November Numbercrunchers *blows the budgeteering bugle*

[claretandamberforever]

In here please.

Feel free to post a daily spending diary, to ask for advice or just for a general money moan.

Turnoff - I have a young DS and am a single parent so most of my socialising revolves around children things. Most of my friends have youngish children too so I don't feel left out. When DS is with his dad I should make more of an effort to do stuff but I tend to clean and slob. Both are free! I have missed out on birthday weekends away because of DS but I've been secretly pleased. I am feeling old and boring at the moment.

Today was £6.35 in asda on batteries and loads of reduced bread for the freezer. £12 in petrol too. I need a few NSDs now as I only have a few quid in my weekly budge

£6 on a haircut for DS and £2.10 at the post office, so £8.10 altogether.

I admit to feeling secretly pleased when things are cancelled sometimes...found out today there will not be an official work Xmas party - cost £30 last year.

I do find it hard to say no. I am the first of my uni friends to have a baby, and best friend whose birthday it is has made the decision not to have children, so I do get swept along sometimes with a child-free lifestyle.

I love being old, boring, cleaning and slobbing! I find some of these invites quite anti-social - would much rather be at home watching X-factor on a Saturday night! It's just when it's a birthday/ hen party/ haven't seen you for ages kind of thing I always find myself saying yes when what I'd rather be saying is 'sorry I'd love to see you but I really can't afford it'.

Turnoff could you but away a little each week/month To pay for the social events?

Kinky I can't do the Jedi thing, my dressing gown has no hood

Picked up a few moré bits Today, £20, plus 2 lot's of road tolls as DD had To Go in for an exam, so I collected her before lunch and then back again for DD2. So, hang on, that's, erm - about 3 quid? Brain's shut down.

Adora you have been cheated!!!

I've just pulled out of the Christmas do because it would cost too much. I'm going to stay with friends in just over a week and that might involve a meal out; I know I'm going to a gig that will be £15. I'm so conscious that every penny counts.

It's like today. DD is going for an operation to have her internal portacath removed (goodbye chemotherapy ). I should drive, but I won't be able to park anywhere near the bit of the hospital where she will be. This means that when she comes out from her op, I would either have to leave her waiting in the entrance to go and get the car or make her walk to it. As neither of the options are very appealing, I think we'll taxi. So, I'm looking at £20 on travel today. Parking would probably be about £10 though. Sigh.

Turnoff if you really can't afford it then don't go. We all have financial blips occasionally and your friends should understand. I was lucky, while pregnant my friends suggested I pay my share of the food bill separately they drink A LOT so now sometimes I split the bill, sometimes I don't. However, since that first pregnancy, some years ago, another couple have had a baby, 3 couples are saving for a house and 1 couple are always broke, so someone's always having tap water! Take a bus rather than a cab, arrive a little late so you miss the pre dinner drink, only have a main course and one glass of wine, leave early and catch another bus. I've done a night out on around a tenner this way. Still saw the birthday girl and had a good time. Oh and we stopped doing birthday presents ages ago!

Old energy supplier owe me somewhere between £100-140 but can't release it as they haven't had figures from new supplier, who I joined 6 weeks ago. New supplier has apologised and said it is their fault, but it'll take another 2/3 weeks to sort out. I'm not impressed but when it does turn up it'll be useful for Christmas shop.

Email the new suppliers ceo, it worked for Claret & I. You might get a bit of extra compo.

Petrol Budget: £178.20 remaining
Grocery Budget: £162.98 remaining
Everyday Stuff: £308.81 remaining

EDF have put their prices up by 3.9% according to yesterday's news which is less than it could have been by all accounts. I'm price fixed until June anyway so I'll probably stay until then and compare prices elsewhere.

I'm genuinely saddened at seeing some posts on mumsnet and even some of my friends on facebook that people genuinely cannot afford to heat their homes and are having to choose between heating and eating. It's terrible that people in the UK have to live like this. Heating is not a luxury surely! I know I have been moaning about my fuel bills but at the end of the day I moan because I don't like to spend money on something as boring as gas and electricity. I pray that it's not a very cold winter for people caught in this trap.

Have managed NSD's this week but had to do a bit of top up shopping yesterday. DH got a petrol reimbursement so that went back on my petrol budget. Nothing much to report otherwise..

Turnoff If I can't afford a social outing, then these days I am honest and say I can't afford it. In the past I have made an excuse, but once I got caught out when the outing was then rearranged! Now I think honesty is the best policy and I just say - friends understand and many have agreed with me. I think at this time of year, everyone has a lot of expense whatever their financial situation.

Kinky Really hope you DD's operations goes well today .

claret I know what you mean about the expense of heating. I read online yesterday that this is supposed to be a bad winter. I too am hoping that it is not too cold.

Hope all goes Well Today Kinky, and yes, defo been cheated

Don't know why I'm posting now, I should be doing housework as estate agent is bringing people To view later.

You're right Claret, it shouldn't be a choice between keeping warm or eating.

I've just read a thing on BBC that says fuel price rises in the UK will continúe for 17 years To pay for the upkeep, or up grade -not sure what I read now-, of the infraestructura. Scary. A few yers ago when we had visitors I Sent them back with fleece pyjamas and socks for my sister, much better than posting from here. Hardly weigh anything and I could rely on her recieving them.

Don't think I'll be spending Today as I have no one To leave DD1 with so will have To drag her out To collect DD2. Oh, but I need food for the dogs. I could deposito both DDs in the coffee shop and whizz through the till. That'll be their treat this week, then.

£1 on dressings but its a business expense, £10 petrol.

