Flying solo

twiggy86

Plans changed slightly last night as friend invite me and bf to a pub quiz (we did rubbish!) So I popped to get a few bits from Aldi on my way home but didn't make it to Tesco. I did cook the chicken I'd taken out of the freezer so will use that for lunches, and then bf bought me dinner at the pub. I paid £3 for me, bf and friend's bf for the quiz as needed change and they didn't have any - friend's bf bought me a drink so I was up overall! 

The receipt for shopping took me to the cashout amount on Shoppix so claimed that and it has been shuffled to my savings. 

Tonight is acro but it's closer to my work so won't go home beforehand. A few people are doing slacklining at the beach before so will go hang out with them first. I may need to pay for some parking as I'm not sure of any free parking around there but will investigate today! 

Today's list...

• Load of washing on 30 degree quick cycle 
• Hang washing on airer
• Make lunch to take to work 
• Take gym clothes to work 
• Update spreadsheet 
• Charge phone at work 
• Work on crochet present at lunch - will have to be late giving it to her as it's her birthday tomorrow and I won't finish it today!!!
• Work out schedule of activities for a festival thing I'm going to next month (booking for activities opens in a couple of weeks and need to be prepared)
• Investigate free parking 
• Free acro get together 
  
• Small bite to eat when I get home 

twiggy86

I did manage to park for free yesterday so it was a NSD! Had fun doing slack lining although I was completely rubbish!!! Acro was good too, although I got cold as it was outside so left a bit early and came straight home for a nice hot shower!!! 

I made another sale on Vinted but annoyingly they've asked me to delay posting until Monday as they're away which obviously delays when the money will be released!!! However, it does mean I've earned £18.50 from 3 pairs of shoes that I haven't worn in FOREVER! Oh and I should be paid for the work I did at the weekend today/ tomorrow which will be shuffled to my misc savings/ rainy day fund (however see below!). 

The slightly bigger news and which I don't think I've mentioned on here before is about my car... I have my car on finance and the deal is coming to the end soon. I have an appointment on Saturday to go and discuss my options and will potentially buy a new car. My justification is that if I keep my car it will be three years old and so I will need to start paying for services (included in deal) and MOTs, plus it looks like I'll need new front tyres soon. So it may be that I use some/ all of my "rainy day fund" towards a new car to keep the monthly payments down. Rightly or wrongly (I know the answer is wrongly!) I don't include my car in my debt totals as I see it more as a monthly expense that is built into the budget... also probably (definitely!) shouldn't get a new car whilst in debt! However once I get the CC debts cleared maybe I'll change my view and try and clear the car too!

So on to today... I'm working from home today so have arranged for my friend to cut my hair this afternoon - she's only charging me £10 which is a bargain!!! I also popped to Tesco this morning as needed some wax strips so I can sort my legs out today if I have time (as I am meant to be working!!) 

And my little bits and pieces.... 

• Wash bedding on 30 degree quick cycle 
• Hang  bedding on airer - although may need to stick it in the tumble dryer later to get it back on the bed today (can't believe it's meant to be July!!!)
• Pop to Tesco for a few bits
• Snap receipt 
• Update spreadsheet 
• Wax legs (if I have time)
• Cheap haircut 
• Try to finish crochet present - did some on it last night when I got home and before work this morning so I'm nearly there!!! 
• Lunch and dinner from stores 
• Park for free at netball 

twiggy86

Ended up playing an extra game of netball last night - literally as I finished my game and I was already so hot and sweaty! However, I enjoyed it and it was a free game so I don't mind! The other MSE thing was that I was still so hot when I got home that after my shower I couldn't face blow drying my hair! So today we are rocking my natural "bit curly, not proper curls, frizzy look"!!! 

I did wax my legs but my friend rescheduled cutting my hair (which is also not helping the hair situation today!) Plus my other friend bought me a beer at the pub before our game! It wasn't a NSD though as got a few bits in Tesco in the morning (wax strips, card). 

Today's bits and pieces include...

• Make lunch to take to work - including leftovers from last night 
• Pop tortoises in the garden for the day
• Update spreadsheet 
• Work on crochet present 
• Work on schedule of activities 
• Dinner from stores - although no idea what yet! 

twiggy86

I got paid £154 for last weekend's work on the bar at a festival. So that has been shuffled to misc/ rainy day savings pot - so that now currently stands at £1,317!!! 

twiggy86

Back from a lovely, but rather spendy weekend! 

Friday was a quiet night as I felt really dizzy for some reason, although it lifted at 7pm. Went shopping with bf, who paid, then cooked dinner and just relaxed. So Friday was actually a NSD! 

Then Saturday bf took me for breakfast before we went and both had an eye test. My prescription hasn't changed too much, so just paid £25 for the test and will buy new glasses at some point in the next couple of months (my glasses are about 8 years old!) Then we wondered around town and had a drink (I paid) and bf bought himself a few bits. Then the day got more expensive as I went to the appointment about my car and I did buy a new one! So I put a £500 deposit down, with a further £1,000 to pay when I pick it up in a couple of weeks! So that will be my "misc savings" gone, well with £165 to find on top as well! However, grateful that I had those savings! The payment will go up about £40 per month as well. Oops - doesn't seem very MSE! Then after moving bf's fish tank from his flat to my house, I went round a friend's and we shared a takeaway. 

