The Money Diet

Lauralozzle · 12 December 2017 at 8:20PM

Thank you FiscalPickle

Tuesday 12th December

I've managed a good day at work, although it didn't feel particularly productive. Hopefully tomorrow will feel significantly more productive. I'm feeling better though, just done my hours today so haven't worked extra.

Quick and easy dinner today using up freezer fish cakes, packet of rice from the cupboard and some veg. I chopped up and portioned the veg at the weekend so all I needed to do was pop it in the steamer. I'm so glad I took the time to do that as it's saved me time after work and doesn't feel like such a chore. I probably wouldn't have bothered if I hadn't done it before.

Today has been a NSD so I'm now at 3/15. Getting there (slowly). Would really like to hit 7 NSD by Wednesday next week.

I also checked my car finance tonight and I'm into the £7,000s now! I'm very pleased about that. It's going down, albeit slowly, but each thousand pound bracket is a step closer to it ending!

Update on Holiday Fund: £614.65 I've transferred the water rates money as no payments towards that until April now. I'm hoping that the water rates money and council tax Money (Feb/March) will bump the Fund nicely without having to really think about it!

Plan for tonight before I relax for the evening is:

- Clean Kitchen Done
- Empty and reload dishwasher Done
- Quick tidy of bedroom Done
- Put washing in washing machine (I want to get on top of all of it) Done
- Make lunch for tomorrow Done

enthusiasticsaver · 12 December 2017 at 8:30PM

So presumably the £400 per month you were saving towards your wedding is now going to be split between honeymoon savings, extra credit card payments, emergency fund and some increased monthly personal spends?

Lauralozzle · 12 December 2017 at 10:23PM

enthusiasticsaver wrote: »

So presumably the £400 per month you were saving towards your wedding is now going to be split between honeymoon savings, extra credit card payments, emergency fund and some increased monthly personal spends?

Basically, that’s the plan. I’m hoping the honeymoon savings be bumped up by water Rates/council tax payments that will not have to be made. No payments towards water rates until April (we pay 8 months direct debit and don’t pay the remaining 4 months and then it all starts up again). Will not have council tax payments in Feb and March. So payments towards this fund will be a lower proportion of the budget, if that makes sense.

From January the £110 savings made on mortgage are definitely allocated for Santander Credit Card 1. Will also make further payments from £400 we were saving before. The priority though is getting back the emergency fund. And yes, a higher personal spending budget - I know DH wants to save for a new computer (from his personal money) so will be using the ‘extra’ for that. Will get friends to make it so will be cheaper than the shops.

Lauralozzle · 13 December 2017 at 8:08PM

Wednesday 13th December

I have managed another NSD. So I'm now at 4/15. This week is definitely getting better at the non spends front. I'm aiming for Thursday and Friday as well so by Saturday I should be at 6/15. Saturday will be spendy as it's one of my Christmas dos (with best friends) and we're going into Nottingham to visit the Winter Wonderland. We will be drinking and eating there. I've allocated myself £50 for the night including bus fairs which has come from a separate budget. I'm hoping we do the shopping on Saturday too so I can have Sunday as a NSD but we will have to see! It depends on DH mood. We've got two big food shopping trips before payday so I'm hopeful the budget will stretch. Well, it has to be honest. I will have to get creative. All we are eating this week is rice and pasta with something as I have ran out of potatoes. DH is getting a bit fed up with chicken buts it's all we really have in so he will just have to cope with it.

Bank accounts are looking okay today, the NSD have helped.

Tasks to do today:

- Put washing on dryer next to the radiator
- Put another load in
- Clean kitchen after dinner
- Make lunch for tomorrow. No idea what to have as I've had pasta these past 3 days.

Lauralozzle · 16 December 2017 at 12:20PM

Saturday 16th December

So, I've now made it to NSD 5/15. Thursday ended up being spendy but yesterday was a NSD. Today will be spendy though as I've got a Christmas Do tonight with our friends and I also need to go and buy a few small presents for Christmas. My thought is to buy some whilst we are out shopping so I'm not wasting a spend day.

Lauralozzle · 17 December 2017 at 4:12PM

Sunday 17th December

This weekend has gone too fast!

