Spendy Wendy to Saver Savvy

Spendywendywoo

Thanks @cara_, I'm quite analytical so I'm really motivated by comparison of figures from before and after, I also fear that the motivation may wane a little further down the line (hopefully I'm wrong here) so want to have something I can use to visualise quickly and remind ourselves why we are doing this. I do take your point, we are certainly in a much better place now, to be able to say that we have spent £500 less than December on groceries, and £400 less than November on groceries when it comes to payday will be such a lush feeling, and I am super proud of the progress made so far for sure. 

I'm not rushing to complete the 2024 spending tracker, just something I will look at over the next few weeks x 

Suffolk_lass

In contrast to @cara, I think your analysis of 2024 will identify categories you have forgotten to include, and will identify the month that the money used to pay them hit your budget (you allude to dental), helping to nail down the peaks and troughs you need to build in for your annual budgeting worksheet.

I recall the monthly amounts we had to pay the orthodontist (apparently a tooth growing at a right angle to the rest was not serious enough to meet the austerity-changed criteria for NHS treatment for our son - mid-treatment, I might add!) which we did not anticipate and could have. It imposed camping holidays for the next two years!

Spendywendywoo

@Suffolk_lass, thank you for your comment.  I was reflecting on the tracker last night and did start to wonder if it would be worth the time going through the whole year I do now have some comparable data, but then you make a good point (yes, Health/Dental is a new category which I hadn't budgeted for so would have come out of the EF, if it was needed).  I think I will continue to work through a few more months and see what comes up (I think I'll certainly look at the summer as it's school holidays and also when we tend to go on holiday, we may need an increased grocery budget to account for the 143 extra meals per day that DS will need... )

Spendywendywoo

Such progress....I love the start of a new month, although it is mid-month financially for us due to pay day, lots of planning and getting organised is a new love of mine (I'm surprising quite good at it, who knew?!). 

I did a forward look plan yesterday to cover the next two weeks so looked at all our events, appts, whether I'm WFH or office etc. I was then able to organise our meal plan and I did an online shop for the two weeks which I collected this morning. The grocery shop came to just shy of £82 (this includes £1.50 pick and pack) but this included some staples for the cupboard, sauces etc and covers a lot of the meals I've planned for the next two weeks.  There will be a small additional shop next weekend for lunch items for DS and DH, plus bread and milk, but if we can stick to the plan (which we have done so far this year) then we are looking at a very big saving on the grocery front. To think that I would usually just wander round ALDee with a vague list having not planned the actual meals, one week's shopping would range from £60-£120 and there would then be numerous trips out for things I didn't have in as I hadn't organised myself very well. I opted to shop online at Te$co as I wasn't then tempted to buy random things in the store, plus I am a little strapped for time and use of the car this week due to work commitments. 

Having looked at the budget, we have a lot left in multiple categories, and our monthly budget runs to the 14th, new budget starting on 15th (even though I get paid on 14th). We have promised DS a day out this weekend as a family, I'm looking at booking a couple of activities for us to do and then he can choose where we eat (I know exactly where he will pick)... eating out budget is currently £0/£100 so there is room there and entertainment is also currently £0/£200. I'm not a rush to spend all the money as I know March is a busy month for us so it would be nice to have a little cash in reserves, and I want to also overpay more on the mortgage but I am mindful that we won't this time again with DS, and the budget is there for a reason so we will be using some of it this weekend - we're really looking forward to going out, as it's planned in rather than last minute, but I'm also excited because I know I can enjoy the day knowing the money is accounted for, and we're in a good position. It feels soooo good

Finished book 8 last night, so started a new audiobook for when I walk and also a new reading book is ready for this evening for my night time reading. 

Other tasks today:
* 1 washing load - done
* Dishwasher emptied - done
* Return a faulty product to Amaz0n, though it's technically over the return period, it's broken and only been used twice (usually I would write it off and buy a new one, but not now!!)

Right, back to work - lots to do today before I pick up DS from school. 

Enjoy your day, 
Wendy x 

Spendywendywoo

Two walks today, two meals cooked for tonight and tomorrow night, a long to do list completed for work, and a complaint to Tesc0 as the potatoes that I collected yesterday, and peeled tonight, where really bruised. I was able to just about get enough for one meal, from a 2kg pack of potatoes

Still 10 days until payday and 11 days until the new budget starts and I can pay down some of the mortgage overpayment and set aside monies for the car payment from our surplus this month. Our bank balance is looking the healthiest it has for years at this time of the month. I've updated the budget, £117.09 on groceries but this covers 2 weeks of dinners and breakfast, plus 1 week of lunches. A couple of categories have gone over but a few haven't been used (yet), or are really under what I thought aka what we usually spend. We will assess on the 15th and maybe change the budgets slightly for what we need next month. 

Really gotten into my reading recently so I'm off to read and an early night. 

Hope you are all well,
Wendy x

Spendywendywoo

Woke up with the most excruciating heel and Achilles pain... frustrating as I think it's the walking that's doing it. Currently got my heel on ice in the hope that this helps. I don't want to stop walking it's great for me both physically and mentally. I've lost 7lb so far this year and only have another 1.5 stone until I'm in the range of 'healthy' according to the NHS. 

Tesc0 responded with a £1.39 refund for the potatoes so I will go and purchase some more today, but from a closer supermarket, as I need some for tomorrow's dinner. 

Tonight's dinner is a new recipe for me; homemade donner kebab (done in the slow cooker) with homemade roasted garlic mayo and homemade wraps made from greek yoghurt and flour (sounds like it shouldn't work but hoping it does lol).

Lots of work actions to do today and a workshop this afternoon so plodding along nicely. 

I hope everyone has a lovely day,
Wendy x

redofromstart

Ouch on the heel, hope it eases off for you.  

The flour and yoghurt flat breads sound unlikely but they do work, I have made them a few times.

Spendywendywoo

Oh thank you @redofromstart, that gives me hope (though I'm not a great cook so it might come down to my abilities lol). I have some naan bread in the freezer so do have a back up, if needed, but was hoping to use them for the curry I have planned at the weekend.  

Just eating leek and potato soup that I dragged out of the freezer this morning, much needed comforting warm food as it's quite chilly here today. Usually I would grab something from the work canteen when I'm in the office so have saved around £4-£5 today, plus a coffee so £6-£7 saving

Sun_Addict

I use yoghurt and flour to make naan breads, flatbreads and dumplings and they’re always delicious. I sprinkle in some herbs and grated cheese for the dumplings. 

I hope your heel feels better soon. 

Spendywendywoo

Thank you @Sun_Addict, I can confirm that the verdict from DH was that it was spot on, that was! High praise indeed! 

I put some melted garlic butter on the wraps, the ‘kebab’ wasn’t too dry and I left it to cool before cutting so managed to get it quite thinly cut. DH has left overs for this weekend, which he’s made up about. 

All in all, a success day (and a cheap one too!) 😀