Debt free in ten years-my new, more realistic challenge.

beanielou

Great great news on the cottage :j

Mint1955

Your cottage is beautiful and I am trying to work out with OH when he can take some time out. So glad you are getting bookings and that people are looking after it while they stay.

poohbear59

Hopefully we will see you here sometime soon Mint

beanielou ebay seems to be the way to go to get last minute bookings. Not what I ever thought we would be doing but if it works.....

poohbear59

DSs x 3 have gone for a 15 mile walk across the fells this morning. The weather is glorious so they will be able to see for miles. We are going to pick them up at the other end later. There is a beer festival at the pub at the end of their walk. I just think it is great they are all together and spending time doing something they all love before DS3 goes away on Thursday.

We are looking for somewhere to go for a meal one night next week before he goes away.
It is times like this when it is costly living in the sticks as there are no cheapy foody places that take vouchers to be found around here.

70 mile round trip in two cars might be cheaper than eating locally. Time to go and do some sums.

Me P and I are going to plant our leeks out today They are for the local leek show which we have entered. We haven't paid for them yet but the guy who got them for us says we can pay as and when we can afford to. Last year I won a cheap bottle of brandy (yuk). I don't like brandy. And DB won a phone. He doesn't have a landline so I have put it in the cottage for our guests to use.:)

DD and I have split the cost of vegetable seeds between us so we can get started I the allotment. We bought some seed potatoes (£2.50) and some leek plants (£2) to get something into the ground soon. It was snowing on Friday so we won't get too excited as the ground isn't warm yet.

The only thing that is growing in the vegetable beds is the garlic which I put in last year. And the wild garlic in the herb bed!

I must go outside and get some free vitamin D

grannyx2

Rather than 2 cars and a meal somewhere, putting unnecessary pressure on you all to enjoy, why don't you have a family cook-in and drinks night. DS will be desperate for a home cooked meal after 4 months and the memory of a good night in with all his favourite people should keep the memory alive for a while

Granny x

poohbear59

granny we had a lovely meal all together.
DS3 has gone now and I had my last text message from him this morning to say that the crew and officers are all really friendly and he thinks his time will pass more easily. Everyone speaks English which will help him a lot.

He is back in port in 2 weeks so we can have a fortnightly chat, or text

DS2 went back home for a few days so we are down to just 3 of us here. He is between jobs still. The start date for his new job was put back by a month so he doesn't start until the end of June. He says he will be back for free food etc.
It does seem strange after all the years with so many living here. We have no waifs and strays at the moment either. Time to knuckle down and save more towards paying off our debts.

DH had a call about a possible job today so has gone out to find out about it. We treated ourselves to a bottle of wine to have with our dinner today and I think we both deserve it.

Things have been expensive this week. We bought DS3 his birthday present early as he won't be here for it next week. It was a laptop case so he could protect it while travelling. Then at the airport I needed to pay for excess baggage for DS3. His case was 2kg over and it cost me £40!!! If I didn't have the cash on me he would have had nothing for expenses during his journey.

I also paid for petrol for the trip to and from the airport (I put £40 of fuel in the car) and a cup of tea each at Greggs in the airport.

Yesterday was a NSD and today too for me:) but DH paid for the wine out of our account so not really a NSD.

DD and DSIL have been to the allotment today an sown the carrot and parsnip seeds. I am going to sow some bean and pea seeds indoors to give them a bit of a start.
We are hoping we can be almost self sufficient in vegetables this year. We are at the mercy of the weather but will give it our best shot.

To make sure we don't spend unnecessarily on seeds we kept a record of the vegetables we buy and then added things we like but don't see in the shops.(I like broad beans but never see them in local shops) We then decided what we could buy in plant form to save on growing time as we have a very short season here.

As a result we haven't bought anything on a whim. Everything has a place planned for it in either the allotment or garden. We are going to grow salad leaves close to the house so we can pick and sow regularly. Beans and mangetout peas will also be close to the house, again for regular picking.

I am being optimistic. Last year we only had 4 runner beans if I remember right.

We have been given horse manure and DH has been saving wood ash to go on the garden and allotment.
The total cost for all the vegetable seeds and plants is £39. Our aim is to produce at least £39 worth of vegetables.

I have never been so careful. In the past I grew for the flavour and the pleasure it gave me. I will enjoy the process of growing our own (We have grown our vegetables for 28 years), and the flavours of fresh home grown but it has become more of a necessity that we achieve success this year.

A friend has offered me some tomato plants which I must collect very soon as she says they are becoming leggy.

please-let-me-be-lucky

Glad DS3 got away ok and I hope the next 2 weeks pass quickly for you until you hear from him again. You should have called in here for your cuppa, I'm cheaper than Greggs

Good luck with the veggies Xx

poohbear59

I had another melt down on Sunday evening. Feeling a bit more human today. It was all about money.

Anyway, a new day, and sunshine will probably help.

Yesterday DD came across and helped me sort out changing direct debits to the new bank account. She has listed all our outgoings on the calender.

Another NSD for Mr P and me

I am going to ask DSIL to get me some bits from 4ldi tomorrow as it saves me petrol money and he is already going there after work.

And I am delighted that DGD's birthday present has arrived. I spent 99p plus £5 postage on a steering wheel to attach to her car seat. They are going on holiday this weekend and wanted it to keep her occupied.

Do I put batteries in too? Maybe I should let them decide if they want the noise on their journey. And it saves from spending a bit more too.


Our latest money making idea is to set up a sewing class in the cottage for a long weekend for a group of friends. We need to look at the cost implication first.

AND I discovered Mr P hasn't had public liability insurance paid for months. Must find a good cheap one.

beanielou

Keep plodding xx

brizzledfw

poohbear59 wrote: »

I had another melt down on Sunday evening. Feeling a bit more human today. It was all about money.

Anyway, a new day, and sunshine will probably help.

Yesterday DD came across and helped me sort out changing direct debits to the new bank account. She has listed all our outgoings on the calender.

Another NSD for Mr P and me

I am going to ask DSIL to get me some bits from 4ldi tomorrow as it saves me petrol money and he is already going there after work.

And I am delighted that DGD's birthday present has arrived. I spent 99p plus £5 postage on a steering wheel to attach to her car seat. They are going on holiday this weekend and wanted it to keep her occupied.

Do I put batteries in too? Maybe I should let them decide if they want the noise on their journey. And it saves from spending a bit more too.


Our latest money making idea is to set up a sewing class in the cottage for a long weekend for a group of friends. We need to look at the cost implication first.

AND I discovered Mr P hasn't had public liability insurance paid for months. Must find a good cheap one.

You're doing SO well but it's completely understandable that you get tired and run down sometimes.. Do give yourself a break and a few treats like that glass of wine every so often. You deserve it...you really do x