Trying to make my dreams a reality!!

icontinuetodream

Hi folks....long time, no post....I have been working away a lot over the past couple of weeks so haven't had time to get onto the computer!!

I have been doing well though....finally sorted out my cupboards and have had my suma order delivered and found homes for it all, I have put in my big supermarket order today and will get that tomorrow so am hoping to keep my grocery shopping down to an absolute minimum now for as long as possible!!

I have cleaned the house and am doing well with keeping up with that, despite my forays across the country - i think that I have scared the rest of the family into being tidy as it has been good when i have come home too!! :rotfl: I have been eating as healthily as possible but haven't been great due to the travelling and the excercise is not happening yet for the same reason - but i will get there!!

Next week, things should be easier on the finance front - sil's wedding is this weekend and after that, I have little planned expenditure to contend with - I have approximately £250 left to spend on the garden and then that is done too!!!:j:j:j

Anyhoo...off to catch up with your diaries....:wave:

icontinuetodream

Well, glad that Otober is over....but not as much as my bank balance is!!! :o:o

I am going to spend today balancing my books and cooking...with the added bonus of a glass of wine or two as I still have half a bottle in the fridge :j

Made job lots of muesli and granola yesterday....much healthier breakfast option than my usual 'can't be bothered' so am making in-roads there (even if only minor!!) :A

House is clean, I sorted out some of my 'frogs' and have managed to keep things together for quite a while so pretty impressed with myself for that

The garden hasn't been finished yet which is a bit disappointing but I am hoping that I can get that done by the middle of november....I have loads of re-potting to do as my broad beans are starting to object to their current homes and I my globe artichokes have come through which I am very excited about!! I put my olive tree into the greenhouse a few weeks ago and they have started to ripen which is just fab....not enough of them to make an impact on my olive obsession, but enough to keep me happy!! :rotfl:

Well, its time to get into the kitchen so will catch up on diaries later....have a great day :wave:

Sepa74

Where are you based that your broad beans need planting out at this time of year?! Very jealous... have just shut my garden down for the winter, although bizarrely this warm weather means I am still getting tomatoes ripening... in November!!!!

icontinuetodream

Sepa74 wrote: »

Where are you based that your broad beans need planting out at this time of year?! Very jealous... have just shut my garden down for the winter, although bizarrely this warm weather means I am still getting tomatoes ripening... in November!!!!

No need to be jealous!! I plant them in the autumn and keep them in the greenhouse ready for planting out in early spring...that way I have a really early crop before my main crop comes....I love broad beans with a passion and must have as many as possible!!!

Have had a nightmare of the past couple of weeks.....dh car died on us so am having to be a taxi service at the moment and everyone in the house (other than me!!) has been unwell however, all in recovery now, so should be better and less miserable in the house from now on!! :T

Have been very good this morning - have cleaned the house and sorted out a meal plan for the next four weeks :A....that will help a lot and I should have a reasonably cheap month between november payday and the end of December....

Right, off to walk the hounds.....:wave:

icontinuetodream

Nightmare week at work....:eek: but apart from that, all is good!!:D

Not much to report really, I am trying really hard not to waste any money, but it is proving more difficult than it should as I have been coming home totally exhausted and have been drinking far too much wine to 'treat' myself!!:o

However, another week begins and I am going to set myself a 'treat' budget so that I don't go mad on the beer!! I am going to start December with a whole new state of mind....no more alcohol from then until Solstice and I have joined the 'Don't throw food away' challenge to help me stop the incredible wastage that there is in my house. I know that next year is my time to get things sorted on the OP front, but I do feel that I keep letting events take over me and I am not being as frugal as I could be....have to get out of that habit now, while I still can!! :D:D

icontinuetodream

sat dh down today and had the whole....'new year, new lifestyle' talk...not sure how much has sunk in but only time will tell!!! :think::D

Have started to get everything organised for my OP push.... am currently working to a meal plan which has cut down my spends but want to do something more productive....think I will meal plan once a week based on what i have in stock and also whatever bargins i find....as I seem to be buying things that I could probably do without if i am honest!

