We are about to pull the purse strings soooo tight!

Alice_in_Poorland

Eager_Elephant wrote: »

oh no can't believe football was on!!

We have also put the heating on:eek:.
I have switched the timer to constant and set the thermostat to 17c and all the radiators came on but by about 12noon they were all off as the house had reached 17c - I have just checked and none are on so the house must be holding the heat.

I'm with you Alice I am too hot - I had to take my jumper off in the end. I'm dreading tonight in case I get too hot in bed!!

I might leave it on constant and let the thermostat do the work in stead of faffing with it all the time - I doubt it will come on for the next few days as our temp is rising overnight from 9c up to 13c and looks like staying that way all week.

We have high winds tomorrow so I am going to wash all the towels and get them on the line.

Hope you managed to peg out EE. We had our thermostat set at 17c too but it felt more like 25c to me yesterday. The heating hasn't been on today.

Have done all the ironing this afternoon. Kids cleaned and vac'd their rooms. Sat and watched a film with DS3. Had a lovely Sunday roast. Sorted money for next week (had to go to cash point), I need to give friend cash (and list, just a few things, not going overboard) as she has a 20% discount voucher for a toys store, £45 after discount.

We have really cut down the number of people we buy Christmas presents for. We don't buy for adults, just stick to birthday presents for them. Have spoken to another friend today and agreed to knock exchanging gifts on the head this year. I/we would rather spend time with them than buy a Christmas present the kids don't need/want. Since we started this journey everybody I have mentioned cutting back on presents to over the last few years has been quite relieved......and totally agreed with me, so all good.

Today was a NSD number 8.

Hope everybody has a good week.

Xx

Alice_in_Poorland

What a busy week. Now had 10NSDs, heating still not on, but no pegging out.

Spoke to Bcard yesterday, still not acknowledging anything from stepchange. Will try again tomorrow, if still nothing will write to Bcard, currently got until 10th December (Bcard account on hold until then).

Had to get petrol today (both cars £50 in total), £31 in supermarket (inc cat food), also got cash. DS3 has been having school dinners last few days. It's isn't very MSE but he's gone off packed lunches. Will see how it goes, don't want it to be the case long term. I'm always conscious that the packed lunches are heathy......and if the truth be told I really don't like doing them.....naughty naughty.

Got stuff via a friend from toy store. Going to order some Christmas stuff online this weekend (max spend £40).

Having been a bit lapse with keeping a log of the spends ie food, petrol etc. have been keeping on top of the spending diary but not individual category spends. Looking forward to setting up my 2016 spending diary.:)

Xx

Verbatim

Very busy. I hope you'll have the heat on from now as I hear it's going to get cold. Late November as a start date though is brilliant. Well done you. I hoped to hang washing out yesterday as forecast was no rain. It was wrong so airers it was.
Looking forward to your January update!
V

Alice_in_Poorland

Verbatim wrote: »

Very busy. I hope you'll have the heat on from now as I hear it's going to get cold. Late November as a start date though is brilliant. Well done you. I hoped to hang washing out yesterday as forecast was no rain. It was wrong so airers it was.
Looking forward to your January update!
V

Yes Verbatim we have put the heating on now. Last night I came home from taking the kids to football training and I was so cold. I spent the rest of the evening shivering so much my teeth were chattering. It's not like me to feel the cold at all but I had'nt put my warm coat on when I took the kids, just a little jacket....silly mistake.

I've left the thermostat on 17degrees. Will time it so it comes on before DS comes home from school, say 3.30pm and then off at 7.30pm. See how it goes.:)

Shame you couldn't peg out yesterday. I took a gamble and pegged 2 lots out, luckily it was nearly dry (was very cold though), just needed airing when it was fetched in.

We've had to do some emergency repairs to the house, not budgeted for, but essential. Leaves us quite low on funds this week, but doable. Was coping quite well with it all but OH just lied to me about something......in the big scheme of things something very trivial.....but never the less given his past history I can't cope when he doesn't tell the truth.....even the little ones.

I don't want to hurry Christmas and wish the next 5 weeks away but I can't wait to start my next spending diary/budget.:o

xx

Eager_Elephant

We have had the heating on timer since last weekend when the temperature dropped. It comes on in the morning for 1.5hrs and in the evening for 4.5 hours - it comes on just before DD gets on from school. I have it set at 18c.


The problem is people keep fiddling and every so often I can feel myself getting really hot and when I check someone has moved the thermostat to 21c:eek:


I am not hanging out at the moment as it always seems to be raining :rotfl:, the house is still looking like a Chinese laundry!!


Boo - to emergency repairs - do you have a maintenance fund or does the Stepchange budget not allow for that?


