And so it begins: The Pig Vs The Mortgage

Thanks BTE and Wish, I've had more relaxing weekends that's for sure:)

Just returned from our second trip to A and E due to infection:eek:
We now have super strength antibiotics and crutches (once they found some long enough for my baby boy:rotfl:). Let's hopeit was worth the four hour wait:( NHS staff are amazing. Despite being rushed of their feet they manage to look after everyone's needs. Jeremy Hunt needs to go and do a shift - 1% pay freeze my a**e. They deserve a medal:A. Sorry -don't often get ranty!! (Should maybe have left the predictive text on that last word and given you all a giggle:D).

Thank goodness for batch cooking - we arrived home late and ravenous to Thai red curry, hm naan a rice in about 5 minutes and there's enough for tomorrow's lunches.
Work was OK, nothing exciting, nothing awful. Lunch was hm soup and a ys granary roll so no spends apart from £1 on some sweets for my brave boy when we collected his prescription (he'll always be my baby:D).

No cleaning or exercise done which is a shame but not the end of the world. No money news either. I hate this mid month lull where nothing's happening and you end up feeling like you've a mountain to climb. To top it all I got a big, unexpected bill from my previous life. Its only really half mine but I can face the aggravation so I've paid it. That's the beauty of an emergency fund I guess but it still feels like a step back:(
Onwards and upwards though. I'm under budget on groceries, fuel and personal spends so if I batten down the hatches I can pull around 1/3 to 1/2 of it back so thats what I'm going to do. A thrifty half term beckons! I'm also going to get some eBay listings ready to try a raise a bit more cash before the month end.

I'm much better at reducing spending than I am at increasing my income so I need to look for more opportunities.
Im also going to take some time to reflect on my journey so far to list positive changes that I've made which are now thrifty habits and to try and think of new ways to save, to improve my quality of life and to increase my income. Next week should give me the headspace to do this.

Hope everyone survived the storms without mishap.

PP xx

wishingthemortgaheaway wrote: »

Booo to unexpected bills. They should be banned.

I know :mad: its very unlike me to be caught on the hop like that but it goes back over three years and was during a time when I was shall we say, less than happy! Its paid now though so I'll notch it up to experience

Thank goodness- today has been long and busy and a bit wearing if I'm honest:( Hopefully things will get back to normal after the holidays.
DS has improved massively in the last 24 hours so hopefully he'll be up and about again very soon or at least able to put his own socks on.
I've been reading the speculation about interest rates and inflation and it really strengthened my resolve as I'm tired of being at the mercy of these things. Ditto my decision to load up my avc because although I really enjoy my job I do have days that remind me how tough it is physically and emotionally and it will be soooooo good to finally be in a,position where I have the choice about what I do, where I do it and for how long. I'm going to hold that thought and revisit it on those dark days where I question what the hell I'm doing living on a shoe string

Ive been pondering some of my thrifty habits that are now second nature but in my previous life were not in order to acknowledge how important these small steps are in achieving great strides. I'm very quick to berate myself if I fail but I'm not so good and celebrating successes.

Some of the things I now do without thinking include:

Making my own coffee, always. I love ground coffee, its one of my few luxuries but I have switched to Aldi (currently £1.39 and really nice) and I make on pot a day. I drink one large one before work and the rest goes into a large thermos travel cup which lasts the rest of the day.

Always take my own lunch which is usually left overs so that's a double win:)

Batch cook so for every meal made there is a couple for the freezer. This also saves me time and energy on days like today.

Use everything! Lo are eaten for lunch or frozen for another day or turned into something else. A Sunday roast can feed us for three or four meals by turning lo into pies, risotto,fried rice dishes and soup.

Ys shop. I never pay more than 10p for bread or rolls - ever!

Stock take, meal plan and shop with a list. Save a blooming fortune and takes all the stress out of meal times.

Shop seasonally. If certain fruits or veggies are expensive I buy something else. I used to shop on automatic pilot. Not anymore!

Wash twice a week to ensure full loads. I also try to wash on a good drying day by checking the forecast but failing that I use an airer. TD is for dire emergencies only .

Reuse plastic tubs with lids like margarine and yogurt pots to freeze batch cooked food and left overseas.

Use the endless charity bags that come through the door as bin liners. I've not bought bin liners for two years:money:

Buy used and try to stick to needs but don't always succeed:o


I'm sure there are more but its a start:)


Today's wins included:

Closed last notice account and transfered funds plus interest to os savings

Used my lifetime guarantee to replace my watch battery:money:

Didn't have enough rice for dinner so padded it out with hm spicy wedges to avoid shopping.

Got 3 special birthday cards for 29p each.


I did however have a few spends as I needed calcium and interdental brushes and a birthday gift so £8.97 spent although they'll come from my grocery budget and annual spends budget.

I'm also not up to date with my assessment marking:(

Off to sleep very soon as I'm pooped

PP xx

Hi Jessy :wave: thanks for popping in. Free bin liners are better than bought ones!

I missed yesterday's post I was in half term holiday heaven (sofa, film and a few glasses of wine)

Yesterday was a bit spendy but only on essentials. £20 spent on a petrol top up which WILL last me throughout half term as I'm going to walk whenever possible and £28.25 on the weekly food shop which is a bit higher than I would have like given its a five week month. It did have lots of fresh fruit and veg though which will be nice after my store cupboard/freezer use up as I'm getting a bit fed up of tinned and frozen.

There's nothing else of note really but a few minor wins;

Tidied ds's room

Cheap, healthy eats (porridge, lo chilli and baked potato, fish pie from ys fish from the freezer)

Stock take, meal plan and shopping done from list

Delivered birthday gift

Today's to dos are;

Get started - I've had a right lazy start. Do love my sat morning coffee in bed though:)

Car insurance quote

Refer friend to TCB for double payment

Get out for a long walk in the sunshine

Pick sloes ready for sloe gin making

Read for a couple of hours

Request NW rewards payment - £6.15

Clean the house properly:(

Laundry

Hope everyone has a lovely, frugal weekend:)

PP xx