Well, we had a lovely weekend, we popped in on our lovely friends and visited Stratford-Upon-Avon together. You know when you are encouraged by the smallest thing someone says? Well, I totally was!
We walked the streets of Stratford with our two children being absolutely PERFECT. Yes, you heard me. We actually wouldn’t even have known they were with us, if we hadn’t been pushing the buggy! There they were all cute and snuggled in, and being so peaceful. Maybe they had a sense of the greatness of Shakespeare – ahhh Beth got all the baby Shakespeare (Baby Einstein) Dvds as a babe. Ooops forgotten to do the same with Ben. Does that mean he won’t be a baby einstein? Gosh, no. He is so intelligent already 
Honestly.
Anyways. For the first time in a long time. I came close to starbucks (you will know I love it there!) and kept walking. No there wasn’t a queue, there weren’t any works being done inside…. I just realised how expensive life is getting.
You’ll have seen my £100 challenge. We had £100 a week for food/petrol/going out etc. We did this for a while when we were saving up for our patio. I will have to do a patio post, but I’m waiting for the sunshine (seriously, we are waiting for a blue sky day to sit out on our new patio, been waiting a few weeks now!)
This is what I wrote:
£100:That’s it. To spend (ONLY) £100 per week – on the following:
- food (we usually spend £30-60 pw)
- petrol (we have 2 cars so that’s about £10-£20 pw)
- nappies (usually £13 a fortnight)
- meals out/dates/coffee (this is going to hurt ME so bad…………)
- days out with the bbs (£5 pw)
Okay. It is totally possible, even if I spend £60 at the shops and £20 petrol. It leaves £35 for coffee, clothes, fun. This could hurt some but if I do it and keep it up for a month then I will be celebrating with a night in a hotel (or two!). Which is more than worth splurges in primark, starbucks, playcentres, takeaways and meals out. Send some love! xxx
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Well. I’m back on it. We have just gone through one of the most expensive times in our life. AND I am ready to not spend any more £££££££££ on things that aren’t fun! When I think about money, what I’d like to spend it on, I think of holidays, hotels, date nights, beautiful clothes for the children, taking friends out, doing things for others. When I am spending sad amounts of money on car breakdowns. It almost makes me want to cry. There’s so much fun stuff to do. And don’t get me wrong. We have a lot of fun.
Even re-reading the budget seems absolutely ridiculous, silly even. But it works.
I did this monthly spread sheet (might sound really basic) But if you add up all your income, and deduct all your outgoings (yes, EVERYTHING YOU SPEND!) then we got a WONDERFUL amount left over. Well. We would. If………………… So I looked at that lovely amount that was left over and subtracted £400 (yes, £100 per week) and there we are. A budget. I tried it and: There was more money left. And there was a challenge Whatever is left out of that £100 is free to spend on ANYTHING. sweet!
Hebrews 13:5
Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down ( relax My hold on you)! [ Assuredly not!]
So there we are. At least I’m free from the love of money. I just don’t like the way you end up spending on things that go wrong, rather than things that are right!
Yes, I’m satisfied with what we have, and the ‘possessions’ that mean the most are my family and friends (and maybe my laptop!)
God says that He won’t leave me without support. And honestly. Even when you see the bills and the fear comes. I have never been without God’s overwhelming faithfulness. Even as I think to the beginning of the blog. I don’t want to presume that I can provide for myself. I can’t. I know that God provides for us, in EVERY single situation. But… That worry came back. Just reading that scripture today really inspired me not to worry. But trust. And if God’s never going to ‘relax His hold on me’ then that means I’m totally cared for, never going to be let go of. WOW!
We have been so fun busy the past week, I am really looking forward to my week off with the children as it’s Beth’s half term. Please sun, shine every day!
Have a wonderful week, and enjoy all who are close to you xox
