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InDiAnNa's Grocery and Finance Thread

3K views 38 replies 12 participants last post by  homesteadmamma 
#1 ·
Righty. I'm still a relative newbie to the site, but I'd like to follow example and start my own thread where I can keep myself accountable and document my new frugal skills. Grab a cuppa before reading on, it's long! ;)

I have set myself challenges and budgets all of which I'll keep track of here.

A little history: I am a heavily depended on veterinary nurse for a large company, but in July I was hospitalized with a so far unexplained neurological condition which has caused me to lose most of the feeling in my arms, hands, legs and feet. Due to many other factors of this condition and the high level of responsibility my role carries, I have not been back to work since July, and it looks set to stay this way for quite a while.

Having gone from living on two decent salaries (future DH's and mine combined), we're now struggling a little on just his and my extremely low sick pay (about one quarter of my previous take home monthly pay). We had to give up our previous rental property and move into a smaller, cheaper place. Now we are properly settled there, I'm giving myself a boot up the bum and 'getting sorted'.

FDH pays the majority of our monthly expenses for rent, groceries, internet and landline (all other utilities are included in our rent), and I use some of my sick pay to slowly pay off my personal debt and into our savings.

Here goes:

GROCERIES

My budget for groceries, tp, toiletries, pet food, everything per month is £80. That's for the three of us, me, Craig and Martha the cat.

I have made a meal planner for November, starting today as we have been visiting family this weeekend. It's here http://h1.ripway.com/Francoise/menu planner november.xlsx if anyone wants to take a look. FDH and I have fairly complex food intolerances that don't follow normal patterns so while I understand that some of the stuff we eat doesn't neccessarily seem very healthy, I've spent 21 years tailoring my diet and we both have no problems with it as far as intolerance goes.

FINANCE

I've joined the $*** in 100 days challenge, and we will be saving £1000 in 100 days (from 10/30/2008-2/6/2009). Mainly I'll be doing this by putting spare change into a nominated savings account, also the £20 per month I shaved off my previous grocery budget of £100. £40 per month from my sick pay will also be going in there.

My debt will be steadily paid off in small amounts. Thankfully FDH and I have no joint debt, it's just mine that needs to go. I am aiming to pay off £55 from my overdraft and £25 from my ccard each month,coming from my sick pay. I have two monthly outgoings from those accounts - £42.50 from overdraft for my mobile (this contract is up and won't be renewed in Jan), and £8.99 from ccard for online game subscription (I'm not giving this up, this game is my little luxury so I don't go loony).

£40 from sick pay will also go into a high interest saver I have, which is where I plan to keep my inheritance and add to it periodically for our house and wedding fund.

Sig is up to date with current balances.

SO FAR FOR NOVEMBER:

  • £50.25 spent on groceries, delivered a couple of days ago
  • Meal planner started today, about to go and defrost beef for dinner
  • Money allocated as described, but need to go and pay in spare change to savings account tomorrow

I'll try and keep this thread updated as much as I can, might throw in the odd pic or two here and there to keep it interesting! For starters, here's us!



(please kindly ignore the belly on my darling husband-to-be!! :p)

Any tips gratefully received and pondered, wish me luck!
 
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#4 ·
Well, I wish I'd known how much easier life is when you have a meal planner stuck to the fridge..!

No faffing about with 'what do I cook?!', just easy look at the menu and get on with it. Brilliant. So we had a lovely roast beef dinner, from a joint I stuck in the crockpot and froze a week or so ago.

Lunch was easy too, again just looked at the planner. For those who might want to follow it, apart from the supper column, where meals are like this: Salad/Ham sandwich, the first choice is for FDH, the second is for me, it's not a toss up between the two for both of us. We have different tastes and needs so this will work well I hope.

I love meal planners. Official. Must tell my mother. Although she will scoff at me. Mum is not at all frugal, in fact she is very extravagent but credit where it is due, it is all paid for in cash.

