Living for the Present...after all who doesn't love a gift!

grannyx2

Lovely to know you are ok and life certainly seems to be treating you a lot kinder

Love and hugs

Granny x

debtfreewannabe321

Evening

Well i've been busy with Easter hols so haven't had a chance to get on the laptop much (and since i've been without it so long i sometimes forget it's here!) We've been paid and money has come in one hand and departed in the other (ho hum) I'm doing a few family trips next week and this weekend so am hoping i have enough petrol money without dipping into emergency funds

I've been going to the gym every day and am still yet to see the results lol, but I do feel slightly healthier and more deserving of the chocolate I eat after

I still haven't caught up with everyone's news (oops) as most nights I am falling into bed by 8/9 pm from exhaustion (I thought the gym was supposed to make me feel better not worse :confused !)

Just paid for tax for the car - nearly £150 for 6 months - !!!!!!! Grr! Best start saving for the MOT and the next lot of tax i guess!

My ds2 starts his new nursery after easter and i've just managed to get him his school uniform in the sale plus some new bits for dd all for less that £20 bargain! His session is being changed from morning to afternoon as well which should be better for me as I can go to the gym in the afternoon before kids get home (currently having to ask Dh each time i go and the house gets wrecked in his charge!)

Umm not much else to report really, it's the beginning of the month, we're already broke and are living off cupboards and freezer lol, we did make a rather tasty pizza type pie thing earlier though. Puff pastry (frozen already made for me lol) rolled out, with tomato puree over it and cheese and then toppings and then another bit of pastry thrown over it! Like a calzone/pizza. Tasted good and cost zilcho

Anyway will stop rambling and go see what some of you are up to

debtfreewannabe321

Skint_but_Optimistic wrote: »

Wow, you really seem so much happier these days.

What was the turning point for you? was it working things out with the husband or was it DS being back home? Or was it realising that you wanted to control your money rather than be debt free asap?

I am just curious as to where the big change came, I love reading the upbeat posts. x

The turning point was changing ME. My point of view, my angle on everything and my attitude.

DH/DS1 are aside from it but have obviously helped

but yep i've definitely changed my outlook on everything. Money is a necessity in our money driven world but to me it's a means of exchange now, so therefore if i've enough to pay the rent/mortgage/bills and eat well then it's enough for now.

I'm much happier as a person, I try to help others more (always have anyway but never gone out of my way really) I've found free or very cheap ways to entertain myself and have realised not everyone on this planet was destined to be rich and go on expensive holidays (as i always yearned for) nor wear designer labels (which i wasn't too bothered about actually) nor have the newest, most expensive, bestest, shiniest gadgets and cars (trying to tell the kids this is another story :rotfl:)

I've always let money define me too much and was so ashamed to have been in debt but s0d it, most people i come across are in debt even the really rich ones with massive houses and villas in the sun. At least I (and most others on here) at the end of this life can say I learned one thing! Happiness can not be bought :rotfl::rotfl: we learned the hard way, eh!

debtfreewannabe321

ooh forgot to say we are cancelling our T@lk T@lk and $ky accounts in favour of switching it all to one provider- V1rgin. We will be paying around £40 a month but have the first 6 months at £27 so will be saving some money there

Really need to sort out a new spreadsheet though as everything got lost when i replaced the hard drive on the netbook so have no idea about figures- ignorance is bliss???

Alice_in_Poorland

Hi dfw321, it's good to see your posts again and you 'sound' so much brighter and positive.

Keep going with the gym, I'm sure you'll see/feel the benefits soon.

xx

debtfreewannabe321

I hope everyone had a good easter holiday? I kept meaning to pop on but never seemed to find time! Have visited dad, mum, nan, MIL, and am absolutely broke now! Roll on payday (which is still weeks away, argh!)

So what's been going on since the last time I logged on, umm i now have v1rgin and not $ky and t@alktalk. Hopefully in 2 months i should start seeing the savings as all the end bills will be paid up from old providers by then. I've also downloaded a free open office thing and a new spreadsheet! Figures say I should have money left each month, hmmmm............think a spending diary may be in order again?? Lol!:eek::rotfl:

I've made my own fabric powder/laundry detergent/whatever you call it -the stuff you wash your clothes with . It works out to around £0.12-15 per wash and with conditioner perhaps 20p. Clothes actually came out smelling nice and were clean (do i sound shocked? because i was lol :rotfl:) And i know exactly what is in the powder now, no nasty toxic things and hopefully that will show in ds1&2 skin problems! Am sure washing powder has something to do with it.......

