Old Style Diary Archive - JAN 06

Bargain_Rzl

Happy Saturday!

Most importantly, Happy Birthday Nicki :j :j :j and WELCOME BACK QUEENIE :j :j :j

Didn't wake up until 11:20 and feeling a bit under the weather but nothing a bit of a blood sugar boost and some fresh air won't fix. Ticklemouse - you took the words right out of my mouth, I want to check out the end of the Debenhams sale too, though I'll do it tomorrow when I have church choir so will be near the Oxford Street branch. Meanwhile I'm going to pop out for some odds and ends, including checking out bargains at my local Iceland which PP tipped me off about.

I will be back later if I've managed to get plenty of things done around the house - this is really the last weekend for ages where I have no excuse not to be productive

Bye :wave:

SueRob_2

Hi All
Only just managed to get 5 mins to myself, took OH to work at 7, shopped & put petrol in the car & was home by 8:30. Met by very stroppy step son, he's known for a month that he needed to get a bank account sorted out & needed to give his boss his NI number, He couldn't be bothered, so he got paid by cheque & can't cash it & he got stopped emergency tax & he didn't get paid for a day he took off sick!!! So he's in a very bad mood & it's everyone elses fault but his. I spent an hour on line with him explaining that he will have to pay tax, we all do. He believes he works harder than anyone else & so should get more pay. Oh if only life were fair. He's 20 years old, no qualifications, no education, no experience. he earns twice what I do!
Have finally thrown him in the direction of the bus stop to go & get a bank account sorted.
I'm making a pan of carrot soup for my lunch, will tidy kitchen, clean out the rabbit hutch & blitz the study, by which time it will be time to collect OH from work.
Blessings to you all, specially all the little peeps.
Sue

skystar

Good afternoon everyone.

First time posting on this thread so hope its ok to join in!

Busy morning so far. Second load of washing on and will be dried on airer. Only use tumble dryer to partially dry bed covers, towels and jeans.
Bathroom scrubbed and cleaned as had workmen in yesterday and they left a bit of a mess!

Had to take my husband to the dole office this morning so he can start to sign on (recently laid off work and not having much luck finding anything else). Hoped it wouldn't come to signing on but just keep telling myself a) we are entitled b) can't afford to have pride and c) he has worked for it.
Whilst he was there I went into Aldi for a mooch. Got a lot of good bargains. Big pack of lean steak mince for 69p and steak pies that hubbie likes for half price.

Have pots of potato and turnip on at the moment which will be mashed up and frozen and used within the month. I work on a shopping budget from the 20th to the 19th of the month so this is the start of the month for me so like to get the freezer stocked.

Hope everyone has a great day

SueRob_2

Hope he finds something soon Skystar, we had 6 months on one wage so know how you both feel, good luck.
Sue

cha97michelle

Morning (or should i say afternoon) everyone

Had a bit of a lie in - though woken by the post man at 9. Made a lovely cooked breakfast while DH had a bath. Bed stripped and in WM. Load done overnight hung on airer. Tidied up.

DH is on a real mission this morning - he has cleaned living room windows and patio doors, washed up, finally taken down outside christmas lights, and is now upstairs doing something while i've been online paying bills, although mostly shirking.

Telly arrived yesterday, which made me realise how bad the previous one had been. We can't grumble as we bought it 2nd hand when students, and it's done 5 years. DH can now have it set up with his playstation.

We need to wait in for ASDA delivery between 3 and 5. I think we'll manage to get in the garden and do a bit of pruning as the weather is so nice.

elona

DH's birthday today so making scampi and vegetable kebabs with a chocolate cake to follow.

Went to Monks Cross today and got DD two pairs of jeans and a top and got a real bargain in Warehouse - a red velvet bag that was £18 reduced to £5 because it was covered in fluff!

Spent ten minutes with sellotape and the bag now looks great and will make a great extra birthday present for DD who has a 17th in February.

Got gorgeous crystal earrings that should have been £69 for about a fiver fron thejelleryshop.net so really pleased with that as well! (also for DD)



Just about to go out for a newspaper and then will wrap pressies for DH.

Hug to those who are not well.

Curry Queen

I am so pleased that you were able to get washing out on the line - it is great when it is good drying weather.
I remember offering you a virtual share of my patio(or yard) last year when it was so hot! Enjoy your new space and remember - it is amazing what a coat of paint can do and sometimes there are really good bargains in carpet remnants as well. Ikea is great for curtains at a really cheap price.

tootles_2

Afternoon folks, just a quick post for Catznine.

Having OH retire and your giving up work is tough, but life is a challenge isn't it? I think you may be surprised at how things work out.

