I fear IKEA!

Not true - love the shop but am unable to come out without buying! So to take my mind off OH's op my eldest dd and I popped off to IKEA on Tuesday allegedly just for lunch and a browse........

Lunch was £9.72 (which comes out of my monthly allowance - I budget myself a set amount each month for treats - that way I don't feel hard done by!)

First buy was 3 sets of washing up brushes at 30p per set (a good "need not a want"). Then I looked at the pans - I have been after new pans for a while - my last set were Tefal but very lightweight and the non-stick was really badly starting to come off. Looked at IKEA pans before but find them either far too heavy (and expensive!) or stainless steel and I like the non-stick. Anyway, must have brought in some new pans because there was a perfect set of 4 pans - 2 large ones with handles both sides, a small milk pan and frying pan. Loved the handles as I have problems with my left wrist and cant grip things sometimes. Also, the biggest pan has a setting on the lid so you dont have to hold the lid while draining liquid out - and the 2 pans had metal lids not glass ones which never seem to clean properly.

After much humming and hawing (I'm not one for impulse buying!) and threats from my dd that if I didn't buy new pans we would all die a horrible death from non-stick food poisoning, dear reader, I bought them! Once the dam had burst I also bought a pasta insert for one and a "bain marie" insert - grand total - £53.97! This comes out of my Household budget so I did have the money sitting for them. I also bought 2 bulbs for my youngest dds nightlight so again, a need not a want as the lamp will only take IKEA bulbs.

Then as a last flourish - they had their dressing gowns reduced from £24.99 to £7.49 - again, dd persuaded me to buy one as my last dressing gown (bought for 99p from ebay) is really on its last legs (wasnt up to much in the first place!) - so that came out of my monthly allowance too.

Next was Sainsburys as I needed lentils - of course, couldn't just come out with JUST lentils - also managed to get 2 packs of reduced salmon fillets for £5 which was really good for 6 fillets (also bought needs of sponges,washing up liquid - Fairy reduced to 65p, tomato puree and barley) And true to form - bought a basics hand mixer for £4.18 as i don't have one and thought that was a really good price - my dd has one and swears by hers - I'm afraid that was a want not a need.....

Have now dutifully thrown out my old pans (honestly, it nearly killed me!) and have washed my old fleece dressing gown ready to make covers for my floor swiffer and mop (waste not want not!)

Jan grocery spend - £168.98
Holiday fund - £50
My allowance - £17.22
Household spend - £72.52