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

Catlady2025

Another NSD! I was going to go out, but then I looked outside and decided against it. 

Weighing up this need to be 'productive' and not spending money is proving to be a challenge. I rarely leave the house AND have an NSD. As the weather improves I hope to start going to a local nature reserve to get some walks in - but that comes with it's own peril as I usually 'treat myself' to a coffee afterward, but cafes are somewhere I usually end up journalling or reading which I see as a positive so maybe I should just look to budget for it/take something to eat to reduce the expense? 

I have a few things I REALLY need to get done and I'm struggling to overcome executive dysfunction and total lack of motivation to finish them. I shall see how I feel when I wake up tomorrow. 

Catlady2025

I've been trying to do an SOA but I'm finding it really difficult. I think it's an autistic thinking pattern issue. I never spend the same amount on petrol, so how can I work out how much I use? Same thing for groceries etc. No two days are ever the same so it feels really difficult. 

Any tips? 

Catlady2025

No NSD today. 

Really going to have to get creative about food for the next week. It might be time to get out some paper and sketch a sort of plan. I really don't want to spend on my credit card. 

I've made lists of what food I have in the past, but it just ends up being a list and then I throw it away. 

Tomorrow I will make a list of all the food I have and try to come up with a plan. I know the grocery challenge thread has a LOT of links to meals, and I have quite a lot of meals already in the freezer that just need defrosting. It's more about planning. I have to remember to take things out of the freezer because I never trust myself to properly defrost things otherwise. 

Other than that. Therapy was a little intense and I had another epiphany. Seems strange to still be having them 6 years into therapy but that's probably just indicitive of how much I need it. It's definitely an expense I will not be cutting any time soon.

Selling is going well! Made another sale tonight which makes 7! I have more stuff to list, but I am struggling to find the energy to do it. 

Wishing everyone reading the best.  

joedenise

I think the best way to work out how much to allocate to Groceries to to keep a spending diary for a month or 2 and then tot up what you spend over that period.  This will give you a ball park figure - say you spend £163 for the month then you might might to round it up to £170 and see how you go.  It will take time to work out your average.

Do the same for petrol - you will know whether you have used your car the amount you normally do or whether you've had a longer journey than usual so therefore spent a bit more.  It's about working out what is your norm.  I allocate 2 tanks of fuel a month and anything not used gets carried over until several months down the line there is likely to be enough in the budget for the 2 tanks of fuel so that money can then we allocated elsewhere.

Hope that helps.

dawnybabes

I agree to keep a diary of what you spend over a few weeks to give you a baseline. 

I now take a coffee with me on a walk but if I want one in town then I choose a Greggs one vs a Costa one.  I’m with Octopus for my gas and electric so claim my free one each week too.

my 22 yr DS has AuDHD I regularly get people say he doesn’t look autistic - I normally looked shocked and ‘apologise’ for not putting his hologram on today …..

browneyed_girl

Catlady2025 said:

No NSD today. 

Really going to have to get creative about food for the next week. It might be time to get out some paper and sketch a sort of plan. I really don't want to spend on my credit card. 

I've made lists of what food I have in the past, but it just ends up being a list and then I throw it away. 

Tomorrow I will make a list of all the food I have and try to come up with a plan. I know the grocery challenge thread has a LOT of links to meals, and I have quite a lot of meals already in the freezer that just need defrosting. It's more about planning. I have to remember to take things out of the freezer because I never trust myself to properly defrost things otherwise. 

Could you set an alarm on your phone in the morning to remind yourself to take a meal out the freezer?  Similarly, you could set aside a specific time on your calendar for listing sales instead of having a vague plan to get it done at some point.  I find this works for me - nothing gets done unless it's in the calendar! 

Catlady2025

Thanks for everyone's comments! 

Thankfully I use one of those receipt apps so most of them get scanned so I probably have a record of what I spent in January. Same for petrol! 

@dawnybabes Forgetting the hologram! It is so frustrating that so many people are so ignorant of disabilities and mental health. 

I don't want to seem negative because I do appreciate the input - I find that alarms work for a few days, but then they sort of disappear into the background noise of the day? I will give it a go though!! Maybe it will help. 

Today I sent two sales, got lunch with my coop cashback and a coffee on a gift card. Sat for about 2 hours listing more items so I feel good! 

Trying to be a bit kinder to myself. 

Catlady2025

Had another sale last night - really didn't want to leave the house but I did it!! 

That did lead to me spending more money on other things. 

Finally remembered to defrost something and had meatballs for dinner. 

Now I'm just hoping to get the rest of these items up for sale!! 

Catlady2025

It's been a hot minute and a bit of a terrible end to my payment month. 

I bought things on my credit card - so I have to pay that off. I can make a reasonable budget with what's left. It really is all about planning. I am not good at planning. 

As far as my card venture goes I've had to delete everything from the website and reupload it because I'm paranoid I made some errors. I'm about half way through the cards I have (although I bought some more bulk). I don't mind because it gives me peace of mind. I'd rather go through listing everything again then find out I don't have a card someone has bought and maybe get a bad review. 

So far I've had 12 orders, 10 have arrived and they all have the best reviews which makes me feel good. I'm good at this kind of thing (when I don't over think it!!) Really looking forward to getting everything listed so I can make my account live again and hopefully get some more orders. 

In part I think my hyperfocus on this task is what has impacted my lack of planning. I think I will try and get some ready meals in that can be cooked from frozen for those days when I forget to take something out of the freezer. I had a few and they exist!! 

Hope everyone is okay. Not had much chance to catch up with anyone's diaries or any of the challenges I've signed up for. 

Catlady2025

Another 'financial' month has almost passed and it wasn't that great. Added to my debt rather than reduced it. 

I feel much happier lately though (I think it's the sunshine) so I feel like living a much more frugal month is possible. I have written a very loose budget and will probably try and make a sort of 'poster' of it so it's in my face all the time. 

Maybe writing my goals up somewhere in the house will help too.  I'm realising that I need visual reminders, and I shouldn't feel ashamed if my house is just full of these kinds of things. 

The next month I will mostly be decluttering, spring cleaning and working on a meal plan.