Pay for the future and not the past

FootyFanDan

MissRikkiC said:

Hub went through his banking yesterday and reimbursed himself lots of bits here and there that were due. Its taken us over our grocery budget for the month with still a list of things which are needed before Tuesday. I have just looked and there will be 5 weekends in our month so likely why i feel like usually we'd be okay by now or with a few days to go still but with another week to go, we will have spent more than i planned. There is also the fact that all beer purchases have been from the groceries budget this month whereas they wont be from next and the regular veg box delivery but we have been out of the shops alot more than usual so i think it might have been worse otherwise!

Anyway, we still need some items, especially as i have a competition at the gym at the weekend where ill need a regular supply of easy to eat food bits plus the basics for home. 

Ham is currently in the oven with a loaf and hoping the bread turns out a bit more like a sandwich loaf. We will see as i have amended the method for cooking it etc so might not work out at all. 

Long day yesterday, home late as i travelled to a site for work. I saw my children for 20 minutes and 40 minutes respectively by the time i got back Gad i work from home for the majority of the time!

I really feel your pain on the travel front, my daily journey can take anything ranging from 35 mins to 2 hours lol and then the same after work too. There seems to be major roadworks on pretty much every route to work, i am considering maybe looking at starting earlier and finishing earlier to avoid the rush hour. 

It sounds like you are settling in to your new role well

MissRikkiC

I’m lucky in that I can work from home for 90% of the time but I wanted to meet my team in person this week and will have future meetings where I’m required at site. I just need to be a bit more strict with myself when I’m away for work so that I don’t hit the motor way at prime traffic time! If you can work your hours so that they suit your work life balance better @FootyFanDan then I definitely would. 

Last bit of the repair done for my tooth yesterday so now I keep biting my cheek as I’m not used to having so much tooth there! 

Random plate of things for lunch, pre cooked butter beans, 3 types of salad leaves left over (1 totally inedible however), 3 left over tomatoes, an inch of cucumber, a few slices of ham with the remnants of a pomegranate and some tamarind to make it all taste of something. 

Dinner will be a chicken and ham pie. I only had 1 breast defrosted and so I’ve done a freezer dive for some more pre cooked meat. I think I found pork 🤣 so it’s actually a 3 meat pie instead! Serve it with chips and cabbage although I wonder if the children will have eaten at nursery by the time I pick them up. It might be a 9pm adults only dinner instead. 

Sourdough Sandwich loaf did work out well, however it’s just not big enough so need a bigger loaf tin!

MissRikkiC

I am tired! 

I’ve had 2 long days at work already, earlier starts with late finishes and my boy is being very fussy during the night. I also did a CrossFit competition at the weekend and (came 1st 🥳) so I am physically also very tired and sore. I feel pretty MEH tonight so going to bed shortly in the hope I feel better tomorrow. 

We got paid today and usually I’m giddy about it, all of our pots refresh and I tidy up and squirrel away etc but because I’m tired, I hardly care about it and haven’t done anything. 

I will be signing up for Mays grocery challenge as I haven’t done the last 2 months and last month we went over. It was a 5 week month so I’m not going to go through and scrutinise what I need to do differently other than plan better and instead will not deduct from this months any overspends etc. We are fortunate enough that we can afford the extra so don’t feel I need to be too hard on myself however equally need to keep it in check to prevent it happening often! 

Off to bed. Hopefully tomorrow will be a brighter day! 

KajiKita

Well done on the coming first in the Cross-Fit! From what I hear that would have taken some doing!! 

Hope you are feeling a bit better today?

I got paid and had a double-bonus (long story) and payrise land in my account yesterday. I did some of the ££ shuffling last night but doing it in the evening meant that I felt like I was working on it through treacle and I know i have still missed a bit (paying off my monthly C/Cd balance so I haven't shared my significant (to me) OP yet .....!    Hopefully tonight   

I hear what you say on the groceries. I have been following the challenge on the groceries board but is pretty demoralising as i am both over budget and seem to spend waaaaaay more than other posters there. In stead of the purely financial numbers, I am going to switch my focus to more H/cooked versions of 'ready-meals' (Pizzas and cottage pies are my first target areas), more bulk buying and as the seasons go on, more saving / preserving / storing what my garden comes up with. 