No personal spends.

I need this thread! marking place.

Heating vs eating is a v depressing prospect. We're not quite there, thankfully, but things wouldn't need to get a huge amount worse for us to be.

DH and I have started being a bit more honest about social invitations, but have tried to make up for it by inviting people for dinner or meeting in the park with kids or whatever. It has meant both our parents suddenly becoming a bit more generous when we see them as they've realised we can't just automatically pay our way, which is nice .

The DCs seem determined to keep up their shorts and t-shirt routine, but I am remaining firm on the heating. They are at least deigning to wear jumpers during the day sometimes now! I'm sure that if they get cold they will put them on eventually. Might get some primark dressing gowns and slippers so at least I don't feel I've spent £££ if they don't get worn (I haven't been inside a Primark for over a decade ).

Have had a spendy few days, mainly on business expenses, but I am determinedly keeping track of it with YNAB so at least we can see where money is going at the end of the month.

My ebay listings are proving a complete disappointment, don't think I'll get much at all for them. Made a conscious effort to spend the time updating my online shop today (I have an etsy shop) instead of ebay listing and almost immediately made a £60 sale, which is rather more profitable than ebay has been of late!

An NSD for me until I paid my road tax. £220. Next month is my insurance.

I live in a new small flat and I'm lucky as it's warm and easy to heat. If it was just me the heating wouldnt be on yet but DS's room is the cold one so his heater is on at night.

It's going to get colder apparently, where we used to live (rural) it went to -17 one year. That was fun with no central heating.

I wouldn't be surprised by a v v cold winter actually, even though I am normally very dismissive of weather reports.

I am going to try to track down a couple of cheap plastic crates tomorrow to start putting stuff in for Christmas. I currently have two bottles of fizz and some cake sprinkles cluttering up my sideboard, and if I buy anything like mince pies or stollen it won't have a chance to clutter up the side if it isn't hidden immediately!

Kinky - really hope you got that taxi, some things are just worth it xx

Thanks for the reality check everyone. It's silly to be so careful day in day out, budget loo paper, hanging out in dressing gown etc, just to go and blow the savings on a night out.

Fairly spendy day. £1.50 bus fair, £3.50 lunch, £18 dentist, £0.60 milk.

As well as thinking about what I've spent each day I'd also like to keep note of frugal things I have done each day to make myself feel better!

3 Frugal Things:

1. walked home rather than catching bus
2. avoided weekly grocery shop (except nappies and milk) for the third day by making creative dinners out of the bottom of the cupboard/fridge/freezer
3. have emailed friends I'm seeing in December to tell them how I really can't spend too much money. Have suggested all food eaten at home and asked not to be in on rounds so I can just go for water or soft drinks

Thanks all .

I managed to get a parking space outside for... £11!!! Jeez, they know how to charge. Hopefully that gets put back into the hospital budget and doesn't get spent on some executive's bonus.

Anyway, she's had her op but is feeling quite sore and grotty after it so she wasn't able to go to her grandparents. That means I'm off with her today. In terms of money, I'll be down 2 days' pay. But, as Turnoff rightly says, some things are worth it. I'm hoping that the removal of the port is a sign that once and for all we are out of the cancer years. It's been three years of hell. That's what's created many of the financial issues, as I've lost lots of pay due to absence and spent lots of money on tat due to developing a 'sod it' mentality. Social worker (we get one with a child's cancer DX) told me that it's not uncommon for families of cancer patients to get into debt because you just stop caring. Some of the things she's had to go through, we've had to go through, are so horrible. And we've lost many children who we met, which makes it even tougher. I treated my two continually.

So, the port is out, she's just starting her GCSEs (after being held back a year) and I'm due to begin a new job in January. Praying it is the beginning of a kinder time for all of us.

Morning kinky. I hope it is too! You certainly deserve it.

Kinky I'm pleased your DD's operation is over and hope she feels a bit better today. Three years is a long time for you all to suffer. I will pray for you that this is the start of a happier time for you all .

Possibly Do you have a Poundstretcher near you? Ours always has lots of plastic crates piled up outside. It is a good idea to start stowing away stuff for Christmas. I usually hide all my stuff under the stairs so other people don't see it and start eating it. Also, they have flannelette pyjamas in Primark for about £5 a pair which I have bought before for DD which are lovely and cosy plus they wash really well.

for kinky and your DD.

NSD. In for the day now.

NSD!

3 Frugal Things:

1. chased up some paperwork needed to be paid for some work I did back in January!
2. signed up to childcare voucher scheme
3. cancelled weight watchers online direct debit

Response from friends has been great. One has just taken a new job for a charity which she'll love but means significant pay cut and another is saving for her wedding so both happy to join me in low cost evening.

£1 micro pore tape for work
£1 scrubby gloves
£1 nair cream
£10 eyebrow thread
£15 petrol
£6 food for hospital appt
£21 powder. Sick of cheap powders but this will last me 2 years
£5 Hugh Fearnly whittingstill veg everyday book off amazon,

£2 parking.

kinky I'm glad the operation is over and hope your DD is feeling less grotty now.

Monikar thanks for the poundstretcher tip - have no idea if there's one in town but will look tomorrow. And will look in primark too.

Had a far cheaper day than expected today - did food shopping in Aldi but my lovely mum (visiting for a day or two) paid for everything except the Christmas extras I had in the trolley, so I only spent £16 instead of £56. Bought some nice Christmas decorations, a bottle of red and a marzipan stollen for Christmas. My hypothetical box is getting fuller, now I need to find the poundstretcher and find a box! No other spends today which is nice after a spendy couple of days.