Getting My Life and Health back on track

Dee2012

Hi, I am Dee been lurking for a while, so decided to start a diary to keep me on track.

I am 57 and have osteoporosisin both knees, some days are good, some not so good. My OH is retired.

I started a DMP couple of months ago, so things are starting to settle down now, was so stressed about it.

A friend helped me to do it and also directed me here.

So I have gone over my budget, its going to be tight, but with all the tips and ideas off here I am going to do it.

Have got alot of good tips on the OS forum.

So this is my diary to keep me on the straight and narrow.

I have an appointment with Occupational Therapy on Wed to see if they can help me with things around the house.So thats a step in the right direction been waiting 18 months for this appointment.

Be back later:)

Dee2012

Well I have done my meal planning for the week, only need milk, fruit and a few vegs to get me through to next Monday.

I plan to declutter the whole house, as we have lots of things we dont need or want.

I have started in the spare room this afternoon,and have put 5 items on ebay so thats a start.

I am going to start a spending diary tomorrow.

Also I want to start saving for an emergency fund, I have emptied my purse and it has 3.84 in it so that has been put in my tin to start my EF.

So I plan to do this every Sunday afternoon to empty my purse and put what ever is left in my tin

Dee2012

Have started my spending diary.

Spent 14.75 on Milk, Fruit and Vegs

I have all meals to see me through until next monday plus

There is 5.25 in my purse incase I need anything during the week

I have put 10 pounds away, I would like to do this for a few weeks and then do a large bulk shop and try and do alot of cooking and freezing meals.

I have another 5 items to put on ebay, got lots to declutter. So thats a start.

I have been given a bag of wool so going to go through that this afternoon and see what I can knit out of it.

Be back later
.

Dee2012

Well after a few discussions with my OH and DD and SIL we now have a 4 year plan. Our DMP is to be finished in June 2016 but we hope to clear it by Jan 2015 at the latest.
Our DD and SIL live overseas they are coming home to visit us in July for 4 weeks with our 2 GDs who are 3 and 1. They are always asking us to go out to visit them so all being well we are going to go Nov 2015 to Feb 2016.
They are going to pay our airfare which is very kind of them
So I now have something to look forward too and aim for.
This is our plan
1. Have our Dmp paid by Jan 2015 at the latest.

2. Completely declutter our home and sell as much as we can.

3. Stick with my spending diary and record every penny spent.

4. Keep to my budget NO going over.

5. Save 200 pounds for an emergency fund first.

6. Buy no toiletries or cleaning goods until what we have is used up have
about 18 months worth.

7. Buy no clothes for the rest of the year as we both have plenty.

8. Grow more vegs this year to help with the budget

Well thats a start I am sure there will be more added along the way.
I am excited to be seeing my 2 GDs soon, also I feel so much better than a few months ago.

Also found 1.20 in an old purse so thats thats my emergency fund up to 5 pounds.

Be back later:)

boultdj

Hello Dee, welcome to the board's, sound's like your doing well on the shopping and I know the excitement of a bag of wool, I was given a binliner full a couple of month's ago.

FrugalLina

Hi Dee, sounds like you have a great plan!

Have you visited the Old Style Forums too - in particular the Grocery Challenge - it is a great thread and the May one will be up soon.

What are you going to make with that wool?

Dee2012

boultdj wrote: »

Hello Dee, welcome to the board's, sound's like your doing well on the shopping and I know the excitement of a bag of wool, I was given a binliner full a couple of month's ago.

Thank you for the welcome, I love getting wool.

Dee2012

FrugalLina wrote: »

Hi Dee, sounds like you have a great plan!

Have you visited the Old Style Forums too - in particular the Grocery Challenge - it is a great thread and the May one will be up soon.

What are you going to make with that wool?

Thank you I will have a look at the Grocery Challenge.
There is some lovely cotton yarn in the bag so a few knitted dishclothes.
Also some beautiful fluffy wool in light and royal blue, as my winter coat is black. I though of knitting two nice scarfs that will brighen in up.

Dee2012

Now that I have I have a plan for my debt.

I now need to get my health sorted.

I have Arthritis in both hands and left shoulder winter is worst,

I have Osteoporosis in both knees, right knee is the worst.

At the moment when I go out I walk with two crutches

I have an appointment on Wed afternoon with an Occupational Therapist.
To have a look at what I can do at home to make things easier for me.

I sort the clothes for washing and put them on OH hangs them up.

I sit to iron, I sit at the dining table to prepare our meals and then the OH cooks and serves them.

He also washes up. I dust he hoovers.He also changes the bed and I help him to make it

.We make a pretty good team.

So I am not sure what else I can do. Maybe they will have some ideas

I have been given a set of exercises to do for my knees and I do them every day.

I have injections for my shoulder, and further down the line will also have to have them in my knees also.

I have been tying to lose weight also and have lost 8kgs so far this year.
as the extra weight doesnt help.

So this is my year to sort it all out.

Be back later:)

Dee2012

Morning everyone,
I had my appointment on Wed with the Occupational Therapy people
They where lovely but I am now not allowed to use my crutches as they are not safe for me to use as I am far to unsteady on my feet.
I now had to use a rollator walker when I go out even for a short walk to the neighbour two doors down. Plus lots of other things to help me around the house will be delivered next monday. They are also going to come and do an assessment on me at home in three weeks time.So things will be a little easier for me around the home.So slower getting my health sorted.Also my total weigh lose is now 9.4kgs.As I had put alot of weight on .So its going in the right direction.

This weekend will be spent putting lots on ebay, my OH does the photos and I do the listing.So hopeful make some extra money from there which I will put towards getting an emergency fund together.

I have spent 3.05 today on some Eggs, Oranges, Pears. So that leaves 2.20 in my purse which I will put towards my emergency fund.
Then start again on Monday with 20pounds I only try and use 20 as I have lots in my cupboard and freezer which I am using up.

I will aslo put 10 pound aside to go with the 10 from last week and when I have 50 saved I will do a bulk shop of Flour ,rice, pasta, spices,yeast, and lots of other things then that saves us from having to go to the shop all the time which in turn means we dont spend money.

So this being my first week of sorting my debt and health out as been good.