A new royal start

QueenJess

Oops, forgot to come back to declare this months grocery amount! I spent £548 out of a budget of £600, which is pretty good considering that includes some stuff from the pharmacy, suncream, a stock up of DH’s bathroom stuff and some extra bath stuff for the kids that they don’t need yet but will be all used. I definitely overspent at the start of the month, but then really concentrated on buying less as we really do use a lot less than I think and we had stuff to use up in freezers/cupboards. I didn’t add it up each week this time, and I’m glad it’s possible to be under budget without doing it as it takes too much time to keep it up forever.

I’ve also been decluttering the house including food (although using up food rather than throwing anything out) and it’s concentrating the mind on what I actually use and how much we actually use. It’s certainly made me want to buy less generally and is slowly chipping away at my random panic we may run out of food, so I am more comfortable buying less.

I definitely overspent generally at the start of this month and now have completely reined it in. The only plus side is that I’ve been rounding my personal account and credit card to the nearest £10 pretty much every day (if I forget some days it doesn’t matter) and so I’ve already got my £100 overpayment ready for the mortgage next week. It does feel slightly pointless at the moment, but I am really hoping it builds a bit of momentum as I will also add on the amount I save from renewing my next mortgage (due next year - should reduce due to interest rates and some overpayments).

themadvix

£100 off the mortgage is £100 off the mortgage PLUS the interest saved - definitely not a pointless exercise!

Well done on keeping under the grocery budget. I, like you, overestimate/don't know how much we actually eat (and need to eat) and will buy more than necessary because I only do one big supermarket shop a month... it's a fine line between ensuring you don't run out and having more in than necessary.

TallGirl

Great progress and positive you are controlling over buying. I absolutely hate throwing food out but also I do not want to impact my health by eating stuff I do not want or is good for me so easier just not to buy it in the first place. 

QueenJess

Thanks both - I’m glad it isn’t just me! It does make me feel a bit stupid that I haven’t got that worked out yet, but I am trying to be much more conscious about everything I buy (not just food). I’m a work in progress 😂

@TallGirl I’m with you on the not buying unhealthy things. If they aren’t there we don’t eat them. Either I make them or we go without. We haven’t bought crisps for 4 years and no one misses them. The kids sometimes eat them out if they choose them for a lunch, but I haven’t had any at all. Pretty shocking I don’t miss them after having them for lunch basically every day for decades 😂

Had a call yesterday and a 6 month job offer has been confirmed to start very soon (the fun of contracting - everything happens quickly!).. it means I will have so much less time as I will need to commute 3x a week and it’s full time, but the pay is really good so I can make decent inroads into my aim of retiring early, or just needing to work less and less. The good thing about contracting is that it’s only ever for a small period, which makes everything more doable and I always take a big break at the end of each job. This one sounds full on, but very interesting and couldn’t be a better fit for my work skills. Hoping to save up money from this one to take the kids abroad next year for the first time Just need to keep the spending in check (particularly for random house stuff which is my downfall and food), so we can mend the joint account and hopefully reduce contributions into it soon as we are about to pay the last ever nursery bill 🎉🥳

themadvix

Congratulations on the job and the last nursery bill! 🥳

South_coast

Yes, excellent news on both 😀!

TallGirl

Congrats on the job sounds exactly what you want and I’m sure you’ll get used to the commute. Well done 

Mrs_Money_Penny

Congratulations I’m sure you’ll be super organised as always.

QueenJess

Thanks all

I am back from holiday after a week in sunny Wales. This time we went for a beach destination and so it worked out way cheaper as we didn’t need to pay lots of entrance fees for stuff to go to. We took hm snacks and fruit with us as well as enough for lunches for most of the week. It isn’t relaxing eating out with a 4 year old, so it’s easier and cheaper to take our own and then we interspersed eating out for dinner with buying nicer than normal dinners to make back at the self catering place. Not added it all up yet, but I’m sure I’ll have holiday budget left over as we didn’t spend that much aside from some really good restaurant meals.
On the last day before we left we managed to eat up everything from the fridge as a lunch - chips and the rest of the baked beans for the kids, the rest of the lunch salad items for me including feta and some amazing rosemary potatoes leftover from a restaurant takeaway and DH had some of the salad and the rest of a huge spag Bol also from the restaurant takeaway. I was so impressed we managed to waste nothing and make a decent meal for everyone!

Got up early this morning to do the food shop in a zombie state as the drive back was a bit epic yesterday with loads of delays. No Riverford due to timing of the boxes, so I needed to get fruit and veg at the sm. I also gave myself a break and bought some bread so I don’t need to rush and make some and some shortbread for the kids. I also found ys chicken which we can eat tonight with chips (we have loads of potatoes) and veg. I really tried not to buy too much, but I am really tired so probably still got a bit extra. On the plus side I found lots of ys organic veg and I am very pleased I only spent £85 and another £15 in the zero waste shop. £100 a week I am very happy with!

DH keeps telling me I don’t need to always get ys organic meat when I find it, but it’s irresistible! I’ve now limited myself to a small cardboard box in the freezer and when it’s full I can’t buy anymore until I’ve got through the box.

Lunch today is separate as DS is at gym until late. I will knock something together when we are back (he usually likes eggs and soldiers). Dinner will be the chicken and we have chocolate chip muffins in the freezer for dessert.

themadvix

Limiting your ys meat stash sounds like a wise move, but I do appreciate the desire to stock up when you see it! Sounds like you had a lovely holiday!