I do master lists for budgets, household maintenance, car, appointments etc.
I do weekly money spending lists, daily to do lists and a monthly overview.
Appointments and yearly things like car tax, car insurance go into phone and tablet calendar, sync and reminders set.
Also set reminders if I've taken out a free trial so that I can cancel the direct debit.
I do 4 washes most weeks, whites, blacks, colours and bedding. Some weeks bedding is combined with colours.
I batch cook, aiming for 6 meals sorted per fortnight, then supplement over the week with a salad meal, a grilled meal like fish or chicken with veg, an oven meal like an oven pizza and one other easy meal like jacket potatoes. All served with salad, veg or wrap as needed.
I don't do top up shops as freeze bread and kids have uht milk.
I have extra store cupboard items so don't need to shop weekly and if we run out of something then we just have something else.
Everything has a place and I do a quick tidy 5/10 mins before bed. I put everything to go up on the stairs and then take them up with me and put away.
I clean the bathroom before I shower so 3 or 4 mins each time with floor done every other day on top. It so quick as it's always done so just wiping and rinsing needed.
Hoover twice a week, no pets, hard floors. Spills get wiped up immediately and disinfected as stickiness attracts insects. Steam mop as needed. Sweep as needed, like after meals.
Kids chores are loading washing machine, putting some of their washing away (I help organise), sweeping or hoovering bedrooms, hoovering, cleaning bathroom and kitchen floors, wiping handles, switches and doors, weeding, dusting surfaces. All started from a young age ie 18 months being taught to put toys away, hoover or sweep from age 4 and 5 when they think its a fun game, washing up with no knives from age 4, as they like splashing. You usually have to do it over but at that age they are so helpful and proud of themselves and they get into the habit of helping.
Basically they do everything that I do but they do 1 or 2 things each per day, like one would wash up and one will sweep and I do the rest.
I declutter monthly, trying on clothing and checking fit. Deciding whats for ebay, charity or destined for rag bag.
I only buy washing up sponges and worktop/table cloths, our cleaning cloths are all old t-shirt, leggings, pj's as jersey is great for cleaning.
All yearly expenses, I work out their monthly cost and put it aside, ie £18 pm for mot and servicing. £45 for insurance, £11 for road tax. That way nothing can be unexpected as yearly costs are yearly so why did you not expect it?
Termly expenses get their monthly amount put aside too.
Also put aside money for days out, emergency fund, holidays and clothing.
I shop in the sales only and when my girls were little always shopped ahead, not really now but will still store branded trainers and jeans for older child whose feet have stopped growing and next size up for younger child. Younger child has more opinions and just turned 9 so she is starting to choose more, I did let her choose before but from my already specially curated offerings. I do buy winter coats ahead of time as this is the UK and winter is always around the corner. I also buy the classic styles in wool when 75_90%off then put then on ebay. Always make a nice profit. My ebay fund is currently going towards moving costs but usually goes towards daytrips and cinema.
I only go cinema with Meerkat movies so Tues or Wed. We get 3 tickets for price of one as I'm a carer so Cinema is our main treat. We take picnics and drinks wherever we go, we may choose one treat whilst out on a day trip but most often we just eat the food we have bought with us.
I have a rule that if I need something it must be the best that I can possibly get for my budget or the best item reduced. You need to buy cheap and good quality.
Being cheap can mean buying twice if you are not savvy. So I research it and shop around, then use a online voucher and cash back site. Use online vouchers for things like car service and boiler serving also.
I never just run out and buy something even if needed. I still shop around using mysupermarket.com for food items and only buy soap powder, quorn, almond and oat milk when on offer, as they are on offer
somewhere.
I check petrol prices online and if I'm going to a cheaper area, I put in half a tank then fill up on my way back in the cheaper area.
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