Time to make some changes . . . lots of changes!

jwil

karmachilovething wrote: »

I've just remembered another thing I wanted to put up here:

Yesterday I got home and my housemate suggested we go to our local pub for dinner. Now a month ago I would have shrugged my shoulders and said OK, but yesterday I was having a NSD and I didn't really want to have dinner out for the sake of it. So I persuaded him to re-style a pork chop casserole from the beginning of the week as stroganoff at no extra cost.

Was quite surprised and pleased at myself.

Well done! I bet it tasted great too.

karmachilovething

Just back from a lovely weekend in London. Quite expensive (£110 ish) but not too bad considering that covered dinner out, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition and all the associated travel and beverages over a day and a half!

Also made a proper start on my Christmas shopping. Decided that this year I wasn't going to try and fund it out of one month's pay check! Next year I might be even more organised and spread it through the year or something equally radical!

I love museum gift shops for unusual, small gifts. Possibly not the most MSE way of doing Christmas, but I didn't exceed my budgeted prices so don't mind that they possibly weren't the most cost effective options. I reckon I did about a third of my gifts in a couple of hours so that's pretty good going.

jwil

Well done on the Christmas shopping! Glad you had a good weekend.

MSE is not all about 'cheapness' anyway, it is just as much about quality. So a small, but well thought through quality gift to someone is going to be much more MSE than buying something just because it is cheap, yet never gets used by the recipient.

karmachilovething

A good point jwil. I feel a bit more relaxed about Christmas now that I've made a start.

NSD today. Trying to keep unnecessary spending down this month, so that I have spare to do Christmas and travel stuff.

karmachilovething

So what's been new:

Yesterday I had a spendy day: bit of groceries (budgeted), Big Issue, and a set of four tea places (cup, saucer and plate) found in a charity shop for £20. They're a lovely teal blue colour and I'm going to give to a friend for her birthday next year. Feeling very organised at the moment!

Besides that not much to report. Planning a NSD tomorrow.

karmachilovething

Oh my! I haven't written in this diary in two weeks! Well I have been pretty busy, both at work and at home, and I don't see that letting up on the run up to Christmas!

So, I'm going to lay down to strategies for dealing with the party season without blowing the bank balance.

[Aside: another month avoiding going over my overdraft limit, and thus avoiding bank charges. Except I spent the £140 I got for some freelance work, which should have gone somewhere else, but I'm still learning I guess!]

I don't have these strategies yet (!) but I'm going to have a think and update in time for the beginning of December.

jwil

Well done on not exceeding the overdraft!

karmachilovething

Thanks Jwil.

Had two NSDs in a row, and now taking it very easy - think I'm coming down with a cold. I went into town and bought some bits (lush, couple of books for Christmas presents, some honey and lemons and ibuprofen) but I am staying in for the rest of the day!

Going to do my tax return on line today - not expecting there to be any differences but finger's crossed!

karmachilovething

Oh dear that's shameful! I haven't posted here for almost 7 weeks or something (rapid mental arithmetic)

so what have I been up to since then?!

I did come down with a cold, and got over it only to come down with another one! Although everybody seems to have had something, including the flu, so I think I got off lightly. On the up side, it elevated my NSD count in December!

Not enough though - December I blew my overdraft, after two clean months, which was disappointing. However, I did feel more in control over Christmas costs, which isn't measurable in monetary terms, but is a good thing none the less.

Unfortunately January is an expensive month for me - car insurance and MOT to be dealt with. MOT passed, and car insurance found for £140 less than my renewal so not so bad.

And January is also a bit of a shake up in lifestyle. I've joined a gym, which doesn't at first seem the most MSE thing to do, but I was spending a similar amount of money on weekly yoga classes, and the idea is more time in the gym less time in the shops.

I'm also doing a super healthy diet, which I've yet to see what the effect on money this has . . .

Anyway, I am also going to resolve to be a better MSE-er in 2011. Diary more. NSD more. Make more. Consume less. (sorry I've been watching Hugh's Fish Fight while writing this so feeling a bit manifesto-y!)

jwil

Good news on the car insurance and MOT!