Changing our lives....

Sessie

Got my vouchers from the Co-op today, I've amassed nearly £13 over the last few months so that's the next "necessities" local shop paid for. I have a Member's Card that you swipe every time you shop and they total it up into "shares" which they send you. You give 50% to charities they support and you get the other 50%.

The Tesco Xmas savings card is now up to £40, it's getting a bit of an obsession if I'm anywhere near a large store (the smaller ones don't seem to have the stamps machines) I just HAVE to go in and get a couple of stamps. I'll be on the second card before I know it! They extremely generously give you a whole POUND for every £49 you save - aren't they just SOOOO nice??? :undecided.

The new pension documents have arrived, need to have an eye cast over those today to make sure everything is right.

Can't remember if I said I bought an exercise video from Tesco the other day - well, I say bought I used one of my Clubcard vouchers to get it and I'm going to watch it in a minute (hey, gotta start SOMEWHERE!!!). Seriously, I need to see what there is on it so that I can adapt any that will affect my back problem. I also got a Pilates bible (HUGE book, I thought it would be a little flimsy thing but it's ma-HOOSIVE!) from The Book People so I'm going to try and do a few movements from that each night before I get into bed to try and loosen me up a bit and "strengthen my core" which the physio explained to me will help my muscles support my back where the main problem is.

The children stayed over with mum and dad for the first time last night - our first night without them for almost three years since they were born!! It was very liberating knowing I could stay up and read/half watch TV and know that once I went to bed I wouldn't be disturbed or get woken up at the crack of dawn. Having said that, I was still up and about by 7.30 am - I think I've lost the art of the lie-in!!! But it was nice to be able to come downstairs, make a drink and watch the news for an hour or so and actually catch up on the world. I've tidied up a bit and now it's a nice long net surf, watch the exercise DVD and then later a long bath with music and lots of smelly lotions and potions. We are going to pick them up at teatime, I've missed them but GOSH it's been a nice break!

Mr Sessie is still dead to the world, I don't expect to see him until lunchtime - for me, that's a waste of a day off but *shrug* horses for courses eh??

Til next time...

x

Oh and finally, I've lost four pounds since 17 May which I'm quite pleased with! Am still really motivated - long may it continue!!

lucielle

Well done on the weight loss. Its funny how you lose the knack of lying in. Mind you I woke up at 7 but didn't shift till 10.30
L

Sessie

AAAARGH! Forgot to "copy" my post before I did anything else and have lost the whole thing.... AGAIN!!! Still, teach me for staying away so long!!

So to retype all I have just put, I'm back in the MSE way, not that I particularly stopped, just didn't have time to post!

Phoned T3sco yesterday and ordered a replacement Clubcard as one of my twins has "posted" it somewhere. Have kept the last receipt from my big "shop" and they tell me I can take the receipt to the store when I get the new card and they will add those points on.

Also have the savings stamps I've been collecting since spring to get all the nice goodies stuff for the Christmas period. As I said, we've done the main shop so can use the stamps for nice nibbles, sweets and and possibly a tipple or two and know that they're all paid for!

All presents and bought, wrapped and ready for Christmas - OK so maybe we haven't been EXACTLY MSE when it's come to the children but... c'mon... we waited 15 years for these little miracles so forgive us!!

Going to look at menu planning and getting a regular online shop organised and have a general shufty around the Old Style Board for the rest of tonight as the children are at mum's for the night.

Also planning to keep ALL receipts for every spend from 2 January 2012 to see exactly how much we spend per month and then set a reduced target for February and so on.... kind of blatantly stealing the Grocery Challenge idea but expanding it to a Whole Living Challenge (bills aside as I sorted them all a few months ago and we are tied into deals for a while yet).

So, MSE hat firmly back on my head, let's get this party started!

x

Sessie

Nipping in very quickly to see if I've managed to add a signature correctly.

Also, am going to do the last bits food/goodies shop at Mr T's on Friday night about 8.30 pm so who knows, might pick up some last-minute knockdown stuff and save some more!!

Had an idea of putting cash equalling the total savings from BOGOFs and other offers from the "big shop" receipt each week/fortnight in the sealed jar - this would not only boost that pot but also make me hunt even harder for bargains!! Now I'm back on the MSE bandwagon, my mind can't stop thinking of ways to save more!!

Now.. is the sig there....?

