Finally I have a mortgage I can start to pay off!

LadyWithAPlan

@Suffolk_lass I am joining  you on the no heating but loads clothes and indeed a hat on indoors..

Think we will all be extra aware of lights on etc, I always can see with the washing machine that it uses quite a lot of energy.

What recipe box are you using? 

themadvix

Morning all,

I'll check her out SL - Radio 4 by any chance? We're pretty tight with electricity anyway here (noticed the smart meter said we were using 175 watts this morning, which is higher than our normal baseload, so went round trying to work out what the issue was!), but there's always room for improvement. I know a microwave uses quite a bit, but it's got to be better than putting the heating on - and it's definitely better for making porridge than using the hob - so it's a balancing act. I've got an extra pair of (llama wool) socks on this morning and my finger gloves (which DH hates - he calls them my Steptoe look! - he's not here today though, so tough!). I've dug out the oil-filled radiator too and had that on in my office for a bit yesterday - on quite low though, just to take the chill off. Moved it down to the living room in the evening for the same effect. Haven't used it yet today though. I do find I do more exercise at this time of year though - 50 jumping jacks whilst the kettle is boiling - it gets the blood pumping! 😂

Nice to see you Lady With a Plan It's a Riverford recipe box - normally I only have a veg box from them, but swapped it this week as we had one a couple of weeks back that was lovely (and it's kind of nice to not have to think sometimes). They say they serve two but they are always very generous portions (especially if you top up the carbohydrate) - last time we got 4 portions out of one!

Dinner last night was roasted veg with a couple of veggie sausages. About half the meal was free (and the other half R'ford, which kind of balances it out?!) - new potatoes, baby corn from Olio, veggie sausages were donated by friends clearing out their freezer. Also included a gorgeous purple caulflower from R'ford. Think we might have laksa tonight, but that does mean I need to buy some lemongrass. DH has caught the train to a meeting in Yorkshire this morning, so I've got the electric car.

Work is going well - I'm just finishing off the last bit for now and then I'll do my invoicing and money shuffles. Have realised that my main client is still on the other side of the Pond (he lives in Europe but goes back to Canada for an extended period each summer - imagine he's gone for longer this year as he couldn't go last year), so returning the project I was doing won't have any response until much later today!

Have just had it confirmed by the mortgage adviser that I'm OK to switch my FD current account to N'wide. I'm pleased about this as a) you have to circulate money through FD to avoid fees each month, b) I want the switch bonus and c) I won't use FD/HSBC any more because of their heavy involvement in funding fossil fuel industries (Barclays too). So looking forward to that extra money!

MS things:
* Comps entered
* Clicks done (no HW win today though)
* Cashed out £16 from Qmee last night
* Cashed out £5.04 from Prolific
* YG survey done
* MM surveys done  - so close to cash out there
* Used free ingredients for dinner last night
* No heating on!

Gratitudes:
* Our bargainous oil-filled radiator (and the fact my sister has a house with proper central heating now - it's been on long-term loan to her) - it was £5 on Ebay years ago!
* cuddly cats (they want to be warmer too!)
* Electric car pre-heating - much easier to get into a warm car this morning to take DH to the station!

Have a good day all!

Suffolk_lass

It was Friday morning's R5. I just listened to it to pick up the things I missed coming between upstairs and down. Not much and nothing new to the likes of you and I...

It was at 1:20:30 on the R5 breakfast show on 1st October

Cheery_Daff

All good work there Vix! No heating on here yet either - but I would have caved if it wasn't for the fact that we have some radiators missing because of the building work, so there are a few pipes etc that I'm not sure are properly sealed yet. Don't want to cause trouble! Got a massive jumper and a hot water bottle though  

Karmacat

I just got back today, and I had the heating on for an hour because I'd put some stuff through the washing machine, and it was **impossible** to peg it out, of course 

themadvix

Morning all,

Karma, that seems totally reasonable to put the heating on for an hour to dry some clothes! It warmed up a bit here over the weekend, so no issues with heating (actually, I spent most of Saturday at Mum's, so I've no idea - she refuses to be cold, so the heating may have been on - frog jumping with Niece may have also contributed to feeling warmer!). It was chilly this morning and I'm rather disgruntled with the weather forecasters - I got three loads of washing done and hung out yesterday and managed to bring one lot in. We went out late afternoon before the rest was entirely dry, and the forecast said it would be dry overnight and nice today, so I left the washing, thinking it would get  a bit damp, but then dry this morning. Well it rained (heavily?) overnight! So I've had to spin a load as it was wetter than when I put it out yesterday (I think the dark load has done its physics thing and absorbed more of the sun's heat, so I've left it as it wasn't quite as wet). As the sun is out and it's quite windy, I'm hopeful it will now all dry, but a bit of a palaver!

