2017 - moving life forwards

coastalchick · 1 July 2017 at 2:54PM

£142.60!!!! !!!!!!. B told me to get loads of booze. 18 pack corona, 12 carlsberg export, 6 bottles wine. Plus sides (to be fair, they were reduced to 79p each), rolls, salad, baguette, pudding, cream, sausages, chicken, sauces. Plus stuff for lunches next week, the papers, bin liners, milk, veg for next week. I really don't know how it all added up to that. Because booze was around £55 so just not sure how rest added up. Maybe I better check my receipt. Got cereal too.

Really not feeling like drinking tonight. We had a fair bit at friends last night. They got out about 15 different bottles of whisky so tucking into that. Feeling rough today but B feeling fine.

Have just made garlic bread for tonight so that can go in oven when time comes and we are doing jacket potatoes too. I personally think we have too much food and lots of it will go to waste. Oh, got cheese and crisps too. Now see where it's all adding up. There are only going to be 5 of us and have 10 burgers, 12 sausages, 8 chicken thighs, jacket pots, coleslaw, potato salad, salad, rolls, crisps and cheese.

Gah, I do like socialising but it's bloody expensive!!!!

Hoping that is IT now until next week for food and drink. I think if we could cut down on shopping bills then we would be loaded! But we have so much on over the summer with people coming for bbq's and visiting and what not.

Not quite sure when life became so expensive. B seems oblivious.

coastalchick · 2 July 2017 at 11:25AM

so night was good but lots of wasted food!!!! Garlic bread barely touched. Friend took leftover sausages for her dog. We have lots of grated cheese left and we have some left over chorizo/salami from what we took to B's mum's thursday so will use some towards omelette B going to make at lunch. B is currently at his mum's clearing out the loft - hopefully he will find plenty we can car boot. Going to aim for one next sat and then anything we can't shift give to charity shop.

Lazy day today though - we might go for a walk later and have to plan our september hols. I just honestly don't know when life got so expensive.

Doing my shredding this morning too - loads of stuff from when I was with my ex years and years ago. Upsetting to think I wasted 4.5 years on that b*stard!!!!!! (he ran off with someone else 6 months before we were due to get married) and found the information insert to our wedding invitations earlier - was good to put that in the shredder!!!!

System · 4 July 2017 at 10:24AM

I find when I entertain and have my girlfriends or the guys over for dinner I tend to portion things out per person, I tally in my head ‘2 of those, 1 of those, 1 of those each’ etc. and make the meal in my head… I then cook and buy that much. People will eat what you make them in that scenario but it limits waste… When I used to eat meat if I had people coming over I would either go to the butcher counter and ask for the specific amount of meat I needed each or buy a multipack thing that had the exact number in…. It’s wonderful having the house you can entertain in but food wastage does become part and parcel so it’s just about limiting that – easier said than done (especially when your friends are fussy, veggie, vegan, allergic to everything etc.)

How is Marley getting on?

Exciting news about trying for a baby, really pleased for you. Also great to hear the maternity pay thing isn’t stopping you, yes it may be a bit of a struggle but there is never a ‘perfect’ time to have a baby and rather this than waiting and then potentially missing the opportunity.

coastalchick · 5 July 2017 at 7:56PM

Thanks Sauce - yes, I do try to do that in my head too but it's B thinking we don't have enough - he literally drives me insane!!!

He's doing really well thanks. He seems to like new house though he;s not very good at shoo-ing other cats away!!!

Yeah, I think that it would be better if we are successful in september (or any time onwards) but given my age and fact its harder to conceive and also more chance of miscarriage, much better to go for it now.

We are a bit brassic right now as just booked 2 weeks to Sicily in Sept/Oct. Paid deposit and all flights yesterday but balance due 21 July! Can just about do it as get paid on 20th but means nothing out of july's pay towards house stuff and all my holiday account gone!!!

Claimed back £12 in expenses from work - £3.90 was for sandwich I bought last week whilst in other office and rest was for sandwiches when I went to other office in Jan which had not got round to claiming back so the £8.10 can go to savings and the £3.90 to credit card as put it on that.

B at band practice then going for a drink which is great as means have tv to self. Tomorrow will be spendy as out for dinner with friends - 15 of us so bar bill will be massive and people going mad ordering drinks and I am driving!!!!

coastalchick · 7 July 2017 at 8:11AM

Yesterday was ok in end. Walked too and from work thereby saving petrol money. Took lunch (even though it was horrid and made me and B feel sick!!). Then out for dinner with friends. Ended up being 13 of us. Was £33.50 a head including tip which wasn't too bad though I wasn't drinking. That was 2 courses, 2 pints lime and soda and a coffee. The boys drank lots of pints whereas the girls who were drinking (5) only got through 2 bottles wine and 4 G&T's so in a way subsidising drinkers as some couples had both drinking and some had just 1, but I don't mind that too much. I'd thought it was going to be about £40 a head so in a way saved. Was good to catch up with people but felt for B as he hadn't really met many of them before (it's the group with the 2 girls who are mean to me in though both were really nice last night) and the boys didn't really talk to him much. They can be cliquey.

