Sh*t creek - is now in my rear view mirror...!

Irenadler

Skint_yet_Again said:

Are you meal planning and taking a list when you go shopping? It might help to list what you have already & what meals you can make & just buy any additional bits you need to make the meal. 

Cough, erm, I have a list, it's the sticking to it that seems to be the problem.... 

I’ve started my shopping list for next week. Pasta bake & stew are on the menu. If I’m going to buy something not on my list I make myself put something else back. 

My meal planning is a bit vague... like what's in the special offers and work around that. I did make myself put down the book and DVD's I was tempted to buy. At least I am sticking with not buying 'extras'.... I must be a ravenous beast because it's food I keep buying.....

I’d love to be brave enough to go completely grey but I think it would age me at 52. 
I am already old! Lol, and past caring anymore. Thus the hairstyle of 'wash & go'! 

Thanks Skinty, I think I must watch too much telly, because I keep hearing the 'because you are worth it' jingle in my head.... marketing team's dream.....

Irenadler

MovingForwards said:

I'm not brave enough either for the 'natural' look, sticking with my unnatural vibrant colour 😁
I now have a vision of you looking like Harley Quinn in 'Suicide Squad'.... he he
Ok, let's try and come up with a plan shall we 😉
Money = temptation
Therefore forget taking a chunk of money out to last, that's not currently working for you. From now on, only take out £50 or whatever you allow yourself each week. Leave the debit card at home at all other times!
Yes - clearly until I can stick to a list, I cannot have temptation whispering to me in my handbag....
Do you roughly know the cost of things you buy? If so, write the shopping list out and put the prices next to each item. Use an online calculator on your laptop to add up your shopping and make sure it comes in under your allowable spend for that week. 
I haven't the foggiest... I do keep the receipts though and I could definitely make that work...
When shopping, do not browse. A1D1 and L1D1 don't move their food around that often. Target the aisle you need, go straight for the item, if it's not on your list, you're not buying it.
Ah, now, here, see, I do that.... 'middle of L*dl' bargains, like the photopaper I brought yet I don't have a digital camera because it was A BARGAIN and ended up giving to a relative. DOH! This really is a huge mind-set change/challenge which my brain hasn't quite registered yet....  
Once you learn to control money and accept it's fine to have savings, things will fall into place 🤗

Ok. The positives are that I took cash. The negatives are, I took what I had for the month! And then I spent it. And then I used the card. Bangs head on wall repeatedly....

Onebrokelady

Irenadler said:

Onebrokelady said:

Irenadler said:

Thanks OBL
For some reason, typing your initials makes me want to say 'Obi Wan...'? But then maybe that's just me....
I keep thinking that I am going wildly off topic, as this diary is really to help me focus on my financial health, which I have seriously neglected. I will attempt to freecycle it if family don't want it. Ta! 

😀😀😀 I said the same the first time someone replied with OBL 😀

Ha ha, all you have to do is change your name to 'One Broke Woman' and you've nearly nailed it! Just saying.....

Ahhh why didn't I think of that in the first place 😀😀

Onebrokelady

It's never too little or too late to save something, I think you are doing really well,we all slip up sometimes ,I've lost count of how many times I've blown my budget since I started all this. After two years I have finally discovered that meal planning and a strict shopping list is my best friend otherwise I just buy lots of random items that don't actually add up to a meal so I have to go shopping again. I'm lucky at the moment that DD is still living here so we are trialling online shopping once a fortnight approximately, that is working for us as we then aren't in the shops being tempted by things we don't need 
You didn't have a choice about taking your dog to the vet either so that's an unexpected but ok spend. I've just hand a very big vet bill that my vets are claiming direct from the insurer but they won't cover it all, it's going to wipe out half my EF but on the positive side at least I have the money and I didn't have to put it on a credit card. I will just have to build the EF  up again, again I'm lucky because DD pays me rent so I can use that to replenish the EF, my little dog isn't going to be round for much longer ( she's 13 and might have cancer ) so it's worth spending the money now 

MovingForwards

Haha, try Sharna Burgess, but more voluptuousness 😂

The negative is you've not much money left, the
positives are there's not much left of this month and you've several meals in the freezer! 

