Accountability thread.

[Methenyouplus4]

Would anyone like to join me? I aim to look ahead to potential spends (above planned for bills/petrol etc) and then cap a maximum 'extra'. So this would include things like trying to get bargain present or, if we are doing something that costs money at the weekend, trying to knock a tenner off the food shop to compensate, selling old clothes etc. Any extra I manage to save will be put in a separate account.

If you'd like to join in, feel free and we can encourage each other and ensure we're accountable for all those little extras.

I had a mixed end to the week. I ended up with a £31 top up shop which took me £6 over weekly budget, really annoyed as spent £10 of it on x2 tubs of luxury (But small) ice-cream that hubby and I sat and ate on a night where we had both had really tough days and felt sorry for ourselves. I have felt bad about it since and felt sick after (what a glutton) so lesson learnt! Managed Friday shop at £105 again so just need to keep top up low to make it worthwhile.

Spent £25 on Ikea tree, was thrilled I had some blinds to return so would have only cost £5 but hubby bought some cutlery so saving almost cancelled out. Only other spend was £20- £15 on new light for tree (rabbit destroyed old ones), £2 on cat food and £3 on a gift.

This week I need to remember to get cash out for £80 disposable as this makes me much more reflective on spends.

Car insurance up for renewal this week (we do it annually) so hoping for a saving there.

Methenyou

Do you take £6 of this weeks spends to even out the month? After last weeks over spend by £6

I keep an almond milk at work for that reason. I bought x2 huge milks to try and keep us going and avoid the dreaded top up. X5 people have porridge for breakfast x4 times per week, happy as cheap/nutritious/hearty but does require a fair bit of milk.

Been much more sensible about putting heating on and kids just wearing slippers/dressing gowns. Put it on for the hour before they do bath/bed and that's about it. Still hunting in charity shops for thick curtains to hang over front&back doors and our bedroom.

Porridge is nicer - to me - made with non dairy milk. Would they notice if it was made with oat milk?

I am trying the Jordan Page envelope method (funcheaporfree on youtube) suggested on another thread- you have two boxes (food/other) and each week you can borrow across but never down.

So I have £125 for food and £80 for other (non budget stuff so not direct debits, car fuel etc, covers things like haircut, kids clubs, snack bought out etc). My £6 overspend on food has to come from my £80 disposable as can only swap Moby between the two each week, not down into next week (so can't get to last week of month and have £23 left for food or whatever).

Watch her YouTube video as she explains better! But I find that is a good method (Only been using it for x2 weeks though).

Ivy- made porridge with almond milk and they were fine with that, but I find it more £ than cow's milk? About 90p per carton,?

But the point is the 90p a carton saves a top up spend in the supermarket and being tempted to expensive ice cream for £10 🤣

A litre carton of long life soya milk is 85p
A pint of milk is 49p

Haha, fair point Ivy! Feel I should point out I don't normally spend £10 on Ben&Jerrys but I do defo grab 'extras when I top up shop.

I think x2 oat/almond milk defo a plan for the times we run out. What is oat like in hot drinks? I can take almond in coffee but DH thinks it is vile in hot drinks.

Keep milk for the hot drinks and use the soya for porridge, that way you only need smaller amount of milk and can stock up on king life soya, oat etc and a small pint of milk in the freezer for emergencies hot drinks

Methenyou- I too have been guilty of drowing my sorrows or rewarding myself with food or alcohol. It's easy isn't it when you have had a long day at work and it's dark and miserable outside?
I'm trying, as part of being more accountable, to cut down on this. I've put on a fair bit of weight over the last year and this is certainly contribing.

Instead I've been trying to think up small rewards- an hour guilt free knitting, reading a chapter of my book without feeling like I should be doing something else.

Am also applying it to stops in coffee shops when out.

Missphonic- yes, I really feel like that is what I am doing. Our youngest DS recently had medical issue which means he is now disabled and requires a high level of night care. I am exhausted and eating crap but despite eating far too much junk, I have ended up losing weight, I think mainly because I get very little sleep/am pretty stressed. Lack of sleep/poor eating choices are a vicious circle but my skin is looking horrendous and I feel like a slug.

I have decided not to be too hard on myself until after crimbo when am reducing work hours (hence the need to cut back financially), hoping that will give me some time/brain space to exercise/make better food choices. To be fair, meals are always great as cook for kids so healthy choices, then I will eat a load of junk when they are in bed. Not great.

But yes, I need to plan small treats. Things like time away is tough as DS needs carer with him at all times and even stuff like painting nails awkward as up and down the stairs all evening to check on him. I am a member of a book group but can't follow books at the moment as so tired I can't follow /remember story. I did get a Good housekeeping mag yesterday (was 3 issues for £3 total then you coukd cancel) and that has been great as can just read small articles and follow them.