What else, umm, oh yes we're broke have i mentioned that am trying hard not to spend the remainders of the emergency funds! AND I have had 4 kids birthdays to pay for this month (flipping kids parties, how can you say no nicely!)

Tomorrow we are planning on visiting the boot fair for the first time this year if the weather is good. Will wait and see what the weather is like in morning though as it's raining currently! And i am sure it said sun tomorrow............!

Oh and I have emailed someone in regards to a volunteering position to start in September with $ure$start i think i need to undergo some training but am happy to do that as I would like some experience in the field the volunteering is in so i can work out whether i'd like to pursue an actual career in it

So kids back to school on Monday and Tuesday (:T yay) and I will be back to some kind of normality hopefully .....the next things on my list to change in the house are furniture polish, washing up liquid, shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste. I will try and make them all......:eek:.....BUT if I fail miserably I will try and source greener/less toxic options :rotfl: but as money is tight (as i'm sure most of you will know about) I will change gradually and as things run out that i already have around the house, waste not, want not and all that!

So anyway enough from me, I will go say hi to a few of you (or just lurk to catch up as it's quicker lol) :A

debtfreewannabe321

We went to our first boot sale of the year We were promised good sunny weather so thought 'why not!' ....then it pigging rained :cool:. Grrr! It did stop after a while so we carried on, dog got walked at the same time and kids had £5 each to spend (easter/christmas money from relatives so no expense to me ) I bought a couple of little bits including a tall mirror which i've been wanting for a while now and for only £2.50 i thought it was a bargain compared to the ones in the shop

Home and had a good clean up. Tried to make my own furniture polish, but un-organised as I am I had no ingredients in to do it. So resorted to the bees wax, oh well it needs using up anyway!

Meal plans need to be written up as budget is pretty tight this week coming up. Thinking pastas, salads, bolognase & jackets! Exciting! (O.k not exciting. In the slightest. But CHEAP)

We got stopped by lots of people today telling us how lovely our doggy looked after he'd been to the groomers last week (all budgeted for, fear not) and then I heard 2 dodgy looking fellas discussing how much he might be worth. Their guesses were £600-800. After hearing about all the dog nappings round here lately he stayed right by my side after that, and then I checked the mirrors all the way home in case they had followed us (paranoia lol :rotfl:???)

The grass needs cutting but our lawnmower blew up. The roses need pruning back but the secateurs rusted over the winter. The ironing needs doing and I can't be bothered. I think it's time for a cup of tea and perhaps putting the dinner on see you all later

Skint_but_Optimistic

Would be interested in your washing powder recipie lovely! That sounds amazing.

debtfreewannabe321

Skint_but_Optimistic wrote: »

Would be interested in your washing powder recipie lovely! That sounds amazing.

you need =

1 bar of household soap
226g of borax
226g of soda crystals

Grate the bar of soap (I bought a small cheese grater from 99p shop although i'm sure you could just use your old one)
Put it in a mixer (or a bowl) add the Borax & the Soda Crystals and mix well! I used a mixer to make sure it was all mixed in well and then just washed it immediately.

Move to an airtight container and store! I use 2-3 tbs in each wash (levelled off spoons not heaped) and our water is very hard here. For soft water I would recommend 1-2 tbs in each wash. I put it straight into the drum not the powder compartment too.

Put half a mug of white vinegar into the conditioner section of the washing machine and it will soften your clothes and keep your washing machine nice and clean of limescale- you can then ditch the calg0n and the clothes conditioner

:A

debtfreewannabe321

Well, well, today has been another nice day (yay) :j and i've managed to do the shopping, washing (2 loads on line), walk the dog and take kids to the park, have a catch up with a friend and give the house a quick going over.

I've ingredients in for the furniture polish too so will crack onto that tomorrow i think once the kids are back at school. :T

I need to text tenant and see what's going on with money -again. She drives me insane, but I suppose at least she pays, eventually. :think:

This is how my bank account stands today-

Current account- £27
Emergency funds - £50
Dog funds -£20
Health fund- £20 (for dentist & prescriptions)
Pot for bills that are paid through out month - £50 (i need £70)
Pot for house that is let out- £240 (will try to get this up a bit more before redirecting money to emergency funds again)

I suppose the positive thing here is to say, at least I am not overdrawn and these are all BLACK numbers rather than RED. Focus on the positive eh! :rotfl:

Pay day is 2 weeks tomorrow. Too ruddy long! I wanted to go to mums next month too and am now wondering if i can afford it :think: I also have to stump up for her birthday present yet. Oh well i'm sure it will all come together!

Fajitas for dinner kids love them and I get to hide all sorts of veg and salad in them so anyway best crack on and start them!