Spending Disaster - Pocket Money Update

Oh dear, it's been an expensive few days!

So, my spending money budget was £83. I added £10 to this by not having to pay the dog-sitter on one occasion unexpectedly. This took it to £93. As my food expenditure, even with the fruit and veg top-up, was £50 under budget, happily my 'pocket money' budget rocketed to £153.

Spending until yesterday was just £20.40.

I caved at the college canteen and hoovered up a coffee and a banana at £2.70. How could I have avoided this? I could have taken a flask and my own fruit - it was just bad organisation. I will do next time.

I then was called in to the technicians office as the Hydroponics unit I ordered six weeks ago had arrived, and I needed to pay for it - £45. £45! A local company specialising in home hydroponics came to college ages ago to do a talk. I vaguely remember expressing an interest, but had forgotten all about it.  Needless to say, this is a bit of a disaster for my spending money budget!

Back at work, I had the usual panic about Fathers Day - I am totally eschewing the expensive presents that we seem obliged to buy, but do think a card is required. So, on to Moonpig and £3.61 later, a personalised card is on it's way. Not sure how I could have avoided this - made my own? I don't have any materials, so buying them would have been more expensive than the card I suspect (it included postage).

I consoled myself that I had planned a frugal evening's fitness activity - I met a friend for tennis at the local courts, which are free.

I really enjoyed it - it's been so long since I have played but it all came flooding back - and I am SO sore today, so it must have done me good!

However, I am sorry to say that I then took my friend to the pub for a drink, as I lost - cost £5. How could I have avoided this? We could have gone back to hers for a cup of tea. Or sat in the sunshine with a bottle of squash in the park to cool down. Or won the match so she had to pay! I will do one of these three next time.

So all in all, a catastrophic spending day - of my £150 spending money, I have spent £96.71, and have £53.29 left until the end of the month. I really need to rein it in for a while - I have no plans for the weekend other than jobs in the house/allotment, study and running. It is amazing how quickly the coffees and drinks sneak back under the radar.So I hereby impose a spending BAN until next week, Thursday 19th June.