Lady_Tara

I've only just found your diary, but please keep posting - its very inspiring and I empathise with lots that you are going through! Plus I want to see your rota! Thanks :xmassmile

amber03

Welcome back sessie, good to hear from you. Think we all go through a period of reading but not posting, but now i'm back on the MSE bandwagon, hopefully 2012 i'll pay at least one debt off. MERRY XMAS. xx

Sessie

Just got back from a trip to T3sco/Wilkinsons to see what bargains I could snap up.

Wilkos had some great offers on so I got:

6 cans of Soft and Gentle deodorant (different scents) @ 98p each instead of £1.71 each
6 bottles of Carex handwash for 98p each instead of £1.59 each
6 bottles of Fairy washing up liquid for 95p each (which I water down once I've used a bit so it lasts AAAGES! I know there are cheaper liquids out there but they simply aren't as good)
4 tins of Febreeze air freshener for £2 each (usually about £3.50)
2 big bottles of shampoo.
8 washing up cloths (although I wash mine in with a load of washing once a week so they are clean and last a good while anyway)

Also a small notebook to keep in my handbag for noting down EVERY purchase made in 2012 to keep a track and also, hopefully, make me think twice about buying whatever I'm looking at. Knowing I'll have to write it down and include it in the month's total will hopefully have the "put it back Sessie!" effect!!

Oh and 10 giant sparklers for my children for NYE - £2.00 for 10 from T3sco.

Need to clear some space under the sink for all the cleaning stuff so will do that in the morning with my son (he loves tidying) and no doubt find all sorts of other stuff under there. Probably will make a list of what's there and tape it to the inside of the door to stop me having to buy any more until we've used up what we have.

I've also still got LOADS of bath stuff/free samples of skin cream and foundation/perfume pulled out of magazines and shower creams etc.. that I bought in the sales at the Body Shop Outlet LAST New Year plus I got a good selection for Xmas this year so don't need any of that for a good while.

Finally need to sort out the "big cupboard" which has a LOT of food in that we can't get to easily as one of the childrens' toy storage boxes is in the way (it usually lives where the Xmas tree is). Once the tree is down and we can get into the cupboard, need to stocktake, write a list for the door inside and live on that for a while. I know there's TONS of pasta, rice, sauces and tinned tomatoes in there so, coupled with what's in the freezer (easily a few weeks worth of stuff) we should only need to shop for perishables and milk etc...

I also keep buying four or five loaves of bread from our local Co-op garage if I have to go in for petrol as they obviously got loads in for Xmas and are having to sell it off (Kingsmill/Warburton) at 25p a loaf. Straight into the freezer, Bob's yer uncle!

One day next week, when the children are back at school and I am on a day off, want to get onto the Old Style board and read through the menu planning/meal planning threads to get a really balanced meal set sorted. If it was just hubby and me it wouldn't be so bad - we could do more of a "make do and mend" but we need to make better meals and a spread of nutrients for the childrens' health so we'll all end up benefitting.

Okay, an hour's sit and read with a cuppa before we go to collect the children from mum's.

Or shall I start my "what I spent today...." book today, seeing as I've got some great bargains?!?!?!?

x

Sessie

Put all the cleaning products away this morning and found, as I thought, even more at the back of the cupboard. I truly don't think I'll be buying any more washing up liquid, deodorant or Carex or air freshener for ...ooh about two years!!

Next thing to keep an eye on being on offer is washing powder, fabric conditioner, Oxy and loo rolls!!

Leaving work early today as there's not much to do and I'm in all day tomorrow so when I get home I can do a bit more tidying and throwing stuff out, re-arranging where all the childrens' toys go and then a couple of hours sitting putting bowls and bowls full of beads into little plastic storage drawers in individual colours. They've been sitting on top of the microwave for WEEKS now and I'm sick of seeing them so they can get sorted and put back in the craft cupboard until the next "let's make necklaces mummy" cry!

Am slowly claiming back my kitchen from "The Christmas Takeover". The table was covered in boxes of presents received that hadn't been set up yet, things to be put away "somewhere at some point" and still supposed to have room for the children to eat at; one bench was full of bottles of pop, juice and the occasional alcoholic drink (I don't drink and hubby's not a huge drinker but we got a bit in for the festive season) plus packs of peanuts etc...

Another bench has the MULTITUDE of sweets and chocolates we all got given. It's actually quite obscene how much there is, that will be sorted on Sunday morning. Some will go into a "treats" tin to go in the cupboard for whiny, rainy days and the rest can go in the freezer where, hopefully, I'll forget about it for a while!!

