Our attempt at being MF!!

smallholdingsister

All sounding beautifully positive. X

CathT

Thanks SHS. Today has been productive too. Popped to Mr S again as the game I wanted had been delivered. Was a bit of a treat doing a Mr S shop on a Saturday compare to what I would have faced at @ldi. Did spend £73 plus the game but that also included 2 advent calendars, a bullet type journal for my secret Santa and a £5 present for DH. Freezer is well stocked and got some Linda M vegetarian items for a bit of variety. After that popped to collect an item I saw on bookface, the horrible histories collection for £10. That's another present for dd and she has commented tonight when I asked her if she'd read that she likes to read before bed. I'm seeing that as progress and hoping she's not pulling a fast one! Also sold an item for £7 so dropped that off and nipped to Mr T (in the same area) to use vouchers to get dd an album.


Feeling exhausted lately so steps are down but stuck to my nutrition and fought off hunger pangs (likely to be caused by tiredness). Have also resisted wine again this weekend.

Snug organised and have a pile of items for the charity shop on Monday. Have advertised our exercise bike as we don't use it and it looks very out of place in there!

CathT

Not much to report but posting keeps me focused and accountable. Payday for dh and we definitely overspent a bit last month so have used most of his wages to recoup that! Just won't save as much this month, possibly £100 but that won't be bad for the time of year. 50p on y0ugov today.

Made a huge pan of butternut squash and pumpkin soup yesterday to use up a lonely pumpkin, only added 1/4 tsp chilli powder but it's still pretty spicy! That should provide me with lunch this week and got some rolls out of the freezer. If I can get chance to make a veg chilli/bolognese that will be me fed all week! Have got lots of mushrooms that need using so may do a rissotto to avoid waste.

Hit 16k steps today so hoping I can carry on with this surprise boost of energy, it would be more but f1tbit battery really low and needs a big charge! Typical that I then ended up rushing around after the children went to bed. Have had to ring gp about my fatigue before it spoils the christmas build up and big day. Having pneumonia last year has taught me the importance of taking prompt action when it comes to my health.

Busy week ahead but that means it will fly. Still trying to bring quality to the week instead of wishing time away. Trying to get jobs done in the morning before work and on getting home. Children were at swimming when I got home today so put my rice cooker on ad did as much as I could in those 20 minutes! I will find the balance with it all!

Also fancy starting a bullet journal in December so need to find a fancy notebook and customise it to what I want. I did watch a video on fb ages ago so have some ideas of what I would put in it. Would also put dd's sharpies to good use!

That quick update was longer than expected!

21katy

This time of the year is always hard to save so you are not alone. Trust me. You are so good with not wasting food. We have just had our waste collections changed from one week to fortnightly now so have been a lot better with portions. I'm ok but sometimes my partner has eyes bigger than his belly ha!
That pumpkin and butternut squash soup sounds gorgeous. Haven't tried both together. Its on the list now! This time of the year is perfect for slow cooker meals too.
Hope you are ok in regards to your health too.Hope you get it sorted before xmas! Take it easy CathT don't over do it.

CathT

Soup is yummy Katy, added a little bit of chilli powder too. Was a handy way to use up an excess pumpkin. Payday for me tomorrow and my payrise is only an extra £40 take-home, damn stoppages. Guess the student loan will get paid off a bit quicker though!

Planning to pay the minimum off 0% cards this month to help with the cashflow. Don't usually spend my expenses either but will this month as we need a bit of extra cash as off to Christmas markets in Stratford-upon-Avon next month. Really looking forward to that and think it will make us all feel extremely christmassy. Spotted a bargain mini-break to Rome too so just trying to talk my mum into having the children! It's actually better value for money to go way in Europe than it is in this country! It can be a anniversary present for dh and me as will be together 16 years and married for 14 when we go.

Managing to keep on top of things at work which is an achievement and gp wants me to have blood tests so hopefully I'll get answers treatment and feel much better soon. This evenings plan is a break from steps and hopefully some time for relaxation!

CathT

Payday and money shuffle done. Also booked a cheeky mini break to Rome! Couldn't leave it for the price! £298 for both of us for 2 nights including flights.

Sold the exercise bike which has been collected and snug looks much better! Dd has been taking herself off in there since we added a sofa in there so at last it is being used.

We've needed a new house phone for a while so dh used last of n3ctar double up points so it only cost £10.

Eaten cheaply this week. Dh had bought me a ys frittata for 20p so had that for dinner, I'll be having the same tomorrow!

Survey waiting on y0ugov so hopefully get time to do it tomorrow. Slow and steady will get me to another £50!

newgirly

Hi cath,good for you booking Rome :T

May I ask about the Stratford Xmas markets though, we have been in December a few times but I've never seen a Xmas market there, is it a recent addition? If so I may have to go too, lovely place

CathT

Hi newgirly, hoping it's the start of regular mini breaks. We didn't have the money before we had the children so didn't make the most of our child free time!

We've not been but are meeting friends there. It's on the 8/910th I think. If you google it, it should come up. Looks like there will be enough to keep us entertained. I'm really looking forward to it.

This week has flown and I've ended it feeling positive after a midweek wobble due to workload. It's amazing how much better you feel when back on top of things. I want to start doing a bullet type journal so need to buy myself a pretty notebook this weekend.
Dh will be at a party with dd most of the day and rain is forecast so may pop out for it first thing and start it whilst watching Christmas films with
Ds.

Need to check the banking this weekend and pay the cc bills. Have one last transfer to do then can see what we have left for the month.

michelle09

Rome is wonderful - it's where OH and I made the change in our relationship from friends and I will always have a soft spot for it. When are you off?

Pretty new notebooks make life feel so much more organised. Not sure if it's a healthy sign or not.

CathT

We're going in February Michelle, will be strange being without the children but am sure they'll enjoy the treats my mum is bound to indulge them with! Think I need a Rome page in my bullet journal!

Had a super lazy weekend, eaten far too much and no exercise and barely any steps! Took ds to see some reindeer today which he really enjoyed. Spent £2.53 on cabbage, spring onion, broccoli and some potatoes from the farm shop. Dh made a delicious roast and I did some Christmas colouring with the children. Broke into a £10 note at farm shop, put £1 in charity collection tin and £5 in envelope for Christmas play tickets (is ours the only school that charges?) and my £10 is almost gone! It's so true that once you break into it, it disappears!

Bag taken to charity shop yesterday so house slightly less cluttered. I've made a huge pot of veggie chilli that should feed me all week. Plenty of leftovers for dinner tomorrow and we are well stocked for school lunches.

Party planning going well, just got to think of some games/activities for 6-9 year olds that are fun and festive. Everyone is going to bring something for the buffet which keeps stress and costs down for us. No plans for NYE but considering I spent last year alone feeling poorly with pneumonia (watched 'it's a wonderful life' with a hot chocolate) any plans would be an improvement!