Stopping the backsliding… a family of four no longer living beyond their means

Spendless

We are down to 8 people only (plus maybe a secret santa or two) on our gift lists including ourselves but it took us some years to get there, we were certainly past the life stage you are currently at before this happened.

Do you stock up when items are on offer on gifts for the kids to take to bday parties? 

Bluegreen143

Not really Spendless but I do make sure it’s under £10 if it’s a class party - I’ll let them spend more if it’s their best friend. Red bought £10 remote control cars for two of the kids this month which is a decent gift for the price. I got the little girl whose birthday it was yesterday a box filled with loads of crafty bits (feathers, pipe cleaners, pom poms, coloured card etc), again that was £10 for the box. 

Bluegreen143

Urgh, feeling absolutely rotten today with a fever and a cold. Lots of chocolate eaten 😅 but I don’t feel guilty, needs must. 

Nothing particular to report. I did buy a party gift today on Amazon, which was £10 for one or £15 for two. I picked up two despite having no particular plans for the second, then Bambi has come out of school with another party invite, so that was a good decision. 

My kids seem to have insane social lives just now, which isn’t a bad thing per se, but it’s making it very hard to have any family time at the weekend to go for a walk or day out or swimming. I think I need to block out more family time in the calendar! 

This coming weekend for example:

Sa - Bambi has a party 9.30-11.30, then Monkey has friends round for a playdate from 12ish or so. One of the friends’ mums is picking Monkey up as well as her son at the end to go to the cinema together and keep him for a sleepover. 

Meanwhile I have a night out on Sat night. 

Su - Won’t get Monkey back til midday, then taking both kids to another birthday party together. We are allowed to stay at the venue til closing but I don’t think we will as I’ll want to be getting home! 

Basically all the weekends in Feb are somewhat like this 😯.

I do need to get a move on ordered Red some birthday gifts as I’ve not booked anything yet…

themadvix

 Do block the time out for family in the calendar - it’s not compulsory for the kids to attend every party going and you all need some downtime some of the time. As an adult with far fewer invitations, I have still said no to them when it’s felt like I’ve needed my own quiet time - it is allowed! 

Bluegreen143

Can’t believe how quickly time is going just now!

Financially, everything is fine at the moment. We are within our budgets for groceries and family spending. I have slightly overspent my personal budget buying Red birthday gifts, but I get paid on Friday so will pay back my slight overspend then. Our savings accounts have in them the amounts they are meant to have. 

Life is busy though and I know there is a temptation to just start spending to make it easier. Resisting so far as I know that will come back to bite me later on and I really don’t want to have debt this summer because I gave up on budgeting now!

I have cancelled going to meet a friend on Sunday which means we can have a family outdoors outing (as long as it’s not pouring- if it is I will think of a fun and cheap indoor thing). I was meant to be meeting her in another city halfway between us and it would have taken all day. It’s a very good friend, so I feel guilty and miss her, but I really need a weekend which isn’t completely rammed with social events! Can’t even remember when we last went for a walk as a family 😯. I did say I would call my friend for a catch up this week so I will remember to do that and find out all her news that way. 

Meals for this week:

Tonight - lasagne made with leftover spag bol sauce from the weekend so that is fairly easy. 

Wednesday - Chicken curry

Thursday - we are having either salmon or chicken traybake with veg and new potatoes - I have both but will freeze whichever isn’t being used so I’ll decide today.

Friday - chicken gyros, with salad and maybe air fryer chips 

Weekend plans

Sat - busy day. Bambi has a birthday party first thing. I’m then going to a friend’s house - she is putting on a valentines party for all the kids in our friend group. This one is at least as much for me as for the kids though!

Sun - day I’ve freed up. We are going to a country park near my mum’s for a walk and play in the excellent playpark. May have lunch out there. Afterwards I’m dropping the kids at my mum’s as she’s having them for two nights for half term. 

Needs done

1. Apply for Bambi free bus pass
2. Sign form to transfer Monkey’s savings account to one with more interest 
3. Set up savings account for Bambi 
4. Check Red has done both kids’ passport forms 

joedenise

If I were you I'd be having the Salmon on Thursday and freezing the chicken as you've planned chicken for both Wednesday and Friday so it will be something different and it's also good to get some oily fish at least once a week if you can.

Bluegreen143

Yes, my thought too Joedenise. Unless I get worn down by the rest of the family who’d all prefer chicken 🤣. Maybe I will hide the chicken in the freezer and pretend there isn’t any…

joedenise

Bluegreen143 said:

Yes, my thought too Joedenise. Unless I get worn down by the rest of the family who’d all prefer chicken 🤣. Maybe I will hide the chicken in the freezer and pretend there isn’t any…

I'd definitely be doing that!

Bluegreen143

Pretty standard day too. Worked in office (took overnight oats and one of the school lunch tubs from the freezer for food). 

Risked not paying for parking at school as we didn’t stay at the park very long - it was freezing! Plus I could see the car from where I was so kept a little eye out for parking wardens coming. 

Red was home late tonight (6pm) which is very late for him - there was an emergency call out (and he works in gas meters so it really could be an emergency to neglect the situation). But we had been productive in his absence and I’d read to both kids, made them hot chocolate, ticked most of their remaining homework off our list/uploaded the various evidence to the school app, and made a lasagne for dinner. 

Also ended up with three tubs of bolognaise sauce & pasta - two are for the kids’ school lunches tomorrow, one I’ve bunged in the freezer to do one of them next week. 

Off to the pub now to meet friends for a couple of hours but I’m driving so will be sticking to a Diet Coke.

Not much to report financially until I get paid on Friday and shuffle money about then.

beanielou

Enjoy your evening.