New life, new me......

WelshWoofer

1lb lost this week - so not too bad.
Been to the park with the dog and watched him have a good play with the other dogs - great to see him looking so well after being at death's door just a few weeks ago.
Then went for a quick run to get the legs moving (its very cold though) and cleaned the house.

Did the shopping at Mr T. Managed to spend £34.40 but that did include 2x 8packs of diet coke on offer for £1.87 each. I don't normally include my drinks for work in the GC but will this week as they were bought with the shopping. Would have been a total of £30.66 without them.

I also picked up a big bag of dog food and some reduced bits for the freezer - just in case there's snow. No panic buying here just a little bit of extra stock that was on offer/reduced.

So I'm 3 shops of 5 into the challenge and have £47.37 left in the budget. Just under £25 a week left. Fingers crossed.

I'm planning to make fajitas for tea and to make enough of the filling for 2 meals and will put one portion in the fridge/freezer for another day. Whilst I'm cooking I think I'll make a curry - probably 3 portions - and a spag bol - 3 more portions. I find it so helpful to have "ready meals" for when I get home from work, stops me scoffing rubbish.

Its cold but dry here today so I think I'll get out with the dog somewhere for some fresh air before the weather turns again.

fedupandskint

Same here - its dry and very cold and the sky is starting to look quite full of snow. Looks like Monday will be worst - hoping I can get to work and back safely according to the weather forecast.

I'm 3 weeks into my GC budget too and down to £15 per week - eek! Should be ok though as the freezer is full of easy teas and I'm about to start a nice easy veggie curry for tea and freeze the other 3 portions for nice easy teas again at some point over the next 2 weeks so the costs should be ok too for the GC.

Have had a nice restful day doing most of the housework and lots of dog walking

Itsadogslife_2

Hi WW,

Wouldn't it be lovely to take the dog out and not have them come back covered in mud or needing a bath! I have run out of dog towels and am now used to the wet dog smell. Sorry to hear your dog was at death's door a few weeks ago - I think I love my dogs the same as I love my daughter

What books have you been reading - I don't know how you find the time being a teacher. One of my closest friends is a secondary teacher and gives us reading in term time as she is just so tired and has so much reading, marking and reporting to do she gets tired eyes.

I am currently reading Tiny Sunbirds Far Away by Christie Watson, it is actually a really easy read about a family living in Nigeria.

I haven't managed to lose any weight really this year, your enthusiasm makes me tired just reading about it

Have subscribed

WelshWoofer

Hello itsadogslife!

I know what you mean about the dogs meaning as much as your kids! He's my little baby (sounds ridiculous but that the truth!).

At the moment I'm reading a book called Executive Power (forgotten who the author is) - its a CIA conspiracy thing, quite entertaining but very American. I read in the bath each evening for about half an hour and then 30mins or so in bed before I go to sleep. Takes my mind off all the schoolwork.

Had a busy day writing the exam reports for the head - emailed them off and had an email back 30 mins later saying they were excellent :j:j She's very scary too!
Managed to get out for an hour with the dog for some fresh air before the forecasted snow arrives - probably won't come to much here.

Just about to have a nice soak in the bath before tea - stiff from sitting at the desk all day. Then its some nice tea, a bit of cooking ready for tomorrow and some telly. Rock and roll!

WelshWoofer

Just realised that I'm over half way through the 100km in January challenge. That snuck up on me!:)

Will try to add another 20km this week.

NewLeaf_2

I am going to read this from the beginning
I like that I have read so far1

WelshWoofer

Hello New Leaf!


The last two days have been madness again at work but finally the big exam meeting with the head was today and went really well. A big relief and I can get back to a little bit of normality again.

I've scoffed loads of biscuits and only dog walked since the weekend so not much in the way of being good going on. Tomorrow is another day though....

Pay day today too :j:j
Just had a look at the banking and I'll do a proper budget tomorrow when I can think straight again, it doesn't look too bad though.
Managed a NSD yesterday too, but needed to put petrol in today so a nice big £45 has already disappeared from the account:mad: Should last me till the next pay day though.

WelshWoofer

Just gone through the finances after payday and have paid the CC bill, put £80 into the ISA, and £30 into each of the holidays and bedroom redecorating accounts. I'm hoping to be able to add to these savings by the end of the month but I don't want to leave myself short so will transfer the money at the end of the month if I can.
There are no big outlays like birthdays or big trips away this pay month so without any unforeseen disasters it should be ok to add to it.

Some good news, the dog insurance pay out arrived today too with no deductions other than the excess so I can pay that off when I get to the bank along with the £50 owed to me by the elec company that has finally been sent as a cheque.

So its hopefully looking like a ok month moneywise. I just need to work on getting more into savings and getting the CC down even further (my only debt).:)

Looking forward to a nice quiet evening with no work - haven't even brought any home with me today, unheard of!

WelshWoofer

Its still flipping freezing here!
I've taken the dog to the big park for a good run around in the snow - its only about an inch thick and its now frozen but at least its not muddy anymore.

Whizzed around the supermarket too and did a stock up shop - it came to £40 but it should last the best part of two weeks and I should only need fresh bits and pieces next weekend.

I have to dye my hair today too - its a real state - bought the dye and some new shampoo (I think the Herbal Essences is giving me a dry scalp) so I have no excuses! I'll get it properly done at the hairdressers next time I have a cut but will try and drag that out until the next pay month.

The window cleaner also just caught me for £11 - I'm sure I paid him last time but can't prove it :mad:

So today is just a quiet rest day - feel quite rubbish - sore throat and thick head so hopefully a cold isn't on the way. Its been a bonkers week at work and I feel a bit rundown so a day off pottering around the house is the way forward I think. Need to do some cleaning and a bit of laundry but otherwise I don't have a lot planned.

WelshWoofer

Just decided to add savings for 2013 to my signature so I can keep a track of what I have actually managed so far. As the money goes into a couple of different accounts its easier to see the total and my progress this way.
So its £140 so far in Jan - hoping to add to this later in the month when I know how the finances are faring this month.

Watched Lawless this afternoon on Sky Box Office - it was very good, not usually my sort of thing but I really enjoyed it. Tom Hardy is always a bonus I suppose!;)

Done a meal plan for the week with the shopping bought today - there's plenty in the fridge and freezer now, I should be able to make it last for 2 weeks if I'm careful (with just getting bits and pieces next weekend).

Hair is also dyed now so I look much better than this morning thankfully.

Going to have a fairly early night and see if I can get rid of this flipping cold - in the sneezing and sniffing stage now:mad: