I found myself browsing what's the cost website earlier. I entered my details for it to reveal an expected payoff date for CC1 of June 2015!! This is based on me paying £90 a month (minimum is actually lower) According to them, my minimum payment will not reach £60 ish until it is practically paid off. Not what I like to "hear". Of course I didn't add my snowflakes to this since they vary.

CC2 payoff date is worse, obviously. Sometime in 2018.

All of this is based on using the snowballing method.

Now that I've registered and saved my details I will be checking back occasionally.

That's it. Rant over.

Totaled up my recent discounts from shopping: £3.24 so sent a payment to credit card.

Total snowflakes for May (best yet!): £16.35

This is based on savings from coupons and my colleague discount. It's mostly from coupons though this month.

Noticed that there was a Money Day at my local family centre this week. It's aim was to "provide a range of advice including: advice on energy bills, budgeting tips and advice" I never went, I just seen it advertised. I guess they think people need help.

The other day I read in the paper that payday loans were being given to drunk people and children.

I was fully intending to post this week meal plan today until MIL showed up with two carrier bags full of stuff from her work. My freezer is now full of paninis, wraps and rolls. My fridge now has half a haggis (for hubby), wraps and paninis, plus all the veg and meat I already had in there. Also we were given a ready meal for two so we will have that tomorrow night when I'm home from work.

Hubby found a packet of jelly in the cupboard today so I made that up to have after dinner.

Made hubby's father's day card at baby group today, so that's that sorted. It took me a few attempts to get SG to put her hand on to the card, it's not perfect but I know hubby will appreciate it. Today was a NSD. Could do with having more of them.

Hubby's contract might be changing very soon - he will be working about five less hours a week. He's happy to work less so he can see us more. I'm not too sure but it will be good to have him home more when I'm off. We definetly need to watch our spending when his new hours start. It's not like we're bad to be honest but there will be no splurges.

I'm awaiting a letter soon about my Sharesave. I've been saving for three years. I'm not sure how much I will get, this is my first time getting it. People at work are saying that the letter should come through soon. The money will be used for getting carpets and some storage space since we have been here for almost nine months and we still don't have a carpet in our bedroom. But things take time.

Well I received a reply:

Thank you for your message.

I appreciate that you pay more than the minimum payment each month and have never missed any payment on your account. Please continue doing the same as this will help you to improve your credit rating. However, I'm unable to review the current interest rates on your account at the moment. Please be assured that we do review the interest rates on a periodic basis and will let you know in writing if we are able to offer you a lower interest rate in the future.

If you have any other queries, please send us a further secure message.

Sent an amail to CC1 company asking for a decrease in interest rate. I said I never miss a payment and I make more than the minimum payment. First time I've done this. Worst case scenario they say no but at least I will know that I've asked.

I'm just back from having lunch with my mum. My mum ended up buying our sandwiches and coffees. I bought us a chocolate brownie each. £3.70 (would be cheaper to make it!) Then I bought baby sunscreen and value teabags £2.77

Came home to find my quarterly clubcard statement from Tesco was here, and some money off coupons. I will be using them when I'm shopping next.

It's Father's Day next month. Hubby has asked for a plain red cap. I managed to find one online for about £2.xx including postage so that should be here next week. Hopefully it's nice.

Just sent a payment of £2.48 to CC1. This was from savings using my discount card. This brings my total snowflakes this month to £13.07

I'm meeting my mum for a coffee today. My treat, as my mum always ends up buying my lunch when we meet. Last week I went to hers so thought I would suggest going out instead this week. I also need to buy some teabags today and sunscreen for SG. I'm hoping that will be my only spending for the rest of the week though.

I suggested to hubby that we go to England in September when we're off so SG can meet her great-grandad. I'll start looking into that now. This will be our first time travelling with a toddler. I think we would be getting the train there.

This week we are having:

- paprika chicken with noodles
- spaghetti in a tomato, garlic and basil sauce
- chicken curry with rice

I'm expecting to have leftover spaghetti. I will make rice pudding once or twice this week for desert.

I just added up my savings from my shopping trips (some food and my cousin's birthday present) this week. £2.97 saved just by using my colleague discount card. I sent a payment to CC1. That brings my total snowflakes this month to £10.59.

Today I spent £6.72 at the local shop. £2.90 of that was for a mother and baby magazine which I only bought because it had a free book and toddler meal ideas. I could have went to the library for a book and googled meal ideas. I never buy any magazines though so it's not like this is a regular occurrence. I also bought a 500g pack of short grain pudding rice. I've never made rice pudding before so it will be interesting to see how it turns out. I'm always complaining to hubby that we never have desert so this should keep me happy for a while.

Hubby is picking up a bulk buy box of washing powder from work today. That will be £16 (after discount) It should last us months though. We've only been buying the smaller boxes of washing powder.

I impulsively made beef casserole a few nights ago. Hubby reminded me that there was beef in the fridge and asked me what I was making. I threw together some veg, stock and a bit of soy sauce. I also used the dumpling mix which I'd bought a few weeks ago from Poundland. I made some mashed potatoes to go with it.

