Milanns mutterings on this last milestone.

milann

It's quite strange having all the house tidy at once LOL - I'm the worlds worse for tidying by moving 'stuff' from one room to another - little by little my decluttering over the past years has sorted everywhere so that it has all has a 'place' - so today as I tidied, and gave everywhere a bit of a spit and polish - there were no piles of anything without a home to slot into. SUCCESS Now all I have to do is keep it that way and learn to put things in their home when I've finished with them not just pile them until I have a mega tidy!!

I really want to hire a carpet cleaner to blitz the beige coloured carpet I thought would be a good idea to buy at the time - but the gardening work we started earlier this year still isn't finished, so will wait a tad longer. Sorry we started it now - we came to a point where we weren't sure what to do next - so did nothing. Messy garden and messy carpet - it'll be sorted soon me hopes. Don't want to get into the 'nagging' cycle though as it'll take any enjoyment out of what is supposed to be a hobby.

Got a nice day planned with dh and ds tomorrow - pottering and a home cooked meal - but it's good not to have too big an agenda sometimes There will probably be a dvd thrown in for good measure too.

Have a good bank holiday

milann

Had a gorgeous paella today made by ds. Also made sangria and used up some fruit to make crumble and custard for afters YUM YUM YUM.

When I think of what Tapas bars charge for a jug of sangria - I forgotten how easy it is to make.

Been looking forward to dh being off work and he's been really off colour today - hope he's not sickenng for a dose of flu or similiar. Will have to administer some tlc me thinks.

milann

Been back at work for a week now - where has the time gone? SCARY LOL!!!

I have been doing some thinking about some expenses I could have coming in a year or so. I have made the decision to continue paying my 0% cc at £100 (min payment is £25ish) a month and keep the money I have saved and 'was' going to pay off at the end of the 0% life in November. I know it is not at all what I planned, but I've the biggest lumpsum I have ever ever saved and it would give me far more pleasure seeing it spent this new way EVEN more than seeing my 0%cc at ZERO and df.

sooooooooooooo - my new plan is to continue throwing every bit I can into to saving fund getting it as big as I can until it's needed and pay the last £1500 using 0% over the next year or so whilst still tackling the 0% at £100 a month. BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES will I go into any extra debt and if it turns out not to be needed I can then pay off the 0% with a bit to spare. I will have to get a balance transfer to a new cc when the 0% runs out in November though.

The other alternative would be to pay the 0% off as planned but that would give me nothing left to put towards the expected expenses and I could well end up taking out a loan - which I do NOT want to do - but I do want to be able to pay my way. This has been my reasoning in making the decision!!

Sorry if this all sounds a bit garbled - it kind of makes sense to me LOL

I went to get the results from my ankle xrays - as I expected it is arthritis and the position/laxness of my ankle joint causing the agro. Dr asked if I wanted to see consultant or carry on a bit longer. I said I'd carry on - dr suggested adding more tablets to anti-inflamitories I already take and exercise. SO I'm back to swimming and keeping active. No pain - no gain I suppose LOL

taxi73

Sounds like a good plan re finances.Glad you've got your results from your x rays and can now work on easing the symptoms...it;s a fine line with arthritis and exercise so don't do too much

milann

You are so right there Taxi - a very fine line. I've known about the arthritis and laxness in ankle several years now and am pleased that there was nothing else showing up. GP had suspected small stress fractures. So it's down to keeping weight ok so I don't put too much pressure on ankles and keeping moving. The extra tablets are helping during daytime but I'm waking when I move my ankle during the night - no idea why - as there is no weight on it at all then!!

Went into Stockport today a new Primarni opened earlier this week - but I walked in and walked out - it was a total MADHOUSE - I haven't seen a shop as crowded in a very long time.

