Beating Lifestyle Inflation and Staying Mortgage Free!

LadyWithAPlan

You have lots of great side hustles going on ! 

That camping looks lovely 

earthgirl2

I'm so excited to be back here, and wow what a difference it has made to us already in this first 6 weeks or so back!

Money Saving
I used to spend £125 per week on food shopping. The total for the month of May was £256 out of £500 budget (and it wasn't low from eating out of stores or eating out!). I think the biggest savings were shopping at cheap supermarkets, thinking about healthy food that my kids will eat (not just getting the convenience food like pizzas they will eat, but cost lots) and also foraging, and 0lio. I've enjoyed living off porridge, soups, curries etc and I have been pretty much eating vegetarian - added meat to their meals though. 

Kids have not had as many school dinners as they were off over Easter, but we spent extra on a meal out and a few activities so I think this is even.

Petrol - I have been walking, using bike and not using car as much, but went to my parents so still used petrol budget this month

Spending
I have made 4 purchases this month, one was swap but £3 more paid for better quality school shirts for ds1,  a stove £30, fleecy PJs for DS2 for next winter £4, and £50 for train tickets for a walking trip with friends in August. DS is always cold, so I'm thinking of bundling him in fleecy PJs next autumn/winter.

The stove is a bit of a project, I will self assemble but I wanted the parts pre cut.

Income (on top of normal income)
£632.90 cat sitting
10 hours Tutoring but this will be payable in May.
Returned unused / not working items for £250 refund
Vinted sales £182
Prolific £10
Youtube £138

My dad gave me £2000 as a gift but I have just realised that I have £3000 to pay for our summer holiday (before I came back to MSE I was very blase about what we spent and when i would pay) so I will put it towards this. 

I sent £100 to the inv3stengine offer, and with all of the savings from food shopping plus the income I have rounded it up to £2000, so £2100 sent to ISA this month (I'm using 2 Isa providers).

So that is a good start, and on target to save £20,000 this year.

Courgette

This all sounds so great, Earthie! Reading through last night was the final push I needed to get going again!

£20,000 is a great target - I reckon you’ll have completed it by about July 😃

the_end_of_the_rainbow

Courgette said:

This all sounds so great, Earthie! Reading through last night was the final push I needed to get going again!

£20,000 is a great target - I reckon you’ll have completed it by about July 😃

Great to 'see' you back on the forum @Courgette - would love to hear how things are with you.

Edit: Just found your new diary - off for a read!

Cornish_mum

Hi Earthie, great to see you back and making such great progress! I have also been off the boards for a while. Sorry to hear that you couldn’t make it to Oz but so lovely to see your beautiful photos from Aran.

All the best CM

earthgirl2

Courgette said:

This all sounds so great, Earthie! Reading through last night was the final push I needed to get going again!

£20,000 is a great target - I reckon you’ll have completed it by about July 😃  

Courgette, thanks for getting me back "into it" again, it was your messages about mse that prompted me back here❤️ 

earthgirl2

Cornish_mum said:

Hi Earthie, great to see you back and making such great progress! I have also been off the boards for a while. Sorry to hear that you couldn’t make it to Oz but so lovely to see your beautiful photos from Aran.

All the best CM

Hi CM great to see you too x 

earthgirl2

So very quiet here, just working very hard. 

This week £320 in from cat sitting
£1500 from hosting student 
£18 from surveys 

not much time for anything else,  just working/cooking/cleaning.

Spending on groceries will be more, due to having student and wanting them to enjoy it. 

Groceries - £65 main shop
+5, +7, +£3 extra shops 
=£80 

It's still within budget, just! 

Money saving
I've cooked lots of budget meals this week, and have good made for next few days, snd have cheap meals planned for next week too. 

earthgirl2

Still working hard and in my spare time enjoying this gorgeous weather. 

Another £120 in from cat sitting this week, and £99 in next week already paid. 

Still working with the student and managed a brunch mystery shop with her today, so free brunch and £7 made. 

I've collected snd dried lots of mint (ongoing job) to use for mint tea, and hawthorn flowers. Need more hawthorn and need to start rose as well this week for my tea over winter. 

Combining taking ds2 and friends somewhere and the student on an outing tomorrow, which saves petrol money. 

13 days left with student and then I'll get so much more time (and energy) back!

Courgette

Hawthorne tea - I’ve never thought of that! There are so so many of them near us. Off to investigate!