I wish I could think of a better title, other than "meal planning" but that's what this is. Oh well.

I will make:

- chicken cacciatore with rice
- easy tuna pasta
- fish with potato wedges
- leftovers

I've never made chicken cacciatore before. Here's the link:

http://resourcefulcook.com/recipes/view/wb7xv-chicken-cacciatore

I'm making mine with chicken breasts instead of legs because I haven't got any. I don't need to buy anything to make this. I can't wait to make it.

I just added up my savings. I saved £2.62 using my discount card so I sent a payment to CC1. £7.62 so far this month of snowflakes, but £5 was using coupons.

I'm browsing resourceful cook website just now trying to plan next week's meals.

Hubby wanted a subway this week but I didn't give in.

I had a cheque to deposit at the bank today. It was my road tax refund. It's been sitting here for a few months so I had to deposit it soon or I would have missed my chance (I had six months from the date given) This money should make up for £40 spent on anti-virus.

The bank is at the shopping centre. While there I bought nappies and milk. I had a £1 off coupon for the nappies. It was my last one for that brand and it had to be used soon. I think we're sorted for the month now. Spent £6. Also went to a pound store to buy tea bags, ending up buying a pack of sweets there too. Found a card for 29p for my friend's little girl and a card for my cousin for 59p.

I haven't totaled up my snowflakes yet. I'm usually so good with them. I'm sure today I saved £1.80 but I will double check that, I've got all of the receipts in a compartment in my bag since my purse was getting too full. I really need to clear it out.

I made a batch of minestrone soup for SG. I also made moroccan-style chickpea soup. We will be having that later for dinner with grilled pitta breads. If we really like it I have enough to make the same again next week. Depending on leftovers we may have it another night.

Hubby bought in a chilled cookie mix a few weeks. It expires this week so I'm going to make it tomorrow. I really need to try baking cookies from scratch though. That will be next on my list.

I was thinking about the situation at work (getting asked to take unpaid days, a holiday or leave early) It used to only happen in January after Christmas. It's been like this for the past month. I'm glad I've already reduced my hours because I can see that being a possibility in the future. They've never asked before though, however, it's never been this bad.

Today is the end of my working week so I have a few days to spend with hubby and SG, since hubby took some extra holidays.

I spent £9.xx after work on groceries. I only meant to buy yogurts for me and hubby but I ended up buying reduced sausages (£1.33 for 12), two packets of crumpets (30-something pence) and reduced pancakes. I also bought some reduced snacks. I know, I'm bad when it comes to reduced items - I didn't need to buy them but they will get used up. I also bought a pack of fresh coriander for 22p. I'm going to put in into a freezer bag tomorrow then freeze for a later date.

Saved £1.07 using my discount so need to add that to CC1.

Work was strange. It was mentioned a few times today that if anyone wanted to go home - taking it either unpaid or using a days holiday - they could. I've already taken an unplanned days holiday for them so I'm not using them up, and I definetly cannot afford to take a day off unpaid. Most people I know are in exactly the same situation. It's getting worse, it never used to be this bad.

I'm trying to spend as little as possible this month. So I was pleased when hubby said that MIL had brought over some food from her work (she gets it for free, otherwise it gets thrown out) She brought scones, about a dozen rolls, sandwiches, haggis and black pudding. Hubby had the last two since I hate them both. I'm taking one of the sandwiches to work tomorrow, possibly a scone too. The bread that I bought will most likely end up in the freezer while we work through this stuff.

I have some snowflakes to add to my credit card: £5 from using coupons and more than £1 from using my discount card. This month there will probably be less snowflakes since I am aiming to spend as little as possible.

I made pasta ratatouille bake tonight. We had loads left over so we will have it tomorrow too.

Next week we will have:

- pasta ratatouille bake
- moroccan-style chickpea soup
- macaroni
- fish and chips

I also found a basic flapjack recipe so I will try that out.

http://britishfood.about.com/od/eorecipes/r/flapjack.htm

I will spend as little as possible.

Today is payday and I've already spent £40 that wasn't in the budget for anti-virus. I need to get a birthday present for my 7 year old cousin too. Also, my friend's little girl is turning one and we've been invited to the party. I told her I would go but that will only be if we get transport sorted since we no longer have a car.

I'm going to decide our meals for next week tonight. I'll post my meal plan later. I'm considering trying to make flapjacks or something similar to take to work since I buy a box of cereal bars every week to take to work.

During April I put £9.83 worth of snowflakes towards credit card debt. This was money from savings using either coupons or my discount card. I'm sure March was less than this but I ended up using it - therefore ruining all of my hard work. I haven't used it all this month.

Hubby told me that a reminder about our anti-virus expiring popped up onto the screen recently. I'll need to check how much it is. I made sure not to tick the auto-renewal box when I paid for it last year (with my credit card I think)

We're both on holiday so I haven't been meal planning as such - well not blogging about it anyway. I think it's because I'm not as worried because I'm at home. However, I did read Patient Saver's lamb stew recipe and it sounds delicious