Trying to stay out of debt! [35/AuDHD/Cats/Frugal Living]

Catlady2025

BIG LIST

- Take summer quilt to be washed.
- Sort through postcards & donate excess.
- Donate cat litter that doesn't work for us.  Ended up using it, and it's better than the usual stuff.
- Sort through big cupboard in hallway. (Donate/Throw/Sell)
- Deep clean bathroom.
- Deep clean kitchen. 
- Measure bedroom for blinds. 
- Measure hallway for carpet. 


MEALS

- Meatballs, sliced greens, orzo (radishes?)
- bolognese - mince, leeks, courgette, carrots
- Chicken, broccoli, carrots, pak choi (first two steamed)
- Chicken curry - kidney beans, sliced greens
- Salmon/Cod/Hake - asparagus, carrots, potatoes. (steamed)

Catlady2025

Popped to B+M and Morr!sons today. 

Got a giftcard for B+M with Cheddar and got £2 off and £1.50 cashback. 
Got a giftcard for Morr!sons with EverUp and got 78p cashback. 

This morning I realised I needed a scraper for the ice, and ended up using a lot of deicer so I replaced that. 
I bought a lot of veggies and I'm hoping to use up what I have in the freezer. I know I have chicken fillets, salmon and meatballs and maybe some vegan mince. 

Morr!sons had a 5 for £5 offer on soup. I've seen people add chicken & mushroom soup to pasta dishes. 

I'm gonna have to work hard to make this last until the 18th. 

Catlady2025

I went out to get a TGTG bag today from the cafe in Dunelm. It wasn't bad. Two sandwiches, a cheese scone and an apple pie which was delicious. I even managed to avoid all other shops!! 

I had a card payment to make though so now I have £40 in my bank account to last the next week. 

At some point I will have to meal plan and decide what I'm going to do with all the veg I bought the other day. Even if it means putting some in the freezer. 

WinterWeather

You sounds like you’re doing pretty well with everything. I’ve got a glut of veggies too and one thing I’m going to do is make some vegetable soup and a couple of kilos of home-made Piccalilli (so much better than shop bought) Did you get your quilt washed? I keep meaning to do this but as yet, still haven’t lol 

Catlady2025

WinterWeather said:

You sounds like you’re doing pretty well with everything. I’ve got a glut of veggies too and one thing I’m going to do is make some vegetable soup and a couple of kilos of home-made Piccalilli (so much better than shop bought) Did you get your quilt washed? I keep meaning to do this but as yet, still haven’t lol 

Soup is a good call! 
I never really know what to use Piccalilli WITH. What do you use it for? 
Still waiting to get washed. Mostly because I've never been to a laundrette before and I'm not really sure what to expect. 

Catlady2025

I had a vinted listing up for about a week and had a lot of people favouriting it, so I decided to drop the price from £6 to £5 and it sold within the hour. 

12/21 NSDs this year which is pretty good I think! 

I'm up to £7.07 on Prolific, and 1752 Swagbucks. Still trying to earn some points playing mobile games but it is slow work. 

browneyed_girl

Hi Catlady2025!

I've just returned to my own MSE diary after a long hiatus and wanted to pop over to say how well I think you're doing!  My DD3 is autistic and even at 8 years old really struggles with impulse control when it comes to buying things.  Thankfully, at this age we can control it, though to leave a shop without buying her something tends to inevitably result in a meltdown!  We've ended up managing these by allowing her a £2 budget when we go out to shops with her and letting her find something for that amount.  Last time she found a set of rainbow rings and a small squidgy collectible toy from B&M - nothing special but it kept her happy (and meltdown free!) for the day so definitely worth the spend.

I find it interesting that you've mentioned your own impulsivity and yet you seem to be managing it very well - if you have any tips to pass on then it would really help with understanding DD3 now and in the future

Keep up the good work - very jealous of your NSDs!!

Catlady2025

Thank you for commenting, @browneyed_girl it is really encouraging to hear from you. 

As a child I really struggled with shopping too. I remember many tantrums, usually over not getting something. My parents often 'bribed' me with 'if you're good you can get x' but then didn't follow through - so I would get upset and then I'd not 'been good' so it was a good job they'd never got me anything. Everyone with autism is so different, but I think the most important thing is understanding/accepting her and it sounds like you're trying really hard and doing a good job. I always preferred direct answers to questions. Sometimes that is hard, but starting her with a budget is great. It makes it a bit of a challenge too. Maybe if there's something bigger that she wants you could try explaining about how she could save up? 

My 'current' special interest is quite expensive and I got caught up in the Christmas hype and ended up in debt again to the tune of several hundred pounds. I find the impulsivity comes and goes in waves? Focusing on being frugal helps. 

Catlady2025

I joined the Octopus saving session today (and yesterday) but today I decided to go out - I had to post my Vinted item anyway. Thing is I didn't eat before I left the house so I got a meal deal at the shop. 

Then I decided to go to Costa, but thankfully I had a free drink so the damage isn't so bad. I did end up buying something from the shop next door that sells my current special interest. That was £8. I should probably just budget for them. It would make more sense! 

I did bring my laptop with me though so that is charging whilst I catch up on daily clicks/the forum! 

browneyed_girl

Catlady2025 said:

Thank you for commenting, @browneyed_girl it is really encouraging to hear from you. 

As a child I really struggled with shopping too. I remember many tantrums, usually over not getting something. My parents often 'bribed' me with 'if you're good you can get x' but then didn't follow through - so I would get upset and then I'd not 'been good' so it was a good job they'd never got me anything. Everyone with autism is so different, but I think the most important thing is understanding/accepting her and it sounds like you're trying really hard and doing a good job. I always preferred direct answers to questions. Sometimes that is hard, but starting her with a budget is great. It makes it a bit of a challenge too. Maybe if there's something bigger that she wants you could try explaining about how she could save up? 

My 'current' special interest is quite expensive and I got caught up in the Christmas hype and ended up in debt again to the tune of several hundred pounds. I find the impulsivity comes and goes in waves? Focusing on being frugal helps. 

Thank you for the insight - it's very helpful!  Currently DD3 doesn't seem to have the patience to save up for things (not sure if it's the autism or just being 8!), but we do it for her by putting her pocket money into a Monzo pot (as we do for all the kids).  I'm hoping when she sees the balance later in the year and realises she can get something fantastic with it that it will reinforce that saving mentality