Trying not to get into more debt

Toonie

My current job has come to an end and I’ve been job hunting (so far without success) but unfortunately I’m also suffering a long term leg injury compounded by chronic pain from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. As I had a couple of months notice I decided to save as much as possible so cut down spending as far as I could to build a buffer to help pay bills. My partner is in full time employment.

My partner and I have some debt currently (both credit cards which we had to utilise when unemployed during the first lockdown as we had both recently been made unemployed). My aim is to try and stop my debt from increasing too much whilst I’m unemployed.

We’ve switched all the bills we can to better deals and both also have switched CC debt to 0% balance transfers. Othewise, we recently were able to secure a five year mortgage deal which took just over £300 off our payments as we were coming out of our introductory period.

The best place I can think to keep an eye on spending is the food shop which covers my partner and I, including a lunch box for my partner five days a week.

Currently we do a big shop at Aldi once a month and stock up on things like tinned goods, store cupboard supplies, lunch box items, plus fill the freezer with portioned up meat for evening meals. That week we also buy fresh things for the week ahead.

The rest of the month has been split between Sainsbury (which was walking distance but currently use the car for as I can’t manage the walk) and Lidl which I would go to on my way home from work. Sometimes I would also buy fruit from our local market if I make it before they close.

At the moment due to my leg I would have to catch a bus to get to Lidl and the market (on the same street), so that adds £3.10 to the overall bill.

We spend around £180 per month on food at the moment and I’m wondering if I could get it to £150.

Evening meals tend to revolve around meat and two veg as unfortunately there are a lot of things I can’t eat due to my EDS (no pulses, no rice, no pasta, nothing spicy, no alliums, no mushrooms amongst other things). Obviously padding things out is quite difficult.

Breakfast:

Partner-Coffee at home and then homemade cereal bar at work (he eats at work as he’s not fond of eating early)

Me-Tea and toast/homemade muesli+yoghurt/bran flakes followed by a bit of fruit.

Lunch:

Partner-Sandwich, salad, nuts, dried fruit, chocolate biscuit, crisps (he does a very physical job so gets quite hungry-doesn’t always eat the snacky bits which are from Aldi)

Me-sandwich or salad with either cheese or a hard boiled egg (have had garden grown salad but that’s finished) and fruit

Supper: Typical meals include Cottage Pie, fish and chips, baked pork chop and spuds, toad in the hole, schnitzel and new potatoes, and a roast on sunday (leftovers get used to sandwiches). Everything is served with veggies (usually some combo of cabbage, carrot, green beans, peas) or a salad and I’ve been upping my portions of veg and reducing the other things on my plate as I’m trying to eat healthier within my limited scope.

This diary is to try and keep accountable for what I am spending and how I can make some frugal changes whilst I’m unemployed.

TheAble

Maybe consider home delivery for groceries if it's a struggle to get to the shops? Tesco do them from £3.

Toonie

Thanks for the suggestion. Luckily my partner is able to do the shopping but tends to need a list and will come home with random things occasionally, so I'll look into the deliveries in case that can save us anything.

Toonie

NSD yesterday, made bolognese for supper (DP has it with pasta and I have a baked potato). Picked some lovely fresh basil out of some old seeds I managed to germinate too so that was nice shredded over the top. There is enough bolognese for another supper so will probably have that tomorrow. Tonight is pork chops and potato wedges plus salad.

Today's task is to declutter the dining area (which is also where I have my art supplies) and I am going to make a card for a friend who is going through a tough time and usually a cheerleader for all her friends. I'm thinking a nice watercolour flower card as she loves her garden.

Toonie

NSD again yesterday but won't manage that today as we're out of bread and need a loaf so DP can have sandwiches tomorrow for work (he had the last two slices for lunch today). Lunch for me today is going to be sweet potato farls, salad and "salad cheese" (Aldi's own version of feta).

