Here I go again :-)

jellybean39

Hi MIT
Glad to hear your mum a bit comfier. sorry not been on been a bit manic but dont know why.
I did think of you this morning when i saw the weather forecast on the news hope its not to disruptive esp with mum being poorly. will be back soon be good x;)

millionaire_in_training

So cold here today Jelly Was -2 this morning when I got in car but last year it went much lower than that. I am not a fan of winter. I have skidded 3 times today in the car and almost fell on my b*tt walking across the road to work :rotfl:. Rain is on now so hopefully that'll wash away the snow.

Work was awful today and I ended up saying it as it is . Got things done my way in the end up though so sometimes you just have to have your say and get it sorted out. Feel much better about things now as I was getting really annoyed at certain things that were happening.

I was very good moeny wise today but I really had to think about it. I took bread for toast to work and a tin of soup for lunch so that was good. Nearly bought my lunch and remembered how bad canteen is so wasn't lazy and made soup instead.Nearly picked up a bag of chips on way home but came in and cooked a baked potato instead. Still bought crisps and chocolate but hey Rome wasn't built in a day :rotfl:. I'm feeling more like myself today. Everythin that needed to be done for my mum to ensure her comfort has been done so I dont need to deal with any more changes and hopefully she will stay stable for a wee while yet. I'm thinking positively

millionaire_in_training

Evening. Well, over 12 hours out of the house today so I am shattered. Busy day at work, then tae kwon do with DS then had to pop into mum's to sort her out. Bought chips on the way home to save me cooking . They were yum though. Sometimes you just cant beat bread and butter with chips - nom nom.

Not a big spend today again so I am happy with that .
Work was manic and 2 of my staff were in tears before we even started this morning as they were so stressed. Things were much better by the end of the day and hopefully tomorrow we will be in a great position to move forward successfully. I f we dont I'll be for it from every direction :eek:. I'm confident I'm right though .

I'm going to have a wee early night tonight and be bright and breezy tomorrow. Think I'll manage the breezy mind you as we have a red warning for the wether tomorrow and apparently 90 mile per hour winds :eek:

jellybean39

hi Mit
Sorry i just read your email you sent me on 11/11.!!!! i understand why now. lol Cant believe the snow your having up there, mind you your look like you got bad wind for the next few days lol
Have decided to give up tinking about mse until after christmas been a bit stressed with it all, santnader are doing me head in still.......... another story.
Glad i dont have your stresses at work as your job is hard i imagine, you crack the whip girl x

millionaire_in_training

I'm treading water too until after Christmas. Just too difficult just now. I've joined a challenge for 2012 of paying off as much as you can and I have said £10k including all payments and interest. This should make a difference of about £7k to my totals. I'll be going for it from 26th December

Whip is well and truly cracked ................miss whiplash, thats me lol

jellybean39

i was starting the 1 debt vs 100 days last week but it aint happened yet!!!!
Right on a serious note mit i nearly fell over today my mum told me we wer cutting down this year and i have tried still spent to much but half of what i did last year and have used cc a little but had thrift saved so that is ok. Mu mu has spent a staggering 5k on xmas. I bet that isnt it all either.
If you were going to buy a presents what do you think is reasonable as i always feel embarresed as my sisters like really nic estuff ( not saying they can afford it) my sis works for an airline so she gets designer stuff for the kids well cheap and i alwasy feel what i buy isnt in thier league.

So hoe much for neices and nephews mum dad gran children each do you think is what we should be spending? i know what we should be is what we can afford but what i mean is where do we stop?
My mum was talking about buying the kids table presents today at 30 quid a shot and when i coughed she said dont you think thats enough i was thinking more like a fiver? or not at all?
If any one else has any views on this would like to hear them. Im not sure what is normal anymore, as what i think is reasonable seems to be evryone around me stocking fillers. Speaking to other people recently and they tend to agree with me but mum is well off and she loves to spoil everyone but surely it gets out of hand?

millionaire_in_training

I totally agree with you that things get out of hand. If your mum is well off and it gives her pleasure to spend on you and the kids then let her wire in but dont even try to keep up. I get away with about £20 for nieces etc and friends and their kids ( the ones I buy for). Staff I usually get wine. My own kids I spend about £350 each on but tbh they have struggled on what to get this year as they have everything they need. I usually spend about £50-£100 on my mum and I do a boozy/ tasty hamper for my brother. I have loads of old aunts that I buy boxes of M&S choccy biccies for ( got them half price last week) and thats me. I have spent about £1.5k in totall which truth be told I annot afford but hey ho we need to live as well. I'll soon pay that off in thenew year. You probably spend much more but you need to ask yourself if your family would be happy with the thought that you were skinning yourself to give them gifts that they probably dont even need. Good luck x

LAM2011

Morning MIT and Jelly

Glad your mum is comfy now MIT - although work and the weather sound awful - cant win I suppose

I remember this time last year I was really struggling financially and lots went on plastic which is why in Jan when looking for a solution I joined this forum and luckily this year I am in a slightly better place in that I am now in control but no where near DF yet.

I think the money thing with presents all depends on affordability. This year I have spent minimal but been quite practical and original with gifts and mostly got away with under £20 per person. I have made up little hampers of goodies and even my Brothers was only about £9 I think. Fortunately I dont buy for OH family (which is large) and we only give his 4 sisters, mum and dad and not the rest (and he pays for them)! His mother gives them all enough to last a life time. Its a bit ridiculous actually but she starts her xmas shopping in the Jan sales and can afford it!

Stay warm and have a good day x

millionaire_in_training

:eek: This is the worst weather I have ever seen in my life. I reckon no power soon. Our office closed just before lunch and we were all sent home. All the schools were closed. Trees are down all over the place. My house walls are shaking and garden furniture is falling all over the garden. It is very scary :eek:. I've been baking with the kids to take their minds off whats going on outside. Am worried about my mum as her oxygen runs on electricity and if that goes off she needs to go onto manual bottle and she cant change that herself :eek:. My brother has gone in to make her dinner so hopefully he will sort her out for the night. A man had a tree fall on his car on the A82 but I think he is okay. I'm scaredy :rotfl:. Can hardly hear the telly for the wind. I hope all my staff got home okay as one of the girls lives in Helensburgh and no doubt you will see that on the news tonight. It is awful. At least for once everyone is taking the police advice seriously and staying home. Our boss said we could go home if we felt we had to but office would remain open. That lasted until the pub across the road's windows blew in and office was closed and the remaining staff sent home. I had already bailed out :rotfl:. I said a few choice expletives on the way home. The girl in the back of my car was blessing herself as the wind was literally lifting the car and blowing it across the road. Now that was the weather for central Scotland :rotfl:.

Spent £10 today but was for gifts for 2 colleagues who turn 60 this month. No other spends. Made muffins and scones and the scones were yummy hot from the oven dripping with real butter. OMG you cant beat it. I better go and sort out dinner before the power goes off

Keeping_Positive

:eek: at the weather up there MIT It sounds like a baton down the hatches time. I think you are doing amazing well considering everything. My thoughts are still with you and the family especially your Mum.