I am being upgraded from Mum to Nan - I need a plan!

After an incredibly busy week decided to go food shopping in Sainsbury’s last night to get it out of the way and whilst there filled up the tank. Fuel spend is £40. I am going to be reducing my fuel budget down to £40 as I don’t get through £50 in any month. As I said in my initial post, I realise the car costs me a lot of money compared to the use I appear to get out of it, but I need it. My parents live 50 minutes away using the motorway and they are getting older now and the remainder of my family live even further away. I also use it for occasional days out and shopping. In addition, I like the independence it gives me.

After the success of the HM shepherds pie, I have another big batch (bigger than the last lot I made) going in the slow cooker. I have bulked this out again with mushrooms, onions, carrots, green peppers and eventually peas will be added which will take me down to 2 bags I think. I bought the ingredients fresh last night. I think I will get at least 5 or 6 meals out of this batch, so the overall cost should be about £1 per meal including the potatoes. Can’t believe I am thinking along these terms. Total food spend last night was £39.25 but this also included another piece of gammon which I will cook in the slow cooker tomorrow as well as porridge sachets, bread and sandwich fillings. Was also running low on cat litter so that has been bought which will come out of the cats budget.

3 loads of washing have been done including bedding and is currently on the airers drying.

To do this weekend:

• Cook gammon tomorrow
• Reconcile pots / budgets
• Sandwiches for lunch next week
• Hoover / sweep / mop floors
• Water balcony boxes
• Meal Plan
• List 2 items on eBay

My Quidco account has risen to £106.22.

From next weekend I am thinking of resuming shopping on Saturday mornings. Whilst I am enjoying having this time to myself, I can’t always get what I want going so late in the day.

Beanielou thanks for the suggestion. I may do an online shop every other week. I used to do it fairly regularly a couple of years ago but the quality of some of the fruit & veg was poor and fresh items, a very short shelf life.

KxMx Didn't think about that so have withdrawn the money. Hopefully it will be in my PP account soon. I was going to use it towards either BC2 or H1 but as long as it goes on the debt, and it will, I don't mind too much.

The HM shepherds pie was portioned out into 7 decent size meals. Unfortunately, only 6 made it into the freezer as I had a portion for dinner last night!

I am getting through my to do list. Gammon is going to be cooked whilst I am at work tomorrow. The day is passing by very quickly.

• Cook gammon tomorrow
• Reconcile pots / budgets
• [STRIKE]Sandwiches for lunch next week[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Hoover / sweep / mop floors[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Water balcony boxes[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Meal Plan[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]List 2 items on eBay[/STRIKE]

Sandwiches for this week are liver sausage, salmon and corned beef and are all in the freezer.

Meal Plan for this week is also complete:

Today as not at my parents - pork chops are in the oven
Tomorrow: HM gammon
Tuesday: salmon fillet, sauteed courgettes & rice
Wednesday: HM shepherds pie
Thursday: prawn linguine
Friday: veg masala, rice & HM bombay potatoes
Saturday: sausages, chips and spaghetti

Off to make a brew and reconcile the pots / budget before dinner.

I can't believe it's been almost 18 months since I last posted on here. I was off work for 6 weeks due to an injury. I have moved on from that and I have a lovely grandson but am in a very precarious position financially. I reduced my working week to 4 days to help my daugher out with childcare. I am also now helping my sister out because her husband is a bum. I am now back to working a 5 day week with a lot of expensive commuting.



I've lost over 2 stone in weight due to the worry of it all. Laurel & Hardy eat better than me. I am conscious I now have a £9,000 credit card debt I won't be able to pay by November this year.



Despite all the above, my life is so much happier with my grandson in it. He has made me a better person but when I'm on my own I worry about how I am going to pay my debt back. I've made some progress but I'm still caught in the balance transfer trap. My life would be so much happier if my brother-in-law got off his butt. My brother is also helping my sister out but he is mortgage free. We both know the answer but she's our sister. My brother has offered to pick up more of the tab to lessen the burden on me and I've had to reluctantly agree.


Our parents are getting old now, a difficult concept which is why my brother and I keep it to ourselves.


Another upside is my salary has gone up (due to going back to a 5 day week) and I am due a payrise in May.


Onwards and upwards I guess.