New Year. New House. New Budget

Lurker1972

oops, a month without updating, thats not so clever

The move is creating all sorts of demands on the pennies which I hadnt bargained for - I now understand why experts going on about the stagnant housing market & retail affecting the economy so much!

We are being good (mostly) looking at all options before committing to spending & then making sure we have the best possible price & quidco-ing where possible so all is not bad.

work is good - we are wayyy behind which means overtime is readily available.....which means i end up getting behind with the housework!

Today I am off work & making the most of it - 2 loads of washing are on the line, a 3rd is in the machine & the slow cooker is on.
am about to jump in the shower - facepack is on while I have a little MSE time!

non-house related spends are good, mostly under control if only I could get over the afternoon need for chocolate!!
my current 'excuse' is that I am full of cold & its medicinal......

plan for rest of day
shower & dress
letter to pension people
order kitty food
more washing
in to town to purchase a strapless undergarmeent, making use of discount card - 25% off thank you very much
update spreadsheets
check for surveys

That'll do!

Lurker1972

Way too early too be awake on a weekend, but it seems that Kitty still hasnt learnt to tell the time - having said that, at least she woke me by purring, instead of being stabbed as she has been known to do!
Did try to get back to sleep, but am full of cold & that hampered my efforts. No problem, I'm happy to have an afternoon nap!

Spreadsheets are updated. Situation is not wonderful, but I think we are just about getting it all under control. Logged on to Valued Opinions to check for surveys & found a £10 voucheer waiting to be claimed, woohoo. that is now winging its way to me.

Todays plans, other than feeling sorry for myself;

Shopping - use £6 off £30 spend voucher @ co-op.
Ironing
Washing
Final bit of painting in the kictchen to get rid of the previous owners questionable taste.
cut grass
weeding
pressure wash deck / replace kitchen sink & taps.

& as I've read that its free listing on ebay.....get some junk listed!!

the online guru that is flying_fresian has said that she found uping her income was the best weapon in debt-busting & i think thats probably also my best option.
Am working some overtime, not every weekend though as thats not a situation I want to be in again, but budgets remain based on basic pay....oh & I think we are due a small payrise soon.very small. but even so!

time to make meal plan & shopping list, then to drag my sorry carcass into the shower & get moving......

or I could read a few more diaries.....

Lurker1972

aggghhhhhhhh

longest post ever & I just hit the back button by accident...MARE

too tired to repeat it all, but in a nutshell

today - major spendy day, not exactly expected, but it does mean we have souvenirs of MrLurks supercar driving experience.

Plans for the weekend are to replace manky sink with shiny new one (bought in february, reduced from £300 to £99, with further 15% off, £85!!) it would be nice to believe this will be a job we can do with minimal further expenditure. however, as every other job we've done in the new house has had financial complications, i am not optimistic,

i have another money off voucher for the weekly shop & will be sticking to meal plan this week - will write it down instead of leaving it in my head to be partly forgotten!

am trying to apply the increase not cut back philosophy to weightloss as well as money. I like my food too much & struggle the minute I start to think diet. I also think that I am more prone to colds these days as I am overweight & unfit. have started going for walks twice a week during lunch which has been suprisingly pleasant. lunches for this week has been homemade chicken soup which was BLAND but bizarrly filling. back on salad next week with fruit for snacks. flapjack may also feature - oats are good for you arent they?!

Got share dividend payments today so have paid that off the credit card.

ebay didnt happen last week, but we have written down what we want to list so we have made progress - theres more than I realised so fingers crossed that we pull fingers out & list the damn stuff!

washing machine should stop shortly & that load can go on the airer overnight - not the same as drying outside but better than the tumble dryer!

Lurker1972

Its all ticking along nicely,
The new sink went in with some additional expense, but nowhere near as much as it could have been. MrLurks damaged himself a number of times, but thats par for the course - I'm even learning to stay away when he is in DIY mode as I tend to faint when he is hurt!!

He is off to America for business this weekend & lucky lucky me will be meeting him over there for a few days away:j. to say I am looking forward to it is an understatement.
I had hoped to lose a few lbs beforehand but no such luck. I am starting to think that it needs to be ww or sw to get results. it would seem that i lack the willpower to do it alone.....trouble is I am too tight to pay a weekly fee!!! plus I think I should be able to do it on my own, its hardly rocket science - eat better, eat less, exercise more.......similar logic that can be applied to debt busting.....spend wiser, spend less, earn more!!

not doing overtime in the morning, despite it being available. its all about getting the balance between work, money & life.....Life wins for the next 2 weeks, so am starting the weekend with a swim, then lunch with MrLurks, haircut & colour (budgeted for, yay me) and maybe a little visit to bravissimo......I promise to be good in there, honest i do!

Lurker1972

I am now home alone - feels really weird, but I aim to use the time productively

Monday evening - clean bathroom, load washing machine, make lunch for Tuesday, hoover upstairs, facemask

Tuesday evening - clean kitchen, empty shredder, hoover downstairs, make lunch for Wednesday, facemask

Wednesday evening - beautifcation appointment, any ironing that needs doing

Thursday - opportiunity for early mornig swim, depends what time I wake up. Kitty to cattery. Final tidy round & PACKKKKKK.

Minimal spend week, I will be shelling out for car parking unless I get lucky and can find a space in a side road - they are few and far between so I am fully expecting to be parted with my pennies.

Early night for me I think, hopefully Kitty will agree & will come in when I call her!

Lurker1972

Lurker1972 wrote: »

Monday evening - clean bathroom, load washing machine, make lunch for Tuesday, hoover upstairs, facemask

QUOTE]


Check, check, check and check. facemask, not so much!!

Free parking woo, breakfast being off resulting in toasted teacake purchase not so woo....although it did taste so much better than rice krispies!!

need to update spreadsheets & transfer money from the grocery account & see how I did for budgets...hopefully wont be too far off.....

Lurker1972

:mad::mad::mad:

grocery budget went kerploo-ey, rescued only by the non-use of the petrol budget...but still ggrrrrrrr

need to review the spends, something is going wrong and I;m not sure if its my bad planning, or general price increases of everything

thats a job for another day though!!!

kerron7

Just wanted to say good luck with the house and looks like you have most things under control.

Have a fabulous time in America i am very jealous, my dream is to go on a road trip visiting every state maybe one day if i have any money lol.

kerron x

Lurker1972

kerron7 wrote: »

Just wanted to say good luck with the house and looks like you have most things under control.

Have a fabulous time in America i am very jealous, my dream is to go on a road trip visiting every state maybe one day if i have any money lol.

kerron x

Why thank you . I know i am very lucky as the bulk of the cost of this trip has been funded by Mr Lurkers work, had it been coming from our pockets it wouldnt be happening !!

NSD!!!!! more free parking & didnt buy breakfast or any chocolate (although that last bit was more luck than will power - a colleague provided us all with choccie bar just as the need was taking over!)

one more day at work, I could do with an early night, but I am hoping to hear from MrLurks soon.....stupid time difference !!!

Lurker1972

and another day of free parking.:j little things please little minds eh?!

not a NSD due to beautification visit, which was most pleasant so i am now tinted polished and waxed & ready to go

payday today, so time to play with spreadsheets & play with the pennies . also need to check to see if quidco is near to payout....