Its a start..........

I spent yesterday sorting out money.

Ive decided to go for my old trusted envelopes labelled and stuck inside the cupboard door trick - I write how much I need to put in each envelope on each and then I know essential bills are paid.

My 6 envelopes at the minute to focus on are

Water ~ this is £1125 this month but down to £63 next month*
Council Tax ~ this is £115 but I'm holding off on this as we have just applied for council tax benefit so I want to see what the award is - but I will put money in there just in case.
Gas / Electric ~ My gas for the last bill was £7, the electric I'll pay £60 towards
Virgin ~ I rang and got some of our channels cancelled and dropped the bill from £80 down to £60
TV License ~ no brainer really
Kids ~ £10 for Bens Cubs subs and £4 for Holly's school snacks for the month in Nursery


*must remember to enquire about a water meter. We don't have a bath tub...only a walk in shower and so water is only really used for dishes, hand washing, toilet flushing etc.....so might be worthwhile.


All my other debts etc - according and advised by StepChange - can wait........


I've also gotten myself an old pop bottle - it fits 1ps / 5ps in it nicely and this is always the small change we find so I'm thinking I will fill the pop bottle up and then I can take it to town and empty it in the coin machine there. I'm not sure if the coin machine takes a cut though so I will have to check first. Failing that I will use a self serve checkout and use them all to pay for my goods. I'm thinking actually I could save those and put them into stamps ready for Christmas.....


I've also got an old jar - which I hope to use for coupons but I'm thinking using them instead for gift cards will be a better idea.....if I make a substantial saving on my food bill I may every so often buy a £10 gift card that I can put aside ready for Birthdays/Christmas so a few gifts are covered.


The next major event coming up is obviously Easter as well. Now I have 3 children of my own (13,9, and 3) and then another 11 family children I use to buy for. (3 nephews, 4 nieces and 4 younger cousins) and I cant forget Owens egg or he moans. My two youngest children want an Easter Egg hunt each and whilst Id usually but the 3 for £5 offer that most stores have this year I am going to Lidl and have gotten them a chocolate rabbit that comes with 8 - 10 eggs.........I'm going to get them downstairs for breakfast and then go upstairs and hide their eggs in their room each and the rabbit will be the main prize......in fairness as mean as I may sound - not getting them an actual egg - they have 9 people who buy for them which is family and not including me buying for them so one less egg wont hurt them. My sister is buying Ben a book he wants, and getting Holly clothes that she desperately needs and I think my mum is as well so they have a chocolate light Easter but they'll get their worth of stuff to be happy. I'm very glad I don't have materialistic kids - now if I could get my 13 year old step son on side we'd be laughing.

Todays plan of action is to tackle the food shop. I am paid Tuesday 8th / Wednesday 9th and I want to try and coupon it down as much as possible. I am picking up some paper this afternoon so I can sit and really get a fair bundle printed off and ready to go. I'm hoping to try and do it when the kids are in school but with an unemployed partner I get the feeling he will want to tag along which will only boost the balance again.
Im also hoping today to sit and write to companies to see if I can blag some coupons from them for being a satisfied customer :-) and maybe a few more freebie sample hunting as well


Have a productive day


Sammy
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