Crumpets and orange juice for breakfast in the morning. Yum.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Breakfast didnt go quite as planned :(

FDH woke up feeling really ill (probably delayed effects of being spoilt food and drink wise by my in-laws this weekend!!) and so didn't want any breakfast. So I ate alone this morning. Gah.

Just been to Iceland (great UK frozen food store http://www.iceland.co.uk), and spent another £28.95, which brings Novembers grocery spend to... yikes £79.20. A grand total of £0.80 left. Think I spent too much at the beginning of the month on the delivered shop. Thankfully we do have plenty of food, the only thing we might run out of is fresh veg and milk. So I'm going to bottle and freeze some of the milk I just bought.

I have a huge batch of chicken noodle and sweetcorn soup on the go in the crockpot, which smells delicious.

Tomato and cheese pasta bake for dinner tonight, which I'm looking forward to. We love pasta in our house, probably a bit too much!

Martha is looking longingly at the beef joint I just got for roasting. She knows a treat when she see one!
 
#7 ·
Way to go Indianna! You are doing well with the unique challenges you have. The meal planner sounds like a great idea, I tried the link but it didn't work. :(
I'm on an invalid benefit, I have good days and bad days but make sure on the good ones to always include food prep for the freezer, it really saves time and energy in the long run.
Not being able to shop around for groceries would be hard, but I guess if they are delivered you can't make impulse purchases!
Living in London in your circumstances is a real challenge. Good on you for joining FV and taking charge of your life :)
 
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#8 ·
Thanks mrsmac62. I'm working on the meal planner link, I hadn't realized that it wasn't working so sorry for that. I'll need to change the format it's in, I'll post the new link once I've fixed it.

Due to my poor health, us not owning a car in London and lack of a local ASDA (the store I do my main shop at cos of great prices and quality), the small delivery charge of £4 is WELL worth paying. I could never carry as much home as I get delivered, and it would cost more than £4 in a taxi! And yes I do have to stick to a list as I do it all online. I shop at Iceland too, that is slightly different as in you go to the store, shop as normal, and then request same day, free home delivery at the checkout.

Today is a good day as you say, so I have a loaf baking in the oven, had a pork shoulder joint in the crockpot overnight, and now have the beef joint in. They'll be carved up and frozen in portions once they're done.

The pasta bake went down a treat last night, was very yummy. Homemade sauce and crispy cheese is always a winner!

Chicken fillets, veg and potato waffles for dinner tonight, maybe with some veggie soup to start with.

No good news really on the finance front, apart from the unexpected £2 I found and put towards the £1000 in 100 days challenge. Some of that total is in spare change, I am going to go to the bank to pay it in today so it can help towards gaining interest.

I have bought some black and amber wool to make my FSILs Chistmas present (a bumblebee cushion), plus some bigger needles to try and make knitting easier for me at the moment. I do have to admit that was all paid for on the ccard (as bought on Ebay with PayPal), but it came to a total of £7 which is no more than what I would pay for them on the high street in cash. I plan on replacing that money as well as my usual payment of £40 when I divide up my next sick pay up at the end of the month. I also can't access the money in savings at the moment so ccard was the only way to go really. Thank goodness I have a preferential interest rate on it as I am a premier account holder at my bank..

When I go into town, I also have to get more wrapping paper as I ran out today (busy wrapping gifts ahead of time in a feeble attempt not to panic two days before Christmas Day!) Luckily, where we live we have LOOOOAADS of pound shops (exactly the same as dollar stores for you US guys :) )so I can get a roll for £1 no problem.

I wish the UK did better coupons and vouchers for things that I would actually use... SIGH. The only things that are ever in newspapers are for things like top brand washing liquid ( 1kg box now only £3.99!!!!!! Thanks but with grated bar soap, no name powder and soda crystals I get 2kg for £1.30....), and ready meals (yuck), and other top brand, mega bucks products that we'd never use/ eat. BUT then you'll never find a coupon for FDHs favourite cologne either! That's expensive! Why doesnt' the same theory apply?! Oh yeah. Cos we'll use it that's why! :bang:

I want to try and find a bottle of that cologne (Ferrari Black) and a black fitted mens shirt for FDH for Christmas, but I think he may have to wait until Feb for his birthday for those. We'll see.
 