Sorry to hear DH has been lying - I'm the same as you, it's the trivial things that get to me due to my DH's history. DH does not understand why it makes me mad:mad:
Touch wood he has not lied for a while.


Hope today is a better day for you and remember if you go outside put on a warm coat:T


I am also wishing away Xmas as need January to come round asap, after buying a new (to me) car I am skint and have some money to pay back to DH and DS and need to get back on track.
Must update my diary with everything that has gone on!!

brizzledfw

Just popping by. Well done on the heating..that's quite a result. Today seems milder, but yesterday was chilly. Really chilly. I too have drying laundry spread around the house..literally everywhere. Although now I think what else are banisters for?!;)

Hope you have a good day. Sounds like the NSDs are mounting up...another result for Alice!! Congrats!!

X

Alice_in_Poorland

Eager_Elephant wrote: »

We have had the heating on timer since last weekend when the temperature dropped. It comes on in the morning for 1.5hrs and in the evening for 4.5 hours - it comes on just before DD gets on from school. I have it set at 18c.


The problem is people keep fiddling and every so often I can feel myself getting really hot and when I check someone has moved the thermostat to 21c:eek:


I am not hanging out at the moment as it always seems to be raining :rotfl:, the house is still looking like a Chinese laundry!!


Boo - to emergency repairs - do you have a maintenance fund or does the Stepchange budget not allow for that?


Sorry to hear DH has been lying - I'm the same as you, it's the trivial things that get to me due to my DH's history. DH does not understand why it makes me mad:mad:
Touch wood he has not lied for a while.


Hope today is a better day for you and remember if you go outside put on a warm coat:T


I am also wishing away Xmas as need January to come round asap, after buying a new (to me) car I am skint and have some money to pay back to DH and DS and need to get back on track.
Must update my diary with everything that has gone on!!

We should have an emergency fund/house repairs pot (as per stepchange budget) but since DS lost his sponsor and we've been helping him out, we just haven't been able to put any money aside. We have £19 left until Thursday when OH gets paid. We still owe another £175 which we'll pay on Friday when I get paid.

We don't have the heating on in the morning.......I'd get too cosy in bed.:rotfl:

OH has just carried on as 'normal'. I don't think he will ever realise or understand how easy it is to knock my confidence when he doesn't tell the truth......my mind starts to over analyse things.

To be fair I've just carried as 'normal' too, the house is in a complete mess, no funds until Thursday, still need to sort Bcard out and so many other things going on there's no point in falling out.

Hope you soon get back on track EE.

Xx

Alice_in_Poorland

brizzledfw wrote: »

Just popping by. Well done on the heating..that's quite a result. Today seems milder, but yesterday was chilly. Really chilly. I too have drying laundry spread around the house..literally everywhere. Although now I think what else are banisters for?!;)

Hope you have a good day. Sounds like the NSDs are mounting up...another result for Alice!! Congrats!!

X

Thanks brizzle, yeah quite pleased with myself.:)

I love the challenge of getting the washing dry without using the dryer/heated airer in the winter. I pegged out today and DS got it in when he came home. Dried about 50%, the house is current rocking the laundrette look too.

Today was NSD 11, although not too difficult when you don't have any cash.:rotfl:

Xx

Alice_in_Poorland

What a week. Had to get car recovered and brought home, joint suspension thingy arm has broken. Haven't looked at getting it repaired yet.

House still upside down, Meal plan out of the window and to cap it all DD might not be home for Christmas (flights just too expensive). He might have to wait until spring break. . It's not a major issue......we'll not for him, he's having a great time. It's just me (and everyone else) we just really miss him, I'm really struggling this week so even the slightest thing becomes a major incident.

Paid part of the house repairs today with OHs wages, will pay balance tomorrow. Coloured hair tonight (already had dye at home, have to use 2 boxes as so much hair.......wish I could afford hairdresser to do it.:o)

OH paid lottery today, paid £5 into bday collection at work, gave DS3 money for school disco ticket.

I've just got to keep plodding......I can do this. Will get prices for car, get house repairs paid off, get house straight again and see where we are at.

On the plus its Friday tomorrow and stepchange statement due, should see one of the debts down to £23 or there a abouts. Pay that off in December we should start new year with one debt less.

Xx

Verbatim

Aah Alice. It's such a slog for you and you ARE doing brilliantly keeping all the balls in the air. I do admire how you just keep going. Many would have flipped by now. And you've coloured your hair.
I too would hate not to have a "child" home for Xmas.
It's almost the solstice/ shortest day and then maybe we'll all feel more hopeful with the lighter mornings and evenings?
What is your son doing abroad?
V