Pixie's pulling her socks up...the next diary!

pixiechick99

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Glad the Christmas spirits coming your way:D I'm actually really not a Christmassy person but think it's because I've not been out much, I'm quite enjoying all the cheesy tunes in the shops when I'm in briefly for bits & bobs!:o

Still off work & had a "blip" a couple of weeks ago & nearly ended up back in hospital again - touch wood, it seems to have settled a bit (to where it was before the blip - not totally IYKWIM).

Saw my consultant on Mon & had all my meds changed which was a bit disconcerting - also now on infusions ...... hopefully it'll work (or it's surgery - which I really don't want!).

Lactose ... nope can't do that which is why my milk bill's so expensive - it really annoys me that dietary products (that are a need) only come in small packs and cost so much :mad: Add on the other lacto*free stuff and that's where most of my excessive grocery spend goes!:eek:

Funnily enough, I'd never seen a dietician until I was in hospital - and it was only when I asked if I could, that I did. It was a real eye opener and I've been eating stuff for years that I shouldn't and not stuff I should .

Can you get referred somewhere else?

I'm really lucky as my consultant is fab - listens & gets it. He's got a great team of Drs & Nurses ... it's really up on research too thanks to this lady http://munksroll.rcplondon.ac.uk/Biography/Details/4984

Just thinking, my consultant has just retired. I saw the new guy a month or so ago...seemed ok, but forgot to ask him about the lactose thing and/or seeing a dietician...I'm hopeless, I should write my questions down:o He didn't want to see me for another year though...so next Oct then! I do have the IBD nurses number who he says to contact if I need any help at all.

Sorry to hear you had a blip recently, I hope you keep getting better and avoid surgery...I found the recovery from that quite long:( But still, I don't get the pain I did before.

Frustrating, embarrassing and gross illness at times eh?!:rotfl:

rising_from_the_ashes

pixiechick99 wrote: »

Just thinking, my consultant has just retired. I saw the new guy a month or so ago...seemed ok, but forgot to ask him about the lactose thing and/or seeing a dietician...I'm hopeless, I should write my questions down:o He didn't want to see me for another year though...so next Oct then! I do have the IBD nurses number who he says to contact if I need any help at all.

Our IBD nurses are fab! Def start a list:) I have to do that now or I forget 1/2 my symptoms / issues when I go ... old age creeping up :eek:

pixiechick99 wrote: »

Sorry to hear you had a blip recently, I hope you keep getting better and avoid surgery...I found the recovery from that quite long:( But still, I don't get the pain I did before.

Totally out the blue & I've been really well for over 3 years so it was a bit of a shock - getting there.... hoping new meds will work

pixiechick99 wrote: »

Frustrating, embarrassing and gross illness at times eh?!:rotfl:

You're not wrong there! Honestly unless you suffer / live with someone who does, then there's no way for others to really "get it":eek:

vasseur

Coco114 wrote: »

Ah thanks Pixie that makes sense....
Actually , the two weekly thing sounds like a blinking good idea. Worst case if you overspend one week you only need to cut back for one too if that makes sense ?
I only have a savings and current account (been meaning to use separate "pot" accounts) so that should be the first thing to sort

I have gotten back into a bad habit of everything going in and out of one account and it's way too dangerous for me !

Thanks again Pixie , I will be quiet now and go back to reading your diary


Take care xx

Definitely definitely do the the separate pots thing! Thanks to Pixie I did this and it was one of the best things I could have done in helping me to get debt free. I've now got 6 accounts on my online banking - c/a, house bills acc, food acc, petrol/car acc, holiday savings acc and emergency account. You could have yours for whatever you need but if I want clothes for example I just need to check that there's enough cash in the c/a because usually I can see how much is left (I also have a cashbook so I know what's left to come out of that account - it never tallies to the bank but is my accurate balance).

Don't be too quiet - us single mums have to stick together

Coco114

I am a great admirer of both yours & pixie
Mainly because you are both so organised !!

I now have three bank accounts , main and two little saver accounts that I can move money between instantly on my phone.... So now I need to use them ! Am thinking I might add another two as well - in fact I will do this today :T

Historically , I looked at my main account and thought I have lots of ££ and by 3rd week of month am juggling. Whilst my spending is much more under control as is my money saving , my money organising is not ....

