Keeping up appearances.......

bd80s

HappyNow said:

bd80s - I see Alpro do ice cream without nuts so I will put that on my 'try' list. I don't have a nut allergy or anything, I just like my junk food pure!

  i do like your thinking!

SingleSue

Pot of dreams - Looks like £21 (plus some odds I put in during the week) will be going into it for this week. I do a daily sweep of small change from my purse every night and then once a week the night before or on payday (I get paid weekly in cash, all above board I hasten to add, it's a business mainly dealing with cash so it is just easier), I empty my purse into my pot. I'm quite impressed that there was still something to put in it this week as I had to take my cat to the vet last Friday and my purse came out considerably lighter than it was when I went in. Jazzy cat (his official name is Jasper but we all call him Jaz), has now joined the rest of us with creaky joints but is being an absolute star at taking his medication...he just sits there and opens his mouth while I squirt it in.

Diet - I have disposed of my teenage head for the moment and the sensible head is back on.

Ability to say no - I have made an agreement to do the extra shift but on a trial basis and with the understanding that if it is too much then it will be offered to the next one down in the chain and I will go back to my previous hours. A nice compromise I think.

Happy - I was in denial for a very long time and still tried to push things (what am I saying, I still try to push things now, it's why they won't give me a powered chair, I have to give up first!). At first, it was put down to me being a bit of a drama llama or the more annoying one, having a weak core that was causing all the spinal issues. I know a weak core can be an issue with back problems but at the time it was said, I had extremely strong core strength, hell even 20 years down the line my core was impressing the physios in hydrotherapy. It wasn't until my eldest son was diagnosed that it was finally taken seriously by which time far too much damage had been done through constant dislocations of all major joints and EDS is no longer the only issue.

Mind you, we're not the sort to go all woe is me. We get on with things and if we can't do something one way, we improvise and just find another way to do it. 

HappyNow

 SingleSue That sounds like  good compromise with the extra hours. Even if you don't want it long-term it will help replenish your Pot after that vet trip.
Best wishes to Jazzy and I hope his medication helps. It sounds like he has the same attitude as you towards his trials, and long may that continue for you all!

HappyNow

All hatches battened down here while we wait for Storm Dennis. We were supposed to be having friends round for a meal tonight but I doubt it will be safe for them to drive over. Hope everyone stays safe and dry.

The move towards a vegan diet is  going OK but I'm probably only 50% there yet. I've come to love oat milk in my porridge and swapped butter for Flora. I've just bought a vegan pizza but not tried it yet. Pizza is an essential food group for me, so if I can't find a good'un I'm likely to lapse. I've been surprised to find that lots of my favourite foods are vegan anyway. Frys Chocolate Cream for instance!

The healthy lifestyle is generally good. The gym re-opened after the floods so I went there on Thursday, although it will probably flood again today

Spending-wise I've managed a couple of wins. I've been accepted for the HSBC account where there's a £175 switching bonus, so that should be through within a month. I've also switched my sim-only mobile plan from Three to Smarty where I get loads more data for half the price.

Payday yesterday so I've updated my signature. Minimum payments only this month unfortunately, but next month the overall total (mortgage and unsecured) will drop below £50K for the first time since I had to re-borrow for the roof repairs!

Dolphin1

HappyNow said:

All hatches battened down here while we wait for Storm Dennis. We were supposed to be having friends round for a meal tonight but I doubt it will be safe for them to drive over. Hope everyone stays safe and dry.

The move towards a vegan diet is  going OK but I'm probably only 50% there yet. I've come to love oat milk in my porridge and swapped butter for Flora. I've just bought a vegan pizza but not tried it yet. Pizza is an essential food group for me, so if I can't find a good'un I'm likely to lapse. I've been surprised to find that lots of my favourite foods are vegan anyway. Frys Chocolate Cream for instance!

The healthy lifestyle is generally good. The gym re-opened after the floods so I went there on Thursday, although it will probably flood again today

Spending-wise I've managed a couple of wins. I've been accepted for the HSBC account where there's a £175 switching bonus, so that should be through within a month. I've also switched my sim-only mobile plan from Three to Smarty where I get loads more data for half the price.

Payday yesterday so I've updated my signature. Minimum payments only this month unfortunately, but next month the overall total (mortgage and unsecured) will drop below £50K for the first time since I had to re-borrow for the roof repairs!

