Botanical blunderings on a budget - good life starts here.

Pippilongstocking

Well done you on the treating KC! I've been to london victoria (once after seeing you) I loved the sushi places but was a bit too overwhelmed to buy anything. The mainland seems a moneysucking place - for example today as it was easier for OH mum I parked in the close pay parking in town - 30p/hour 50p/2 hours - on the mainland I'm sure I paid £1.90 in edinburgh for parking for an hour! Two coffees, one bit cake was about a fiver - which I think is pretty cheap too. Life is expensive - funny how Mse makes you in the habit of walking longer but parking for free - I just didn't want to tire out her little legs

Its one of the reasons I'm hardly on small things anymore - alhtough I must get into it - I think alot of the moneysaving things are now so engraned here that when folk come its only then that you notice what you're upto everyday - Iyswim - I was boxing up rice earlier (I cooked a whole packet when I did some for OH lunch) and she did look at me quizzically - I just said - oh its handy and saves cooking seperate batches. I like the changes in our lives which are moneysaving and kinda quaint/efficient but weird to other folk,

Well I'm wierd anyway - none of you lot !:rotfl:

My treat budget is more of a 'if we could do anything what would we do each month' wish list, I don't know if I can really go for it! I'm far too scared to actually think about how much that stuff is - amazing what you can do without isn't it? OH is pretty good at supplying treats but eating out is so expensive these days.

I use to (pre mse) spend at least £5-10 a week on flowers - can't think of that now - if I want flowers I grow them or gather a few from the field - amazing what doing a soa does for you initially isn't it?

Karmacat

It really is .... all the stuff I've got that I spent good money on! I'm glad I paid to go to conventions and the like, but all the *stuff* I bought while I was there, I really got sucked in ... ah well.

As for the mainland being expensive - well, it is! I bought a cup of tea at Euston - small size, it was the only size they had - and it cost £1.89!!!! I have a little half-litre thermos, and I'm going to start bringing that - just one cup of tea each way on this journey, and I spent over £3, on nothing! Irritating if I let it happen again - but then I can spend that money on *actual* treats, even if it includes a cup of tea, at least it will be in a nice place that I actually want to be in

Pippilongstocking

When I found myself buying an EGG sandwich at work last week - eggs in a sandwich - I have both plentiful eggs and bread at home - I've vowed that actually if I can't remember to take my lunch in then I've plenty (stale) ryvitta in my desk drawer - I should not be buying egg sandwiches cos I leave early in a tizzy. INcredibly stupid on my part!

If I spend 1.45 on something it should be a plant or something treatsy not an egg sandwich! I'm with you there KC

I'm off ot a meeting (Community garden project) then back (lift from a chum dd and OH and OH mum off into town, dd to go fencing, OH and OH mum to have a nice dinner in town while waiting for DD Excelent petrol juggling.

have a lovely evening everyone

starnac

just a thought. have you already budgeted for plants/seeds or does that come out of treats?? although once your polytunnel is up I doubt you'll be buying much of anything in the way of plants

Cheery_Daff

Sounds like your treats budget is looking like it's filling up pippi! :T :T And how lovely to have a day out with OH's mum Glad you got a few treats too! :T :T Well done! :T

Off to look at sunset pics, will look out for moon (although cloudy here too, so we'll see!) xxx

Greying_Pilgrim

Pippi - just a thought, I'm remembering that EH was prompting you on your 'stripey storecupboard' purchases whilst you are 'doon sooth' visiting Wik. Firstly, as we are nearing the 26th/29th - viva depending ......... is there anything that you want us to 'look up' in all the various stores at our disposal to find a best value for money/cheapest list? Then, retaining that theme, I was thinking of you this afternoon (ahhhh) when I went in our local branch of W!lkinsons as they had a 50% off (most if not all) seeds thing going on. <ahem> if erm, peedie seedy needy stocky uppy ............ flowers and veg were reduced, and I know that W!lkinsons generally get around to doing 75% discount, but there is plenty of choice at the moment.......<ahem> if there was anything that was normally lotsa wonga, and was cheap, what could be decanted down into smaller amounts or grown into strapping young plantlets if you catch my drift, I'm sure we (collectively - who live near an obliging W!lkinsons) could erm, scoop a bargain and send it on to ya - either when you're on our turf or 'back home' IYSWIM... just a MS thought....

