Living within my means-the challenge

beckseven

Spent £57.07 on food last night which was ok I guess-especially as got a lot for my money with that! Was up until midnight last night making parkin and the bolognaise sauce for the lasagne I am making for my mum and dad tonight. They are looking after DS for me tomorrow as it is half term at the preschool i take him to on a Thursday morning and didn't want to spend the extra £23 it would cost to book him in for an extra morning session at nursery! The parkin took two hours to cook and 30 minutes to cool down hence the late bedtime! Had my haircut today as well-£32 but worth it as look a lot less like a shaggy Afghan hound! It will be nice to have a more relaxing morning tomorrow as don't have the urgency of getting DS out of the house at 8.30. This morning he didn't like the pants i had out for him, didn't like the tshirt, didnt want his porridge then did want it, didn't want milk and then did and repeated himself constantly at me asking for silly things like sweets etc until i snapped and shouted at him to be quiet as I was trying to get sarnies done, porridge cooked, find things for oh etc etc. Felt really guilty afterwards but the mornings are awful at the moment and Oh doesn't seem to realise as he mozies on up out of bed half an hour later than me, goes out to the outhouse to have his ciggie and cup of coffee in the peace and quiet looking out onto the garden, has a quiet uninterupted shower, puts his shirt on ironed by me, and then picks up his packed lunch made by me. Bitter-moi?He seems to think that because i only work 4 full days a week that entitles him to have the life of flaming riley. Never mind-he is going to the doctor's tonight for a giving up smoking session so at least he is trying to kick the dreaded weed. I'll stop ranting on now!

lucielle

I think he should be grateful. I sometimes wonder why we do it? What you might ask. Run around after them. Would he make your sandwiches? My OH wouldn't therefore he makes his own. Even when the children wanted packed lunch they made their own. Hope he gets a good result at the docs.
L

beckseven

Thanks Lucielle-I should have 'trained' him a hell of a lot better when we met! The problem with him is that he has never had to fend for himself-he went from his mum doing everything for him, to his stepmum doing everything for him (to the extent of ironing his socks and boxer shorts-i don't do that believe me!) and then moving in with me. I should have stopped the rot then eleven years ago but was too busy playing housie and looking after my man-what a complete idiot I was! I say to him about his sandwiches and he said that if I asked he would make my sarnies and he did make them on our wedding anniversary this year-except hilariously he'd got the date wrong and it was on the day before our anniversary!! I always made my own sarnies from the age of about 11 at home (when I could be trusted not to just load it up with chocolate!)because I knew that my mum worked full time and was busy and I had a brother who was 8 years younger than me so had her hands full! However, talk about double standards-my brother who is 25 has moved back home and my mum makes him his sarnies for work-when I asked her why she said it was because 'he worked so hard'! I'm going to sign off before I get a reputation for being a man hating harpie!

beckseven

Ooh dear-just reading yesterday's posts and I was on one yesterday! blame it on hormones! Had a good evening-made a lovely Jamie Oliver lasagne which went down v well and apparently my mum said that DS wolfed it down today which is good news as it was full of veggies. Had a buffet at work today and have eaten loads of pastry, egg sarnies, cakes etc so feel sick now. I really need to watch my diet though-i know I'm pregnant but I think I'm getting a bit of flab on me now that is to do with greed rather than baby! Going to make some buttnernut squash soup tonight to balance out the lard! Had a no spend day today which is good news too.

beckseven

Back in at work today and have paid 13.80 off my Halifax cc and am about to transfer the balance on my MBNA card as the 0% is about to run out. It's a bit frustrating at the moment as due to saving for my maternity leave I'm having to pay only the minimum on my debts for the time being but it's only a temporary measure. At least they are going the right way which is down! Need to buy hoover bags today which is another flaming expense but cannot stuff anymore into the bag. Have been emptying it out in the bin for the past few weeks to get some more room but will have to bite the bullet today! I'm really trying to monitor our eleccie at the moment. Our useage seems high and I'm sure it is because of our pond pumps which are on 24/7. Think we need to change tariff also as we've never switched-how un-MSE is that I'm ashamed to admit it. spent 7.73 in Asda on Friday and £5 for DS to attend a Halloween party but had a non spend day yesterday. Waiting for my experian trial points to go on my pigspoint account as it's nearly my dads birthday and want to use a £10 voucher towards it. Have got £10 top shop voucher in my drawer but that won't be much use to him!! will save that to spend on myself after I have the baby I think! Feeling very moody and hormonal this weekend-feel really fat and unattractive which is putting me in a foul mood and am worrying about how much weight I will have to lose when baby is born. How shallow am I?

beckseven

Work was really really busy yesterday so had no time to peruse my money. Going shopping tonight so will have to meal plan at some point today. Need to check bank account as well to check whether I have been charged.

beckseven

Spent £56.56 on shopping last night-however we are doing the gordon ramsey cookalong on friday as a bit of a treat to ourselves and couldn't get hardly any of the ingrediants at Asda so will have to get duck breast, angel hair pasta and pak choi at Waitrose unless anyone can suggest anywhere different(cheaper!) to get them. also am in a bit of a quandary about a night out I agreed to go on in december. Meant to be going to a posh meal at a posh hotel and my friend said that it would cost £45 per head. I thought I would treat myself as I'm not drinking over Christmas or new year but I looked at the website today and starters are minimum £10, main courses £25 and deserts 9.50 so that's without wine which i won't be drinking but the others will in copious amounts! I just can't justify the expense tbh. 2 of the girls don't have children and have very well paid jobs and lovely lifestyles and it seems that they seem to suggest more and more expensive places to go as the years go by as I get broker and broker. I just don't think I can justify spending that amount of money on a meal that near Christmas when I am saying to my family that I can't afford to buy them presents. What should i do-my friends are very nice girl and kind-we normally go for drinks round town but they have gone for this to be thoughtful to me so I have a nice relaxing evening. I should have said in the first place-arrrrgh! What shall I do? Had a text from my other friend who I texted telling her the prices saying 'Do we have to go there!)

lucielle

Can you tell them you are too tired and uncomfortable to go out?. Could you perhaps get a takeout or a microwave meal and come round to yours and do some fancy nibbles. Possibly have a beauty night with a face mask etc and a chick flick to watch?
L

EMminently

Hi hope you don't mind me replying! I wondered if maybe you should still treat yourself and go out for the evening, but dip out of starters and dessert and just have a main course. You could also dip out of any 'rounds', especially if you're not drinking. This'd cut the cost to within the amount you initially intended to pay and you don't have to miss out or make excuses for yourself. Like you say, it'd be nice to treat yourself, but you can do this without totally blowing the budget.

beckseven

Thank you Lucielle and EMminently for your suggestions. It's lovely when people put comments on my thread. I spoke to my friend who is also a bit strapped (there are four of us who go out) and we have agreed to speak to our friend who organised it being honest and saying that we can't afford it it now and we will organise a cheaper alternative. It's always a bit embarrassing admitting to people that you can't afford it but better than going along and sitting there tensly as other people tuck into the wine whilst you try and keep costs down by eating the cheapest things on the menu! Plus I have an enormous appetite at the moment and don't think I could control myself only to have a main course whilst everyone else has starters and pud. I might involuntarily launch myself towards their desserts like a derranged dog! Bad news today-I've been charged £25 for going over my overdraft limit accidentally. I put the money in straight away when I realised i'd gone over but too late. am going to go on the phone to beg now to take it off. got petrol today-full tank for £36.67-at least a tenner less than i'd been paying-I'm really chuffed!