All ready here too, hoping it's not as bad as last week but it's not looking good.  Hope there isn't any more damage to your access road!  It's probably a good job you didn't attempt to fix it after last weeks storm.  Take care!

bd80s

Hoope you stayed safe and nothing pesky has happened!
Excellent news on the transfer and that you will be below £50k next month, woo hoo!

milann

Stay safe in this weather. The lane being washed away sounds expensive.....

My plans have gone out of the window as I’ve been visiting a relative a lot, and generally trying to juggle life. I’ve bought another 12 week plan with SW - my last one cost me £25 a lb.....I’ve booked a 2 week break from SW at Easter - spreading it over 14 weeks. I’m hoping for 1 lb a week making a stone by the end. On that thought I need to book my ideas up.

SingleSue

Hope things are going ok for everyone

Pot of Dreams - Another £21 and a few odd pennies into it this week. Currently saving to pay my portion of our holiday off, now the boys are adults we split the cost 3 ways (eldest doesn't come on holiday with us), which is a huge relief to my bank account! It's not anything swanky, just two weeks in a caravan in Norfolk out of school holidays. It was such a blessed relief when we were able to go back to our normal two weeks rather than having to have them in school holidays, not just because it is cheaper but because there are less queues and far more relaxed.

It almost came to an abrupt end last year just two weeks before our holiday when my niece was placed with me on an emergency basis (although it looked like it was going to be a more long term arrangement for a while),  all those years waiting until the boys were older to have the holiday we wanted and only a few years later, having to go back to being restricted certainly gave me the wobbles. Not only that but I had just re-established my career after being a carer for family members for years on hours which are not child or school time friendly and horrors of horrors, the school run, the playground cliques and politics etc.  

Diet - Hmm, some good, some bad, some ok. The bad (or very naughty), eldest rang on Sunday to tell me they (him and his partner), were on their way to take me out to lunch. A very enjoyable 3 course meal later, I was returned home....I didn't eat again until late on Monday evening!

Saying No - Complete failure but mainly because I am trying to achieve a better balance in my Pot of Dreams for the holiday. My head doesn't tend to listen to my body and says "Ooh, look, you can earn this much extra...sure you can do it" and before I know what I am doing and without really thinking things through, I say yes.

Seasidegal58

HappyNow said:

All hatches battened down here while we wait for Storm Dennis. We were supposed to be having friends round for a meal tonight but I doubt it will be safe for them to drive over. Hope everyone stays safe and dry.

The move towards a vegan diet is  going OK but I'm probably only 50% there yet. I've come to love oat milk in my porridge and swapped butter for Flora. I've just bought a vegan pizza but not tried it yet. Pizza is an essential food group for me, so if I can't find a good'un I'm likely to lapse. I've been surprised to find that lots of my favourite foods are vegan anyway. Frys Chocolate Cream for instance!

The healthy lifestyle is generally good. The gym re-opened after the floods so I went there on Thursday, although it will probably flood again today

Spending-wise I've managed a couple of wins. I've been accepted for the HSBC account where there's a £175 switching bonus, so that should be through within a month. I've also switched my sim-only mobile plan from Three to Smarty where I get loads more data for half the price.

Payday yesterday so I've updated my signature. Minimum payments only this month unfortunately, but next month the overall total (mortgage and unsecured) will drop below £50K for the first time since I had to re-borrow for the roof repairs!

Hope all is well with you at your end after the storms Happy!😱

I'm glad all is going well with the vegan diet.  I got to love oat milk best out of all the non-dairy 'milks.'  When my non-vegan friends drop in for tea/coffee they are quite happy to have it as well.  Re the vegan pizzas, I find the readymade vegan pizzas horrendously overpriced - I buy the frozen pizza bases with tomato sauce from Waitrose. The are £2 something for a reasonably big base and then you can top them with whatever veggies you want and your vegan cheese!😁

Roll on next month when you drop below the £50,000 mark. Well done!

HappyNow

Thanks for dropping by everyone.
This is just a very quick fly-by to explain why I've not been around. Sadly Mr H's mum has been very ill and yesterday she passed away. It's all been very upsetting, especially for Mr H obviously, and now there's all the organising to do. I'll have a proper update just as soon as I can. Back soon