#9 ·
I feel envious of our US cousins too when it comes to coupons. I buy fairly plain things, fruit, veges, meat, flour. The coupons are always for packaged food that I hardly ever eat, and toiletries etc that I don't use either! I do occasionally buy tinned fruit & things like baked beans for my emergency kit, aka stockpile. we are encouraged by Civil Defence to have at least 3 days worth of food, water and medicine packed and ready to go in case of earthquake. One due any time!
 
#11 · (Edited)
New meal planner link

** FIXED THE LINK FOR THE MENU PLANNER**

Here it is, it's now in Microsoft Word 97-03 format rather than from Excel.
http://h1.ripway.com/Francoise/indiannasmenuplannernovember.doc
For some reason I couldn't just copy and paste it so I had to copy out the whole thing again! :thud:

Again, where there are options like this - Salad/Ham sandwich, or, Sausage/bacon,peas+mash, the first option is for FDH, the second is for me.

So tonight, FDH will have sausage, peas and mash, and I will have bacon, peas and mash. The sausages are in the crockpot now, and smell lovely.

I went out to town yesterday, but didn't feel up to walking to the bank (another 1.5miles) so the spare change isn't in the bank just yet :( We will keep adding to it though, and I'll take it when we have a bit more.

I managed to get 3 rolls of lovely wrapping paper for just £1! I was happy with that. While I was in the pound shop, I also found Christmas lights, a book for FDH, fluffy socks for FSIL, and a smiley face cushion for my mum. All for a pound each of course! I'm very impressed with the book though, it's the biographies of David Walliams and Matt Lucas along with the story of Little Britain, and the RRP in the inside cover is £18.99!!! Definitely a total of £5 well spent in that shop.

I'm slightly bothered about how unsuccesfully I handled the first month of sticking to a strict grocery budget. Can't believe I only have £0.80 left...The milk is going down a bit too fast for my liking, so I dug out some millk powder I had in the back of the cupboard, prayed it's not too stale and mixed it up with some water and the milk we had left in the fridge. It tastes ok.We do have some in the freezer too.

Been looking up how much Ferrari Black and a black formal shirt for FDH would cost, and it's looking to be at least £60 for both. I think he will just have to wait til his birthday for those, gives me a bit of time to save cash for them.

Yesterday, I cleared out the bed I have in the yard. It was all overgrown with non-poison ivy and weeds, so I cleared it all, trimmed the ivy right back and it looks much better. There is one stuborn large well rooted ivy vine at the end of the bed, just growing under the garage, and I simply CANNOT pull it up. I don't really want to go out and spend loads on weedkiller, does anyone have any idea on how to get rid of it? Tempted to nuke it by spraying it with loads of hairspray and setting it alight...No of course I've never done that before, to anything, ever...:bolt: Only thing is, it started raining so hard, I left all the ivy trimming, weeds and rubbish in the middle of the yard cos I was too cold to carry on, so I have to clear that today and wash the yard down. Gah.

If anyone knows what veggies I could plant in the bed at this time of year and how to look after them, I 'd love to find out!

I am patiently waiting for my wool to arrive so I can crack on with the November Needle arts challenge. For Christmas I'll be making a bumblee shaped cushion for FSIL and bumblee dishclothes for 5 others (Thanks Lady_V!) My new needles have just been delivered, but have no wool so will just have to be patient.

I have an overflowing basket of clean laundry to put away today, must face it at some point!
 
#13 ·
Sorry!



