Need fresh eyes on my budget!

honeybee1234

Hi all!

So, where was I? 🤔 The last week has been busy. I've had DS1 staying all week as he's had some early starts at college which I've been chauffeur for and it's been wonderful having him around, albeit with some insanely early starts of going out of the house into the pitch black and cold every morning! However this has meant extra expense for groceries as he eats like a horse plus pack ups and snacks for each day. I also had to buy him some smart trousers, shirts and other bits as everything he had from a couple of years ago is too small 😭 We hoped to reuse his prom trousers, but turns out they're now 3 inches above his ankle!

This month, it's fair to say, has been written off budget-wise. The grocery budget is over already (need to work this out), and the extra expenses for DS have come out of my surplus I mentioned in my last post. DD2 hit me yesterday with a request for £20 for prescriptions, and I had to have a word as although I obviously want her to get her meds, I'd already explained two months ago about her being able to apply for help with prescription costs and because she hadn't done it, I'm paying through the nose for it. She promptly did the application so hopefully she'll be able to get this help soon.

DD1 asked for £30 for groceries as she was short before payday. She has been very self-sufficient since a few months ago when I explained I was struggling with how much money I was giving to her and DD2. She has been paying me bits for money she has borrowed when she can, and I know her budget is tight sometimes - but she does actually have a budget now which is good. I have given her the money, and what she generally does is pay me back a chunk when she gets paid, which is fine with me. I've said for her not to pay me back more than she can afford.

It is time for me to update my budget and cc balances, and see where I am at. I'm not happy with my extra spending atm and want to get a grip on it. I definitely partake in some discretionary spending when I'm feeling down, and I need to acknowledge this is a thing as it impacts my budget as well as what I've mentioned above. I feel embarrassed as in some ways, I've hugely improved my budget (sinking funds for a variety of things), but then paying for things I should have foreseen (haircuts, school clothes, extra petrol) cause chaos within the budget and also on my credit card balances. It's not who I want to be.

I'll be working on an updated budget and checking balances, and will post here when they're done.

Have a great day if you're reading!

Spendless

Oh gosh well youve been hit by 3 of your kids financially. This isnt your fault and was where you were at when you started your diary.

So taking each in turn. The hollow legged teenage boy. Cant remember if I said before on here but my son fetched home 2 Uni friends one summer. They ate a weeks worth of groceries (that Id just bought) in a day! I was seriously unimpressed especially since I wasnt working. I returned to the supermarket but this time there was no hand to mouth snacks like crisps or sausage rolls. Instead they had to build thdir own, stuff in for toasted sandwiches, make your own mini pizzas and ingrediants for nachos. Evening meals had additional cheap veg and extra sides so they were more full each time and less inclined to snack.

DD with the perscription charges, hopefully shell get some financial.help if not would an annual.perscription help even if you have to buy it and her pay you back.monthly?

Other DD, can you help her build a store cupboard so shes always got something in to create meals from? I mean practical help not ness financial. I know my DD cant always look at cupboards the way I can and think 'oh Ill eat this' rather than 'I need groceries'. Would a practical cookbook that addresses this be an idea for a Christmas present. No idea whats on the market but guessing theres a eating from your store cupboard/eating from a budget one. Put it in a hamper with other longlife food. Add a couple of extra bits so it doesnt looked 'aimed'!

Ultimately you might need to have a word with each of them again about how you are on a limited budget yourself and cant keep.bailing them.