Relatively quiet weekend - spent Saturday helping Mum look after Niece while Sis was doing something with a friend - we watched Toy Story 2, played some games and then I helped them make pizzas for dinner. I came home and DH and I had the R'ford recipe box for dinner - nice, but I don't think I'd repeat it. Yesterday we did a bit of freegling and then late afternoon walked into town with BIL and fiancee for a free music festival thing. Bit hit and miss, but we returned to the taproom we found the other week and enjoyed a couple of drinks and live music there before heading to a Turkish restaurant for some dinner. I paid £34 for dinner and £5 for a round for DH and I. (Had originally thought we'd get something from one of the festival food stalls, but none of them was inspiring and it was quite cold, so we really wanted to sit down inside somewhere!). The live music and atmosphere was great though - have really missed those sorts of experiences  - and it was largely outside, so pretty safe.

We're meant to be out for dinner again tonight (rescheduled from last week). At the moment I don't feel particularly well, so I'll see how I feel later as to whether I go. If I do, it's DH's turn to pay but I'll be a cheap date I think! And then tomorrow, we're meant to be out *again* (this one would normally be a firm pass - it's a semi-regular event we sometimes get invited to, but actually the people we'll be seeing alongside BIL and fiancee are old school friends (BIL's fiancee's brother and his wife) who are considering moving to Norfolk, so kind of want to see where they're at with that!). I'm also meant to be at my evening class (on Zoom), so I may attend, have a starter and then go back to pick DH up later - thus saving money!

Rather a lot of meals out for one week, but it just happens to have fallen that way. I've cancelled the veg box for this week - we've got plenty left to use up and will hardly be here between now and Thursday when it arrives.

Have also spent on a couple of items of clothing. When I was hanging my hoodie on the line I realised that not only has it worn through around the cuffs and the zip, but it now has a hole in the elbow too! (I do generally only wear it around the house, promise!). And I wore through my other pair of jeans a week ago. Both bought second hand on Vinted (have ventured there to sell the bits I listed on Ebay last week as they weren't selling). £30 spent on good-quality items (original cost would have been about double that I think).

MS things:
* Does drinking tap water count?! 
* Used the electric car on Saturday, so minimal petrol (can't *quite* get to Mum and back on electric!) and we walked yesterday (both ways - getting an uber back didn't really appeal)
* Clicks done and comps entered
* YG survey done
* Lots more work for the first half of this week
* Have just had the details needed to complete invoice for main client - I've earnt more in September just from him than I've had in total income for each of the past 3 (maybe longer?) months! Still awaiting a couple of POs from other clients too.

Gratitudes:
* Lovely times spent with family (it's making me feel it's going to be harder than ever to move though!)
* Live music
* Sunshine yesterday after the misery of Saturday!

Have a good day all!

Karmacat

You're doing a lot, how wonderful though I feel sorry for all your loads of washing that got badly rained on!   Hope you're just a bit tired and not coming down with something since you're feeling under the weather ... 

themadvix

Thanks Karma. Feeling a bit sick - came on last night (don't think it was the food!), but feeling a bit better now. Have had some peppermint tea. I'm sure I'll be fine.

I do need to check on the washing....

rtandon27

Oooo Vix - do report back on your Vinted experience - I was contemplating putting some new and nearly new items on there as the process seems a lot easier then thebay & our new town has zero consignment stores!

themadvix

Will do RT. So far no takers for my items but the bits I bought have been dispatched - quite a good system for postage: buyer  always pays but can choose the postage option including collection from a pick up point.

Friends cancelled dinner again (health issues), so a cosy night in with easy dinner and the damp washing draped everywhere (it got rained on again!) - oil filled radiator is warming us all.