I am going to see about changing electric supplier soon and will also do a good search for car insurance (due jan) and house insurance...intend to do through quidco so that I can add a couple of extra quid to the op pot:D

I am pleased with the progress to date....starting to feel that my op challenge won't fall flat on its face this time!!!:rotfl:

icontinuetodream

come on Pink Poppy..... time we had a mfw diary from you!!!!:D:D:D

well, having a lazy day today after my onion marathon yesterday... am making a list of things to do before I hit my OP's hard in the new year... I have one more payday to go before it all starts in earnest....just the solstice to get out of the way and then it is full on!!!:eek:

I am both apprehensive and excited to be honest... I really want to succeed but know that my habit of falling off the wagon in spectacular fashion may hinder my progress.... I have set my target to pay off next year at £3600 which is less than I really hope to pay, but realistic with everything else which needs to be taken into account.....

I intended to get OH overdraft paid off by the end of this year, but despite him paying off £1600 in October from an insurance pay out that he had and me paying for the garden & house expenses, once again it is back up to the max!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: I refuse to contribute anymore to it....two years ago, I paid it off with an insurance pay out that I had, I have covered a lot of expenses that we have and frankly, i have no idea of how he manages to keep running it up....its not as if he buys himself loads of stuff or anything else, I just think that he is rubbish with money!!!

I know that getting the mortgage paid off early is going to be down to me....I don't mind as long as everyone else realises that they either have to tow the line or start to contribute financially :cool:.... I now have a friend who has come to live here and will shortly start to pay me some rent for his room so I am going to put all of that towards the mortgage :Tobviously that isn't a guaranteed period of time, so will all be bonus payments.....

i have also put in a claim for child benefit for dil.....haven't done it before because her mother (who she hasn't lived with since March) was still claiming it!!!!:mad::mad: I was under the impression that she was funding dil (clothes and pocket money) from it until recently.....apparently though, the money has been coming from her dad who lives elsewhere!!:eek: Seriously unimpressed!!!!

Anyhoo....rant over....more planning to do!!!:D

icontinuetodream

OMG!! Just done the budget for next year and managed to scare myself senseless!!! I need soooo much cash just to pay the basics, it isn't funny....:mad:

Had the 'frugal living next year' talk with half of the household...rest will get it tomorrow...:D

Depressed but determined....can't get a lot worse!!!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

pink_poppy

Hi, have decided not to do a diary for the time being but am still cheering you on!!

My DH sounds the same as your OH with regards to being rubbish with money, he's just not interested in living frugally & being careful with money. He does work extremely hard in a stressful job & therefore deserves the odd treat but he moans that he never gets to see any of his hard earned money & compares himself to his (far wealthier) friends

I'm certainly on my own in my household when it comes to being a MFW - I'm in charge of the finances & I've paid £1k extra off the mortgage so far without DH knowing My target is between £350-£500 a month from now on but will have to work it out on a month to month basis. Would love for DH to be interested in the journey but he's just not & I know he never will be, he'll be happy when we're mortgage free though.

Good luck with your frugal living talk & then putting it all into practice next year - that's something I'd like to do as well so will be following your progress closely

icontinuetodream

pink_poppy wrote: »

My target is between £350-£500 a month from now on but will have to work it out on a month to month basis.

Same target as I have!!!:D Will keep you posted on how I get on....not paticularly hopeful as when having the frugal chat last night with sprogs started by telling them how wasteful leaving lights on etc was and dh went into whole conversation of how little lighting costs!!!:mad::mad::mad:

Do love him, but at times I am surprised he doesn't end up with an axe in his head!!!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Will just have to do what I can to get him to realise that it really is a case of every penny making a difference.....even if I have to resort to murder! And he will definately be buying his own whiskey from now on!!