Sorry! Have kinda got bogged down with stuff the past few days, been totally unfrugal also, and just haven't got round to updating...:smhelp:

Fairly large piece of news... FDH announced out of the blue to me and his parents that he wants to go back to university full time next September to do his Masters degree. Eh?! WTF?!!!! I had no idea he had been looking into this, as he was going to be doing it alongside work over three years by going to college one evening per week.

As my future as far as health and being able to work is pretty uncertain, one plus of him doing this means a guaranteed salary increase of around £20,000 per year in any job he might get. As a main part of his role is redundancies and associated court hearings, his job prospects are pretty good in this financial climate as companies desperately need competant, highly qualified HR personnel to help downsize the general staff population...

However, it does mean us relocating out of the city, and possibly having very, very little money coming in for one year (Sept09-Sept10). Yikes yikes yikes. I have 10 months to prepare for this and the panic is setting in already!

SO. By investigating rent costs in the different areas that he's looking to study at, I've worked out that we'd need a minimum of £9000 saved in order to live without either of us working. UH OH. That's probably not do-able to be honest, but I reckon with the £1000 in 100 days challege (finishing beginning of Feb), and then continuing to save afterwards, that we can save £3000. So that'll help a bit. I also want to up my stockpiling for tinned and dry food, and toiletries and cleaning products so I can try and get as close to a years worth of those. I have checked what I already have in there, and most stuff is in date til Sept 10.

But in order to do this, I need to increase the monthly grocery budget back up to £100 a month again. I was finding £80 a month a little bit tight anyway, and had already gone to £85.60/£80 anyway, just on essentials like milk and butter. We have also diverted from the meal planner a few times, mainly in the morning when FDH didn't feel able to eat what was on the menu. I have tried to make sure that we swap for something else due to be had later on in the week and then have what we missed on that day instead.

And that's not the last of the spending either :doh:

My trainers have been patched, glued, mended, polished til the cows came home, and I had to face facts - they were dead. I wear them every day all day, even when I was working, so for them to last 18 months they've done pretty well. As my condition means I don't feel my feet properly, I wanted to get the same style again as they offer very good support for my feet and stay on well too. Trouble is, they cost a minimum of £50 new! So I checked Ebay, and managed to find a second-hand pair, really barely used for £13 including postage! They arrived yesterday, and fit perfectly. Money that I don't have that had to be spent, but I'm glad I got a good bargain out of it.

The wool for FSILs Christmas present STILL hasn't arrived. I'm really cross seeing as I paid for 1st class postage 10 days ago! The Ebay seller isn't responding to my emails either. Grrr. I have started with wool I had left over from other projects but unless it arrives pretty soon, I won't be able to join in the November Needle Arts Challenge :(

I went to visit the doctor a couple of days ago to give an update on my condition, and I was signed off work for yet another 6 weeks, which takes it until just after Christmas. Work are being supportive so far, but I really do get the feeling that they will let me go soon. I was relied upon very heavily, and they will need a permanent nurse to take over that role, certainly seeing as I'e been gone since July..

Will update sig just now so balances are accurate and current.

Any advice from those that have been in the position of DH/DW/DSO going back to eduation and giving up work gratefully received!
 
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#14 ·
Well you've got an exciting & nerve wracking time ahead! :nerv2:

Knowing what you're challenges are means you are already halfway there. I gather fdh has options as to where he can study? Hurrah for the internet! You can research rents, living costs, transport etc.

While you can afford it, stockpile your staples like rice, pasta, dried beans, tinned fruit; whatever is allowed on your eating plan. Plus loo rolls and skincare.

If you have the funds, buy socks & knickers!

Learn to cut your own & fdh's hair.

If people want to buy you gifts, ask for money or gift vouchers.

Google scholarships. All sorts of random organizations offer help, which can be for accomodation & transport.

Hope it goes well for you both!
 
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#15 ·
Update

Wow, I am so bad at keeping this thread up to date! *must try harder*

Well I was on my own from Friday night til Sunday night as FDH was at a stag weekend. I won't even mention what kind of state he was in when he got back, OR how much money he spent OR for that fact what he spent it on...!!! I tell ya, he's a lucky man to have such an easygoing lady in his life!