W!lkinsons do their brand own seeds, Johnsons and a 'world garden' selection of exotics (think borlotti beans, gherkins, cavolo nero, melons - that type of thing, plus 'exotic' flowers too).

Right I feel like I've been speaking 'double talk' better than 'Flash Harry' - shameful St. Trinians reference (original versions naturally) - in this post, so I'll shuffle off.

Hope the meeting goes well.

Greying

EssexHebridean

Karmacat wrote: »

It really is .... all the stuff I've got that I spent good money on! I'm glad I paid to go to conventions and the like, but all the *stuff* I bought while I was there, I really got sucked in ... ah well.

As for the mainland being expensive - well, it is! I bought a cup of tea at Euston - small size, it was the only size they had - and it cost £1.89!!!! I have a little half-litre thermos, and I'm going to start bringing that - just one cup of tea each way on this journey, and I spent over £3, on nothing! Irritating if I let it happen again - but then I can spend that money on *actual* treats, even if it includes a cup of tea, at least it will be in a nice place that I actually want to be in

Pippilongstocking wrote: »

When I found myself buying an EGG sandwich at work last week - eggs in a sandwich - I have both plentiful eggs and bread at home - I've vowed that actually if I can't remember to take my lunch in then I've plenty (stale) ryvitta in my desk drawer - I should not be buying egg sandwiches cos I leave early in a tizzy. INcredibly stupid on my part!

If I spend 1.45 on something it should be a plant or something treatsy not an egg sandwich! I'm with you there KC

I'm off ot a meeting (Community garden project) then back (lift from a chum dd and OH and OH mum off into town, dd to go fencing, OH and OH mum to have a nice dinner in town while waiting for DD Excelent petrol juggling.

have a lovely evening everyone

This is such sensible thinking - it's about "making it count" isn't it - sort of mindful spending, like mindful eating? I'm with you entirely ladies - let's all try to make sure that when we *do* spend money that isn't strictly in the budget, it's spent so far as possible on things that make us happy!

I also understand exactly what you mean about the plus sides of living in the sort of place you do Stripes - from a financial point of view I mean. We find the same thing in the Hebrides - there is pretty mnuch nowhere that charges for parking, just a couple of car parks in Stornoway I think but nowhere else. The downide of course is having to pay extra for the stuff you buy once you're parked!

Pippilongstocking

Hey up ducks

Oh Greying - you've definitly got my attention I'll PM you I think I love st trinians - first and second one - I think that both versions are quite good.

And, thank you for the reminder about the store cupboard - we ran out of pasta yesterday (insert shreeky face) store cupboard getting very low indeed.

starnac - seeds etc come from business account and are tax deductable - at least thats what I'm telling myself he he he

EH how true eh? Most exciting things are free but the other things cost a packet. Good plan to pledge to buy things which make us happy!

Cheery I hope you enjoy the pics! Hope you've had a good day all of you - starnac your DD parcel is *almost* done yay

Karmacat

EH, what a brilliant phrase, "mindful spending"! I love that.

I have a Wilko's in the next town over - I do go there sometimes - in fact, I can stop off there next Tuesday...

Lemon_Tree

those are amazing photo's Pippi, you're so lucky up there.
Glad the visitors seem to be going well.

I'm sure given a little bit of pondering whilst weeding you'll find your ideal treat ideas for your new budget.

Your hourly rate is fab! i'm sure that's more than mine is at the moment and i consider myself to be on a semi decent wage.