14 months to go!

honeybee1234

On the budget front, I'm doing all right a week in. I did forget a couple of items to squeeze into the budget but I've had enough to fit them in. 

My grocery budget is currently standing at £117 out of £240. Last week I did a really big shop at the start of the month, and I haven't needed to top up all week. It's just been me at home a lot of the last week and it's surprising how little I use and spend when I'm on my own!

My budget so far is fairly on track. I'm anticipating things will get very close to the bone towards the end of the month, but I always knew this would be the case because I was around £80 down from dipping into this month's money last month before I even started!

Yesterday was a really quiet day. I spent the day at home, catching up with my to-do list, housework and life admin. Lunch was homemade lentil soup, and tea was leftover pasta that's lasted three days.

Tea today will be using up fridge items so probably a not-very-fancy half tin of beans, on toast using the last two slices of bread. I also need to audit the fridge and see what needs freezing or using today so that's on the list.

Today will be another quiet day. I'll be at home, not using the car or going anywhere so a peaceful day for the bank account! 

Sarahwithlove

Its so hard when all you want to do is help and you can't. But sounds like you're doing the right things and helping them find ways to help themselves. 

biggerpickle

@honeybee1234 I think you are doing amazingly well in tight circumstances. We will always feel parental guilt when we can't give our kids what they want / need, especially with divorces and exs involved as it does compromise what we can do. My kids are a bit younger than yours, but no so old that we didn't all enjoy waving some 99p giant sparklers from the slapping pocket supermarket around on the balcony last night after eating hm pizza. 

honeybee1234

Sarahwithlove said:

Its so hard when all you want to do is help and you can't. But sounds like you're doing the right things and helping them find ways to help themselves. 

It's still giving them a gift isn't it @Sarahwithlove but it's life skills and knowledge, rather than the more tangible cold hard cash! I will give them both some grace because they're definitely not sat waiting for everything to come to them. 

biggerpickle said:

@honeybee1234 I think you are doing amazingly well in tight circumstances. We will always feel parental guilt when we can't give our kids what they want / need, especially with divorces and exs involved as it does compromise what we can do. My kids are a bit younger than yours, but no so old that we didn't all enjoy waving some 99p giant sparklers from the slapping pocket supermarket around on the balcony last night after eating hm pizza. 

Slapping pocket supermarket 😆 Giant sparklers sounds like fun to me @biggerpickle! I resolved last year I'd do at least one Christmas activity with the kids so we shall see what moneysaving activities I come up with! 

honeybee1234

Friday morning is my usual grocery shopping day. My car was off in the garage, so I decided I'd stretch things out to today.

Then this morning when being up early and contemplating life over my gigantic cup of tea, I decided I could definitely stretch to Monday before I need to go shopping again. So I'm on a mission! Used up the last of the bananas today and tea today will be beans on toast to use up some bits, or veggie curry to use up potatoes. 

Today I dropped off some toiletries for DS2 I picked up on sale, and some jeans I picked up for DS1 that he'd wanted, that I bought in the sale at H&M plus got cashback on. Then I got a text from Barclays to say the account I opened the other week is eligible for the switch offer,, so I'll be receiving the bonus within 10 days 🌟 £200 to stash in savings before I decide what to do with it!

This month is solely dedicated to ending up at zero - no striving for overpayments or ambitious plans for the budget, more lots of heated blankets on the sofa and Netflix! So I'm going to spend some time this month carefully menu planning and grocery shopping, and maximising any cashback on said shopping. 

Right, I'm off to snuggle up with the animals with the heated blanket on the sofa and tick off some financial life admin! 

weenancyinAmerica

Make sugar cookies, go window shopping, have hot chocolate while watching a Christmas movie, making treats to give to the neighbors - lots of holiday activities for little cost.

honeybee1234

weenancyinAmerica said:

Make sugar cookies, go window shopping, have hot chocolate while watching a Christmas movie, making treats to give to the neighbors - lots of holiday activities for little cost.

I'm thinking along these lines @weenancyinAmerica as both DSs would enjoy these. I decided one activity which involves a small spend (this will be ice skating at the Christmas ice rink with hot chocolate after) alongside some enjoyable free things including wandering around the Christmas market, Christmas baking, Christmas films and hot chocolate, etc. There's lots to do locally which is brilliant in my situation.

honeybee1234

Have just got in from a very cold dog walk with DP 🥶 Was wrapped up in layers, the dog had her coat on as well but it was very autumnal and refreshing! I love walking through the woods with the leaves crunching underfoot and feeling the cold on my face. It's so very picturesque and clears the mind.

I'm typing this just before make a lovely warm cup of tea, after which I'm going to bake a chocolate brownie for everyone with some Christmas music on (yes, I **am** a Christmas fanatic!), and this afternoon the Christmas tree is coming out of the loft. I always like to wait until the boys are here to put the tree up but what actually happens is they're very nonplussed about the whole thing and it's me who's excited!

Weekly grocery update:
Budget is looking healthy, with 50.46 left until the end of the month. This covers any top ups from now until Friday, then one more full week. This has been helped by some fortuitous moneysaving offers at the big orange supermarket so I've stocked up on a number of things I can't get at L¡dl that are cheaper than anywhere else.

What's also helped is DP is now giving me a share of pooled groceries, eg for milk, eggs, bread etc that he uses when he's here. We worked out 7.08 for this coming week - that's going to be around 30.00 a month 😱 That's going make quite the difference!

RedLipstick

Walk sounds fantastic! I’m also so excited for Christmas this year, I’m already checking to see if any of the neighbours have their Christmas trees up yet, I’ll be next lol!

Enjoy!! xx

honeybee1234

Sooooo it's been a while!

Christmas was lovely. I had a full complement of children come to stay, we visited family on Christmas day armed with plenty of Schloer as courteous guests, and were treated to the most luscious Christmas dinner I have ever had the good fortune to experience... It was top tier and I don't know how that's ever going to be topped to be honest! A good time was had by all, followed by coming home to play various games, all of which I was thoroughly beaten in but had a lot of fun!

And now back to regularly scheduled programming... 

December was a low point financially. 2025 did not go to plan with saving for Christmas and cards got used heavily. I also had to revamp the boys' room as they had high sleepers, which I measured when I bought them, but not properly as I swear they've both grown at least 4 inches in the last year and were struggling to get into bed 🫤

I'm feeling thoroughly dejected and honestly? Quite a lot embarrassed. I'm a fully competent adult and I should NOT be handling my finances like this. I've increased my total cc balance by at least 1k, and set myself back against the chunk of progress I made last year. I'm going to do another post later after I've gathered my credit card balances and work out exactly where I'm at, and work out a 2026 plan. I don't want to experience the stress of credit card debt any more.