Not much to report except 1 NSD. I managed to sort a birthday present for my niece and Easter eggs for the small children in the family apart from 1 more Easter Egg I need to buy for my DD2. All have been purchased from food shop budget - doing a weekly itinerary of what essentials to buy has really helped me out!

I'm so tired atm - I don't know where the weekend went - feel like I haven't achieved much at all. I'm looking forward to the long weekend to relax, unwind and do jobs in the house. I also have a lot of reading I want to catch up on.

I have no spare money and its times like this when I'm off and want to buy paint, plants etc and I can't What I can do however, is clean and make things more tidier. There may be left over paint from the previous home owner .. not sure.. need to check. Its frustrating as this is a house that we moved into last year and I haven't done a thing to it yet...luckily it doesn't need it but I do want to make my mark on it.

I will probably look at the budget for May at the weekend -financially it is one of the worst months for me. Birthdays galore! Needless to say not budgeted for

There's also an engagement and a 21st!! And it is also my DD2 birthday.

DD1 & DD2 at xmas bought DH and i a 4 day city break to Barcelona as a xmas present... which is in May....I'm just not excited as I'm worrying about the lack of funds I have to contribute.

it just highlights how poor at budgeting i've been but i'm trying to improve. I will need to be really creative in May!!

Good morning... the sun is shining

I had planned on being asleep but my cat had other ideas and I also forgot to turn off the alarm!

I want to spring clean but DH is still asleep so I don't want to disturb him so I thought I'd pop on.

I'm going to make a coffee now and then meal prep for the week. Had lots of good tips off the Love Food Hate Waste forum

I dont think i'll go shopping today as I really do want to "Hinch" my home but at least I'll be organised for tomorrow's food shopping trip.

I really want to go the garden centre and do paint shopping over the weekend but I can't as I have no money to spend there and I just need to get over it... maybe I can "window" shop and plan for when I can afford to spend on the home. I love looking at interiors

Back to today....

DH plans to clean the guttering - he's been waiting for dry weather and now he has got it

I hope everyone has a lovely day no matter what plans you have x

Where has the weekend gone? Well it's not over yet.. but still.. it has flew by!

I have absolutely "hinched" my home from top to bottom... still got a few more jobs to do today (including ironing ) I'm also going to be making a batch of chilli for the freezer.

I've got to visit family and friends this afternoon so it will be a busy day.

I didn't manage to save anything from shopping this week but that's the way things go.. I don't expect to cut back every week. I did have some expensive items (I had to buy a new oven tray) and shampoo... crikey I find that expensive and hate buying it! But I did get a few yellow stickers as well

I love the Love Food Hate Waste Forum

Realistically I don't think I'm going to manage to hit the full target in obtaining my deficit on the car insurance. I don't have anything to sell. But on a positive, I do have what I have saved to put towards it - which is an achievement. I do have another week before the DD comes out and if I have NSDs this week I may be able to put a bit more to it.

So May looms ....

I'm dreading it.

Gonna have to make the budgets work and I think i'm going to struggle on "getting current" on my next goal which is a loan. I have 2 payments left but I'm behind £150. I was hoping to catch up but whatever happens, the loan will all be paid by the last payment - end of May. Once all the "biggies" are out of the way in May - I shall concentrate on this.

Firstly - DD2 birthday. DH and I go half. We're also going out for tea. I have a weekly shop before the birthday so hope to make some savings to put towards the meal. No starter or pudding for me - which is a good thing

I can get through this... emphasises the point that I need to budget for birthdays... something I've never done. Once I'm on track "getting current" - I will review this in the budget as the birthdays ease off after May.

Enjoy BH Monday x

Any better option for the same?

Hi Steph

Sorry can you explain a little further for me as I'm not sure what you are referring too x