KK

MissRikkiC

I too have a relatively high budget of approx £400 for 2 adults and 2 children so can relate to the Ill feelings when people cover more and spend less.  Our budget doesn’t always but last month included 90% of beer and wine. I think because I’ve not included it before then did this last month but didn’t amend the budget accordingly meant I spent the same on food (for the most part) but more overall because of the drinks. We’ve also started with a veg box either weekly or fortnightly which I LOVE but inevitably costs more than the supermarket. Add in the extra week unaccounted for and it’s easy to see why I spent more. Poor planning is the only answer. Yet saying that I’ve roughly calculated each pot and kept the food budget the same. Maybe i need to have a rethink. 

@KajiKita do you therefore buy alternative products for ease? We’re sporting allergies of course so all diary items are replaced with vegan options and they’re pricey! 

I hope you’ve found some time to calculate your sums today, I haven’t. I got 1 step in and moved the money into the main account but that was it before I had to crack on with other things for work.  

The competition was very good fun, my partner and I were a nervous wreck all day but had such a blast. It wasn’t highly skilled but it was about being fast so that’s maybe why we managed so well. If you’re into fast paced sport/exercise you’d enjoy CrossFit. 

MissRikkiC

I’d asked if I was right in thinking you were mostly vegan at @KajiKita but it disappeared 

KajiKita

Yup, alternative products are not cheap!! 

I *have* done my sums today and updated my thread if you want to have a nosey. 😊 I haven’t updated my signature yet as I want something to do at the end of the month when I am getting bored and frustrated waiting for payday again ….! 😂

Fast paced anything ….? Ummmm ….. not any more 😉 I used to enjoy Kung Fu but gave it up when I realised I  didn’t bounce or recover so well any more. 😉 My main exercise is working in the garden and helping Mr KK with work around the house - this weekend we will be making 2.5 tonnes worth of gravel into cement to top off our patio / deck outside what will be patio doors - apparently Mr KK has high hopes that I will be on the shovel or the wheel barrow …. 😳😂

KK

MissRikkiC

I’ve gotta find you, I’d assumed you didn’t post your own but commented instead. Off to find it now @KajiKita

Budgets done here too and I want a tighter grip on finances this month. 

I’ve left the groceries at £400, we have 4 weekends not 5 to cover this month and alcohol and bulk items like milk are all now separate so should be okay. We’ve spent already on a veg box, a big splurge on condiments and spices etc plus general stuff for the month (meat etc). Even if we did that again, the entire spends, plus the veg box we’d still come under so goodness knows what I did last month?! 

Ps. A little bit more inspired on the food front, Turkey mince used to be something I ate a lot of when I was first into fitness as it was the lowest fat meat. It’s not something I’m hugely keen on often but I bought some for a change and we had it last night as a Thai inspired dish. We also don’t eat much fish as previously noted by someone so have also bought a few cod fillets and will try battering them as fish and chips Friday. Next week that is as we’re away this weekend in Devon and will be buying our fish and chips from the seaside!!!!

KajiKita

I hope you will find my thread here:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6324714/mortgage-free-in-forever-home#latest

Well done for expanding your food options. I need to do the same - I am so over winter food options now but it’s not warm enough yet for endless salads ….

KK

MissRikkiC

Maybe it’s the tiredness but this week I feel very overwhelmed with everything I need to do. 

Basic stuff but because work deadlines are tight for the time being, my usual 5 minute break to get a brew and get the washing machine etc etc on just haven’t been happening so as a result I am VERY behind. 

We are away this weekend and I’m very excited but equally completely dreading a 4 hour drive with 2 children, the packing for what we need for there, the state of the house when we come back as I’ll not have chance to get on top of it before hand, the washing that needs doing plus what will then need doing when we’re back amongst so much else. Monday is a BH and we are coming back Sunday but my husband is working so I’ll have both children so no time to do any of this stuff before work again Tuesday.

I know this is life now, working 4 days, 2 small children, a house to keep on top of plus life to live otherwise but this week all of that feels hard