@Methenyou that sounds really tough, do you have family/friends nearby to support you?
My greatest gift to myself this year has been an audible subscription.I'm just too tired after work to read a book and this means I feel lile I'm not just wasting my 2 hour daily commute. Have enjoyed the drive a lot more now that I don't have mindless music blaring at me. Also, a little spendsy but if you have a kindle book already you can generally get the audible version for a couple of quid. Means I can actually read all those kindle books that I have piled up with good intentions!
Audible generally do good deals for 3 months to try to lure you in.

@MissPhonic I think your ideas of treating yourself sounds like a plan, like you and @Methenyou, I am definitely guilty of using spending and eating as a reward. Sorry to hear about your son @Methenyou, it sounds like you are doing a brilliant job just rememeber to look after yourself too.
Well yesterday DH and I spent £90 on new curtains and lamps for our bedroom that was expected, if not necessary, as we have just redecorated. The ones we had were fine but didn't go with the new room. However today I did our weekly shop and it came to..... A grand total of £21.00! And then when I got home I realised id been charged for something I didn't buy so I went back into into store and got the refund so down to £19.00, then they gave me a £2.00 gift card to say sorry so my weekly shop was £17.00!! I was genuinely excited to post about this!! I looked at what we had in our cupboards and freezer and planned what we would eat from there. I will need to go back in a few days for some salad stuff for DH's packed lunch, as it doesn't stay fresh that long, but aside from that I have bought all we need.
Just dipping in to the non dairy milk I can't find any I would drink. My daughter has oat milk (CMPA & Soya allergic) and my son has soya milk (almost outgrown CMPA) and... Bleurgh! 😂 I can tolerate oat milk in food as its quite inoffensive but not on cereal or in tea.

@ivykaty44 congratulations to your daughter!!! Did it take you completely by suprise?
@ScarletPower well done on taking control over your debt, hopefully this thread will provide encouragement to see what else you can do.

Challenger - thanks, I had an inclination July/August

I buy salads for the beginning of the week and then swap to an alternative once it’s gone.

I have brought some ginger bread men cutters & a Santa stamp but this will be useful instead of Xmas cards I shall make everyone a gingerbread person for work

Challenger - thanks, I had an inclination July/August

I buy salads for the beginning of the week and then swap to an alternative once it’s gone.

I have brought some ginger bread men cutters & a Santa stamp but this will be useful instead of Xmas cards I shall make everyone a gingerbread person for work

Ivykaty, what a gorgeous idea! Would you mind posting your recipe for the gingerbread please?

£60 this eve at Tesco. Mince, chicken, bacon, a piece of ham to boil/roast. I am off on Thursday so shall have a cooking session for freezer dinners. Apart from milk, salad and veg, am not going near a big supermarket until Christmas. All shopping for Christmas done bar a couple of bottles of wine and a gift bag so planning to lie low and try to enjoy the season.

My dd works in an artisan bakers so she said she’d let me know the recipe

Thank you, I’d appreciate that.

Just a quick check in as really should be in bed by now but waiting for DS's blood levels to stabilise.

No spend here (so I thought) for past few days other than £10 on cheap tickets for a sporting event (discount through work) and £3 food shop top up. However, DH decided to buy kids a couple of crimbo presents, he does this each year but need to plan a better way for next year where he feels he has more input. Also offered to take eldest son for food before sporting event. I pointed out that even cheap food out costs way more than eating in. Perhaps I seem a hypocrite after I bought the tickets, but they seemed a bargain and a lovely thing/,treat for DH/DS to do together whereas food out just seems excessive.

I will come back with the recipe, dd been out early every morning & ive been late back we’ve missed each other.

Did see the guardian had a recipe for gingerbread men that looked food so may try that on Saturday if I haven’t caught up with dd

Had a fab weekend of productivity! Had to spend a bit (haircut £29, few christmas bits, jam jars) but looked around for the best deals.

Did a thorough meal plan (I do every week but made sure I covered snacks etc), spent all of sunday cooking soup, daal, chutney for little presents (DP revealed he has to find a "green" secret santa present by Wednesday- perfect!), carrot and pineapple muffins.

Then went and got the annual christmas stick (last year we ordered a tree but M&S mucked us about with delivery, we needed a small one as we are in a flar-DP took matters into his own hand down the local woods and made a beautiful stant).

Also made £47.50 on ebay. Sold an unused Ray-Ban glasses case for £5.50!

Christmas stick photo attached. 'Scuse empty photo frames, awaiting new prints. And we firmly believe in "more is more" when it comes to decs.