Winter is coming

cuddlymarm

Hi guys
The time has come to batten down the hatches, get rid of the debt that has built up due to being on lockdown ( OH is self employed so money was tight) and renovations we did last year. Works already cutting down on hours allowed and the new scheme will be no use whatsoever to me, no boss is going to pay a third of my wages for me to sit at home. I’ve got a feeling redundancies aren’t that far away.
So it’s streeeeeeetching food as far as possible, less meat and more veg is better for us anyway. I want to get Xmas sorted so it’s one less thing to have to deal with and then every penny is going off the credit card. I’ve slipped into bad habits buying  cake and sweets more often than I should, takeaway coffee when I don’t need it, clothes that I don’t need
So back to home baking, stretchy meals such as toad in the hole and chilli. Combing through my shopping list to keep spends down. In the past there would have been overtime to help but no more.
Sorry I don’t mean to be gloomy. I need to take control now.
Please feel free to join me or just pop by for a chat
Cuddles 

moneyonmymindsam

Hi Welcome to the debt free diaries. 
Good luck on your journey. 
Have you set a budget going forward and thought about a way to keep track of your spends?
I am an advocate of ebaying those not needed clothes purchases to fund something else i.e some payments off the debts/bits for Xmas. 
Think your diary called to me as you mentioned cake 
Sam x

cuddlymarm

Hi M 
Thanks for the welcome.
i don’t actually need any more clothes at the moment. I’ve just enough but got to my weight target so all my bigger clothes got charity shopped. My problem is that I discovered I liked buying clothes because I didn’t dread changing rooms any more. I must resist.
i have a book with my debt split into £10 chunks. I cross them off as I pay them 😃 
I’ve done myself a menu for this weeks dinners, much easier at this time of year because veg last longer than salad.
I’m at work this afternoon so will get the food prepped so all I have to do is cook it when I get home. No more takeaways for now.

cuddlymarm

Good morning guys
I didn’t spend a penny yesterday. I was tempted to buy some nice bread and cake ( I work in a cake shop) but didn’t. It’s the pound here and there that is my downfall I realised.
Today I’m working all day so it’s cheesy potatoes with baked beans for tea. I’ve loads of fresh stuff to use up so the next few days meals will concentrate on this. 

It’s lovely here today, a bit chilly but nice. I feel better when it’s sunny. 

Anyway I better get on
Bye for now

doingitanyway

You are right. It is the little purchases that fritter away our money.
You sound organised. I have found when I'm organised I can control my money so much better.
Good luck with your diary.

joedenise

I think planning is key to saving money on your grocery budget.  I'd really struggle if I had to think about meals every day - used to do that years ago when we had lots of debt.  Once I started planning meals the debts got paid off more easily.

Have you thought about joining in the Grocery Challenge on the Old Style board.  I find it helps me to more in control of my budget.

Good luck with your debt clearing.  Will be following your journey.

cuddlymarm

Thanks guys
I’ve found that if I stick to T**co and shop online I can really keep to budget. I add what I need as the week goes on and then go through a remove what’s not absolutely necessary. If I go in a supermarket I add extras and spend more than planned. Occasionally I’ll have enough in for a week off shopping and can use that towards the debt. At the moment though I’ve started my Xmas shopping a buy a few bits a week.
i resisted cake again today and took a banana in to make sure I wasn’t tempted at break time. It’s a bad habit I really need to break.

RelievedSheff

We have also started getting bits in for  Christmas as well. Turkey is in the freezer, some really nice sausage and bacon for the pigs in blankets, nice bacon, sausage and black pudding for breakfasts. 

Still got a few bits to get but starting early really helps the budget.

Also got most of the Christmas presents bought and wrapped as well. Feels good to be organised this year 😀

cuddlymarm

Hi RS
i haven’t room in my freezer until much nearer Xmas but I’m getting the longer life stuff like stuffing, sauces and biscuits. The sweets that are for presents also go on my weekly shop because there is a £40 minimum shop. This year I’m transferring money for all the kids presents, normally it’s vouchers but this year more than most you don’t know which shops will have gone under by then. 

Yesterday I did have to spend. I walked to work, so no fare to spend and I’m not keen on public transport ( we live in a tourist area and not all take social distancing that seriously) but I did need bread for OHs lunches and my single son who’s in our bubble is coming for tea tonight. I’m making a big toad in the hole with veg and gravy and I’ve the Parkin loaf for afters.
its my day off today so cleaning and hoovering for me. 

Have a good day guys
Cuddles

Aspiration

cuddlymarm said:

Thanks guys
I’ve found that if I stick to T**co and shop online I can really keep to budget. I add what I need as the week goes on and then go through a remove what’s not absolutely necessary. If I go in a supermarket I add extras and spend more than planned. Occasionally I’ll have enough in for a week off shopping and can use that towards the debt. At the moment though I’ve started my Xmas shopping a buy a few bits a week.
i resisted cake again today and took a banana in to make sure I wasn’t tempted at break time. It’s a bad habit I really need to break.

We’re like this. Although it’s harder dragging out 7 days with fresh produce we have been spending about 25% more my shopping more regularly. 

cuddlymarm

Hi Aspiration
The cost of living is definitely going up I find. We’ve started having less meat ( for health and money ) reasons. More often than not chillis and curry are made with veg. I keep a look out for offers to keep costs down and because there’s only two of us we eat frozen veg alongside fresh to avoid waste. I try my best not to do any other shopping than my weekly shop. Also my menu plan is flexible, so if there’s leftovers they get integrated in the next days meal or frozen. It’s definitely much easier now there’s just the two of us. When the kids were at home we used to have odds and ends night finishing off what was open and people fancied. An occasional treat was pancakes or soup and bread and a pudding too. Cheap and cheerful.