Our attempt at being MF!!

CathT

I had a quick nap Jimmy, it's becoming a habit. Managed to get though today without a snooze but I didn't get up uni till 9am. Smashed the gym again and enjoyed treats in moderation today. Had no alcohol for Ofer 3 weeks, can't say it's doing anything for my energy levels though.

Had to brave the supermarket today, it was shockingly busy and I was struggling to find anything as had to go to a different branch as ours being refurbished. Accidentally deleted my shopping list off my phone and had to go back to Mr S to get everything else off my list. Tried to meal plan so we can try and survive this week on the cash we have which will just about cover milk,bread and fruit top ups. If we can do this we will have shaved £100 off our budget which can be put to better use.

Rounded that account down to make a £2.63 overpayment as tilly tidies been a bit slow.

Had a lovely afternoon with the children after getting them off technology and played old fashioned games. Ds tells me that was his favourite part of the day so I'm hoping the message is getting through to them.

January spends
Supermarket - £138.42
Fuel £48

CathT

Very quick uneventful update from me. Managed a nsd, no reason we can't achieve the same tomorrow. I've done over 15k steps (managed almost 8k by 8:30am which I think was key) and hit calories and macros. Y0ugov is quiet at the moment but a survey popped up so 50 points earned on there.

House tidy, just one load of washing to put away tomorrow but daily activity is helping keep on top of things. I don't have time to spend most of a weekend day cleaning and would much rather do it gradually throughout the week.

Watched a film with ds after work today. We sometimes fall into the trap of 'living for the weekend' and just trying to get through the week. Dh is working particularly rubbish hours at the moment and we literally see each other for 20 minutes a day. Hoping these awful hours come to an end soon.

Well this ended up being a fairly long post considering I had nothing to report!

PurpleFairy26

CathT wrote: »

Very quick uneventful update from me. Managed a nsd, no reason we can't achieve the same tomorrow. I've done over 15k steps (managed almost 8k by 8:30am which I think was key) and hit calories and macros. Y0ugov is quiet at the moment but a survey popped up so 50 points earned on there.

House tidy, just one load of washing to put away tomorrow but daily activity is helping keep on top of things. I don't have time to spend most of a weekend day cleaning and would much rather do it gradually throughout the week.

Watched a film with ds after work today. We sometimes fall into the trap of 'living for the weekend' and just trying to get through the week. Dh is working particularly rubbish hours at the moment and we literally see each other for 20 minutes a day. Hoping these awful hours come to an end soon.

Well this ended up being a fairly long post considering I had nothing to report!

Wow! 8k steps by 8.30. I've been up since 6.30 and despite only sitting down for 2 minutes for some porridge I've only managed 394. Do you go out for a walk first thing?

CathT

It surprises you doesn't it PF when you feel you've been really active but your tracker says otherwise. I do a lot of walking/jogging on the spot. Don't get the steps done much faster on the treadmill and this is an easy way of getting them done in the morning. I've got an inactive job so have to try and make the most of non-work time.

We have had 2 NSD's, should manage today without a food top up shop but will have football fees £2 later. Had £1.75 payable on tcb this morning so have already overpaid that. It's definitely a quiet time of the month money wise for us, all will change next week.

Plan for next few days is no un-necessary spending and to really consider if we actually need something or could manage with what we already have. Tonight's dinner is leftovers for me and a curry for dh and the children with chicken out of the freezer. May have to get a little more creative over the next few days. As a family we're no longer eating pork (health conscious decision, saw a scary (to me) infographic so have had to make changes to lunches but children adjusting well and chicken sausages for the odd meal are a hit with them.

Right, need to blast some more steps out!

CathT

Good morning, quick post before I get ready for the gym. Dd has an away football much somewhere rural and I don't want ds going to watch as it's so wet and cold. Doubt he'll want to come to the gym and taking him means being in the family area which is hugely busy on Saturdays in january. Aim is to be in the gym for 8am and have the ladies' gym to myself!

Woken with a headache, probably hormonal but have a feeling it will linger as also had one yesterday. Any herbal recommedations? At least it kept me off the wine I was slightly tempted to drink last night though.

Dh did a top up shop yesterday which has really eaten into our remaining spends but the positive is...'there are remaining spends' I was just getting hopeful for lots of food/fuel money leftover to save/overpay.