I was really chuffed with myself as I went in 2 supermarkets and only bought what I needed and didn't sucuumb to the tempation of a lovely new top for a tenner or buying foodstuff I didn't need - and I had dh with me - which usually means I end up with all sorts of unnecessaries - I kept to my list so will use up the contents of freezer. I'm polishing my halo as I type LOL.

Payday is Friday and I should have £200 still in my bank account - UNHEARD of especially the payday after the summer holidays. I can transfer that to my savings pot How smug am I this evening LOL

milann

HA ha - on my last post I wrote 'how smug am I' lol.............well.............. not quite as smug as I thought I was. I realised the little bit of cash I'd been squirrelling into my ISA was earning a meesely 0.5% - I'd opened it as 3.5% at the same time as a 1 year account that I KNEW dropped the interest rate after a year so I closed that and paid it off cc but did diddly squat about the ISA in my mind letting it earn a bit of interest ready to pay off cc at later date when 0% ran out. I hadn't realised that rate changed too - DOH!!!! AH well - the little cash I have won't have earned much but better in my account. So now I need to do something about moving it.

I have applied for a new 0% credit card to transfer cash one last time- keeping hold of the cash I'd saved. I'm going to set up new standing orders to pay it off before the end of it's life and another to add to savings in which I'll be doubling my monthly payment. I'm determined to get some cash together for this time next year without getting into further debt.

I have written some family Christmas cards ready to slot money in (children I only see occasionally, but do like to send a little something at Christmas) - it's not a lot and I usually buy something rather than sending cash - but I've been late getting actual presents to them the last couple of years with bad weather and other excuses - this year they will get something on time and adding cash as I get it then sealing it will make sure they get something on time without me spending cash all in one go

I have set up a spending diary to keep an eye on spends. £33 in Morrisons and £40 on petrol this weekend. I have enough to last me most of this week and beyond.....

Now all I have to do is get my head around a bit of weight loss ready for dd's wedding - I have about a year to do something about it so am waiting until after my birthday at the end of the month before tackling it head on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry for the waffle in this post - but if I write it I might stick to it!!

Milann

beanielou

All sounding positive me thinks.
How much have you left to go?
What ya thinking in the weight loss stakes?

milann

I'd saved a grand so far Beanie - which I was going to throw at cc. But am now hanging on to incase I need it and ideally I want to double that by next year.

So I'm putting the last grand and a half I have left on cc on another 0% for 15 months and setting up a dd of £100 a month.

Therefore tackling the saving and debtbusting in one go It will mean tightning my belt a notch or two though :0

Ideally I'd like to loose in the region of 2 stone, but will know when it feels right. It's mainly all around my tummy area so I will be trying to up my exercse which I'm finding hard as I'm having real trouble with my ankle at moment - even after swimming. I recently tried ww online but couldn't stick to it. The hassle of counting points wasn't for me at all but I'd managed it in years gone by. I did better when I ate sensibly and cut out garbage - making home cooked food eating smaller portions and making sure everything I ate has some nutritional value which helped cut out guilt!!. I'll enjoy my birthday then go and try some fancy clothes on - I know they'll not fit properly and am hoping that'll be my incentive to wear an outfit fitting for the MOB lol lol lol - can't see myself in a hat :0

I don't have a date to work to yet but probably next autumn for dd's wedding.

Mmmmmmm - all seems doable after reading that post........might need some positive vibes though

beanielou

I do a GP referral class thingy at the gym~might be worth looking into?( have CP)
Weight seems doable.
Im currently doing a plan which is working well for me at the mo :j
Double dose of positive vibes heading your way.

milann

I'm a member of a health club already (runs out next month) and used to do Tai Chi and swimming there regularly and had occasional trips to the gym - there are a host of classes I could do but can't do any high impact sport. Hopefully once I get the medication controlling my ankle it will settle again. It's done this several times before but hasn't been as severe or lasted as long. I'm managing ok ish at work - I work in a school so it's a bit of walking around and a bit of sitting down which suits me well.

Are you following a dietry plan or just exercise to suit you Beanie?