My OH is 10 years older than I. He retired at 65 in 1998, at that point I was working in a tied occupation, my contract finished in 2000 when we moved back to the midlands to be nearer family, at that point at the age of 57 I also gave up work, so our income was very greatly reduced until my retirement pensions kicked in, in August 2003. It has not been easy, but I have always been OS and this has helped us greatly. We are working through paying off our car, loan and a CC debt but life is fine.

We have an allotment which helps in the summer to keep our greengrocery bills down, our houskeeping budget is £25 a week for groceries, meat etc.....£25 a month for petrol and OH has £7.50 a week pocket money which pays for his bowls etc......once we have paid for our car we will have a little more cash but we are very happy as we are. I am actively de-cluttering, selling stuff on e bay and planning to do a couple of boot sales in the spring.

We have a holiday booked almost 4 weeks in a static caravan in France in September, cost £334 , crossing by eurotunnel paid for by Tesco deals, so just pocket money to find, hopefully the boot sales and e bay will supply this.

We do have a treat once a month, it might just be going out for a walk or to the local pub for a pensioners lunch, occasionally we go further afield to a garden openday or the like.

elona

Queenie

It is lovely to see you back - it is not the same without you.

Thank you so much for the concept of "virtual" pin money - I am saving a fortune lol!

Have saved over £100 on pressies for DDs birthday so really pleased with myself.

Ticklemouse

Well, I managed 4 hours out in town

Debenhams - got 2 tops and ...... a skirt!! I'm a jeans girl so this is a bit of a step forward to me. Then needed to buy some boots to go with it Also bought 3 other gifts for the gift box. Pre-sale price - £93, I paid £23.20 plus my £5 gift voucher I got for opening a Debs card last year (which I have since closed:D) Really wanted some jeans but Blackburn Debs doesn't have a Dorothy Perkins, where my friend said the 2for1 on jeans were. Didn't like any of the other ones

Went to market for some veg then to Tesco's where I picked up a pair of boots for £15 (were £30) Also managed to get some goodies in Boots using vouchers etc so didn't end up parting with cash in there either. Filled my birthday card box with 7 for £1 cards - and they are nice ones too. All in all, not a bad day (except I needed a tank full of petrol and still spent £42 on food in Tesco )

So, having a late lunch - veg soup. Mr TM is playing outside with the boys and I shall go and wash the car - inside and out, cos I can't see what colour it is

Also, Happy Birthday Nicki and :hello: to Queenie

TM

SnowyOwl_2

Hello everyone...specially to Queenie, so glad you're around.

:beer:***!!Happy Birthday Nicki!!***:beer:

I have been a complete and utter lazy lout today...had a bit of a disturbed sleep as always - couldn't get off to sleep to start with but eventually nodded off around 1.00 am - woke up around fourish (could set my clocks by that it is so regular) - got back to sleep...didn't wake up again until 2.00 pm!!! Gosh that is truly amazing for me. I had forgotten what it's like not to feel tired. Am a lazy mare though, I'm sitting here in my jimmies! Unlike most of you I have no DH or babies, so can potter about until the wee small hours tonight getting my bits and pieces done.

B = porridge
L = ummmm, errrrrr, dunno! Think I should give it a miss considering my laziness today.
D = roast chicken. Got two farm fed ones for £1.50 on Xmas Eve, put them in the oven to defrost (it's a catproof environment in there you see). Will roast both of them today, then fill the freezer with cooked chicken for the rest of the month.

I have to be brave and look in my bank account later, I've been sticking my head in the sand big style this month, blown every semblance of a budget, and not kept track of cash withdrawals or switch payments since Christmas. As I have no college next week thought I would use the newly available time constructively to organise my cupboards, and draw up a proper budget and meal plan. I keep having to nip to the shop which I think is a sign of bad planning.

Holstar...keep going duckie, fluvial wotsanames sounds riveting, but do try and squeeze in a bit of silliness and diversion - all work and no play makes Holstar a very dull girl....

Skystar...welcome to Old Style. Sorry to hear about your other half's work situation. I've been through it too, not a nice situation to be in. I had 3 months unemployment in England right after Sept 11th (mega nightmare!!), then another three months starting in Dec 04 here in Ireland. Something will turn up in due course...he's gotta keep trying though. I will send you a PM - hope you don't mind, you can ignore it if you want - it is an outline of how I kept myself motivated and sane at the same time when my unemployment seemed never ending.

Curry_Queen...you reminded me of me when you mentioned drying your washing outside. It is just a simple thing I know but actually....it matters!!

Gotta go and have a shower and wash my hair...and put some daytime clothes on.

Bye everyone

SnowyOwl