Payday for me next week and dh the following week. His will be a good one. We've got c/tax free months coming up but also need to offset that large water rates bill so will be some sums.

I think dh and I need to do a financial review together to ensure our money is working the hardest it can for us. I know we should be investing more into pensions but also worry that they are linked to retirement age so assume dh won't be able to access his until 58?

Planning a series of NSD's now to take us up until Tuesday (surely it's not that hard to achieve 3 in a row?). We've not major expenses to start off this months pay so should be more flexible with our spends thank last month where we had to pay over £400 insurance renewal. Even after all my years in here this is still an area I fail to prepare for!

Right, off to get ready for the gym!

January spends
Supermarket £185.60
Fuel £48

CathT

Well we didn't even manage a nsd yesterday as I popped to the supermarket after the gym. Ds 'struggling' without ham despite me buying chicken/quorn etc. So I scoured the shelves in Mr S and bought some naked ham. I'm still worried about the level of toxins in pork meat but at least there are no nasties added. Think I've spent too much time watching certai. Netfl1x documentaries.

Am supposed to be going to the gym this morning, dh at work so planning on taking children aswell. However, legs are really hurting from yesterday so be best to rest them and I could probably get away with upper body workout at home so think that will be the plan.

Have checked accounts ready for final 2 days before paydays. Would like to overpay the remaining bank balance (having overpayment withdrawals) as have some cash that would buy emergency bread and milk if needed tomorrow.

Had such a simple afternoon at home yesterday which made me realise even more how lucky we are to have our lovely home and each other and we don't need flash spending to be happy. Dh often comments he'd like more disposable cash but think he's realising simplest things can bring the most happiness.

Today's plan is changing beds/homework and getting the children off technology! Dh will make a soup later which will supply my lunch for a few days.
Will meal plan so we don't need a food shop at the very beginning of the budget reset which always helps our monthly spends.

Pooky

I'd love more disposable cash but then if I really think about it, I've no idea what I'd spend it on - it would just get frittered.

I have everything I need, it's just the spendy elves get their "want" hats on now and then.

CathT

That's us pooky, I asked dh what we would have actually done differently throughout the day. We both agreed nothing. Would lunch out or new clothes have made us happier? Definitely not!

Soup made and I'm debating making a chick pea and lentil and sweet potato curry. New challenge is to see how many days after payday we can reach without needed a decent top up shop!

CathT

Good evening all! Today absolutely flew which was a bonus to the start of the working week. Dh dd a top up shop and I've batch cooked some meals for me which should be super filling and frugal. Just made a mix of lentils, chick peas, passata and veg. Would have been vegan but my one stock cube contains milk.


Made a £5.20 overpayment which was the dregs of the account plus 10p from tcb, I won a grand total of 30p in their latest giveaway however it has gone to the mortgage so carefully invested. Spreadsheet updated and around £330 needed to knock off an extra month which doesn't seem such a scary figure. DH has always been on board to an extent with mortgage freedom but he keeps mentioning lately how life could be when we're mortgage free. Maybe he will start giving me his receipt scanning payouts???



January spends
Supermarket £202.54
Fuel £79

CathT

Just a quick update from me. Payday tomorrow so some early money shuffling as child benefit landed in account today. Have divided extras in my wage between mortgage and holiday balance so almost £70 paid off each of those. Got up to date with credit card stopping (try and use it for food spends and pay straight off to help with interest accrual). Once wages land tomorrow will pay another £300 off the holiday. Hopefully the rest of the month can be low spend so we can maximise our disposable spends. Supermarket bill is big for us this month so definitely want to look at this area as I really don't know how we've spent as much as we have. We had a big supply of chicken in the freezer which has made a lot of curries and we mostly cook from scratch. My batch cooking was a success so will make another one at the weekend for some cheap meals for me.

Had a dusting of a sleet/snow/hail mix today which looks like it is going to freeze overnight. At this point I'm really starting to regret not putting the bin/recycling out ready for the morning!

Almost on my 15k steps (200 to go which I'll definitely hit before bed) so am going to have a herbal tea and read for a bit before bed. Definitely need lights out by 10:30 tonight as I stay up late all week and crash on a Friday night which isn't great!

January spends
Supermarket £202.54
Fuel £109