Thanks again girls.

Pixie , hope you are having a good weekend ?

Coco x

pixiechick99

Ooh it's just made me smile to hear I have had some influence on you ladies organising your banking:beer:

It's funny - when I was married, the ex and I were just useless with money - neither had any idea what was in the account, or how much came out each month. Takeaways every week, clothes whenever I felt like it, I cringe now:o We remortgaged a few times, paid off cards then ran them up again...just awful.

It was being on my own that made me sort myself out. I now can't imagine not checking the bank accounts most days, planning meals etc. hopefully some of my habits have worn off on the girls too:D

Good weekend thanks coco - had a lazy one yesterday, watching tv with girls and reading a Christmas book on the sofa. Off to town later to try finish the dreaded pressie shopping...wish me luck:rotfl:

skint_spice

pixiechick99 wrote: »

I now can't imagine not checking the bank accounts most days, planning meals etc.

Me too:o! I thought it was just me but despite being out of debt now I still like to check my online banking and update my spreadsheet every day:o on holiday I have it sussed how much I can take out over the week or two abroad and this is all that stops me getting twitchy... It really surprises me when folk say they have no idea how much money they have left - don't they NEED to know:eek::eek:?

vasseur

skint_spice wrote: »

Me too:o! I thought it was just me but despite being out of debt now I still like to check my online banking and update my spreadsheet every day:o on holiday I have it sussed how much I can take out over the week or two abroad and this is all that stops me getting twitchy... It really surprises me when folk say they have no idea how much money they have left - don't they NEED to know:eek::eek:?

I agree. It amazes me when people look at their bank account and think that is what they have left. I've always got stuff that is going to come out half way through the month so I know that what the bank says is never accurate. Surely it's better to take all debits into account at the beginning of the month so you know where you are. Or maybe that's just me (and a few others on here) !!

skint_spice

polesalot wrote: »

I agree. It amazes me when people look at their bank account and think that is what they have left. I've always got stuff that is going to come out half way through the month so I know that what the bank says is never accurate. Surely it's better to take all debits into account at the beginning of the month so you know where you are. Or maybe that's just me (and a few others on here) !!

It's probably why I got into debt in the first place - was supposed to be enough for bills plus £x to spend but then I forgot about the wee treat I'd bought or the £50 I'd taken out here or there... Now have everything set up in spreadsheet and just delete and update balance as they come off. No surprises pleasant or unpleasant:D! I do love a spreadsheet:o

pixiechick99

skint_spice wrote: »

It's probably why I got into debt in the first place - was supposed to be enough for bills plus £x to spend but then I forgot about the wee treat I'd bought or the £50 I'd taken out here or there... Now have everything set up in spreadsheet and just delete and update balance as they come off. No surprises pleasant or unpleasant:D! I do love a spreadsheet:o

I have money coming out all through the month too. Also I get my tax credits weekly, housing ben fortnightly, and wages monthly, so I never have a time when I think I have £xx amount to spend. It all works for me though:D

pixiechick99

I have to own up....I spent £61 in T's last night:o Bit mad considering I spend £75 last week on groceries. This week though I bought extra bits for next week, wrapping paper, a few sweetie treats for people....so it wasn't just splurging on grub;)

I have just made chicken drumsticks in one of those paprika bags...but having taken the chicken out of the oven I've binned it - it stinks:( A really bad smell too...you wouldn't want to eat it. So have had to chuck some frozen birds eye things in for girls...I've gone off dinner now:( They were best before today....uh oh, no the weren't, it was the 17th, I was thinking that was today:rotfl: Urgh, hence the pong!

So, just 3 days of work...well 2 and a half as I've swapped tomorrow afternoon off for Thursday.

I think I'm pretty much done with pressies, just need to get girls to go buy their dad some bits...not that he's done a single bit of shopping yet:mad: I've bought boots for him to give dd1 but dd2 has nothing yet, and he owes me the money still, useless!

Disaster...my GHDs died today:eek: Luckily dd2 had decent straighteners I could use;)