I feel I need to make an act of contrition, April has been out of control, I feel lost financially and I need to regain the control that since January has been in total grip.
It’s all my own fault, April has been like all the diets that I have ever been on, I just have one minor blip and I throw in the towel – oh I’ve eaten a cream cake, well that’s it I’ve ruined it, I will just stuff my face and be damned. My frugal journey however will not be tossed to one side so easily, yep I’ve fallen but I am determined to get back on, draw a very firm line underneath it and start May as I mean to carry on.
So where did it all go wrong? Well April has been an expensive month but what started the catalyst was our week holiday to Durham with friends. This should be a relative cheap week as we take it in turns to cook so we only ended up cooking 2 meals however this with drink cost a total of £170 (for 8 people), that is horrific for essentially a home cooked meal. I have issues, I feel I have to show off, be the generous host and as I wasn’t in my kitchen and didn’t have the time and the ready ingredients to bake and cook as I would, I instead bought and boy did I buy.
That being said I should have just accepted that and counterbalanced it by being extra frugal at home, but no this blip took hold, I failed to plan for the rest of the month and I have shopped as I used to do in the bad old days. I essentially lost control and I have spent in excess of £640 this month in food and drink alone, this coupled with darling nephew’s birthday and confirmation and spending too much on him (as well as the catering) plus hubbys car insurance, and indulging hubby in buying him some new holiday clothes, the costs have well and truly spiraled and we have spent over £1000 this month on non-essential spends plus additional money (ie. Car insurance) in essential spends crickey o’reilly!
I just didn’t know how to handle the curve balls, falling out of the routine with all its extra expenditure/ financial pressures........ sorry that’s a cop out I did know how to handle it, it’s just that I chose not to handle it how I should and my in for a penny in for a pound old self reared its ugly head. I spent unconsciously and its only now as I tot everything up that the true extent of my failings has become a reality.
Right now all that is off my chest, I feel as though I have cleansed my soul. I am going to spend the rest of this evening planning May within an inch of its life, menus, batch cooking, spends etc.
Before I can ever realise financial freedom I have to have complete financial control and I’m grabbing it back with both and very firm hands.
Cxx
Hi! Don't beat yourself up too much, we all have ups and downs. The best thing is that you realise that it was an expensive month and how spending can easily get our of hand. You'll catch up in May I'm sure and feel all the better for it! :-) x
ReplyDeleteApril was a 5 week month, and it was a real stretch. Stuff happens sometimes, and I'm sure you will be back on track very soon. Be kind to yourself.
ReplyDeleteTawney x
First, breathe, you are only human. Next, take stock of everything you have in your cupboards - and eat only at home for the next seven days without spending any money (except on emergency items max £20 like milk or bread). Then write every purchase down for next 30 days. That, my friend will get you back on track. Holidays are always hard on the pocket book but totally worth it so - no regrets. Just have a better frugal May.
ReplyDeleteWe all have our "blips". At least you know where you are up to and its only 1 month not 6! Dont beat yourself up, just take hold of the reins again and move steadily forward.
ReplyDelete