I did barely anything all weekend, and it was GREAT. Caught up on my online game, got lots of rest, chatted to my mother lots, and just generally had some peace and quiet. Didn't spend any money either! :clappy:

Went up to Iceland today to get some more essentials Spent £12.90 on:

1kg frozen broccoli
I tub margarine
6 pints milk
12x part baked dinner rolls
1 loaf bread
2x blocks cheddar cheese
1 tub single cream for soups
1 bag sugar
1x cucumber
1 tub cherry tomatoes

So my new total grocery spend for November is £98.50/£100, which leaves me enough to get some more milk which is the only possible thing we cold desperately need.

I'm a bit disappointed at the way I've handled the gorcery money this month to be honest. Feel like I spent too much in some areas, too little in others, and haven't added to the stockpile at all, which was the whole purpose of upping the budget to £100 monthly again. Sigh. I am going to do better next month. Much better.

Personal debt is remaining about the same, although the wool I ordered off Ebay didn't show so the seller refunded my payment. £5.18 back onto the credit card! Although I do still need to finish FSILs Christmas present so will have to get wool from somewhere at some point.

We received a cheque from our landline provider. Turns out we were in credit with our account at our last home, so I have a grand total of £6.06 from them to put towards my overdraft. I guess every little helps...

FDH has said to me tonight that if I want to, I can put more money towards my debt paying this month instead of making my usual contribution to our joint expenses. I will probably put a very small amount in our joint acount, say £50 which will cover half our groceries, but the rest of my sick pay will go to paying more debt, and into savings.

My cell phone bill is frustrating me. I can't buy out of the contract, and I do have a great deal which means I pay a fixed amount each month, but each time I put money towards paying off the overdraft, a month later that payment gets swallowed up by the phone bill. At last the contract is up in January and I won't be renewing it.

My best friend is coming to visit on Friday! I am really REALLY looking forward to seeing him, I only get to see him a couple of times a year now, we used to live streets apart before I met FDH. We plan to show him the nightlife in our favourite haunts, but luckily as both the boys in my life are true gents, this lady won't be buying any drinks! And if I can help it, they won't be buying toooo many ;) We have put money aside for when Mike comes to visit, he doesn't have much of a fun time in life as he cares for his elderly parents so we want to make sure we have a lot of fun when he's with us.

Think I might inventory my current stockpile soon, I want to be sure of just what we have and what we don't.
 
#16 ·
The stockpile inventory is a good idea. I did one when I first started my challenge. I was surprised how much stuff I had, & annoyed that some things were past their use by date. Some things I used anyway & I've reorganized my pantry so I can see things a bit better. Using the stockpile list I drew up a sort of master list of meals that can be made from pantry & freezer, for the days when my brain is on holiday.
Oh, & and gave some things to my dd's, they gave me some of their unused stockpile stuff, so we all benefited.
Have a great weekend with your friend! :)
 
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#17 · (Edited)
Update

Had a lovely weekend with Mike! Got gazed at like Playboy of the Month when I rustled up a fry up for the pair of them on Saturday morning! :D

Mike was a bit miserable some of the time, which made me sad. Years before I met FDH, Mike and I were a little *ahem* closer than we are now, and at the time I hoped that Mike was going to be the one to save me from returning to an abusive relationship with an ex partner (loooong story). He didn't, I returned to and escaped from the abusive relationship, got over Mike, yet three years later he confessed his love for me the day before I moved across the country to be with FDH...:shake: Timing Michael lad, timing!! :thud:

As mean as it sounds, I do know now that I have found the my life partner in FDH, and I'm not sorry things turned out the way they have. Mike is such a decent guy, he loves me still, and that breaks my heart. He is my best friend, and I love him to bits, all the more so for the genuine friendship he's struck up with FDH. Can only hope that my homecooking, and the lots of laughs we all had all weekend have brightened his spirits a little...

