Continue the change and enjoy the journey!

fedupandskint

Other things to sort out over the next week

1. Work out a realistic food budget to stick to - last year fell off the GC thread as I found it hard work to stick to a budget
2. Sort out some utility savings plan for gas, electric and car tax
3. See how much I really spend on petrol and then budget for this

fedupandskint

A reminder of Ebay items to list and sell
All craft items - stamps, inks, sets and papers
rocking chair, trolley
all exercise equipment and exercise DVD sets
shoes
clothes that don't wear and that don't fit including coats
nest of tables? (undecided)
vases
crockery sets and cutlery sets

All in aid of 2st and 2k challenge to go onto CC repayment plan

fedupandskint

Just musing over the food budget ideas

Hmm, what do I like eating? In the week fish and vegetables, weekend meat meal.

Snack have turned into fudge, freddo's and walkers baked and brunch bars alongside fruit. Maybe I should drop one or 2 of these snack items - Freddo's and brunch bars.

Lunches are mainly soups using up whats in the fridge and cupboards - they're ok and reasonably cheap to make
Could build a few sandwiches in the week for a change to use up some cheese and bread and use up some chutney (I have a load!)

Evening meals - need to use up what's in - plenty in the freezer already and still plenty of pasta and noodles.

The main outgoings now are milk, pop, cans of fizzy - looks like its time to drop these again and go back to squash.

Result is - stick to low brand price fromage frais and cartons of squash for work, low brand squash when needed. Build in at least 1 meat free meal a week, build in a soup night once a week too. Weekend have a nice slow cooked meal using up whats already in the freezer and stretch out. Then in the week continue to use up fish in the freezer and replace fish stocks when have gone down some more

Thinking about trying again at £100 per month which comes in at £25 per week over 4 weeks.

I'll try it for Jan and see how I get on! Will draw out £100 and put it in a grocery purse to use for food shopping only. Hope I can do it!

fedupandskint

Well I've written a half hearted introduction to my assignment 1 2664 words to go. Pleased I've made a start at last. Will do some more tomorrow and make a big dent in those words left to write!

Also have done a lot of washing to get dry in the strong wind. It worked too and my walking coats are now clean and fresh again. Swept and mopped the floors and emptied out the bins. Also sliced up the gammon to freeze in portions for tea and sandwiches - go me huh!

Also made the fudge for a late Christmas present and attempted the puddini from nigella - hmm, not too sure if these will make it into a gift or the bin yet!

Decided to leave the cleaning for tomorrow - bathroom and LR tomorrow at the least. But not much else to do apart from write. Think I'll drag myself out for a run though to blow off the assignment cobwebs.

fedupandskint

Todays plan
Dog walk
Walk into town for a few errands
Do a couple of hours on assignment
Clean bathroom
Go for longer dog walk
Go for a run

Looks do-able at this point unless I get distracted by some film on tv for a few hours!

Dropped off the last of the Christma presents yesterday which went down a treat. I'm always surprised by how well the hampers go down with family and friends as I get struck by doubts about whether they'll like them or not. But they always do and I don't know what I'm worrying about!

Had a little think about mum's birthday present and Mother's Day presents and have a few ideas for these

Blueberry Plants x 2 potted up
Herb plants potted up
Rich handcream and handwash set
All expenses day out for later on in the Spring
Item of clothing?
Hair styling hamper with shampoo and conditioner

Anyway time to make a start - back later

fedupandskint

Errands done and a quick browse around a few shops. Luckily nothing appealed at all and not much left in my size, plus the reduced gift sets didn't appeal any more at a lower price than before Christmas.

So I did it! I didn't buy anything in the sales and I kept it to a quick browse, I didn't buy anything for the sake of it then leaving it to languish in the depths of the wardrobe. I'm focussing on wearing what I already have and to make sure I wear them instead of not at all - Freedom Days ahead!

Anyway, its a very miserable day here with grey rainy skies and plenty of rain. So assignment writing time later on and a quick trot out to top the car up with liquid gold as it's been a spendy day here today. Called in for a bit of food shopping today on the way back and have everything in ready to go back to work next week. Just thinking about a nice recipe for New Year's Eve as the only thing I'm doing is having a nice tea and then an early night after watching TV.

What shall I have? Luxury fish pie? Luxury beef casserole? Blimey, what a decision to make eh?

Not a NSD today but aiming for ones on Fri and Sat meaning there's a slim chance I might hit that target for Dec afterall, now that's something I didn't expect! I'm going to increase the target for Jan that's for sure due to the belt tightening thats needed now


Spent £14.90

fedupandskint

Todays plan
[STRIKE]Dog walk
Walk into town for a few errands[/STRIKE]
Do a couple of hours on assignment
Clean bathroom
[STRIKE]Go for longer dog walk[/STRIKE]
Go for a run

Hmmm, still some stuff to do then!

Decided not to go for a walk as the weather is foul out there and went for a much longer dog walk instead. Both of us came back super muddy but it was a good bracing walk so I now look like that!

Bit of pamper time I think now I've finished my special treat hot chocolate and then I really will do some work on my assignment as I can't not do anything at all on it today otherwise I'll be in panic stations tomorrow :eek:

Last bit of leftover tea tonight which is suitably quick and easy to do and then attempt some assignment work while watching 'confessions of a shopaholic' and remembering a not so dissimilar time of my life and reminding myself how my life is not at all like this now, and thankfully, not!

fedupandskint

Ok, confession time, why do I often feel the need to find the solution to life in a pot of moisturiser or tube of serum? I've come a long way in the last year without endlessly buying from qvc pack of this and that. My eczema causes helped a lot with that and stopped me buying all the Christmas packs especially. For the last year I've been using up what I have in, give or take a couple of moisturisers here and there. So the stock clearance continues and this is the first year I don't have anything outstanding with q*c, in fact they now owe me as a pair of their top quality honoured earrings have fallen apart. And I will get a refund and not a replacement (must stay strong with this thought)

It was time to start the new 100 day challenge as it's almost the new year and I need a reminder to stay on track and remind myself what I'm doing here. I'm not spending because I have everything I need.

I DON'T NEED IT!

So my challenge is
No make up - have enough to last a long time apart from maybe one eyeshadow in the future and mascara at some point
No skincare - should only need a moisturiser, maybe none until the end of the challenge, not sure
No toothpaste
No shampoo and conditioners
Absolutely no styling products unless I have only a day or two's worth left
No books
No DVDs
NO EXERCISE DVDs AT ALL
No coats

Start date 28th Dec
50 days in 16th Feb
End date 6th April

Details below

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3698385

fedupandskint

Feel in a happy contented mood today after an early night and a good night's sleep meaning I got up and took the dog for a longer walk first thing, went for a run, the short sprinty one which is hard going and then swept up outside. Having a little rest before making myself do some work for uni.

Totally lost motivation to write but I really need to so I'm going to split the next hour into 30mins and try it that way for a few hours to see if I can stick to it. Let's hope so!

Not shopping today - trying to stay strong and get a NSD today to get to 14 today

fedupandskint

Did get a NSD afterall today and am now on 14/15 for Dec and really pleased with this as I thought I might totally lose the plot monwy wise and have managed to more or less stay on track for a change.

Uni work - did a couple of hours then took the dog out for another nice long walk int he dismal weather. Warmed up with a lovely hot chocolate afterwards. Now just deliberating an early tea and then some more uni work while a film is on