Keeping afloat till I can get round to the debts!

NeverendingDMP

My food budget has been increased a lot from my longstanding 433 a month. Mainly due to cost of living. I'm hoping the change to 150 a week allows it to equal out and be manageable to the point where I can feel like I've saved a little bit at the end of the week. Better for motivation I feel to have a bit left over to save/reduce debt or buy random things that crop up.

jwil

I agree it's nice to be able to save on the food budget rather than constantly exceed it!

outoftheviciouscircle

I have just read through your diary, following a long for support.

Food prices are awful. I worked in a supermarket up until last July and I did the prices changes a lot of the time. I watched things going up by up to a £1 an item. We are just 2 adults, we've managed to cut our monthly budget back to £250 a month. The fridge always looks empty but I meal plan, shop with a list and stick to it. I've even started online shopping to avoid the temptation. I know most people do that these days, I was silly not to do it sooner as its more than halved my grocery budget.

Good Luck!!

NeverendingDMP

Thanks for the support outoftheviciouscircle. Must have been awful to see the prices go up first hand. I notice it but to see the physical change of lots of items in each working day must have been a bit of a panic.  I've been alternating between Aldi and online shopping so I can check the cost before I check out. Depends on time available for my shop. I definitely have to be aware of adding up as I go. Hopefully it's going to calm down a bit now though. I've upped my budget a few times and energy prices are starting to calm down a bit so hopefully I'll have a happy medium now and get financially stable ish !!

Humdinger1

It's your decision @NeverendingDMP but if you're watching any live TV at all on any channel or iplayer, you do need a licence.   It's a criminal offence if you don't and for £160 per year it hardly seems worth the risk, whatever your views of the BBC may be. Well done on all your progress; you are doing brilliantly.   Love Humdinger xx 

NeverendingDMP

Humdinger1 said:

It's your decision @NeverendingDMP but if you're watching any live TV at all on any channel or iplayer, you do need a licence.   It's a criminal offence if you don't and for £160 per year it hardly seems worth the risk, whatever your views of the BBC may be. Well done on all your progress; you are doing brilliantly.   Love Humdinger xx 

Thanks. I don't watch much TV, kids, house, work etc takes care of that. It's nice to have the option though isn't it and everyone else here watches TV. Not due till sept so I've plenty time.to decide. I'll see how tight the budget is. I will more than likely end up renewing as trying to explain to primary school kids what real TV is let alone which real TV they they can't watch anymore may cause more stress than it's worth. 

conkerlad

Humdinger1 said:

It's your decision @NeverendingDMP but if you're watching any live TV at all on any channel or iplayer, you do need a licence.   It's a criminal offence if you don't and for £160 per year it hardly seems worth the risk, whatever your views of the BBC may be. Well done on all your progress; you are doing brilliantly.   Love Humdinger xx 

While this is true, millions of households are already cancelling theirs and so it would be completely impractical for them to pursue anybody.

They don’t have to means to tell whether you do or don’t watch live Tv either.

But yeah each to their own of course 

NeverendingDMP

I think watching TV feels like a far more expensive hobby now. As a kid I remember the main channels and being able to hire a film from the local shop. Now it's a TV licence, netflix, firesticks, sky, films, sports etc etc . So complicated lol.

NeverendingDMP

Think I've only spent 2 pounds today as well as delivery of a top up shop. That needs to last me till Friday which it should. Done some exercise today and I have got a nice tea cooking, terrible weather but can't complain as last week was really good. 
Nothing to report on debts, small Tilly tally to Xmas fund but that's about it

NeverendingDMP

So lots of wind last night and damage to surrounding houses and fences. So far we appear to have stayed intact. I think the work on our roof last year helped our tiles stay stuck.  Funny spend day today. Some preplanned work to the house (v spendy) but trying to spend nothing else myself