Now or never

Its_time

Oh dear how on earth did this happen?  Increase in weight, overdraft, loan and credit cards.  
I've ditched the 6 year plan ...well it's still in the back of my mind but I think I need to take things slowly.  Its kind of like I have been looking after the pounds but not the pennies, I need to slow down and look after the pennies.
So I have deleted our now tv as we don't watch it, changed our Internet provider to one that actually promises to deliver speeds abive 0.78 😱.  I have downloaded an app to budget my shopping spends as I have finally ventured back to Lidl.  I've meal planned for the next fortnight and have everything in the freezer except fresh things like salad and new potatoes. 
I've also added in 4 cheaper meals a week and the remaining 3 are still cheap but not as cheap as the other 4 in an attempt to cut cut shopping bill.
Currently away on a 4 day break which has given me some heads pace to think hence the realisation that I need to act.
Pleased that we have dodged car parking so far we have been given tickets and parked after 6pm so free, we need to pay for parking today but as it is only once thiw break that is a fantastic achievement. 
Other savings this holiday are rationing everyone to jumbo sausage and chips at the chippy on our first night here, saving £3.65 difference in the coat if a chicken burger for one, DH wanted a pasty but they didn't have any, as we pre ordered they refunded the pasty and gave us 2 jumbo sausages for free! Happy night that was.  So 3 meals reduced from £19 odd to £11.70.  Have also been making picnics and reusing food bags and have had cereal and toast for breakfast.  
Hopefully in 6 months I won't be back saying gosh how has this happened again x

Its_time

Really happy this afternoon, when we got back to the car, the 2 hour slot had 3 minutes left so I hurried and paid the ticket quickly saving me £1.30 on a 2-3 hour slot.  Went out tonight but disappointing, the full menu was not in use and they were only serving roasts, but they were cheaper than it would have cost for individual meals plus there was no option for starters so probably about £25 saved there.
Tomorrow we are heading home but are calling in an amusement park on the way which is already booked and paid for, will be making sandwiches before we leave and having a cheap picnic when there.  Had to refill the car tonight ready for the journey but DH is chuffed as it did a lot better on diesel than he had thought, plus we stayed local today and went for some walks so no big mileage saving on the pounds again.
DH is more than happy for us to drastically cut back, he is very much a make do and mend type of guy anyway and has come up with a load of cheap meals for us to have helping on the shopping spends.
Tuesday we start in earnest x

Its_time

It's Tuesdsy and the first step of our journey begins.
Small steps and counting pennies means for me targets, not 6 year plans but all the tiny little things along the way that will either get me there in the fashion I want or hinder or stop my progress.
So I am going to take an hour today to set myself some targets for the coming week and month and factor in any stumbling blocks so I am prepared and meet those targets.  I am going to need so much willpower, fingers crossed, it is more than time.

Its_time

Small shop in lidl today, bread and milk should be enough until Friday, 29p on spring onions to go with the free range eggs in rolls for tomorrow's dinner, lettuce and cucumber for tomorrow's tea, £11.76 in all.  
Worked out what we have planned for the rest of the month which is two days away accommodation paid for already so we just need food.  3 picnics, one fish and chips or kebab and one meal in a pub, not ideal but DH and I have not been away on our own for nearly two years so the pub meal is a well deserved treat.
I think the bill will be around £100 for the whole trip so thats the budget I need to stick to.  If I can cut back on 3 weeks shopping money from 70 to £45 that leaves me with £75 towards the trip plus I have £43 odd in my shopping account today.
Bacon and chips with homemade bread for tea tonight, egg mayo and spring onion rolls for dinner tomorrow and pitta breads and chicken from the freezer with salad for tea tomorrow. 
I've picked up the weekly leaflet from lidl tonight and was pleased to see potatoes on offer as of Thursday, I didn't buy any tonight in case they had sprouted by Friday and now I can buy them later this week on offer, yay for small things.
Ah well, back to work tomorrow so time for bed.

Chrystal

Great that you seem to have got your head in gear

It's definitely the 'little' things that add up, the old saying 'look after the pennies and the pounds take care of themselves' is SO true, and the money saving becomes habit, which allows the six year plan to become reality.  Keep going, you'll get there.  (((hugs)))

Its_time

Thanks Crystal you are so right, I really need ro focus daily sometimes a few times daily.

