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Archive for March, 2016

If Plan A fails, there are 25 more letters in the alphabet

March 27th, 2016 at 02:48 pm

It's payday on Friday. This month my budgeting app has shown me that I spend over 60% of our income on debt repayment. That was an eye-opener.

This pay I am going to go back to my old ways and meal plan properly. I also have to pay the last of the cot (33) because I don't want that added to my catalogue. I'm also going to shop in Farmfoods and probably Iceland (the shop). I've been browsing frugal recipes these past few days too. I also think we have to start having one or two nights a week of cheap meals e.g eggs, chips and beans.

So, right now, my plan is:

1. Payoff cot before 29/4
2. Meal plan
3. Buy frozen meat and fish

I also have to replace the money I've taken out of savings. I have a feeling that'll take a while though.

I've been managing to go into Swagbucks daily. I'm trying to keep the habit up so I can get snowflakes.

Okay, the only way is up from here.

Bad month

March 24th, 2016 at 03:07 pm

It's been a tough month. I've completely blown my very low budget of 80gbp for food shopping, withdrew some cash from savings and borrowed some money from my mum. Ugh.

I don't know how on earth I'll reach any of my goals if we keep on like this.

I redeemed 3.00 rewards from my survey today and I'm almost at enough Swagbucks for 5.00 PayPal. When these come through I'll put them towards Jason's cot that km paying off so I don't miss the deadline (29/4)and it gets added to my catalogue bill. I was debating whether to put it towards my credit card, bank of Scotland, but this is more important right now,

I'm thinking from June onwards I'll put any snowflakes towards Christmas shopping.

I'm going to make a note of how much I owe to savings. I really don't know if I'll get it paid back this year. I hate owing myself money. I worked hard to save it.

I'm on the lookout for a new job, work is getting me down.

Hubby has been invited out by his friends. We really can't afford it but I want him to go because it's been over a year since he's seen them.

Update

March 14th, 2016 at 01:57 pm

It's been a while again.

SG's birthday is soon. We used catalogue rewards (so zero out of pocket) and high street vouchers to get her gifts. My only actual spending has been on buying her card and ingredients for the cake, which I'll buy tomorrow.

I installed a budgeting app on my tablet. My only complaint is that I can't set it to four weekly payments.

I set an unrealistic grocery budget of 80 and unfortunately I'm over by 3.xx with over two weeks to go. I will of course use what we have first before buying anymore.

I had to decline a wedding invite from a friend from school. I'm surprised we got invited in the first place, I haven't seen him in years. He was at our wedding though. To go to his wedding it involves a lot of travel and staying in a hotel or something. I had to tell him about hubby quitting his job. I really would have loved to go. He was supportive of my decision and told me that I would be missed. He did say that hubby is invited to the stag do though.

Hubby is going to be quite busy soon I think. He recently got back in touch with a few of his close friends. They didn't seem to know about major life events that had been happening with each other, they do now though. They had a good catch up and seem to be checking in with each other daily. I like those kinds of catch ups. They have invited him out soon.

A few days later I had my own catch up with my friend so it worked out quite nicely.

Found out from my mum that her and her siblings are splitting the cost of my uncle's funeral.

One of my friends is in hospital right now. She has a chronic illness. I have been texting her,i think she would go stir crazy otherwise.

I downloaded Swagbucks TV onto my phone, anything to get more money to put towards debt.

I think that's all for now.

Personal Debt under 7k!!!

March 4th, 2016 at 10:01 am

I made a payment to the catalogues this morning, then I added up my total debt: 6901.21. Finally under 7k. I would be more happy if hubby didn't have about the equivalent to his name, but I'm working on it.

As it stands, hubby has 5526.85 of catalogue debt, plus two thousand on his credit card.

The only good news I can take from this is that debt is GOING DOWN!!!

I can't wait until the day I can say:

GOODBYE EVIL COMPANIES, MY MONEY'S ALL MINE NOW!!!!

A girl can dream.

Approaching payday etc

March 2nd, 2016 at 01:41 pm

It's payday on Friday. Nothing to brag about though, it should be called The Day I Give All my Money to the Catalogues.

It was my uncle's funeral this week. Before I went I tried to remember who wasn't talking to who, but I needn't have bothered because it was so obvious. My cousin, who is currently serving time, was even there. I gave him a hug and made sure to have a quick chat with him.

I've made a few new Facebook friends since then. I thought it was only after weddings that this sort of thing happy, but apparently it's funerals too.

When I came home after the funeral and wake, I told hubby we need to plan for our funerals. A few arguments almost happened over money while I was there. Then there were other arguments too, ranging from etiquette to who should or shouldn't be there. Everyone has an opinion about everything it seems.

My bank balance is abysmal - it's not negative but it's bad enough. We can survive till payday though, there's plenty to eat even if it isn't our first choice.

I've started to do surveys again. I redeemed 5gbp PayPal rewards and put it to bank of Scotland, even though I really should have kept it for cash flow.