New life, new me......

Sanchsoot49

Hi Fellow Grippers!

Yes its a lovely day here too, so inspired has it made me that I have been out and cleaned all the windows even the patio doors and they are all now sparkling in the sunshine.

Well done Skint on all your Spring cleaning. When the weather is like this it really spurs you on doesnt it and its great when you can see where you have been!

Yeah WW let me know how it goes with the Dog walking.I have booked some of the meetup walks too,just cant remember when they are! At least they send you email reminders which is good.

Well back to my domestic duties, another wash load just finished so will fill up my washing line. Enjoy your Sunday

Sanch

WelshWoofer

Had a busy afternoon - done a bit more springcleaning (inspried by Skint!).
Hoovered out the car, cleaned the inside of the windows and all the different compartments and now its all sparkly clean. Will last about 2 days with the mucky dog but at least I know its done.
Walked the dog again and had 6 mins on the sunbed.

Back in work tomorrow for 3 revision sessions - 9am - 2.30pm so not quite a full day but long enough. I have everything ready for it so its just a matter of turning up and teaching. Thinking of the money.;) Its the same on Tuesday too - my holiday starts properly on Tuesday afternoon.

Was browsing the discount board and saw a free ticket offer for Bafta winning movies with the Daily Mail - I never get lucky but this time I managed it and bagged a free ticket for Argo next Saturday evening. Quite pleased with that.:)

Just off to have a look at the budget for this month again - my little shopping spree yesterday and the hair appointment means its needs rejigging.

WelshWoofer

Been thinking about Skint's list of things to do during half term and here's mine.....


Exercise

• Sat - extra long walks
• Sun - dog jogging (interval training) and Tae Bo intro DVD and dog walking
• Mon - extra long dog walk and 30 mins Tae Bo
• Tues - swimming and dog walking
• Weds - dog jogging and walking
• Thurs - swimming and dog walking
• Fri - day off (visitors) apart from dog walking
• Sat - run and dog walking
• Sun - organised group walk (6 miles)

School work

• Finish chemistry scheme of work
• Mark C1 and P2 controlled assessments (both big jobs)
• 6 extra revision sessions on Mon/Tues - paid though

Social

• Visitors - Thursday afternoon - Sat morning
• Cinema - Sat evening

Personal

• Hair restyle - Sat afternoon
• Sort nails
• Sunbed
• Look into tae bo/boxercise classes

Home

• buy new shower mat and hose and install
• give conservatory a spring clean
• fix drawer
• look for new bedding

Off to think about a meal plan for the next two weeks - have gone bonkers in Tescos lately but its all stuff thats in the freezer or cupboards - nothing that will go off. Just need to make sure I use it all up before buying more.

Sanchsoot49

Hey WW thats a comprehensive list. I often think about doing a meal plan myself, I know my sister does it every week and she says she couldnt manage without doing it!
Ive got a slow cooker too that I have never used, might have a think about stuff to do in that so at least I have a nice hot meal waiting when I get in from work.

Been thinking about the career break idea again tonight, but realistically I dont think its an option. There is a change I could be made redundant in the next 2-5 years so I probably should be saving every penny I can! I opened a Stocks and shares Isa a couple of years ago and I must admit I am getting a bit hooked on the investing bug. It can get quite addictive.

My day off tomorrow so I reckon I am off to the gym ... !!!

Skint_yet_Again

Morning all, first day of the half term and I'm awake with the larks as my body clock still thinks it has to get up for work

WW well done on the free ticket hope you enjoy Argo ! Your to-do list is very impressive. My plans for today

1. call into doctors for meds prescription

2. visit wilko's for painting rollers, new lamp and waste bin for DS bedroom, I will use the vouchers sent to me when I complained about some gloss paint I bought there

3. pick up meds from chemist

4. ald! for food shopping. I have made a list and a healthy meal plan, just need to stick to it now

5. Prep the stairs and landing for painting. I painted the wallpaper in the hallway before xmas and it looks ok - cheapest option as I dont have the money or the energy to re-paper. DS has said he will paint the rest - I dont think the spare room will be emptied before the end of the holidays so that will have to wait until Easter to get a coat of paint

6. pop to BnQ and use vouchers to get paint for above

Sanch I know what you mean about the ISA, I've been trying to squirrel away enough money for an emergency fund.... but emergencies keep cropping up My income is due to drop later this year, hence the reason for looking for a second job, so I've been cutting back as much as possible in preparation. Trouble is there is only so much you can cut and still have a life !