ANYWAY! sorry, this is my grocery and finance thread, not my life story! ;)

I didn't spend anything all weekend! I'm very lucky to have such gents in my life :) FDH is getting good at not spending day-to-day so considering he has no debt it was a rare treat for us to go out

FDH is poorly today, so has stayed at home in bed. Got a load of shopping delivered today which he gave me a hand with putting away. I know it's not quite the end of the month yet, but as I've said before, I didn't exactly handle the budget well for Novemeber...:yucky: Spent £76.42, and got LOADS of stuff for the stockpile! Also had a coupon for free delivery so that freed up £5 to use for groceries. Got £23.58 left for the month, and that should be enough, will only need to get some meat, more milk, fruit and veg throughout the month. I hope. *crosses fingers*

Have not been very good with following the meal planner... :( I planned some breakfasts that FDH can't face eating in the morning, so have had pretty much not followed the menu for that. FDH does have the lunch meal that I planned pretty much each day though, I've done ok with that. As for my lunch... pah that's gone outta the window! I've been really bad, eating pretty much anything... Evening meals aren't too bad, but I've often run out of things and not been able to make the meals...

BASICALLY the meal planner has all gone a bit wrong. Going to try and plan it all little better this month, but how well it goes for December remains to be seen...

I have managed to inventory my stockpile, and now that is looking good! It's more than I thought, and the extreme majority of it is in date until Oct 2010, which is when FDH would finish uni.

I'll list the stockpile in my next post, it's a bit long to add onto this one.

When I do December's meal planner, I'll put up a link for it same as I did for November.

On the debt front - not brilliant. I've spent £1.38 on my credit card this month, and that was for an eyeliner pencil so I can get prettied up for our friends wedding on Dec 4th. The bride has specifically requested for me to 'really goth up' for the day, and seeing as we can't afford a gift for them, it's the least I can do. Plus I've been in tracksuit bottoms and sweatshirts for the past four motnhs, so I'm hoping the treat of new make up will get me back into my old rocker/gothic pre-illness self. Can you tell I'm attempting to justify the purchase?!

But the fees and interest have come out of my current account so that's not looking too good... I'll update the balances in my sig after this.

Remember in my last post I said FDH had offered for me to use all my sick pay in Dec to pay off my debt instead of making a contribution ot the joint expenses? I'm going to take him up on that, in a round about way. Whatever work pays me this month (should be about £370), I will divide into five equal amounts (about £74 each) and share it between:

~Our joint account,
~Our joint savings (£1000 in 100 days Challenge also),
~My high interest savings,
~My overdraft,
~My credit card.

That way, I still make a contribution to the joint expenses, a considerably smaller one, but get more paid into savings and to debt.

Wow, long update! Again, must update more often... Stockpile inventory to follow.
 
#18 ·
Stockpile Inventory as of 25/11/2008

TINNED

Spaghetti loops - 4
Spaghetti loops (small) - 2
Spaghetti & sausages - 2
Baked beans - 1
Baked beans & sausages - 3
Peas - 1
Carrots - 1
Sweetcorn - 1
Mushrooms - 1
Corn cobs - 1
Chicken in white sauce - 1
Chopped tomatoes - 1

DRIED & LONGLIFE

Whole milk - 1x1L
Yeast packets - x6
Penne pasta - 4x500g
Dried spaghetti - 2x500g
Brown rice - 1x500g
Box of lasagne sheets - 1
Chicken noodles - 2xpacks
Box of bran flakes - 1
Bag of porridge oats - 1
Chocolate rice cereal- 1
Wheat cereal - 1xbox
Tea bags - 1box of 40
Green tea bags - 1box of 20
Orange juice - 1x1L
Apple juce - 1x1L
Soya milk - 1x1L
Apple & blackcurrant squash - 1x1L
Vegatable oil - 2x1L


