My last diary take two, but this will be it

Choccygirl123

Day 4 - It's all about the food prep!

Had good look at what was in the fridge, freezer and store cupboard and have planned meals around using as much as I can. Tonight - Chicken Enchiladas, made 8 so maybe 1/2 left over for lunch tomorrow

Thursday - Steak Pie, mash and veg - pie mix currently simmering away in slow cooker ready for puff top tomorrow night

Friday - Creamy Bacon & Veg Pasta

Saturday - Cowboy Pie

Sunday - Roast pork and all the trimmings

Monday - Meatballs & Spaghetti

Should keep us going and away from the takeaways. Really pleased with my shop today, stacked up on fruit and veg, no pre-pepped meals just ingredients to pad out the bits we have in the house. The bonus was I'd forgotten about my teso club card vouchers before xmas, so used them today and instead of paying £57.82 it was £33.26. Tesco didn't have any cubed beef so nipped to the butchers and it was £4.48. Total shopping spend £37.74 (thanks to vouchers) and i'm hoping will only need milk and bread top up before our next big shop.

The bank accounts are looking empty, so we've got to watch spending so not falling into overdraft. We filled my car yesterday which was £77.43 ouch! It was knocking on empty, but still a shock. I'm hoping that last 2/3 weeks as we've no big trips planned. Roll on 12th - 8 days to go until hubby's pay day.

Choccygirl123

I'm up early and all ready for my first day back at work. I've checked my banking apps and there's nothing to report apart from our bill account is pretty empty so we're planning a NSD. We've all got leftover chicken enchiladas for lunch, so that cuts the teenagers spending on trips to supermarket. They buy their own lunches if they can't be bothered to make something at home. 

I packaged up my old mobile last night and will drop it at the post office tomorrow when post office doesn't shut early. It should hopefully be worth £166 which is going into my Xmas 23 challenge. It'll be a lot of squares to colour off and it would be just under 25% challenge completed. 

I've got few bits still listed on eBay and one item has had 4 offers already. I keep sending counters as offers not quite what I'd like for it. I did a 15p survey yesterday, but really need to step up my game.

Choccygirl123

Managed to catch the Post office on the way to work this morning, so the phone is on its way to be recycled. Hopefully money won't take too long to be paid. 

 Dinner is prepped homemade steak pie with peas and mash, so no takeaway after hubby arrives home late at 6:45. Today should be a complete no spend....yay first of the year!

Choccygirl123

Another nsd plznned today - number 2 of 2023. Checked bank accounts and couple of direct debits have gone out. Still looking very empty, but still crossing off days until pay day,

I had an email to say a payment has been confirmed to my Quidco account, so have transfered it and as soon as it hits my account I'll transfer it to the Xmas 1p saving challenge and cross 366 off my sheet.

I'm feeling positive for 2023 and know that slow and steady wins the race with regards to savings and debt repayments. Looking forward to starting the £1-£52 challenge but that'll have to wait until next week's pay day.

Choccygirl123

Was a nsd fail as hubby needed some painkillers for his back. Only £3.50 spent, but not annoyed resisted a takeaway and had creamy pasta if planned.

Hubby asked if I'd recieved by 1% rewards back from Chase yet. I didn't know how to even check.  Completely over the moon to find £47.45 sat there waiting to be moved into my Christmas pot. This was from last May and a holiday, still shocked it's as much as it is. Mega chuffed, although need to work out how many boxes that is to colour on my 1-500p challenge. 

With the Quidco payment once it's cleared it'll be around £65 saved so far in first few days of 2023. So tired tonight, will colour in my progress chart and cross off as many of the high 490's as I can.

It's been a good money day.

Choccygirl123

What a miserable wet dark day. Have lit the stove and we're currently snuggled up watching old films and im having a quick catch up on some admin.  Everyone in the house is still feeling full of lergy, so being busy doing nothing is just what we need. The bonus today is a NSD. Have got some sausages from the freezer and instead of standing making cowboy pie, just going to do a simple bangers, mash, peas and onion gravy.

Have coloured a total of £47.45 off my sheet and it's starting to get some colour on it. 7 days into the new year and my challenge and i've got £64.98. I've not started the serious weekly saving £1-£52, but looking forward to getting the first couple of random numbers crossed off next week on pay day! Like the idea of the random number so not hit with monster amount either at start or end of the year.

Choccygirl123

Complete lazy day as all four of us are full of lergy! The teenagers haven't been to work which makes a lovely change for a Sunday. I made a lovely roast pork dinner with swede and carrot mash, broccoli and roasted new potatoes. The new spuds were ok, but admittedly a plan b after my meal prep fail.

Nothing to update on the money front, still no cash left but it's only a couple of days to get through until hubby's pay day. Had a NSD today and fingers crossed for Monday and Tuesday, will be eating from things in the house, but may need an Extra bottle of milk. Dinner Making meat balls from freezer tomorrow with little salad and spaghetti. Tuesday will be chicken from
freezer with stir grey veg and noodles. 

Will tidy out fridge on Tuesday evening and meal plan ready for my food shop on Wednesday.

Choccygirl123

Missed my entry yesterday as felt so rubbish. Tried to avoid the internet and read instead after work. I did get a notification from quidco to say that i'd received another £1.99 cashback. Hit the withdraw button and will tranfser into the xmas pot when received. I've already highlited the 199p off my sheet. We need a small top up shop of milk yesterday, bread and some chocolate fell into my basket. Total spend of £7.35

Choccygirl123

What a miserable day, horrendous weather and I got soaked taking the dog out. Had to nip get more milk as the family have snaffled 3.5pints in 24hours including a monster pot of porridge.

I've had some luck on the selling front and sold an item for £35 on ebay which finished today. The buyer hasn't paid yet, so I will wait to update once I know how much I've made. I've also got a couple of bits sold on FB which are pending collection. Not huge amount but £20 in total if they turn up.

Pay day tomorrow, at last! Will update my spreadsheet and set the final budget in the morning. I also need to meal plan and do a shop tomorrow. Finally feel like we have our money a little more under control and it feels good. I don't think there's much 'surplus' to pay additional cash off our debts, but I am going to try to send at least £50 to my loan. Need to budget properly and stick to it. I also want to make sure we do the £1-£52 savings challenge.

Choccygirl123

I love it when people buy things on FB and actually turn up early, rather than messing about! £5 in the tin and the 250, 249 and 1p squares crossed off. £71.97 crossed off in 10 days, £1.99 pending as payment back to my bank, but really pleased. Wilth ebay and other sale I should smash the first £100. Having tried to save £1000 every year for xmas, I'm the most motivated in the first 3months of each year. Got to keep it going this year if I want to hit my £1252.50 target!