Money Diary: 'I spent £2,000 this week - mostly on bills'

My Money explores however radical crossed the UK negociate their spending successful a emblematic week.

As prices rise, BBC News has been proceeding astir their ways of cutting costs and the fiscal decisions they person to make.

Ruth Chipperfield is simply a 33-year-old jewellery decorator and goldsmith from Birmingham.

She rents a location with her hubby and 23-month-old child.

I spent £364.80 connected the nursery, topped up to £456 with the government's tax-free childcare scheme.

That covers 2 days nursery a week successful February, though my mum looks aft my toddler for different 2 days a week.

I bought a lint roller for £11.98 to hopefully amended the carpet edges successful my rented house.

Finally, I spent £49.95 connected artillery lights, cleaning sponges, sticky seal to screen a crumbling model seal and immoderate flexi lids.

My hubby besides did a mini nutrient store costing £40.09 astatine Asda, which included day cards for our niece and nephew.

I recovered immoderate spare parts for my son's climbing framework connected eBay, spending £62.

My combined utilities went out, which was £191.86. This includes gas, electricity, broadband and 2 mobile phones.

I'm with Utility Warehouse and get a currency backmost card, truthful I get wealth disconnected my bills each clip I usage it. This period I got £19.13 disconnected truthful my existent measure would person been £210.99.

I consciousness blessed that caller increases successful prices person been offset by the maturation successful my business.

I've got narcolepsy and 10 years agone I was collapsing astir 30 times a day, truthful my hubby was my carer.

I fell done each the cracks successful fiscal assistance, truthful it's taken years for america to summation fiscal stability.

Today's full was £253.86.

Today was frustrating. I was connected the mode to my parents' location to enactment connected my website there, portion my mum looked aft my toddler. Then I got blinded by the prima and went up the curb.

I waited for the RAC with my toddler successful the backmost of the car.

I clipped 2 wheels needing 2 caller tyres and a caller alloy wheel. I went for a inexpensive tyre astatine £48 and recovered a brace of wheels connected Gumtree costing £60. I'm hoping to merchantability the 1 I don't need.

I was lone capable to get 1 tyre sorted yesterday earlier picking up the alloys, truthful that's different occupation for tomorrow.

I besides spent £9 connected my monthly beingness insurance, £19.25 connected car tax, £21 connected interaction lenses and £925 connected rent. I managed to enactment connected my website successful the extremity though.

We're gathering up a rainy time fund, past I'd emotion to prevention for a deposit to bargain a house. We'll get determination eventually.

Today's outgoings came to £1082.25.

Today was my time disconnected to walk with my lad and it started by getting my car sorted with a caller tyre for £59.

I wandered astir immoderate shops with my lad portion waiting for it to beryllium fitted.

I recovered immoderate bully artifact cars successful a foundation store and bought him a constabulary car for £1.59. I past bought immoderate crayons and insubstantial successful Poundland for £2.50, I didn't cognize things successful Poundland were nary longer £1.

I had a coagulated time moving astatine the jewellers bench, truthful I didn't walk anything.

But my hubby did a mini supermarket shop, which came to £32.07.

Today was mostly spent rearranging furnishings and tidying the house, up of a caller sofa arriving.

I spent £107.85 connected a mattress topper, mattress protector and caller pillows.

We besides spent £2.99 connected cocoa and an envelope astatine the country shop.

That's £110.84 for today.

We astir got done the time without spending anything.

But successful the end, we had curry for £40.79. We seldom get a takeaway truthful it's a treat, though we ever walk much than what I deliberation a takeaway should cost, partially due to the fact that I'm gluten escaped truthful determination are less options.

Our full spending this week was £2049.72.

Overall, this week has gone well. We've spent little connected nutrient this week but I'm definite we'll marque up for it adjacent week. We've not needed to bargain petrol for the car, truthful that's made it a cheaper week too, though I didn't program connected bursting tyres.

I've had my just stock of intelligence wellness issues but you person to enactment affirmative due to the fact that what's the alternative, being miserable?

Finding small ways to beryllium generous helps, similar gifting thing to a person oregon household subordinate erstwhile they're facing challenges.

As told to Jamie Moreland. Design by Jenny Law.

Would you similar to stock your play spending with BBC News? If you're surviving successful the UK, email my.money@bbc.co.uk