I managed most of the dining room decluttering yesterday, though I need to figure out a better storage idea for my art supplies (I was gifted an art subscription box for my birthday in June and so get new art supplies every month). Today's crafty task is to fix DP's keyring which broke yesterday. I have jewellery making supplies so that shouldn't be a bother, as long as I can find the right size of wire to remake the links which broke, and then use the soldering iron to finish it off. We both try to mend as much as we can and make other things (DP is a dab hand at woodwork and sewing and I handle random crafts and gardening) and there is usually a pile of broken things waiting to be mended.

My decluttering task today the conservatory. It's probably our least used room as the temperature is very changeable in there, so it would be nice to make it into a more usable space.

Toonie

Yesterday spent £1.20 on a loaf of bread and £1 for milk, but they were both needed. This comes out of our monthly grocery budget (of which we've currently spent £102.92) which runs from the 1st of the month. We've roughly £77 for the next 3 weeks which should be fine as our weekly top ups usually come in between £20-£25. I'm aiming more for the £20 mark this time around and hope to end the month with a spend of around £160.

This evening I'm babysitting for a little'un I used to nanny for, so that will be nice (especially as they said they'll get me some supper in). DP is going to sort himself out for supper (he's cooking himself a curry).

No decluttering today as my leg is very sore, so will rest up before heading out to babysit.

Toonie

Nothing to report from yesterday so gave the diary a miss, it was a NSD as was Friday.

Today we went over to visit FIL and to help him out in the garden as his pond pump had stopped working. We sorted it all out, cleared the pond of some algae, and had a cuppa.

Then it was top up shop time, so we popped to Sainsbury. We got fresh bits for the week ahead and also picked up toiletries we can't get in Aldi. The only unplanned purchase was a pack of bacon as we fancied sandwiches as a reward for doing the pond work. Our best bargain was a loaf of bread for 15p which has gone straight in the freezer and can be used for toast. We only have space for one or I'd have bought a few. We're up to £126.46 for the monthly grocery spend now but aside from fresh ruit and salad next weekend we shouldn't need anything for a couple weeks. We're also now stocked up on toiletries for the next couple months as well.

I will have to spend some money next week as I realised my trainers have a hole in, so spent today wearing my walking shoes. I'll look around to see if anywhere online has the same trainers on sale, if not I'll go and check out what I can find in the shops nearby.

Toonie

No spends in the last few days. It's easy not spending when you can't go anywhere and you've made yourself a promise not to buy any crafting items until you get through the mound you already have! On the upside that does mean I've pulled out some stuff from the loft (well DP has for me) so I can keep busy whilst I'm at home. I'm making some beaded ornaments for that December festival to gift to friends who have been keeping an eye on me over the last few months. I'm planning on making them each a thank you basket. I'm make fudge, a beaded decoration, something baked, and a bottle of sweetie vodka (butterscotch was a big hit the year before last).

Tomorrow or Friday will be a spend day though as I'll pop out to get trainers and whilst at the shops pick up some fruit and veg at the market as well as some sweeties at the pound shop.

CRANKY40

If you dont mind me asking, was your leg injury made worse by the EDS? I fell down  stairs at home and my delicate hypermobile skin bruised so badly that I now have a permanent very deep crater in my lower leg. It wasn't circulation  related - that was checked. I also need a knee replacement at a fairly young (ish) age and have pain in most of my other joints. My EDS party trick of being able to touch my nose with my tongue in no way makes up for the pain, but it was fun at children's parties when my son was small - getting all the little ones trying to do it too. 

savingholmes

Good luck on your journey.

How much debt are you trying to tackle? Are you job hunting? Do you have a plan?

Toonie

CRANKY40

I do think it's made worse by the EDS, though unfortunately despite it being a problem for six months I'm yet to have a scan to determine the exact issue. The other thing EDS throws in is that most painkillers don't work on me, so I'm stuck in a rather painful situation without much chance of easing said pain until I know what's causing it.