Anyway, time to go!! Mr S will be here to take me home in a mo!

x

Sessie

So, the MSE start to the New Year failed miserably, but not by choice.

Our TV, which has been on its last legs for some time now, simply refused to show a picture when we got up on New Year's Day so we had to go out and get a new one. To be fair, we had known this day wasn't far off and so had saved Mr Sessie's work bonus and used that to get a new one so no actual expenditure from "income" if you get me.

Also, I had to take the children to soft play to meet a friend whilst Mr S chose the "right" TV as I had visions of them running around the shop pushing things over (Xmas excitement not quite worn off yet!). So that was another £20 when you factor in drinks (I had taken juice in their own cups but they did so much running around I had to buy more).

And to top it all, we got a takeaway on New Year's Day night as a "Last Supper" before we both try to get some lard off!!

Then yesterday we had to go to the supermarket for nappies, milk and ended up having lunch there after which we went to see Mr S's grandmother.

So, an expensive first two days!

However, I did manage to put £20 I got for Xmas into my Sealed Pot - I had already forgotten about it until I found it in an envelope on the windowsill so figured I'd put it in now and it's safe in there!

Waiting for the cookbooks to arrive from The Book People so I can sit and choose things we'll all like and start meal planning which will lead to an online shop being placed rather than going to the shop and being tempted (and also save petrol!).

Aim in January is to have 10 NSDs - was hoping today would be one but we are out of milk (again! Honestly, who'd have three and a half year old twins??!?).

Also having my own "No Spending in the Vending" (machine at work) and have told my colleagues to shout at me if they see me heading to it. I do this almost without thinking and I dread to think what it would add up to last year.

Oh finally ("bottom" of the list....) bought 24 loo rolls from the supermarket at the weekend so won't need any of those for a while either. Still keeping an eye out for washing powder deals.

Think that's it for now!

x

Sessie

So, two NSDs so far - yesterday and Monday, hurrah! Took a packup to work and avoided the vending machine yesterday.

Forgot to say the other day I got ten packs of Johnsons Wipes (one of the things I won't downgrade on) for a tenner at Home Bargains - we use TONS of them, not just for nappy changes but so many other things so I may well get a load more this week.

Also four bottles of Mr Muscle kitchen cleaner for 99p each - again I'm a bit OCD when it comes to kitchen benches and taps and ... well, surfaces generally, being clean and safe. Will prob get more of this too.

Also four boxes of Surf (25 washes, or so it says on the box - I use way less than "they" recommend unless it's a particularly dirty wash - ie if the children have been jumping in puddles and such - so it'll last me a lot more than 25 washes) at £3.00 each from Tesco.

Have a couple of frogs to eat (taken from the Matrix thread, hope that's OK ladies!) :

Need to pay my private doc's follow up appointment bill (£120!!) as it's been outstanding for a while.

Need to read gas and electric meters and submit readings online or risk losing the tariffs I sorted out last year!! Shamefully I don't actually know how to read the meters although I do know where they are!! Will speak to Mr S when he gets home tonight!

Also need to price up a large skip so we can look at when we can clear the garage but this goes hand in hand with getting insurance claim form and photographs off of the wind damage to our garden swing which, in the middle of the night during the winds last week, made a flying bid for freedom and launched itself through the garden fence into next door's garden!! Hoping Mr S will go to B&Q on the way home from work tonight to get price of replacement fence panels so I can complete the form.

Having another day off work today as it is still very quiet - may do a couple of housey things but quite honestly it's going to be a relaxing day for once. I have a few books on the go that it'll be nice to sit and read for an extended period with a HOT cup of tea for once (rather than one I've made and left somewhere and forgotten about which happens SO much when the children are at home!) and will have a nice long bath with various smellies later on as my back is playing up quite badly at the moment. Have a headache at the moment which I think is linked to the fact I woke up at 3 am lying on my stomach and my back had spasmed and I couldn't turn over as it was agony! Eventually managed but I think the tensing of muscles has left this lovely headache. It's not a terrible one but it's throbbing above my left eye a bit and I can't take any more painkillers or I won't be able to take my usual ones later!!

Anyway, mention of a hot cup of tea has made me thirsty so.. off I go!!

(by the way, one day soon I PROMISE I will actually post the housework rota as it's (sort of!) working!)

x