From debt to freedom...

VelvetFreak · 28 February 2017 at 1:25AM

Hi Honeysuckle, just wanted to let you know that I am reading and enjoying your diary. You have inspired me to start selling some of my succulent babies.

Best of luck with your Debt Free Journey. xx

Honeysucklelou2 · 28 February 2017 at 1:52AM

Hi Velvetfreak thanks for dropping by.
Glad that you have been inspired.
Growing plants does get quite addictive doesn't it?!

Honeysucklelou2 · 28 February 2017 at 1:57AM

Just completed spending tracker app for Feb. It's a free one I downloaded and have found it very helpful in recording transactions as I go through the month. It gives a bar chart or pie chart depending on which you prefer and I like the visual comparison of expenditure. Realised to my frustration that my food spending has crept up again. Work is a little tougher at the moment so I'm leaving feeling quite done in, then end up popping to the supermarket on the way home which is not helpful. Have bought food for the week and put diesel the car today so hope I can resist the supermarket for the rest of the week.

Sorted out budget for March, making sure I have extra for diesel for the uni accommodation trip.

VelvetFreak · 28 February 2017 at 2:19AM

Growing plants is indeed quite addicting. I grow aquarium plants too, but I am greedy and would like to keep those for myself haha.

I can so relate with the groceries thing, that is an area where I really struggle. I'm tend to be an under-buyer, and I don't like keeping a backstock of anything, which tends to be problematic as I end up running out of toilet paper or cat food and it's a week til payday :rotfl:

kerron7 · 2 March 2017 at 8:14PM

Honeysucklelou2 wrote: »

The university is about 200 miles away, so not a bad distance. I went 450 miles away so 200 miles doesn't seem too far! Am looking forward to seeing the place as I was ill when it was her interview so my parents took her.

It is hard isn't it for children to make decisions career wise? My Dd2 is really struggling to decide between different further ed options and DD3 doesn't know which GCSE options to do.

Simple pasta dish for evening meal. The children love pancakes so are very much looking forward to pancakes for tea tomorrow night. Made sure I stocked up on eggs and milk as we make huge amounts of mixture. Now that DD1 and 2 are older we take turns at the cooker!

Haven't made my NSD target for February:( Hope to be more organised in March. Do find having the NSD helps in thinking through organisation and limiting spending.

200 miles isn't too far I guess.

It is, I just left school got a job and that was it! DD is struggling with career options the only thing she enjoys is German! DS1 will be choosing his options the end of this year I think.

Hope you all enjoyed the pancakes, we had a few but not enough:rotfl:

Honeysucklelou2 · 3 March 2017 at 3:24AM

Pancake day was great. We went for the largest mixture yet...2.5 lb of flour, 10 eggs and 5 pints of milk. My lot are serious pancake eaters!!:D

Payday was on Tuesday. The loan repayment was paid on the 1st bringing the outstanding balance down to £1648. Starting to feel like I can see the end in sight with that one. When it's paid it will free up £290 a month to be able to throw at other debts.

Honeysucklelou2 · 4 March 2017 at 11:52PM

Had a pottering kind of Saturday. Had to get DS1 some new school shoes as his had worn out and were causing his feet to be wet when there were puddles/water on the ground. I think we did get £10 off the price but still £50 :eek: Since DS1 had had to come with me to get shoes, he had to come with me on the supermarket shop. I usually keep a running total in my head and commented that we'd spent about £40 at the half way point. His reaction was quite surprising. Usually he prefers to sit in the car and doesn't come in to the supermarket at all, He was genuinely shocked to realise what £40 of groceries looks like and the realisation that for a family of our size this does not last long. By the time we got to the cereal aisle he was urging me to just get 1!!

The toddler enjoyed being outside today while I sowed sweet peas, calendulas, nicotiana and rudbeckia. Sold one plant at the gate today which I am thankful for.

Honeysucklelou2 · 5 March 2017 at 3:02AM

Planned the menu before we went into the supermarket. Showed DS1 how to build a list for the supermarket based on the menu plan. We worked out
Sat - Fish portions and oven chips
Sun- Pasties
Mon- Toad in the hole, mashed potatoes and veg
Tues - Pasta
Wed - Children eat with the ex.
Thurs - Homemade pizza
Fri- Pancakes. There's a birthday in our house and it's a tradition to have pancakes on birthdays!

Bought ingredients so hopefully on track to have a few NSDs.

kerron7 · 5 March 2017 at 10:34AM

Honeysucklelou2 wrote: »

Had a pottering kind of Saturday. Had to get DS1 some new school shoes as his had worn out and were causing his feet to be wet when there were puddles/water on the ground. I think we did get £10 off the price but still £50 :eek: Since DS1 had had to come with me to get shoes, he had to come with me on the supermarket shop. I usually keep a running total in my head and commented that we'd spent about £40 at the half way point. His reaction was quite surprising. Usually he prefers to sit in the car and doesn't come in to the supermarket at all, He was genuinely shocked to realise what £40 of groceries looks like and the realisation that for a family of our size this does not last long. By the time we got to the cereal aisle he was urging me to just get 1!!

The toddler enjoyed being outside today while I sowed sweet peas, calendulas, nicotiana and rudbeckia. Sold one plant at the gate today which I am thankful for.

What a great idea I think I should do this with some of the older children, they definitely think money grows on trees.

Well done on your plant sale

Honeysucklelou2 · 7 March 2017 at 6:28AM

Was interesting with DS1. Hadn't planned to do it, more incidental but glad it happened. He does seem to have been more careful with the breakfast cereal...he eats enough to keep factories in production!

Made a payment to family member of £125 - a small amount but trying to keep chipping away.

Had NSDs on Friday and Sunday, so am hoping to be moe organised and build the NSDs in. Definitely saves me money.

From debt to freedom...

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