Week 2 - There's so much we can do.

mrs_robinson_3

Hi Ruby. I gather you clean too? Have you seen my thread, "So here's to you, Mrs R".....? Well, I am not REALLY a cleaner, in real life, so to speak, but for now I am the House Mistress and I am happy with it. I love September too - yes, fresh beginnings, like January all over again. October I can live with. In November and December I have my annual slump, then from January, I get better every day.....

And pleased to see your tax credits are back with a bang

Mrs R

RubySewSew

I am a woman of many talents! On any one day I could be an antenatal teacher, a doula, a cleaner or a Teaching Assistant! Or university lecturer. To be honest, I'm not fussy, if I can earn a few quid I'll pretty much do anything! The cleaning is pretty casual, pocket money really. I clean for a friend of mine who has a tiny little baby and another friend. It's my way of piggy banking, by allocating different jobs to different spending it makes it seem more worthwhile. So when I clean I can have Sunday roast at the pub or buy pretty things. Makes having your hand down someone else's toilet more worthwhile!

Other money saving activities included buying reduced sausages & fishcakes for tea. Fancied crisps so bought a multipack half price £1.20 for 12 packets. That's 10p a bag money savers!! That reminds me I've been stocking up on expensive laundry liquid when it's on offer and it's becoming an obsession! £3 can buy me weeks of happiness just walking into a house that smells of fresh, clean washing. I have got 3 unopened packs stashed away and it makes me feel safe and happy inside.

Ok, got in from work tonight, invoiced and listed my bed for sale (£100). Hope it sells or I'm never going to make my August challenge target!

Planning a making day tomorrow, sat sewing in bed with my lovely making friend. Feeling inspired!

Will check out your thread Mrs R.

RubySewSew

Had a good money making day! Cleaned for a friend and sold a box of playmobil making me £65! Hoorah!

Having leftovers stirred into pasta for dinner and then off to see the new Girl With The Dragon Tattoo film (Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest?) which is also free as I bought the boyfriend membership for the local indie cinema for his birthday. Better take my glasses or I won't be able to read the subtitles!

DS1 has lost his brand new glasses today. Fingers crossed they are at my friends house otherwise he has left them in the park which is exactly what he did last time he had brand new glasses. I've said he'll have to pay for them himself if they're lost. There's no excuses really as they should have been on his face!

I'm feeling a little bit lighter and a little bit happier today which I think is due to having a bit of a sort through and clear out. I've organised a basket of pregnancy books to sell at work and pile of midwifery textbooks and text books to list on Amazon. I'm hoping I might get a few quid from that and then I've got some unwanted Jamie at Home stock to clear so ebay it is. What I will have to decide is whether to pay off a chunk of my credit card with all the cash or put it towards a new work wardrobe? There's a couple of expensive things that I need for starting my new job like shoes and a raincoat.

Right, off to beautify myself ready for the boyfriend and the 3 day weekend!! Enjoy the bank holiday!

RubySewSew

Oh and my sister got a puppy today! A little 9 week old, springer/collie cross. She's a black and white !!!!! and absolutely gorgeous. Can't wait to go for cuddles!

Mags30

:wave:Hi, I've just been reading your diary, it's fabulous.

RubySewSew wrote: »

I'm starting to think ahead to September - my favourite time of the year. It feels like a more powerful January all new beginnings and stationery! So, I'm thinking about a no spend month, a £10 a day challenge a £300 shopping challenge and a one hour a day TV challenge. Over ambitious? Me? Absolutely!

I feel exactly like that about September too.

I really hope you find the glasses and I bet you'll get a dog soon.:)

savingholmes

hi ruby... interesting diary...

One thing that helped us was having 2 bank accounts with the same bank.... In one was all the direct debits and standing orders and into the other account went what was left ie our spends account... Wonder whether that would help you avoid arrears... I also try and set up DD or STOs for minimum payments on all CC.....

Good luck

RubySewSew

Thank you mags, Thank you Saving Holmes. I'm taking an MSE break for the bank holiday but will be back next week with 1st day of work nerves!

savingholmes

hope you have had a good bank holiday weekend and that work goes okay!

RubySewSew

So where was I? Had a lovely weekend. Popped into town and got some work bits; sensible dress isn't really my thing! Brighton Rumble on Sunday for some dirty rock and roll. I need to learn to jive! Then garden, garden, garden on Monday. Mostly used stuff I already had so half finished the front garden, made a guinea pig run, tidied up and got some super bargain bedding plants for £1.50 a tray! Recycled an old arbour to make a raised bed to stop the naughty chickens from spreading the flower beds across the lawn! Then celebrated our efforts with a fire and wine.

So feeling a little smug at my weekend productivity. Also sold some festival tickets on ebay so need to decide if to use money for debt busting or redirect towards a different weekend away. Decided to sell after realising that Latitude cost nearly £1000 for the 2 of us - the equivalent of a holiday in Italy! I reflected that I'm still fire fighting financially and the boyfriend agreed that he was just treading water at the moment. I suggested he take up the £10 a day challenge as his car is on it's last legs, so to speak. He has a load of cd's to sell but took the male perspective that selling them was not a cost efficient way of using his time! Boys huh?

Took the boys for a picnic in the park and then swimming at my friends. They were exhaustingly badly behaved today! Think I might have been a little over sensitive as I was up at 5am and I start my new job tomorrow! Oh, and did I mention that my house is a mess? Bleurgh. I was hoping to be all super organised and efficient and instead I'm feeling disorganised, slovenly and tired. Think I might need some affirmations before bed tonight.

One brilliant thing happened - DS1 found his glasses! Having searched all weekend and given up hope, he decided to check at the health centre next to the park in case anyone had handed them in. And tada! I'm so proud of his confidence, common sense and responsible attitude. Now, if only he could apply that to everything else!

RubySewSew

PS Had one enquiry about the bed but haven't heard back. Oh well, would have topped my August target. Carry over for September.