Its_time

So today I have made sure I knew what my diary said I had planned for dinner and tea, I tend to make all these amazing plans and then ignore them.  During my elevenses break (I work at home) I boiled the eggs for dinner so they had enough time to cool and pegged the washing out.  I wanted to sit on my butt and munch biscuits but sticking to my plans was more important.  If I hadn't boiled the eggs at 11am I knew I wouldn't have them for dinner and would resort to anything which would have been more expensive, also pegging the washing out meant I could bring it in at 5pm and not use the tumbler.  
My Mum rung today to say she was sorting out her cupboards and had some things going out of date or things she just did not want, did I want them?  I said yes, 3 tins of tomatos and a small tin of beans.  Lovely.
I have asked her if she has any lean corned beef in her cupboards which I can buy from her as she has a Tesco delivery weekly, it just means if I can have that then I wont go shopping tomorrow and be tempted to buy things I don't need.  
I checked my diary this evening and we are having homemade pasties and chips for tea tomorrow.  We had pitta, chicken and salad tonight, in the garden as well which was lovely.
I've had another look at upcoming things this month.  I've realised I know all about the things I have to pay for but when I think about them I deny them.  Yesterday when I tried to make a list of expenses for the rest of the month that I have to find money for, I quickly thought about hay for the horses and then as quick as a flash ignored it.  I actually need at least 2 deliveries which will be £30 a time.  There i've said it.  £60.  Ok well, I have no emergency fund, no budget.  I do have one of my jobs going out in about a week or so but I have no idea when my customer will collect and pay me, they may come next week or they may come next month, I can't rely on it. 
Either I have to take it from the overdraft or credit card which I don't want to do, or it will have to come from the shopping money.  Anyway after having a better look, things are looking up.  Yesterday I thought I had £43 in my shopping money but that was what was in the bank part of it, I also have money in my purse, anyway with the £70 weekly amount transferred to the shopping account today the total I have is £249.51.  I need to take £100 for the few days away leaving £149.51 so that will be paid for, then £60 for hay leaving £89.51, a week today and every following Wednesday there will be another £70 added.  I really, really, really need to cut my food shopping bill. I've been lucky this time because I had forgotten the money in my purse but that wont happen every time.  I need to make a budget for each month at the beginning of the month and plan where I am getting the money from.   I also need to stop ignoring items that I know I have to pay for, I have to stop the 'ah stick it on the credit card or ah well add it to the overdraft' mentality.
I am also trying to deal with things as they happen rather than leaving it till the last available minute.
Back to work again tomorrow and I do believe they have forecast rain.

Its_time

Ok so another thing coming up that I have been in denial over is a party we are having in about 2 weeks for our daughter in law to be.  We think about 20 people are coming but that may change.  All this was planned before my most recent light bulb moment so I have to get theough it.  
I don't want ro spend much at all.  I have the party games already so it is literally food and drinks.  I am thinking of offering rea and coffee, squash etc. and if they want alcohol then suggest they bring it, would that be OK? I don't drink at all so am not sure about party etiquette where drinks are concerned. Food wise I need the nicest, cheapest buffet ideas.

joedenise

@Its_time it's perfectly acceptable to ask people to bring their own drinks, particularly has you don't drink although it would be nice if you could also offer some mixers.

Does it have to be a buffet?  I find they can work out quite expensive.  Much cheaper to do something like curry or chilli & rice; jacket potatoes with various toppings - cheese, beans, curry, chilli etc.

Hope the party goes well whatever you decide to do.

Its_time

joedenise said:

@Its_time it's perfectly acceptable to ask people to bring their own drinks, particularly has you don't drink although it would be nice if you could also offer some mixers.

Does it have to be a buffet?  I find they can work out quite expensive.  Much cheaper to do something like curry or chilli & rice; jacket potatoes with various toppings - cheese, beans, curry, chilli etc.

Hope the party goes well whatever you decide to do.

Oh dear I am showing my ignorance now but what are mixers?  When I was about 18 I had a few lagers and hated them, got drunk on wine when I was about 22 and the only drink I have had since is a few sips of a pear cider on a sunny evening.  Is it like lemonade or something? Oh dear that is so embarrassing....
I haven't thought of anything other than a buffet so will give some thought to the other ideas.  Thank you