Tonight is B's work summer ball so having hair done at 330. Just a cut on blow dry. Could have done with highlights but she couldn't fit those in. Budgeting £50. Will be minimum spend as free bar and food but getting taxi home so maybe a fiver and we are getting a lift there. Not tried my dress on yet so not actually sure it fits!!! I won't drink. Slight chance I could be pregnant but won't know for 2 weeks. Am probably not but at my age it's just not worth taking risk, need all the help I can.

Then we have NO plans, other than to B's mums sunday. So happy about that. We will do big shop and just potter at home, do garden, maybe go for walk etc.

Ordered new bed frame yesterday - locally was £575 but online £324! So as we sold old mattress for £150 and are going to sell our current bed frame (either to B's new tenants or just advertise), it should pretty much be paid for by that which is good. Hoping that gets delivered next week.

Just sitting here now in lounge with double doors open and it is so peaceful, birds tweeting etc. I love this house. So glad we went for it in the end. Can't believe we ever weren't sure about it!

coastalchick · 7 July 2017 at 8:18AM

oh, and found out yesterday exactly how underpaid I was in my last job. In an equivalent role in a bigger firm (but not hugely bigger) they were paid 48k a year more than me, plus had loads of benefits (pension, private health, death in service, critical illness, travel insurance) (whereas I had zero benefits) and chance of 30% bonus (we never had a bonus scheme). I cannot believe I let myself be underpaid for so long. 5 flaming years (well, I suppose the 3.5 I was a partner). Feel very annoyed at self now given all the health problems I had - at least a salary like that would have allowed me to squirrel loads away.

coastalchick · 8 July 2017 at 8:33AM

hair was £67.10 but that included shampoo which I do need. Because of my alopecia, my scalp is v sensitive so it's a special shampoo which seems to work for me in terms of managing my scalp pain. So guessing hair was £53 which is slightly over budget but then I was under budget on thurs night dinner. Bought milk, crisps and face wipes on way home (face wipes were only 99p) so that was £4 something but some of that will be paid by B as was joint.

Friends gave us a lift last night there and back so fiver saved on taxi and also meant we left an hour earlier which I was grateful for as B got quite drunk!!!! To be fair to him, it was one of those where the staff were just topping up everyone's glasses when they weren't looking. He is a bit hungover today and neither of us could sleep so been up since 6am but he's in garden now. All free last night and was lovely food so a good night.

Think today we will just be pottering and maybe go for a walk or something. Big shop later and we need expensive stuff like coffee so not expecting that to be cheap but hoping with a bit of meal planning we can control it. Tonight will be night in with netflix! We are away with B's dad and stepmum next weekend then my parents are here the weekend after, whilst looking forward to both, also looking forward to having this weekend really quiet!

coastalchick · 9 July 2017 at 9:10AM

ended up going out for lunch - our fave pizza place. £17.50 each so not too bad.

Then big shop ended up being £41 each - we did need things like coffee and extras like chocolate made it into our trolley. We also got one of those posh charlie bingham meals for dinner which was almost £9 and an emergency pizza for when we get back late next sun which I figure is cheaper than getting a take out/going out.

Spending should be minimal today - need to get B's brother in law some beers for his birthday (so maybe a fiver each) and some spinach as the stuff they had in yesterday was about to go off. This week should be cheap during the week - have a team meeting tomorrow where lunch is provided then will take lunch in rest of week. We will probably only need a top up of milk. Next weekend we are away but accommodation and hire car already paid for and so will just be meals out, drinks and petrol. Should be able to pay for that from holiday account though thinking of doing it from this month's expenses as have a fair whack left (new pay on 20th) as out holiday balance is payable 21st so really need it for that.

My parents arrive on 20th so it's good timing pay day wise though I think that the next pay month I won't be able to save much from budget (may even go over) given parents here and then we've got loads of people coming round for bbqs as we've been to so many bbqs and dinners at their houses over the years that we really need to repay that kindness

coastalchick · 9 July 2017 at 11:07AM

spoke too soon! B's sister has messaged saying lets do an impromptu bbq at his mums so we have to get food. Hoping we don't get stung like normal for getting the expensive bits of meal, esp as I could actually be pregnant (would be a shock as first time trying and given my age....) and if so, then it will be due end March and so I won't get maternity pay!

dionysia · 9 July 2017 at 11:54AM

Nice weather for a bbq

. Could you proactively say what food you'll bring instead of waiting to get lumbered with the expensive meat and booze?

2017 - moving life forwards

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