Who wants to join me in a May/June money saving Challenge?

[Starbear]

I need to,some how, break even by the end of the month which means I have to some how save £275.37 which I am overdrawn at the mo. I have other debits but I need to cover this before I deal with them. I don't want to swap my personal finance except above. But I thought we could find cheap deals or pat each other on the back when we don't get tempted to buy useless things or take a packed lunch to work that sort of stuff. Out of the months wages I have to buy Ds some summer clothes and myself and move out while builders are in my very small house. (We can't afford to move) Our budget is going to be tight for the next few years but I still what to some fun.

Hi all, I was about to say I didn't spend anything at all but then remembered paying for Art Club. It's amazing how you lose track of a fiver here and there. We have gone to the Kitchen show room to figure out the cost of our new kitchen so in a way I might have just commited oursleves to thousands of pounds. Abbylou I think the comment section of the budget is important. How you feel about what that money bought. So a DVD or book which you then never read or see is a waste but a fiver on chatting to work friends, staying in the loop and bonding as a team is money well spent I think. I have also figured out that I hate clothes shopping while I'm fat so until I lose 2 stones I'm not buying any new clothes so there I'm going to look scruffy and yukky until the weight has gone. I'm must stop eating with the boys when I'm not really hungry as that is a waste of money and expands my waist. Oh! I also turned down a piece of cake from DH to save money as well.

You're right Starbear. I think we have been skint for so long that we really don't ever waste money. Everything goes on essentials or for the kids to be honest. We have spent quite a bit today but it was all needed. Dh spent 50p on a coffee while watching ds play tag rugby and £19.99 on a new pair of trainers for ds. We bought him Adidas this time. We normally buy the cheap supermarket brand ones at about £8 a time but they only last a couple of months. Last time we bought him proper trainers and they lasted ages so we did it again this time. I spent £8.99 on a birthday present for a party we are all going to tomorrow for a friends sons 3rd birthday. I also bought wrapping paper and a tag for 50p and a newspaper which will give us something to read all week. We spent the afternoon gardening in the sun with the kids and in-laws who are gardening fanatics so the garden looks fab, we've all had some fresh air and the kids are exhausted!! I also made a batch of chocolate chip cookies today so feel very pleased with myself.

All I've spent is the postage to post something I sold on ebay. My dd has been playing next door all day so haven't had to spend money entertaining her. I also did some overtime at work this morning.Tomorrow we are going to kids club to watch hop we haven't seen this.
Hopefully I will get some more stuff listed to sell on ebay. It is very addictive. I feel lost when I haven't got anything on!!

brightermornings Oh I wish you could sell my stuff I hate the tought of ebay but I know it makes sense. Dinner very cheap as it was batched cooked chicken & bean stew from end of March and a drop of wine for me & DH

I sold some baby clothes on Ebay earlier this month. It was very inconsistent to be honest. I sold several bundles of the same size and hey sold for amounts ranging from 2.50-11.00. I made about £55 altogether so it was worth it.

It is very hit and miss. You have to be prepared to feel like your giving things away sometimes. I don't have amazing listings all singing and dancing. I have built up good feedback which I think helps. The last lot of stuff I sold was given to me ages ago by my cousin. I'd shoved it away and forgotten about it! A lot was brand new with tags on. I've made about £60 so I am really pleased. It means we can have a few treats which I believe are important even when your trying to be careful.
Been to pics this morning cost less than a fiver for tickets and goodies so really happy with that.
Hopefully I will list some more stuff on ebay either today or tomorrow.

Hi everybody, had a good shop in Asda Saturday morning 7.00am, didn't get a few things like certain bread I wanted due to them not having stocked the shelves. Had to do a top up Sunday in Lidl, water softner tablets for the washing machine, bin bags and got some nappies. My husband seemed to pile things into the trolley though, and then asked me why we had spent £26??? why because, you put things into the trolley.

He is a bit mad into his wine making at the moment, however, I did pick him up some free demi johns yesterday on freecycle. I have told him not to spend anymore, but he still went away and spent £20 in town. I just can't control him anymore, he knows we need to save !!!!!

Haven't spent anything else this weekend, so going to watch this week as it is half term.

hi all,hope you all had a good bank hol(apart from weather)well manage to make £42 from ebay at weekend so that's one of my overdrafts paid off and hopefully after payday this week will get 2nd overdraft cleared.of which I WILL NOT USE(note to onesself) it will be there incase of any sudden wine emergencies only!! then i can consentrate on getting my 2 credit cards down.well worked all day monday at double time so made that day instead of spending n got no car tomorrow so another no spend day.

No weekly shop this week as we are moving out of the house this weekend and I've cooked things from stuff we already had in the cupboard. Must do this more often and stop buying ingredients to complex recipes and then I don?t find time to make them feeling very nervous about moving out. The expense is going to be shocking and not being able to control my spending because we aren?t at home. Also not having a PC is going to be odd. A colleague (not a friend now!!!!) of DH borrowed our tent and has ripped it It will be six weeks before it will be repaired. I?m so cross. If we don?t get our tent back in time for our holiday there be more expense figuring out what to do for our 1 week off and keep the cost down.
Well I?m so tired now after sorting and packing the house up. Think I?ve been a little short with DH so I?d better make it up to him tomorrow he?s gone out to the pub so I have the evening to sort out my clothes. Losing weight would save money as I have clothes in size 10, 12, 14 & 16! The size 16 clothes are ugly
Poppy My DH never keeps receipts so it's really hard to return fault items (like ink cartridge, DS sports kit that didn't fit him) I'm going to change all that when we get back into the house. I'm the one who throws things into the trolly.
debtfree I really don't have the knowledge to ebay. Well done. I think I've wasted tons of money not ebaying

Well I hope everyones keeping on track and I hope to return to the fold in September as then I really will be scared of the debt we are in.

SecondComing Good luck with ebay. Hope things improve

starbearwishing you all the best in your move(it will be fine)we will be here always to give you support.

well today went to sainsbury's for a top up shop spent £13 did include £10 necter voucher)anyway this bloke came up (trying to sell me his sainsbury's credit card deal)saying how do you pay for your shopping so i'm like CASH n he say's why when you could have your food shop free for 2 years!!!! so i went on one with him saying "what i never have to pay it back"mmm he soon dissapeared out of sight,TOSSER,really though no wonder people get in debt when they are pushing it in your face making it sound so wonderfull!! would now luv to know what APR was on it??