Floozie's Lightbulb Diary

moo2moo

No snow here which is jolly good as I've got a brief stint of paid overtime tonight which makes a very nice change from the voluntary variety. Have to take a Christmas tree for a drive around the block at some point too. The DDs are desperate for snow although not until Monday as they have loads planned over the weekend.

Intergalactic_Floozie

GAAARRRRRGGHHHHH - NO WATER!!!!!! A water main has burst about 1/4 mile away leaving a large area (moi included) without water. Oh well - it's an excuse not to have to wash up

Intergalactic_Floozie

moo2moo wrote: »

Have to take a Christmas tree for a drive around the block at some point too.

Why? Has it got cabin fever? Is it going stir crazy? Does it need to escape from Christmas for a short while? I am totally baffled now Moo :rotfl::rotfl:

emmie26

I'm so glad that its not just me that forgets the non-uniform days, about a week ago it was dress rehersal day for the christmas play, I rolled up on the car park only to do an immediate u turn when I saw the other children in costume. What made it worse was that I got a round of applause from the other (more organised and very slightly annoying) mums when I returned 15 minutes later slick with sweat.
As my major new years resolution is to be a MSE, being a good housewife will have to wait!

Intergalactic_Floozie

emmie26 wrote: »

I'm so glad that its not just me that forgets the non-uniform days, about a week ago it was dress rehersal day for the christmas play, I rolled up on the car park only to do an immediate u turn when I saw the other children in costume. What made it worse was that I got a round of applause from the other (more organised and very slightly annoying) mums when I returned 15 minutes later slick with sweat.
As my major new years resolution is to be a MSE, being a good housewife will have to wait!

This is the first one I have ever forgot and DS1 is 13 now *looks smug*. I deffo didn't get a letter about it and as I was being a drunken lush yesterday, my friend in the playground didn't get chance to remind me. See - it's the school's fault, my mate's fault, DS2's fault LOL ;);).

Water is back on now. Am putting off cleaning the floor.

Intergalactic_Floozie

Days to payday: 27
Money in bank balance: £557.97
Money in purse: £21.08
Grand Total: £579.05

Money spent since last update: £60.00
£6.50 - DS1 haircut
£1.45 - Newspaper's x 2
£52.85 - Morrisons Inc £1.50 on a magazine)

(appear to have miscounted 40p from yesterday so I'm 40p up)

Grocery budget: £280.00 / £58.26 spent / £221.74 remaining
Petrol Budget: £110.00 / £52.50 spent / £57.50 remaining
My bus fare budget: £39 / £9.00 spent / £30.00 remaining
Everything else budget: £297.67 / £28.06 spent / £269.81 remaining

Did some more baking, so have a banana cake, some chocolate brownies and some plain fairy buns, which I've iced and decorated to get through. Omnomnomnom....

Spent more than I had envisaged at Morrisons yesterday afternoon, but I did get lots of whoopsied ready meals. My favourite ones are the ones that come in a foil tin, I think they're called Fresh Choices. They're normally £3.29 each or £6 for two, and there were quite a few reduced to £2 each. If I bulk them out with veg / potatoes / noodles / rice / chips etc.. each tray will do two portions so I think it's worth it. I was delighted to see so many on offer! Also got some reduced veg and potatoes to go with them.

DH has seen the light LOL. Since he stopped smoking his appetite has increased so he's been buying a lunch every day (whereas he'd just have a few ciggies in his smoking days). Anyway he's shocked to see how quickly his £200 is disappearing mainly due to buying lunches each day so he;s announced he needs to start taking packed lunches or ready meals to work with him etc...obviously this has a knock on effect for my grocery budget so I'm going to have to be creative! He's in work Mon - Thur this week, and I managed to get some sandwich spread which had been reduced to 55p per pot, so that can do him this week!

Intergalactic_Floozie

Days to payday: 26
Money in bank balance: £539.03
Money in purse: £20.08
Grand Total: £559.11

Money spent since last update: £19.94
£5.29 on Rock salt from Wickes
£6.05 on craft stuff. (Don't ask! Moo's husband has project landrover, mine has project Scalextric)
£7.60 on groceries (it's official, I cannot now walk past Morrisons without spending money on food! Got two more reduced price ready meals and some other bits)
£1.00 - into a collection tin at Morrisons (my two boys have been bag packing to raise money for their football club)
(seem to be missing 20p, or up 20p, I can't work it out cos I'm knackered having been in and out of the house all day)

Grocery budget: £280.00 / £65.86 spent / £214.14 remaining
Petrol Budget: £110.00 / £52.50 spent / £57.50 remaining
My bus fare budget: £39 / £9.00 spent / £30.00 remaining
Everything else budget: £297.67 / £40.40 spent / £257.47 remaining

Nothing exciting to report today.

Intergalactic_Floozie

This isn't a money update (yet). I haven't been out of the house to spend any money (yet) LOL.





Things I need to do today: (on top of all the normal householdy jobs)

• [STRIKE]Wash hair.[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Visit friend who is moving to Belgrade (wherever that is!)[/STRIKE] (discovered it's in Serbia)
• [STRIKE]Buy 13th birthday card for friend's kid[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Post card & Game gift card to friend's kid (friend's kid's birthday is on 23rd December, so unfortunately I am gonna be late AGAIN!)[/STRIKE]
• Grit driveway which is still covered in snow.