See, it's not as bad as you think is it?

Irenadler

Onebrokelady said:

It's never too little or too late to save something, I think you are doing really well,we all slip up sometimes ,I've lost count of how many times I've blown my budget since I started all this. After two years I have finally discovered that meal planning and a strict shopping list is my best friend otherwise I just buy lots of random items that don't actually add up to a meal so I have to go shopping again. I'm lucky at the moment that DD is still living here so we are trialling online shopping once a fortnight approximately, that is working for us as we then aren't in the shops being tempted by things we don't need 
Thank you, Obi wan OBL. 

   

Too true. I thought it would be easy, since everyone helped me to cut my utility bills on here, and I actually had some income left. Brain has not registered that this is a lot less than I have been used to for years and goes into auto-spend mode....
You didn't have a choice about taking your dog to the vet either so that's an unexpected but ok spend. I've just hand a very big vet bill that my vets are claiming direct from the insurer but they won't cover it all, it's going to wipe out half my EF but on the positive side at least I have the money and I didn't have to put it on a credit card. I will just have to build the EF  up again, again I'm lucky because DD pays me rent so I can use that to replenish the EF, my little dog isn't going to be round for much longer ( she's 13 and might have cancer ) so it's worth spending the money now 

This is what I am trying to tell myself - at least there was something in the bank and I didn't have to rely on relatives or U.C., or anyone. Will just take me a long time to save again, as I had some easy wins with refunds/rebate and help for benefit claimants.

So sorry about your little dog, fingers crossed it isn't that, but at least you know you have some funds and insurance to help cover it. They are worth every penny for the unconditional love they give...

Not sure how I managed to underline part of your quote? Couldn't even explain that!

Irenadler

MovingForwards said:

Haha, try Sharna Burgess, but more voluptuousness 😂
Ha! Had to look her up... Well, if I looked like her, I might be filled with positivity too! I look more like Morticia think Angelica Huston in 'Adams Family Values' especially with the 'Mallen Streak'! Only with a bit more generous padding...
The negative is you've not much money left, the
positives are there's not much left of this month and you've several meals in the freezer! 
Okay, I give in, I have no excuse to whip myself with the wet dog towel anymore....
See, it's not as bad as you think is it?

Thanks Babs, gave me a wry chuckle, I know there are definitely a lot of people worse off. Watched an old DVD I had 'Pursuit of Happyness', with Will Smith. The part where he is homeless, carrying around his few possessions and his son, sleeping on buses/trains, hostels, and even in a train station toilet, enough to start the waterworks. Apparently based on a true story. I have a home, a roof over my head, food, my feisty old dog, and other things which a lot don't have. A telly, a laptop, my health, my wobbly brain....

Skint_yet_Again

I think it’s good to take stock of what you have but we each have our challenges in life so don’t feel you have to compare to others. I don’t know how I would ever cope with what you have been through and are still going through with your illness. I think you have done remarkably well to come so far 😊

MovingForwards

I had to do an internet search to find someone with similar hair colour, would never have heard of her myself 😂

Ahhhh, I've don't the mallen streak with my current look, as I do naturally have it if I don't do my hair. Lasted about a month or two then I just went back to colouring all of it. How I've got any hair left after what I've done to it over the years is anyone's guess.

Saving isn't an instant thing, like spending is. There are rough days / weeks, but equally there are good days / weeks. That's what it's like to be human, but we learn and evolve. 

savingwannabe

Hello Ren i am catching up and am on page 20 of your diary. I agree with everyone else that you managed to buy meals and £58 is only twenty pounds over the average budget so it's not too much at all. You must not be hard on yourself as you are entitled to treats now and again. I will catch up later in the week and hope you are fine.