Third time's a charm!

twiggy86

Not much to report after a fairly quiet weekend! I popped to my parents yesterday to get my dad to cut a bit of dowel for me so that I can hang something on my "art wall" and my mum gave me some yarn whilst I was there. She also showed me the jumper she is knitting me whilst I was there which I can't wait to receive - although it's very thick and warm looking so might be next winter before I can wear it! (I also started making myself a jumper at the weekend!) 

I did put my foot down with OH on Saturday night when he said he wanted something which wasn't on the meal plan - in his defence it wasn't a takeaway! However, I told him we didn't have it but "what a great suggestion for the meal plan next week"! So I cooked what I had planned and he enjoyed it! I also cooked a big bolognaise yesterday as the mince was going to go OOD - so that's dinner sorted for tonight and I put another portion in the freezer. Food waste is a big area of "leakage" in our house so I'm determined to work on this area. In the theme of reducing food waste, when I was cooking the bolognaise yesterday I realised that I had a couple of carrots going funny so didn't want to cook them for our roast, but rather than waste them I grated them into the sauce (after cutting out the funny bits!)

twiggy86

Ooops - haven't posted since Monday! However I'm not sure I've really got much to say! Have had a bit of a spendy day today as I have just paid £150 towards a hen do I'm going on later this year (I put it aside on payday but had been keeping it aside "just in case") and have booked a hair appointment for tomorrow - again I have some money aside for this although not quite enough to cover the cost. I'm only having a trim as I dye my hair myself, which I did a couple of weeks ago but haven't had it cut since maybe August?! 

Waiting to see how much OH gets paid this week and then will consider money shuffles/ CC payments as I'm still playing it cautious at the moment. I will use some to pay down the emergency dentist CC! I am waiting on £5 from Shoppix as well - that will go off Next (which stands at £50 currently) when it appears. Kind of feeling that "middle of month slump" where nothing is happening - but not panicking about we will make it to payday this month which is good!!! 

twiggy86

Happy Monday all!!! 

Fortunately I did exercise caution as we are still waiting on OH's pay! So we had a lovely weekend and didn't spend too much or rather waste too much.

I did spent quite a bit on Friday on the food shop. I've started doing a weekly meal plan and a weekly shop, rather than popping every few days, as I thought I was wasting money on the little extras that I always seem to pick up each time I'm in there. However, it looks like I'm going to spend more this month?! Not sure what is going on but will assess at the end of the month. One thing I do know is that we're spending a lot less than pre-lightbulb moment as who knows what we spend on takeaways! I did briefly debate getting a takeaway on Saturday as some friends were talking about "a great new place" - however by the time I got home I was so hungry, it was 7pm (peak ordering time) and I didn't want to wait - that's the honest answer, although I wish it was solely down to money! So I cooked stir-fry... OH had one bite and said he couldn't eat it!!! He never ever totally turns down food so I know he really must have hated it - which meant wasted food and me sticking something else in the oven for him! Oh well! 

I helped a friend move some bits as she is clearing out ahead of moving. This did involve moving a patio table and 8 chairs to mine which she has kindly given us! Now I just want to get the jungle garden sorted so hoping OH will get out there this week and cut the grass and have a general tidy. He will need to collect the glass top for the table as couldn't fit it in the cars and then put the table together as well. 

I'm still waiting on the £5 from Shoppix so haven't managed to make a payment off the debts yet and definitely feeling twitchy that there hasn't been any movement for a few weeks! Hopefully if OH gets paid today I will be able to make some small payments! 

twiggy86

Turns out I'm a wally as the Shoppix money goes into Payp*l not my bank so was sat there waiting! Ooops! So that has now been paid off of Ne*t. So that now stands at £45.68 - hopefully I will achieve this at least this goal which I'd set myself to achieve by the end of March. Looks like I'll not achieve the other goals, particularly as we're still waiting on OH's wages! I'd need to "find" about £600 to reach them which just isn't feasible - but when I set them I didn't realise what a turbulent start to the year we would have! I will be assessing my progress over the last 3 months and setting my goals for the next 3 months next week, so need to start thinking about it and what I hope to achieve! 

twiggy86

Monday morning confessions... 