Things to do THIS WEEK (my motto is why do today what can be put off til tomorrow).

• Go to ex-step MIL and drop their presents off (after sending a text telling her I'm not actually going over with them today as promised)
• Go buy my Dad a Christmas present.
• Go buy 3 x Birthday cards (SIL's x2 / BIL x 1) and 1 x Belated birthday card (BIL). Get out cash to put in each one. BIL was 13, and SIL is 18 on Xmas Day. I've missed her birthday though. Even though it's on 25th December, she celebrates on 17th (the day she was due) because she's never forgiven the baby Jesus for upstaging her. BIL is also 30 on 28th December.
• Wrap all the presents for 'everyone else' (my kids are done)[STRIKE]
• Find somewhere to put all the clothes given to DS2 by my friend which are unfortunately a tad too big so will need storing. The middle of the living room floor is NOT an acceptable storage space .[/STRIKE].
• Do at least a tiny bit of decluttering
• Write thank you cards to the households DS1 delivers papers to, who left him tips
• Go to Cinema to watch A Christmas Carol,
• Go to Cinema to watch Nativity (if it's still on)

Intergalactic_Floozie

Days to payday: 26
Money in bank balance: £539.00
Money in purse: £18.70
Grand Total: £557.70

Money spent since last update: £1.41
£1.09 - birthday card for my friend's son.
£0.29 - change to copper jar.
£0.03 - to copper account.

Grocery budget: £280.00 / £65.86 spent / £214.14 remaining
Petrol Budget: £110.00 / £52.50 spent / £57.50 remaining
My bus fare budget: £39 / £9.00 spent / £30.00 remaining
Everything else budget: £297.67 / £41.61 spent / £256.06 remaining

I'm 'trialling' the 'round figure' method of savings, I guess it's like PAD. I've decided the pennies figure in my grand total can only be a round number every day, and any pennies I will transfer over to my 'copper account'. It's not going to be a right lot, but hopefully I shouldn't miss it. I already do this with a copper jar. It just makes me feel that I'm doing a little something extra. I'll probably get bored by next week LOL.

Went to visit my friend for afternoon tea as she's moving to Belgrade to become a teacher (I've discovered it's in Serbia, former Yugoslavia), had a very nice day catching up as I've not seen her in 18 months.

Didn't have to grit the driveway as the sun has been out and so melted a lot of the ice.

I don't like driving in the snow / ice so I let DH take the car to work today therefore a lot of things on my list today were unachievable. Hopefully I'll be able to have the car tomorrow...

Intergalactic_Floozie

Days to payday: 24 (I appear to have missed a day!)
Money in bank balance: £481.67
Money in purse: £17.33 (inc £4 cash given to me by my mum)
Grand Total: £499.00

Money spent since last update: £62.67
£15.60 - cinema (mum gave me £4 cash, and I paid on my debit card)
£3.00 - car park (wont be using THAT cinema again!)
£41.56 - Morrisons (also included washing powder at £3, £3 on cooking chocolate and a doormat at £4)
£0.17 - to copper account to make a round figure
£2.34 - sweets for kids
*Hmmm....seem to be £1.63 up. Don't know where that has come from!

Grocery budget: £280.00 / £107.42 spent / £172.58 remaining
Petrol Budget: £110.00 / £52.50 spent / £57.50 remaining
My bus fare budget: £39 / £9.00 spent / £30.00 remaining
Everything else budget: £297.67 / £41.61 spent / £239.09 remaining

Yep, I went to Morrisons AGAIN! I needed crisps, washing powder, sugar and a few other bits. However I made the mistake of walking past the RFQS aisle only to see an abundance of my favourite ready meals (normally £3.29) reduced to just 75p per tray! Wellll, I went hot and then I went cold, and then I went into supermarket sweep mode and swiped a whole load into my trolley. I got six meals (which does six evening meals as I halve them, then bulk out with veg or whatever). I also got my favourite dessert (Raspberry and Lemon tart by I's Pies, normally £2.99 reduced to 75p) and a lovely looking toffee apple pudding (£2.69 reduced to 75p) and a lamb shank (£2.69 reduced to 75p). I only didn't get more because I knew my freezer was full enough. Talk about being in the right place at the right time. So I have a full freezer of really nice food now!

Spent nearly £20 on a trip to the cinema for the three of us which is a mistake I wont be making again. I'd got 2 x free Child tickets to see A Christmas Carol so had planned on going to see that (roping my mum in to pay for her ticket would have meant me only forking out for 1 adult ticket for myself). However I read some reviews on it on the odeon website and general consensus was that although the 13 year old would be fine, my 6 year old wouldn't be as it's a bit scary. However I had told them we were off to the cinema so we were looking forward to it. So a quick change of plan and we went to see The Nativity! instead, which was my 2nd choice. (It's really good, I'd encourage anyone to see it!). Unfortunately my 1st choice cinema (Odeon) wasn't showing til 2:30pm and I didn't want to be driving in the dark / rush hour, so we went to Cineworld. Last time I went there you got free parking in the multistorey next door if you had your card stamped however now it's only free after 6:31pm soI had to pay £3 for parking, which I wasn't impressed with. So it'll be the Odeon all the way next time with their free parking. Admittedly £3 was a lot cheaper than it would have been on the bus, but I felt robbed. Had I knew I had to pay for parking before I got there, I would have found somewhere free to park and then walked.

NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO HAVE FOR TEA..........