Our attempt at being MF!!

CathT · 17 January 2015 at 4:56PM

Items returned and faulty item exchanged with no hassle. Had a pleasant wander round the shop at lovely things I could buy when children bigger! Do they get less messy? Mine create so much dust as they don't stop moving!

Not done much at all today! DH just preparing dinner and I have been browsing cars. Ours is starting to cost too much money to keep on the road, is rubbish on fuel and well overdue an upgrade! Our only issue is financing it!

However, am currently multitasking watching escape to the country and wondering how people have such large budgets!!

RoaringTwenties · 18 January 2015 at 9:14AM

Hi CathT, found your diary! I shall endeavour to read & post more later, but for now I totally agree on crazy TV house budgets, I've always had the same thoughts when watching property progs esp Escape to the Country, they start by saying "so-and-so has sold their three bed semi in Leicestershire & has a budget of £3 million to move to Devon" & I sit there agog at the maths :rotfl:

BookWorm · 18 January 2015 at 10:27AM

Good morning - hope you have a lovely weekend

Well done on getting through your to-do list... I seem to be procrastinating this week...

CathT · 18 January 2015 at 4:33PM

Woke up to a dusting of snow and treacherous roads this morning. Swimming is a 40 mile round trip but roads improved along the way. Gritters must have been out of action last night and saw a car on opposite side of main A road facing opposite direction this morning with recovery vehicle.

Took DS on a long walk in the snow to the park and he doesn't appear to have used up any of his energy! Makes me realise when he was poorly just how ill he was as he didn't move off the sofa for two days.

DH convinced we need a food shop so I need to get a bit creative and imaginative to prove that we don't! Unless a meal is mostly meat he doesn't seem to think it's valid.

Money saving news? Have persuaded DH not to go shopping and sold some books I used during my course so that's more money for the holiday pot.

ETA - DH went into town yesterday and sold an old wii console which was taking up space and some dvd's which means another £19 for the pot. It's all adding up!

CathT · 20 January 2015 at 8:15PM

Well, the snow has started this evening and we are forecast for quite a lot. School have already text to say they will inform parents ASAP tomorrow is school closed. Fingers crossed its not closed and I can get to work!

Am starting to see the benefits of our decluttering. It's actually easier to keep on top of things at home as things are already mostly in their place so it takes minutes to do daily tasks before work. I do what I can before work and DH tends to Hoover and do the kitchen when he gets home.

65p tillytidy and another book sold. Will leave money in PayPal until Friday so it doesn't get swallowed up. Also had a £5 veg box delivered and there's loads! All fresh from the farm - there's 6 large carrots, sprouts, a large parsnip, 2 onions, swede, cabbage and cauliflower and 6 huge potatoes. What a bargain and am expecting it to taste fab as so fresh. All I need now is a regular fresh egg supplier!

ETA - just found 6 eggs in the fridge that came with the veg box!!

HelenDaveKids · 21 January 2015 at 2:48PM

I always fancy a veg box, did look into it once but then started shopping at aldi and kinda forgot about it.

snowing here too and settling.

CathT · 21 January 2015 at 10:54PM

Just over £40 requested from PayPal from book sales

. Also requested 52p from TCB! The £40 can be added to our holiday fund and the odd pounds paid off cc.

Am going round in circles whether to holiday abroad or in the UK. Children are 6 and 3 and probably happier with lots of little breaks. It just seems to cost so much for extras such as food and entertainment on a staycation. Am really toying with the idea of centre parks though? Any experiences? Tips on keeping costs low? This circle is almost as bad as the 'move or improve one!'

CathT · 23 January 2015 at 10:06PM

Little extra in my pay packet which is going in the staycation vs passport fund!

Taking advantage of there being no c/tax feb and paid the extra off cc which has gone towards car insurance costs. DH has done food shop again (could get used to sending him!) and didn't do too badly. £5 voucher used so well within budget and have another to use next weds. :T

DS nursery bill is completely wrong so that needs sorting before I pay it which is a little annoying. DD school are introducing free breakfast club though which is fab and will save £60 a month :j would have been £100 a month as of September. I've also booked lots of odd days holidays to try and juggle childcare and reduce our bills. I am literally on countdown to the end of it.

Had a letter today from an employer I left over 7 years ago. It's a pension refund of just over £16 so that was a pleasant surprise!

Weekend to do list

1) re-join the zoo
2) pay in cheque
3) put money in both children's accounts
4) close unused bank account
5) try and sort out childcare

RoaringTwenties · 24 January 2015 at 9:07AM

Is that the Aldi Mirror £5 voucher you're referring to Cath? I never thought of buying two & using one straightaway & the other the following Weds - fab idea, thanks :beer: ([STRIKE]It's in moments like this that I smile at the fact that I have 3 degrees but can't see something as obvious as this [/STRIKE]:rotfl:

pavlovs_dog · 24 January 2015 at 12:30PM

Cath - another frugal idea on the staycation front is to do the Sun holidays. Accomodation is cheap and cheerful (it is no centre parks

), but if you choose your park wisely it can be a very cheap base from which to explore a new area. Some offer free on site entertainment for littlies, others sell it as an optional extra. If you have Tesco vouchers you could exchange them for free days out in the local area too.

RoaringTwenties - OH and I have been known to do 2 £40 shops simultaneously, stocking the cupboards and freezers to the brim for the month. £70 in one hit, but if you shop from home for the rest of the month your spends will balance out. Both our nearest Aldis are a 25min drive so it makes sense for us to do it in one hit.

Our attempt at being MF!!

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free