I had a lovely but spendy weekend - some needed, some not. I think it's months of being careful led to a bit of a blow out yesterday! Damage done, but time to 'fess up and move past it. 

Friday - bought petrol which was semi-needed. I'd already spent my budget for this month but given that petrol prices seem to keep going up (if indeed you can get some), I was down to half a tank so decided to fill up. Couldn't get a receipt and it's still pending and showing at £1 but recall it was about £50. 

Saturday - had a lovely day wondering around the charity shops with my mum. Bought my OH two tops for £7 each - not necessarily needed but they were designer and knew he'd like them and he could do with some more. Then was going to buy my mum some cake but she refused (she is very MSE!) and insisted we went home and had a cuppa and a doughnut she already had! She then gave me two sets of plates she bought a couple of years ago as they were a good make and only £18 but for when hers needed replacing - I'd mentioned that we really needed a new set so she gave them to me. I did actually transfer her the money (plus the £100 I owed them but had been holding onto) but she transferred it back and said they were a gift! I did then go to the shop to grab something for dinner but as I was hungry I did buy extra snacks which weren't needed. 

Sunday - this was the day I went a bit wild! Had a lovely day, gave pooch a big walk and OH was pottering in the garden tiding that up (looks great already!). I then spotted that some yarn I wanted was only sale for 25% off - convinced myself it was justifiable. Saw some other yarn for 10% off - convinced myself that I could just about justify that one too. Saw some yarn for 20% discount - didn't even bother trying to justify it. Then totally gave up and ordered a takeaway!!! In my defence, I have plans for all of the yarn and will get used throughout the year so won't be wasted but definitely wasn't all needed now!

However, it's now Monday and we're moving forward. So the good news is I received my refund from Virg*n via cheque and had intended to at some point try pay it. I then remembered I can pay in cheques via my Barcl*ys app and so did that this morning! So the £52.20 has been used to pay off N*xt (£47.55 as a small amount of interest had been added) and the remainder off my H*lifax CC (£4.65). 

So the good news is, I have achieved one of the goals I set myself for the end of March!!! 

twiggy86

Ooops I haven't posted in over a week! And actually I can feel it as I have just realised I missed a payment. Even in my total disorganised mayhem, I never missed a payment so I really don't understand how I did. It was a CC payment so may now lose my interest free rate - I think, as I said I've never done this before. I think what maybe happened is that I made a payment at the start of March (i.e. on payday) which covered the payment due before the 4 March - so in my spreadsheet it was covered. However, I then hadn't gone in and made a payment on payday so before 4 April. As a result I've had a £12 fee added which isn't the end of the world - but may have to do a balance transfer if I'm now going to start attracting interest. 

I have had a lot on my plate in the last week or so and clearly it's thrown me more than I thought. However, I just need to re-set and can my mind back in the game again! So moral of the story is that although it may only be waffle, I need to come on here and waffle regularly! 

Amber1980

It’s so annoying how stressful it can be trying to keep on top of everything! I find it doesn’t take much for it all to spiral out of control!
 I had a busy stressful week last week a training for a new job and everything else in life went out the window,turns out I’m not much of a multi tasker anymore…!!😂😂

vampirotoothus

Hi Twiggy sorry to hear about missing the payment. Set a DD up for the minimum so going forward no missed payments. Also call them, they can be quite lenient and may be kind. It's worth a shot, good luck V x

twiggy86

Thank you both for your comments and agree a DD would avoid this in the future so that's on the to-do list for this month! My capacity to handle the normal stresses of life is definitely lessened during lockdown! Good luck in your new job @Amber1980

Good news is that yesterday was a NSD! But nothing else to report I don't think! 

MoonSeer

I understand about your rollercoaster start to the year now and boy, do I remember those.  I really don't have any pearls of wisdom to offer at this time but just wanted to say, be kind to yourself when these little setbacks occur. You have genuinely made more progress in the last few months than some make in years (myself included in that) AND you have been doing that with finances at rock bottom.  I hope the stressors of the past week or so that have been affecting you are now being resolved or at least becoming manageable.  Best of luck for the next week/month ahead.