Yesterday my parents came over in the morning and then me and bf went to the "other" town for a bite to eat (he paid), a wonder down the beach with a paddle in the sea, then stopped for a drink (I paid). Given that we'd had lunch quite late, we didn't bother with dinner and just chilled watching a film. 

Overall a lovely weekend but rather a lot of spending! The positives were that I received £10 for a Vinted sale, made another sale (for £5) and received £7 cashback through my bank that I'd forgotten about! 

Re the £165 "top-up" required - I do have a small amount left in my personal spends, grocery budget and sports budget which will cover some of this. I then also had an amount included in the August budget to pop in there. It was a good job that I'd opted not to buy new glass whilst at the opticians knowing that I may use the money for a car (I hadn't budgeted for glasses so it would have come out of there). 

Today's bits and bobs are....

• Finish and wrap crochet present 
• Make lunch to take to work 
• Pop tortoises in the garden 
• Update spreadsheet 
• Finalise August budget 
• Post two Vinted sales on my lunch break - will be nice to walk there in the sunshine on my break
• Text friend about haircut
• Text different friend about dropping over present 
• Dinner from stores - although not sure what yet! 
• Decide on what to make for next crochet present as need to get started 

twiggy86

Had a lovely lunch time walk in the sunshine... except all the lockers were full!!! Meaning I couldn't post the parcels so I will have to stop on my home - not really a big deal as there is lockers on my way home however it does need doing today as one of the buyers asked me to delay posting but I also need to meet Vinted's timescales! I'm also going to drop the present to my friend's on my way as it's already a couple of days late. Hairdresser friend has said she can do tomorrow, so that't the detour for tomorrow night on my way home!

birdsfoottrefoil

Frustrating about the lockers but sounds like you had a good walk. I’m in awe of your lists!! I need to do this more, I’m quite good at using my diary at work for planning work in but at home I’m useless. 

Is there a theme for the crochet present? 

twiggy86

Thanks @birdsfoottrefoil - I find a list makes me feel like I'm making progress, particularly at the end of the month when there isn't movement on the CCs etc! I made a pixie for my friend's daughter birthday earlier this year, so decided to make a fairy for this daughter - as I like siblings to have a theme to their presents. The one I just finished was a deer as I'd made her older sister one and the younger one's reaction was so cute at that time that I decided to make the same (usually I'd make similar not the same). I got a very cute voice note last night, which included saying how did I remember she wanted one! Bless her! 

twiggy86

Feel like I keep "slipping up" at the moment as me and bf went to the pub last night! I bought us a drink each and he paid for the food. I am still within budget (payday tomorrow) so technically I haven't "done anything wrong" but I still feel like it's a bit wasteful! He mentioned going down the beach tonight but we agreed that we need to cook at home and not eat out AGAIN! Not sure we will go to the beach though as depends if I have my hair cut and what time I get back. 

I did also cut the grass last night - well I started, then bf got home and took over! He tells me off for not letting him do anything! Then when we got back from the pub he went upstairs to play on his computer and I sat catching up on some TV and started the next crochet gift! So it was productive! 

Today's bits and pieces... 

• Wash bedding on 30 degree quick cycle
• Hang bedding on airer/ banister (don't have an outside line)
• Pop tortoises in the garden 
• Make lunch to take to work
• Look at schedule for festival - my planned activities don't quite work so need to have another look  
• Post parcels on way to work
• Update spreadsheet 
• Charge phone at work
• Start thinking about what else I can buy bf for his birthday in a couple of weeks! 
• Work on crochet present at lunch 
• Cheap haircut from friend on way home (unless she cancels again!)
• Dinner from stores 

twiggy86

I know it's not yet the end of the month but I noted something that I wanted to share (with myself!) and there probably won't be any further spending on this front under this month's budget. 

This month I have spent just under £1,700 from my various "pots"! This includes:

• £500 from misc for car
• £512 from house
• £167 from medical (dentist, opticians and some prescriptions)
• £65 from gifts
• £20 from pets
• £47 from clothes (seemed to need basics at the same time - pants, socks, bras!)

This really goes to show the benefit of setting up all these pots, as there is absolutely no way I could have covered all of this from my wages this month! This was an exceptionally "busy" month for paying out for things, so it isn't this high every month! 

This still leaves me with £770 in the various sinking funds, £50 in house and £830 in misc- so £1,660 in total, with another £1,000 in my EF. The pots will all be topped up with various amounts on payday again - although the rest of the car deposit will pretty much wipe out the "misc" pot even after it's been topped up!

So wow - I have come along way in a year even if the debts haven't gone down as much as I'd have hoped!!! I don't say this lightly but... well done me!