Prosperous soul embraces creativity & mortgage neutrality

savingholmes

I've bought some fridge and freezer thermometers today - so another £9.35 gone. What I put in the freezer last night hasn't frozen yet which is worrying.

I remembered I'd bought an audio book the other day for £3 - so adding that to my spending diary.

I have an Am**** delivery in the next few days that includes: coffee (£9.35), 7kg cat food (£12.23) but lasts months, chocolate (£1.87) to get 15% subscription discount overall. Think I still have moisturiser to come too... 

Keeping a spending diary is definitely helping me understand where my money goes. The coffee will effectively go into stores as I already have some - but it is cheaper than the brand I like in the shops. The cat food is also cheaper this way...

I'm going to need to do at least weekly tallies of my spending diary as it will be too hard to do at the end of the month. I think I also need to split back out last month's overspend on fuel and food - as it's making this month seem impossible to stick to budget for. Or at least acknowledge that in my totals.

I've noticed some people on here do weekly budgets. I wonder if that would work better for me. Need to think about that. I also need to consider going back to food deliveries as a way of controlling unconscious spend... 

WelshmansDaughter

I am the same, I haven't been doing online delivery and must have been to the shops three times in the week.

savingholmes

Thanks WD

I survived the dentist. Paid £353 to get a future bridge put in. If I cope may do 2 more at same price each. I had dentures but stopped wearing them. This would be a much better option.

Annoyingly I forgot pin for 0% spend card so had to use a different one. Even though I have the £ would have liked the option to space it out. 

savingholmes

Feel really spacey today after the dentist. Having an extended lunch to see if that helps. I'd hoped the proposed dental work would be less expensive so that came as a shock. I'm going to have to review my savings and pension plans. I do see it as undoing years of neglect though and a positive sign I'm investing in myself and forcing myself to get past dental phobia to get it done but still... a lot of £.

Had a lovely chicken leg x 2 (leftovers), mash from yesterday, half tin of carrots, frozen peas and sweetcorn and parsnips for dinner. What really stood out to me on the frugal meals challenge thing - wasn't just what he ate but also portion sizes... I have so much to work on before I could be remotely considered frugal! As in not sure it would ever happen.

I'm fortunate to have a high income this month and decent float from last month - but because I've committed to my reg savers and now have other 'lumpy' costs - dental, jobs around the house and garden, possible new FF etc I'm due to overspend compared to my desired budget this month. After dental £353 - I'm trying to keep a float of around £950 at the end of the month and trying not to touch my savings...

I'm still waiting for an energy bill from a previous supplier - if that doesn't come then I have more funds to play with. Otherwise - only 5 days into my pay month I have:

• £27 in my fuel pot. My car has 2/3 of a tank left. I don't go into work often - so it might last me - but if I go and help sis out as she's moving that would easily be 70 miles plus each time.
• £66 in my food and misc pot
• £25 in an eating out pot.
• All my other budgeted £ is pretty much committed.
• I'd already cut Clothes and art from my budget this month as I overspent in previous months.  

Handyman hasn't been yet which is irritating. Still don't know how much my jobs are going to cost. My priority currently has shifted from the stairs (as he doesn't think will fall through) on to getting arbour assembled - as currently have £200 worth of wood on my patio rather than a nice bench with roof!! I've not chased either the original guy or the new guy - as I'm torn over committing the £ however it will be lovely when the jobs are done - and with inflation they are unlikely to get cheaper by waiting.

I think if I replace the FF will opt for one at the cheaper end of the spectrum rather than necessarily a more energy efficient one as none of those figures are guaranteed.

Hope you are having a good day where you are.

jwil

Glad the dentist went ok but ouch to the bill.  Hope the handyman turns up.

MovingForwards

I do a monthly budget but break that down into weeks. If it's a short month I've more money to play with, a long month and it's less each week. I've always got full cupboards.

When did you last defrost your fridge freezer, it could be a blockage or the way things are crammed in.

Dental work will be worth it. See it as investing in the new you and long-term will save money.

Hope you've heard from the handyman or dropped him a quick text to find out when he'll arrive.

savingholmes

Thanks jwil - no sign of the handyman

MF - I think I need to go to a weekly budget - as pretty much every time I get paid - I then over-spend week 1 and then play catch up the rest of the month. If my FF wasn't playing up I'd be fine - but I also binned some food last week as I didn't trust it. Will check again later if the new stuff I put in last night has frozen but it hadn't earlier. It's supposed to be a frost free freezer so in theory doesn't need defrosting. There isn't ice build up like I've had on other freezers. I have 3 out of 4 drawers of frozen food - and put a drawer's worth in the garage FF that DD has claimed.

I'm hoping that by doing the spending diary I will at least understand where all my £ leaks are. I can then work out how best to plug them. It could be that I've been unlucky this month - or my savings goals could be unrealistic... It may be that I need some extra categories - that things like batteries, FF thermometers etc fit into. My FF isn't even 3 years old. Not impressed.

I would also benefit from meal planning more before shopping - and sticking to a list.

girlatplay

When I used to get tax credits they were paid weekly so I budgeted and did a food shop weekly. It worked really well.  When the TCs stopped I continued the weekly planning and it still worked well.  The only reason I stopped was because I got out of the habit.  I'm keen to get back into it. It's a good plan.

savingholmes

Thanks GAP

Definitely need to plan weekly moving forward. Will have a play with my spreadsheets...

This was my favourite meal of the day. Veggie pasta. Very filling.

This was half of last night's batch. I think the dish is 0.6 litre...

I have had an apple from my tree and picked a few more plus some plums. I may have a go at making crumble this weekend and perhaps some other sweet treats. 

Just dropped DD and her friend off to go clubbing.

Mickyh-s

Pasta looks delicious!