My journey to health, wealth (well, saving for works to house, so not really!) and hobbies

savingholmes

Happy New Year.

[Deleted User]

And to you saving holmes!

hope everyone had a good new year and is refreshed and ready to tackle that debt/save!

[Deleted User]

So, we were doing SO well this month. We were just over half reduced (so ideal if poss) budget and way less than half what I consider should be top line. However, bills today for DC1’s tennis and swimming which I had forgotten we were signing up for! The swimming is £110 but that is for whole term I think and tennis is under £50 I think that’s 5-6 weeks (DH deals with those so not sure until I get the figures and dates) but annoying. Must remember these things!

have also signed DC2 up to a class Tuesday mornings (when it’s just me and him now) but paid for that last month. Think that is 6 weeks.

Shopping list has been prepared and meal plan done and shouldn’t be too bad for this coming week as still supplementing a lot from freezer. 

Got a builder coming round Sat and one next week so should soon have more of an idea of what this is going to cost! 

Blackcats

Happy New Year.
I wish I'd been round to you for New Year's Eve feast - sounds lovely.
we had a fancy shop bought pizza and it was fairly disappointing.  Luckily the Prosecco was not a disappointment.
I hope the builders quotes fit with what you are hoping to spend.

enthusiasticsaver

Sun_Addict said:

My DGS recently received an official autism diagnosis after 3 years of tests. DS and DIL were relieved to know officially so can now start dealing with it and getting him the help he needs. 

My DD and SIL are  going through this with my DGD2 at the moment but the process is so long winded and here in the South West the waiting list is so long we are  considering paying for a private assessment.  The problem is girls are so much better at masking than boys so it is harder to diagnose them apparently. Hard to know how to help them but the school have been brilliant even to the point of letting her have daily time with the school dog as their own dog helps her regulate her emotions.  

[Deleted User]

So food shop spend was a bit more than expected - came in around 80 total but stocked up on things we always use which were on offer. 

We got 100 in sparks vouchers at Xmas and needed a new fitted sheet (DH has somehow managed to rip one of ours (we have 2 sets to rotate) a la Incredible Hulk!).  Bought one but was wrong depth so took it back and exchanged for right one which was £3 cheaper! Saw they also had UV swimwear for kids at £5.50 when they normally cost us £16 or so. Got 4-5 and 5-6 but when got home saw we already had one aged 4 (I had thought it was 3 and as it was a purchase I wasn’t expecting to make I hadn’t checked) so might just check if that still fits DC1 and if so, take back. 

Also bought some things needed from b**ts on points. Only other sort of non necessary purchase was a new coat age 5-6 as was in sales and I usually buy a year in advance in the sales. That was £29.99 (that 1p is important!) but as a really lovely warm winter one, which will also be used by DC2 when he hits that age, then sold on or sent to charity shop.

Sold a kids coat my parents bought but which never got worn as the age was slightly off in that season - £7. Hopefully got someone collecting the double buggy today (which was bought when in the awful flat and was basically a waste of money as rarely got used!) so that will be another £250. Will all get paid straight over to savings and will keep advertising stuff. 

Builder came round. Won’t get estimate for ages yet. But he did query the architects ideas for stairs to top floor and thought we could do something different so have drafted email to architect for DH to send with pictures tomorrow. Really hoping it’s possible as would save us an absolute fortune and mean a lot less disruption.

so has been a productive few days!

took kids to soft play this morning and bought coffees whilst there so that was £20.50 in total(!) but resisted buying a dirty sausage roll or doughnut and just ate lunch when we got home

[Deleted User]

@enthusiasticsaver sorry the waiting list is so long, must be so frustrating/worrying. If it can be afforded a private assessment might be good 

enthusiasticsaver

[Deleted User] said:

@enthusiasticsaver sorry the waiting list is so long, must be so frustrating/worrying. If it can be afforded a private assessment might be good 

Yes that is the route we are going down now and we have offered  to pay for it.  Frustratingly though initially the private assessment service said they needed more evidence from school in 4-6 months time after she has settled in even though  the pre school were the ones who flagged it up as a possibility last year.  We just thought she was being a normal 3 year old. Now the school have agreed that  it is almost 100% certainly autism and have said they will fill the forms out very differently when the application goes back in at Easter. There is no point in going down the council assessment route as it will take years for her to get to the top of the list as she is verbal and able to cope with mainstream education so not a priority. 

[Deleted User]

Lady collected buggy and did online payment to DH who has sent to me so paid it straight over to savings. Also have £7 cash but won’t be going to bank this week so will pop it in a draw rather than my purse until I can! Found some more things to advertise. DH laughs at me and others may do so too but if I can sell £20 worth of stuff a week throughout the year that’s over 1k in our pockets so not to be sniffed at!

Have also done a large bag for charity shop including things like brand new teddies with tags on that the kids never used.

dinner from stores today - leftover Mexican from last night.

[Deleted User]

Just sold (as long as collected) £64 of stuff! I had posted on a local FB group and someone I know messaged saying they’d take certain items and did I have anything else. Raided the cupboards and sent it all and she’s taking the vast majority! Someone else collecting 2 other items. So £64 easily made.

Good thing is she wants all my stuff going forwards as her child is a year to the day behind my youngest so should work out really well for both of us! 

Will be paid into bank next time I go but put in a draw in the interim to prevent spending on sugary snacks!