Planning a year of money saving and life bettering?

mummybearx

Okay, Im sick of being lazy, and losing the lists I write to keep myself on track. So, having being given a big A4 day-to-page diary, Im thinking, is it possible to use one book for everything?

Im planning on doing two weeks/a month at a time, starting with a meal plan each day, adding in daily cleaning and tidying tasks from the Flylady thread as well as monthly cleaning jobs ie cleaning bathroom tiles ( will put this at the start as it's desperately needing done!)

Adding in daily spends to keep track of where the different budgets are going.

Hopefully can add in the gardening side too, when to plant veg etc.

Am I taking on too much? Trying to plan a month at a time when I am so lazy? Im just hoping that by listing things each day, and actually reading the diary that I will do the tasks and my whole house and life will be better.

So please, tell me if Im crazy, stupid, or give me ideas to help motivate myself. Give me ideas of what else to put in my big book of MSE 2012!

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tigerfeet2006

I've not tried it like that but I don't see why it shouldn't work if you were determined enough.

How many in your family? How old are they?

CurlyTop

Hi, you're not crazy, just trying to find the method that works for you.

Since I've been on this journey, I tend to do a meal plan for evening meals only because this is where we consume the most food and keep breakfast and lunchtime meals generally well stocked so that you can help yourself to what you need. In a scrap pad, I make a note of what there is in the freezer and cupboards and then I make the meal plan around that. Anything else I need, I then make into a shopping list.

I originally went to Aldi for the fruit and veg and odd thing but their range is getting wider and so I'm now buying more and more from there. My brother chuckled at me about 2 years ago when I started doing this but these last 3 months, he's joined me and can't believe how much he gets for his money as opposed to the big supermarkets.

I go to Home Bargains for toiletries that I don't get from aldi, t-bags, sugar, biscuits, bisto, corned beef, etc. They too are expanding their food range so well worth a visit.

I go to Morrisons for everything else. I get 10% discount because one of my relatives works there and I get the use of their staff discount card.

I do frozen food in Iceland. I get all the shopping done for the meals over the weekend I get paid. This then leaves me doing top up shopping through the month, ie; fruit and veg, milk and bread.

This then gives me time to do the bits and bobs around the house I need to find time to fit in. I have a pad that I scribble in, jobs that need doing. Some of these I don't get to do and so I don't beat myself up about it, I just make the job top of the list for the next week and make sure that I do it, if you get my drift.

An A4 page a day diary sounds like plenty of room to use. Maybe divide the page into 3 or 4, for shopping, household jobs, appointments/ events, etc.

Not sure if this helps, but hope it gives you a starting point as to what the rest of us are getting up to.

Happy New Year !!

fletch3163

Hi there

I hope u can do this. It rings so many bells for me and I would love to join you.

I would not say am lazy, more extremely disorganised. I work full time, often not getting home till after 7. The biggest thing that truly gets to me is that the mess truly stresses me, the clutter weighs heavy. I feel fab when the task is done and wonder why I did not jUst do it instead of stressing for ages and THEN doing it:o

There is a calendar here somewhere that is great. I think it was done by a MSE member. It gives tips and hints. That would be good for your journal.

mummybearx

There is only me and DH, it really shouldn't be that hard to organise two people lol

DH doesn't really do much round the house. He is working from home at the minute, but we keep having the same argument. Just cos he is at home all day doesn't mean he should do all the housework. I agree, but my problem is he doesn't do anything. Slowly but surely I have almost stopped asking him to do things, apparently Im nagging, but I think he is lazy. And that's rich coming from little lazy me lol!

But, domestic problems aside, the house still needs tidied and we still need fed. Im vegetarian and DH is a meat eater, so my meal plans normally consist of veggie meals with meat on the side for him, or same meal cooked in two pots ie bolognese with meat in one pot, bolognese with beans in another. Been doing this for years so it's not really much of a problem for me, just means a bit more prep and washing up.

I went to Aldi on Monday to get veg for the first time, but it was closed. Nipped into the mini Tesco next door and got a bag of potatoes reduced to 25p yaay! Will definately go back to Aldi's though when I next need veg etc, any help to stick to my Grocery budget is a must.

Back to DH, I am hoping that by me being more organised that he will jump on board. Im probably being unfair to him here, he does all the DIY round the house, fixes anything when it breaks. He is fixing up my car for me so I can get to work, he fitted a new shower when ours went up in flames, we are in the middle of putting up a new ceiling in the hall with me acting as his apprentice lol. He just rarely cooks now even though he is an excellent cook. So, hopefully by me batch cooking at the weekends when he is out working, he can have a dinner on the table when I come in from work.

