TravelGirl84's DFD

DancingInTheRain wrote: »

Just read your diary, hope you don't mind me dropping in. Awesome progress made in such a short time, well done!
I'm also a big fan of chopped frozen food, our freezer always has chilli/garlic/ginger/onions. They're so and I was always throwing these items out when buying fresh so definitely saving money and reducing waste in our house by buying frozen.

Hi Dancing!

Thanks for reading and popping in to comment

I like the idea of frozen ginger. I really want to try using it in food but again, I would end up throwing most of it out. I'll have a look and see if I can find any, or if not maybe chop and freeze my own. Freezing food will definitely reduce food waste for me. I have alot of frozen veg in my freezer but I never use it. I need to be inspired I think in general with veg!

Hi All!

So payday was Friday and I came into the next pay month with £105 left from last month :j This is due to being away for a week so I saved on food and petrol, but I did also have some general spends left. I have put it in a 'debts' pot as I would like to use it to pay off the B/Card, but I am mulling over the following:
- November is a busy month socially and my spreadsheet is saying that if I spend as planned then I won't have enough in the bank, so the money tucked away would help out if I can't manage to decrease some of those spends. I have already managed to decrease it a little as I over budgeted for my hair cut and colour, so £11 (I think) saved there.
- I'm considering going back to the gym. It is £32 a month which is what is holding me back, but I think it might be really good for my mental health, as well as of course my physical health. I'm feeling pretty stressed with over worrying about a few things at the moment, so it might help clear the mind. I'd like to keep running but with the winter coming up I know it will be a struggle to push myself to go out in the cold. If I went twice a week then that's £4 a session, which doesn't sound so bad. My Mum has also just been diagnosed with Osteoporosis, and whilst that isn't life threatening, it's just got me thinking about health a bit more.
- I am doing a trial Ariel Hoop class this week (incase I decide to run off to the circus :rotfl:). The trial is free, but it's £60 for 6 weeks. I could use the money for this but I would have to really love it. I've wanted to do something like this for ages so we will see. However, £60 every 6 weeks going forward might be a bit of a struggle.
- Spending the £100 on something other than debts however is kind of annoying, because that's what I'd really like to do.

Plans for this month:
- I can now start Christmas shopping. I am going to spend less this year and I really don't want to buy rubbish for people anymore, so I'm going to try and be a bit more creative. I also want to try and buy from actual shops rather than online, at least for the most part. I have asked some of my friends whether we should do presents or maybe secret santa instead this year. If we go for secret santa I reckon I can save £20 there. For my other group of friends we are going to do a £10 scratchcard each this year which we will do on our night out, which I think will be really fun and take the pressure off of people. It will also save me another fiver. I have organised Operation Christmas Child at work this year which always works out more then I think, but I am staying as close to the budget as possible. A little bit over is fine though, considering I will be sending gifts to much less fortunate children.
- Food wise I've got five meals in the freezer, plus bits and pieces for more meals. Tonight I am making stuffed peppers which I might also take to work tomorrow for lunch. I am going to try using Quorn mince again. A couple of my good friends are vegan and whilst I don't plan to become even vegetarian, they cook such lovely food, so I am going to try and do something similar myself. The 500g pack of Quorn mince was also cheaper at £2 for 500g *EDIT - turns out the pack was 300g*. During my food shop yesterday I bought the frozen chopped onions I mentioned in another post. It was £1 for 500g which should last me a while and will be cheaper, plus mean less food waste.
- Took lots of old clothes to the charity bins yesterday. Still got some other bits to take to the tip and stuff that I want tot try and sell. Not sure that will be this month though.
- Really not sure I am going to be able to pay off my B/card by the end of the year, especially if I don't use the £100 from last month. I could use my January salary which I get paid on the 19th Dec this year. If that pays if off then I technically have paid it off before the end of the year, but it is with next years money lol.

I just realised I keep writing long posts. This place is like a massive brain dump for me which I think is a good thing.

Lastly, I have been living in my flat for two years next week. I have owned my own home and paid the bills all by myself. I'm pretty proud of that (despite the debt - though I have never paid for bills on credit).

Have a good week all!

FootyFanDan wrote: »

Well done on going into a new month with money spare from the last payday. How good does that feel? Like you i am also considering gym (which i have been for way too long without actually joining haha:rotfl:). It will do me good i sometimes think it would give me such a boost mentally to do it, so will do it soon...maybe!

Long posts are good, its feels easier writing it all out here than overthinking stuff, I find it very theraputic to do.

Congratulations on keeping up the flat and bills despite the pressures of trying to stick to budgets

Have a fab week

PS - Good luck in the circus:)

Thanks Dan! Can't believe I've been here two years!

I've managed to stay in budget for quite a few months now, but not by this much. I know it was because I was away for a week, but usually I would use that money to spend on holiday, and this time I didn't :T

At the moment my gym has 3 months free if you pay for the year upfront (I think you actully pay for 10 and get 3 for free), but unfortunately I don't have a spare £300 odd quid. Definitely considering the gym though.

I think the long posts will be staying. Unless the circus calls me :rotfl:

Have a good week also!