Yesterday was great, and I didn't spend all of my allocated money. All leftover money from my Christmas outings are in a separate purse which now has £28 in it. My last Christmas Do is on Wednesday which is the works Christmas meal. I have allocated another £50 for that and I'm hoping I will not spend it all but I think we are going to a fancy-ish place so expecting the prices to be the other end of 'reasonable'. I'mlooking forward to it though.

I'm especially looking forward to the fact that I have two days left at work until I break up for Christmas. I am hoping I'll make a little more flexi time on Monday and Tuesday and end up at around +11 hours. I want the 15/16 Jan off and I'm hoping I can take them as flexi. The more I have, the less I will have to make up so I'm looking forward to that.

Still only on NSD 5 As we went to the cinema this morning to watch the new Star Wars film. It was brilliant! We haven't gone to the cinema since last year to watch Rogue One so it was definitely a treat. That is the last of our entertainment budget until next month now though

I also went to visit my Nana and grandad today and have come back with a big bag of goodies! She has also given me £50 savings stamps for Tesco which will go towards Boxing Day Christmas dinner with my Mum. It has basically saved the shopping budget this month!

Lauralozzle · 19 December 2017 at 8:37AM

Monday 18th December

Only one day left at work until I break up until early January! :j

So, today was a spend day. Finished work late, so went to the supermarket and got a ready meal as I had no intention of cooking. Not felt great, sore throat, cough, tired so all my enthusiasm has gone.

I'm not sure I'll make 15 NSD but if I get above 10 I will be happy.

Tuesday should be NSD as it's the works office wide fuddle so no need to bring in lunch. I'm hoping to get my work done and leave, I have 11 hours of flexi so I have enough to leave early if I finish my work.

In an effort to try and feel better I had a nice long bath with a lush bath bomb that my friend got for me. I then went to bed at 9:30 and started reading my book.

Lauralozzle · 19 December 2017 at 7:04PM

Tuesday 19th December

Managed a NSD so I'm at 6/15.

Still felling pretty rough today. Left work a little early and I'm happy that that is it until next month now. I'm exhausted, I have a sore throat, I'm tired, my eyes are sore, my ears ache and the office seemed so loud today it was difficult to concentrate. There was a fuddle today but I couldn't cope with the queue and the smell of the food so went back when it was cleared out and had a slice of bread.

I'm popping in tomorrow for Secret Santa and will then head off to work Christmas meal. Don't plan on spending a lot or drinking, as I'm going to drive in. Cheaper all around and I don't feel well so will just go home to bed I reckon, unless I feel fine tomorrow.

The house is a mess at the moment, it's irritating me immensely but I dont have the energy to do anything about it. Hopefully I'll feel better come the weekend and give it a good clean!

Nothing much else to report. I've got some jacket potatoes in the oven for dinner. Early bed for me tonight I think!

Lauralozzle · 22 December 2017 at 11:12AM

Wednesday 20th December

Wednesday was work meal out so not a NSD. Had a lovely meal but felt really ill so didn't stay out for long. Crashed and went to bed

Thursday 21st December

Post is a day late and not a NSD as I got Tom's other present, some loose tea leaves to go with a teacup set. That cost £12. Other than that, no other spends.

Went wedding dress shopping with my mum and she found a dress. Also picked bridesmaid dresses also and Mum paid for lunch.

It was a lovely day, although I'm slightly worried that Mum wants me to organise the reception decorations, cake and flowers. I'm conscious that I've just finished mine and there will be no break from 'wedding things'. I don't mind helping out with ideas but I've got to try and highlight the fact picking up your wedding cake the day before and transporting it yourself 50 miles and setting it up on the day whilst sorting out hair and makeup is an unrealistic task.

I don't think she quite realised how much organising a wedding takes.

Lauralozzle · 22 December 2017 at 11:20AM

Friday 22nd December

Not a NSD, although I set out for it to be one! Met my grandmother for lunch, went to pizza express and used up the rest of the leisure vouchers we had. It was a lovely meal too.

We then went to Tesco to use up the Tesco vouchers we had for a Boxing Day dinner (Christmas dinner with my side of the family). Spent more than we had intended as we brought a fair amount of alcohol. After the vouchers it cost us £35.00. I also got my dad's last present (he's coming around today) which was an extra £15.00. I've got to be really careful now but pay-day is next week and the fridge is rammed full of food! Will last well into the new year.

My dad will be paying for takeaway tonight so I'm hoping for no new spends now until after Christmas.

The Money Diet

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