Compromise, that's a good word, one that Im sure will continue to see us through our marriage! I will cook at weekends, he can reheat during the week lol x

seasideshack

I do something similar to this, I have an exercise book and divide a page into four sections for the week. One for menu planning, one for shopping, one for housework and one for anything else I need to remember/fit in. I find it really helps. I don't stick to it 100% but I just transfer over anything I haven't done to the following week. I find it really helpful to see what I have achieved. I also find the menu planning easier because I can look back over the previous weeks to get ideas.

Good luck

messyfreckle

zepsgal wrote: »

Okay, Im sick of being lazy, and losing the lists I write to keep myself on track. So, having being given a big A4 day-to-page diary, Im thinking, is it possible to use one book for everything?

Im planning on doing two weeks/a month at a time, starting with a meal plan each day, adding in daily cleaning and tidying tasks from the Flylady thread as well as monthly cleaning jobs ie cleaning bathroom tiles ( will put this at the start as it's desperately needing done!)

Adding in daily spends to keep track of where the different budgets are going.

Hopefully can add in the gardening side too, when to plant veg etc.

Am I taking on too much? Trying to plan a month at a time when I am so lazy? Im just hoping that by listing things each day, and actually reading the diary that I will do the tasks and my whole house and life will be better.

So please, tell me if Im crazy, stupid, or give me ideas to help motivate myself. Give me ideas of what else to put in my big book of MSE 2012!

I think this is a brilliant idea - one which I'm gonna nab for myself too. I'm in dire need of some organisation. I need to sort my life out - so plan on using my diary for daily meal plans, logging everything I spend money on, cleaning, and also setting myself a daily (or weekly - haven't decided!) challenge. I have depression and live by myself. As part of my 'get better' plan, I need to get out of the house and challenge myself each day to do something that makes me feel uncomfortable. Think the diary would be a good way of logging that, too.

Quite excited now! Gonna head to WHSmiths tomorrow and get started

Diflower

I think it's a really good idea:)
I used to use one spiral notebook for everything and it worked just fine. Now though, the notebook is used by both me and OH; neither of us wants two of them, a lot of the notes apply to both of us!
So, we could continue using that for ordinary notes - it's by the pc and phone so is used a lot.
Then I could get a page-a-day for what you've suggested; keep track of fridge/freezer contents, jot down meal plans, jobs around the house etc. I can't get on with planning all our dinners much in advance, I like choosing what looks good in the shop or is a bargain, but I do work out a few days' worth at a time.
Yep, a big diary is going on my list - and there's a stall in the Saturday market that has them for a pound or two:)

Cheapskate

This is a great thread! I've been given an A4 diary, too, so am also going to pinch op's idea - thank you!

My mum's been reading my late grandma's diaries and the early ones, up until when she was in her sixties, are a fascinating record of housework, shopping, cooking, visiting people, and other things - a wonderful insight into her way of life, mostly very OS of course! :rotfl: I really need to use her ideas and op's to get a grip on our lives, as we're so disorganised, and I always used to be much better organised.

Thanks again for the idea - now just need a quiet spell to get started! :rotfl:

A xo

Cat501

messyfreckle wrote: »

I think this is a brilliant idea - one which I'm gonna nab for myself too. I'm in dire need of some organisation. I need to sort my life out - so plan on using my diary for daily meal plans, logging everything I spend money on, cleaning, and also setting myself a daily (or weekly - haven't decided!) challenge. I have depression and live by myself. As part of my 'get better' plan, I need to get out of the house and challenge myself each day to do something that makes me feel uncomfortable. Think the diary would be a good way of logging that, too.

Quite excited now! Gonna head to WHSmiths tomorrow and get started

I'm at that stage too, of having to challenge myself, although not daily yet, my CPN sets me something every 3 weeks or so. I too think the A4 diary is a great idea, I'll mostly use it for housework/decluttering tasks, setting myself maybe 2 or 3 a week at the moment and see how it goes. Thanks zepsgal and good luck!:)

mummybearx

In my typical style, its quiet at work today, but rather than use this time to start planning my diary, Im lurking about on here :rotfl:

Gathering up ideas, honest!!

Only working today then not back til next Wednesday, so I shall be planning my diary over the next few days

And Cheapskate, I think that is a lovely thing your late Gran done, writing diaries is a lovely way to pass on her wisdom, even though she probably didn't realise it at the time. My gran died when I was 14, she was the last of my grandparents, so I never really got the chance to learn anything from her. And my mum died when I was three, brought up by my dad and siblings, again nobody to really learn from. Dad taught me how to make bolognese using mince and Ragu :rotfl:

Im hoping that in a few years when we start our own family, I can use the skills I learn here to teach my children how to be better than I was. Use food, don't waste things, cook from scratch etc x