clear debts off and we have less to go around, but for now it sort of works. I don’t want to be the person saying no all the time or resenting him buying things, and also I want to be able to buy myself things occasionally without ‘asking’. 

Lookafterthepennies2020

Thank you @WinterWarrior we used to pay all shared together and what I owed I did and what I earned I did etc ..however we are now trying to clear the debt and focus on the deposit before my bonus and apparently both had the same idea with the budget.

I earn more than OH so the idea to lump it all together and live off a weekly figure as a couple doesn’t massively benefit me more than him so thought it was an easy sell. However I won’t be clubbing everything together and be the only one sticking to it…anyway tomorrow is another day and I’m tackling the budget then when I have had a night to think about how will be best moving forward.

I know this might sound awful but I don’t think there should be one of us paying the debt down and saving for a house where both going to own whilst the other doesn’t play ball. 

Lookafterthepennies2020

Morning all,

I ordered the cutlery I actually had £3.99 on the card so only put £1 towards 😁. I had a really good sort in the kitchen yesterday PM cleared out all the top of the cupboards etc and have another 4 bin bags, can’t believe I’ve cleared 8 this weekend.  Also managed to cash out £5 on prolific yesterday which was really pleased with after 2 days of Surveys.  I still have £3 pending so hoping to get that cashed out next weekend.

I have managed 4 loads of washing yesterday, all to put away now unfortunately.  So I plan to have a good look through it all first and see if there is anything I can CS eBay etc. Then I’m going to go through the drawers for us all…I feel very productive from yesterday and Friday,  so if I only manage a few drawers today I’ll be pleased with that. 

I got about £34 of shopping yesterday, so  made chilli and rice for tea last night which was lovely. I think we’re having gammon chips and pineapple today and I’m going to do a plan for the week and get that ordered online today.  

I am currently the only one up in the house, I love this hour of quiet before everyone gets up so I am going to go make a cup of tea and have a nosey on some diaries for a while x 

WinterWarrior

Going back to the finances, can you do the proportional split, where you each pay a % according to how much you earn and are both left with a similar amount of pocket/spending money? The spending money is yours to do with as you like, but no one touches the bill money? I’m with you on not wanting to be the only one struggling to pay while someone is spending in the background, that leads to resentment, which is why I wouldn’t want to group everything together myself. Although it works really well for others. 

I really need to clear out some cupboards, you put me to shame!