Have a good day everyone x

update - Phew most of list done and even managed to fit in 30 minute brisk walk around local pond in the last of the afternoon sun .... hope this weather lasts. All the trees are covered in blossom, lovely to get some fresh air and exercise

WelshWoofer

A busy but productive day for you Skint - I think we both need to remember we are actually on holiday :rotfl:

Sanch I'm a bit obsessed with getting £5000 in the emergency fund at the moment - I;m up to about £3k now and would really love to get to £5k by Xmas. It will then be put away somewhere that its quite difficult to get it out of again and hopefully never touched. Its a balance between having no life and saving every penny or being sensible and careful but not restricting myself too much.

Before I was a teacher I worked in industry and earned literally double what I do now. I gave it all up (BMW company car, loads of travel and plenty of disposable cash, that seemed to get disposed of very easily!) to go back to uni for a year to do my teaching qualification and hopefully get a teaching job. That was about 4 or 5 years ago - a massive leap of faith but it worked out ok. I have no debt apart from a smallish CC bill and the mortgage, I paid for my uni days in cash and put enough by to pay the mortgage whilst retraining.

I love my job but miss the extra cash the old one provided!

At least I'll get a few extra hundred pounds next month for these revision sessions - got 111 kids in today:eek: Same planned for tomorrow and then my proper hols start at 2.30pm

WelshWoofer

Right, been rejigging the finances to allow for the extras that I've spent this month already (clothes, haircut, extras for visitors bought today etc).

Things to be paid for on top of the usual direct debits....
£80 credit card bill
£30 petrol (might get away with £20 but would rather budget more than less)
£75 food - 3x £25 for the rest of this pay month (will need to have a proper look at what I have in and work around this and get back to writing a list)
£20 car tax (yes, it really is that low!)
That's a total of £205.

That leaves just over £200 "spare" after all DD's and savings have gone out but I haven't factored in any spending money for the month and only have £10 in my purse.

I'm not sure how much the hair will cost - will ring them tomorrow to find out - they only take cash/cheque so thankfully there's no chance for me to put in on a credit card!

Skint_yet_Again

WelshWoofer wrote: »

A busy but productive day for you Skint - I think we both need to remember we are actually on holiday :rotfl:
.....Same planned for tomorrow and then my proper hols start at 2.30pm

WW the trouble is when I am at work I am so exhausted mentally and so unable to do anything physically after sitting at a desk all day that I have to get everything done in the holidays

Well done on the finances this month, I must get more organised with mine. I'm out to lunch today and tommorrow with friends but will try not to blow the budget or the diet

Roll on 2.30 today so you can start your hols :j

WelshWoofer

Skint_yet_Again wrote: »

Roll on 2.30 today so you can start your hols :j

Ta da!!!! Holidays are here at last - had to keep thinking of the money whilst doing the sessions this morning, will get it, with a bit of luck, in the next pay but definitely the month afterwards if not.

Been for a long 90 min walk around a nature reserve and along the river with the dog - lovely in the sunshine and actually quite warm, didn't feel like February at all. I managed to talk myself out of having tea at the pub that I'd parked at too - they let dogs in (its a walkers route) so I could have taken him with me instead of driving straight home. But after a minor struggle of financial conscience and realising that there's plenty of food in the fridge that needs eating up I forced myself home.

I have a busy week still ahead of me - tomorrow it cleaning and schoolwork day, mum and sister arrive on Thursday for a few days, hair cut, rugby and cinema on Saturday and an 8 mile walk on Sunday with the Spice lot. Phew! Will need another week off to recover!

WelshWoofer

Just shelled out for the annual car tax - a whopping £20 :eek: :rotfl:
Thankfully I only have a little car!