museumworker's quest to consign mortgage to history!

museumworker

Hope you managed to make it to the clearance and you got some wooly bargains toots - don't mind if you manage to get the footstool too at all. It can become the 'mse-mfw-stool of rest from decluttering and frugalness-which stops resentment growing'. When said like that it suddenly seems like a bit of a bargain :rotfl:! OH put his feet up on it after a morning of running round yesterday and fell asleep for 2 hours, so it clearly has magical resting properties!

Agree tyo about remembering why we are doing this MFW journey - we are being frugal so we can have more control and choice in our life, and if it starts becoming a chore/making us miserable we will not last the distance.

courgette this tea towel sounds pretty impressive for a fiver - I think I would be too scared to use it incase it got dirty . But at five quid for something that cheers you up and makes you happy, it is not the most extravagant luxury.

Glad you liked the catholic humour there ssss .

Weekly review:
* have done one swim this week , and I walked to the station for 20mins in the rain yesterday when realised I was not going to make target. Hope to do better this week!
* Didn't call a friend, but did spend 4 hours with one of my dearest friends yesterday, went for tea and cake and saw her new flat - she works v long hours (13 a day :eek:) so don't get to see her as much as I would like. Surely that counts?
* Have decluttered for around 1 hour this week
* Did a survey
* Took one trolley load of stuff to charity shop
* Spent so much money on night out on Friday that now have £10 of personal money left but think I can make it to the end of the month!
* weekly shop cost £23 (plus £8 on Thursday), means we are on for a £140 monthly shop :D unheard of!
* bought beautiful hand knit cardi for £2 (must have about £35 worth of wool in it!)
* found £25 of vouchers decluttering
* found stool of restorative powers

Need to get ready for work now!

[Deleted User]

All good stuff mw and glad the stool appears to have magical powers too! :rotfl:
well done on the voucher finds too!! unfortunately I havent found any such joys on my decluttering....ah well ...there is still time!

cha97michelle

I think your stool was an essential purchase if you have wanted one for ages and it was a sale bargain.

We sometimes all get a bit obsessed and forget about the here and now for the thrill of the OP. And with is being JL, it will be fab quality and last a really long time, so cost per use will be really cheap.

museumworker

Quick update - I've cancelled my free Graze box offer, now my second one has arrived. I've also chased up my Betty Crocker offer, I bought a tefal tin back in November to make up a 'fakers baking set' for my sister. I've not received the promised 24 boxes of mix, and just called to find out - they had apparently been dispatched to me on 4 Jan, according to their spreadsheet. But when the lady on the phone checked with the couriers, they had never been given my delivery details! Am awaiting a return call from marketing, but they're saying they've run out of stock, so not sure where that leaves me! A really poorly run campaign by Tefal, and John Lewis too. On the plus side, I've had £60 expenses given to me, just got to work out from which account they came from so reimburse either my dwindling pocket money, or the house account!

Had drink with work at lunchtime to celebrate colleague travelling, £2.20 spent there (I already had lunch, so passed on offer to eat out but wanted to see them off anyway). I've also booked two talks on the blitz, once for Jan and one for March for £14 which is background research for work.

Tonight I'd like to:
[STRIKE]* do some exercise at home[/STRIKE] 40 mins of Cindy
* [STRIKE]facebook friend for address so can send birthday card[/STRIKE] done
* work out where money came from
* [STRIKE]put clean laundry away[/STRIKE] done, albeit in the morning!
* [STRIKE]possibly watch Lovefilm, if I get a chance! [/STRIKE]Done - margot at the wedding, I quite liked it (OH loved it!)

ETA: have put a loaf on and a washload too

On that note, time to leave work. Have a good night one and all!

Courgette

Good night, MW! You seem very cheerful at the minute (not that I'm saying you're not usually ). Do you think your light box is helping?

museumworker

Good night to you too Courgette, I'm always pleased I'm not wittering to myself. Yes, I am feeling generally more upbeat at the minute (glad you noticed , have been wondering if anybody would!). I think it is a combination of things - the sunrise lamp is without a doubt helping me to get out of bed earlier. I therefore feel less stressed in the mornings, so start the day on the right foot, so to speak. The loft coming very near to an end and decluttering are also an influence I think. Just in general I feel more 'up'. OH and I have been a little indulgent too - signed up for Lovefilm (via tcb of course!), we've enjoyed having a few movie nights together, my new phone I can listen to the radio on the bus which makes me happy, and even the footstool is giving us joy! Just feel like we've got the right balance between moneysaving and enjoying life - I think last year we were so desperate to save for the loft we may have made a cut or two too many!

But to give a straight answer, the Phillips go blu light is I think making a difference too, I definitely have been less negative and less focusing on negative thoughts, which is a predisposition of mine. Compared to how I felt a month or so ago, I feel a million times lighter. I plan to keep it up.

Queen-Bee_2

Hello MW - you're not speaking to yourself y'know! Really interested to hear about the light box - I have the same tendencies as you in winter, and anything that could lift the spirits would be very welcome.. Can I ask what you got, as I'm sure you managed to get a great deal on it (all the one's I've looked at in the past have been out of my price range!!)
QB

[Deleted User]

Hey mw
sounds like a productive day!! glad the light box is helpful - I was very sceptical but find using one makes a big difference to my mood and general "get up and go" in the winter!!
Im always interested to read the ramblings of others so never think youre talking to yourself!
sounds like you have found the ever elusive "balance" I have heard of.....send some my way if ya get a chance? :rotfl:
am failing miserably on exercise challenge at the mo, once am back at 100% will be back on it tho! feel a bit guilty reading your achievements when I know I am slacking..but would do more harm than good at the mo!

museumworker

I got the Phillips goLITE BLU energy box, here's the bit about it on the Phillips site: http://www.philips.co.uk/c/light-therapy/rechargeable-international-adapters-hf3330_01/prd/
and reviews on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-HF3330-goLITE-Energy-Light/dp/B002G1Y8S6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295336837&sr=1-1

You clearly know me too well QueenBee, I got it for £40 as part of Bzz Marketing campaign. You could try signing up now to see if you get one. I am not however trying to sell it to anyone - I am trying to be honest about it and its effect on me as I wouldn't want anyone on these forums to waste their money!! I've not ever tried any other form of SAD treatment, so not sure how it would compare to those. But I am happy with it - it is strange as I really really wanted this exact one back at the beginning of December, but at £150 was out of my price range. And then I got emailed to see if I'd like to get it as part of the campaign - amazing! When I used to follow MemoryGirls diary she'd talk about how the universe would provide - and this is definitely an example of that!

I would give you some of my balance tyo, but then I'd only end up unbalanced myself . I'm sure it won't last, but will enjoy this feeling whilst it does. Definitely don't push yourself to exercise if you're feeling pants, it is counter productive. Unless you have a gentle yoga dvd or the like you could do? And which light box do you use?

museumworker

Quick post before finish up at work. Had to take DD to doctor this morning as she has massive red itchy puffy panda eyes - she used some of my face wash the other day and has now developed eczema :eek:! By time waited for emergency appointment, took her to pharmacy, took her to school, signed medical form at school, legged it to the tube and then work didn't get in until 11.45 am :eek:! Then her school called about 1.30pm and said she had a headache and could I come pick her up? I couldn't, she didn't have a temperature or anything, just had to leave her, having heard her sob on phone to me . Being a full time working mum can be a real pain, feel comprised sometimes in both family life and work. OH managed to get off a bit earlier to pick her up at least.

Have dinner at a friend's house this evening to look forward to though, once been home to check on the little one.