CONDIMENTS & SPICES

Mayonnaise - 1
Sandwich pickle - 1
Brown sauce - 1
Ketchup - 1
Vinegar - 1large bottle
Wholegrain mustard - 1
Paprika - 1jar
Salt - 1tub

MARTHA'S STUFF

Cat litter - 1x10L bag
Cat food tins - 5
Small box dried food - 1
Large box dried food - 1

TOILETRIES

Disposable razors - 10
Shaving foam - 1
Panty liners - box of 30
My deoderant - 3
FDH's deoderant - 2
Shower gel - 2x1L
Toothpaste - 1
Toothbrushes - 2
Handsoap - 1
Unperfumed bar soap - 1
Shampoo - 2
Conditioner - 1
Sponges - 2

CLEANING STUFF

Kitchen roll - 4
Toillet roll - 4
Bleach - 1x2L
All purpose cleaner - 1
Cream cleaner - 1
Toilet cleaner - 1
Disinfectant - 1
Dish washing liquid - 1
Bin bags - 30
Scourers - 5
Cling film - 2xrolls
Soda crystals - 1xbag
Bar soap - 3
Tin foil - 2xrolls
 
#19 ·
Just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed reading your thread.....keep up the good work and hope you get to feeling better soon!!!!!!
 
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#20 ·
hey Indianna, nice to have you back! My dd26 & sil are goth, too, they have some really cool clothes & do the full makeup thing for special occasions. If I want to buy dd a treat it's usually eye-makeup of some sort, she gets through a lot!
It's quite funny to see them out as a family- dgd4 is counter-revolutionary & won't wear anything but pink & purple. ;)

Well done on the inventory, it really helps you plan meals & stockpile purchases.
I've blown it with meal planning lately. I sometimes sink into a bread & honey sort of mood when my energy drops & I'm not feeling well. Totally counter productive. :(
Honestly the last thing I feel like sometimes is cooking, but when I feel like that it's usually the time I need a proper home-cooked meal the most.

Has fdh made any progress with researching Uni alternatives?
 
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#21 ·
Sorry for the lack of recent update!

Lots of things, online and offline are stalling me in putting an update up, but I will do soon, promise.

Struggling to stay on the frual train right now, but doing my best!
 
#23 ·
I....wanna rock n roll all niiight... and party ever-y day!:band:
 
#25 ·
hey, i just found your thread, i am looking forward to your next update.
you look as if you have a good stockpile going too, ive been slacking on mine a little, due to prices rises and my general lazyness to shop lol.
Sorry to hear that you are ill :(
I hope all works out for you.
 
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#27 ·
Update at last

First things first. Thanks for all your messages of support, both here and behind the scenes. I do love you all for it, keeps me trucking on, even if not as well as I was before :grouphug:

Secondly, balances:

Groceries for December: £119.92/£120. I'm pleased with this, the little increase for our Christmas goodies got us pizzas, scotch eggs, pasties, chocolates (I MISS chocolate!) and party pretzel snacks. All pre-packaged, microwave rubbish. PERFECT for our very lazy romantic Christmas away in a hotel room in the Lake District. Lovely part of the UK, where FDH grew up, very much looking forward to it. I will admit to getting some more essentials with that increase but I didn't really NEED them, however they will make life a bit easier in the run up to travelling home for Christmas.

Debt/Savings *gulps*:

House/wedding fund: £230.21/£30,000. £200 of this is our joint savings from the return of a rental deposit.

£150 in 100 days Challenge: £65.85/£150. Had to drop this from £1000, simply could NOT attain that goal in such a short time for various reasons, and it was getting me down.

Overdraft: -£675.01. -£800 is the agreed limit. At one point this was at -£721.00 after I was discharged from hospital and it hadn't sunk in that I had no money anymore... So not as bad as it could be, but still too bad for my liking. I pay as much into this as I can each month, but I can't avoid the cell phone bill that comes out of it as I can't afford to buy out of the contract...

Credit card: -£324.59. -£500 is the agreed limit. When I made a payment of £80 towards this at the beginning of the month, I was SO pleased that for the first time in over a year, the balance was less than £300... FAIL. Christmas gifts, posting of said gifts, and interest have done away with that small delight. God I am so stupid. Should never have taken out this darn thing. :bang:

TOTAL SAVINGS: £296.06

TOTAL DEBT: £999.60 :censor:

In comparision to some, my debt is small. I am thankful that I wasn't more reckless with my money in the past, but I am really starting to think of what the H£LL did I do with it all?!

When I was 17, I was working two jobs, 6 days a week, 50+hours, and taking home around £600/month. My rent (inclusive of all bills AND food) - £120/month. My travel - £50/month. Leftover money - around £430/month. Savings from that period - £0. IDIOT!

Since moving to London 2.5 years ago, earning £1200/month working full time in a highly skilled job, I managed to save £500 which was used towards a rental deposit which we lost due to the landlord and other tenants acting like complete :censor: At the same time, my then employer didn't pay me for NINE weeks, and expenses just kept coming and I kept spending. And then fell ill, couldn't work and STILL didn't save or wake up and realize things had to change. IDIOT!

Better late than never I guess, but boy I am never EVER going to be stupid with money again. (Apart from the confessions I'm about to make :ache:but you know what I mean...)

This month spending - I forgot to budget and save for expenses for friend's wedding... Train fares, cab fares to their very rural wedding location... So I had to transfer a lot of savings into our joint account to over these, as did FDH. December is a tight month for usanyway, we travel 300+miles every year to see our parents for Christmas, lots of birthdays, Christmas... So I wasn't too happy about this but it had to be done. There's NO way we'd have been able to miss that wedding.

I have spent around £120 on Christmas in total this year. Most of my gifts have been carefully hunted for in pound shops, have been handmade, and had lots of imagination put into them. I have spent the most on FDH, he has: funny socks, a book, a wooden foot massager, a big bar of Toblerone, and a discontinued Motley Crue T-shirt he has been hunting for since we met. Figured it's the least I can do seeing as he has looked after me so so well the past 6 months.

FDHs parents have truly come up gold this year. They are driving across the country to pick us and Craig's sister up, to take us all back to the North for Christmas. And taking us back home again. Craig's dad doesn't want us spending £70 each on a train ticket, and for me to have to stand on a crowded train with my condition. I can't thank them enough for this, it is such a relief.

One snag here - I've had to post a lot of gifts ahead of time to my parents house to distribute on Boxing Day, as there won't be much room in the car with five peoples luggage and Martha with all her gear too. That cost a fair bit, but what was I to do?

At least I know that all the gifts I will give this year will have been so carefully thought out and hopefully will bring a lot of joy to those who get them. In previous years I haven't really considered whether the person would actually like/use what I gave them... Funny what having no money makes you realize.

I have also bought a secondhand sandwich maker from Ebay. I don't like the homemade bread I make, but it is much better when made into a toastie type thing. This £7 investment will save money in the long term as I will be eating more sandwiches for lunch rather than cookies, crisps, pasta, rice and generally more expensive meals.

Speaking of which - I didn't make a meal planner for December. At all. And wow I missed it! I really do hope I can find the time before the beginning of January to make one for the first month of 2009. I have been trying to use up food sensibly, and so far I haven't thrown anything out or wasted anything.

And biggest hurdle to face in 2009... I'm going to have to go back to work in some capacity. I have had more than enough time to learn to cope with my condition, and, well I gotta face it, money is just too tight for us. We cannot leave London right now, yet can't afford living here on one wage. I won't be able to go back as a veterinary nurse, no way. But there is a large pet insurance company located two miles from our home who I am goin to apply to this coming week. Wish me luck. I am really, really going to need it, this will be very hard for me. Who wants to employ someone who is a liability cos they can't feel their limbs? :thud:

Thanks again all, more soon. More positive news, I hope.
 
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