New life, new me......

WelshWoofer

Just posted my frump to fab goals on the new thread thought I'd put them here too to remind me

So here's my aims for the next 3 months......

1. Keep exercising a minimum of 4 days a week - this can be swimming, running or long walks
2. Lose 5 more lbs to get me to 9 and a half stone and then maintain it
3. Request the promotion thats been whispered about
4. Get all of the little things that are broken in the house fixed - a light switch, cooker ignition switch, plug chain, shower hose, phone socket etc - none of these really inconvenience me but need sorting out
5. Slowly build up a new autumn/winter wardrobe for my new size without spending a fortune and which doesn't always revolve around jeans when not in work
6. Keep up the routine - face scrubs, moisturising, defuzzing, nails etc
7. Do something to help someone else - not sure what yet but will either find some volunteering to do or set myself a goal for each week to do something nice for someone else (become less self centred, easy to be when you live alone)
8. Be organised for Xmas - no last minute pressies or panic outfits, no spending more than I should
9. Decorate the spare room - paint it myself and get new bedding and curtains
10. Keep meeting new people and having fun - this is with old friends, the Spice lot and meet up groups.

Had a lovely walk in the sunshine with the dog, all nature and fresh air. Also cleaned the car out (nice and non-doggy now) and hoovered and dusted the house. Took the library books back and got some new ones - stops me buying them. Also made tea from lots of leftover bits in the fridge to use them up before I start on the new food bought today - was a bit of a concoction (spanish omelette, houmous, crackers and spready cheese, quorn ham....) but I'm thinking of it as a meze or tapas:rotfl:
A friend texted me about the Next sale today so I had a look online and have ordered a jacket reduced from £69 to £25 and a pair of smart grey trousers - if I am anything less than thrilled with them they will be sent back. No wasting money on anything that will be worn once and forgotten about anymore.

In the interest of saving money, I decided against going to the cinema (at least a £10 spend on a ticket, pop etc) and have booked a box office movie at £3.49 instead and will have a small bag of sweeties on the sofa.

Right, tomorrow is a busy day, will pop back to update then....

WelshWoofer

Had a good day - been swimming (not been for almost 2 weeks - very naughty!) and did a mile in 35 mins, so quite good and plenty of cals burnt off. Also took the dog to the water park as well as his usual walks - another good 45 mins brisk walking.

Done a load of school work this afternoon so am well prepared for the week - will try to bring some books home to mark each night this week to keep on top of them.

Made a yummy quorn shepherds pie for tea using up some very old potatoes found in the bottom of the fridge (just scoffed it) and made another for tomorrow whilst I was at it. Diet has been good today so far, actually feel very full at the moment. Needs to be to make up for the big bag of crisps I managed to inhale last night:eek:

Only spent £3.20 today (swimming ticket) and am just about to go through the budgets again to see how I'm getting on this month so far.
In the interest of economising I sat watching a film last night with candlelight rather than the lamps on - it was actually nice and cosy, will do the same tonight. Lunch is made for tomorrow, clothes are laid out and I'm ready for the week ahead. Could do with another day off though.....

WelshWoofer

Been looking at the finances and after all of the direct debits have gone out there's exactly £200 left. I've paid the credit card bill, put £150 into savings and paid off the small overdraft so quite pleased, providing that I can keep on the straight and narrow for the rest of the month.

There are 2 more food shops to do and I'll try to keep them to about £25 each and I'll budget £30 spending money for each of the two weeks after this one.
There's about £11 in my purse which I'll try to make last until next weekend. I don't need to buy any food or drinks (plenty in)and the only thing I'll have to pay for is swimming if I go mid week.
So in theory that leaves £90 ish of the £200. I will need petrol and will put £20 in next time I go, taking me down to £70.
It will be interesting to see how close to that I really am by payday;)

Either way, its been a good month so far financially, I've been far more conscious of what I'm spending and have paid all of the bills early.
Let's try to keep it going!

WelshWoofer

Its been a madly busy week so far - working all day and then most of the evening and then not being able to sleep because of thinking about it all.
Never mind, it looks like its calmed down a bit now.

Financially, I put £20 of petrol in yesterday, we'll see how long that lasts. Haven't taken any more cash out of the bank and have only used the debit card once for £5.
I've also taken lunch to work every day and used up food in the house for teas - very frugal!

My organised walk tonight was cancelled due to waterlogging - its still flipping raining now:mad: That's nearly 72 hours straight now....

Will have to make some plans for the weekend as I have nothing on at the moment and I'll go a bit stir crazy if I stay in all weekend again. It will have to be something cheap and cheerful though.

Its a twilight INSET tomorrow evening at work - torture! Having to stay late for what is normally a waste of time.
4 more weeks to the next holiday ..... bearable!

The jacket and trousers from the Next sale have arrived and both are really nice and cost a total of £40 for the too - will be keeping them both. The bill is due to be paid until the next payday too so it all works out quite well, providing I stick to the plan this month.

WelshWoofer

Actually had a good day today - wore my new jacket and trousers and got loads of nice comments about them. One lady even said that I always looked lovely and she wished she was brave enough to not stick to boring grey suits all the time! Made my day!:)
Three people also suddenly said that I'd lost weight (obviously haven't since yesterday!) so I think they've just noticed - its funny that you don't really "look" at people when you see them every day I suppose.

WelshWoofer

After a really long day at work I just couldn't face the kitchen and so succumbed to an indian takeaway - cost £6 and, trying to be diet conscious, I only had boiled rice and a basic curry but it was yummy!

Took £30 out of the cashpoint for money for the coming week, £6 down already:o. I needed a treat though even though its put me 300 cals over the cal allowance for the day.

I'm working tomorrow morning with an open morning for the year 6s - not fun but over with by about 12.30 ish. Then there's the small matter of the shopping, cleaning, dog walking, exercise....the list goes on.

I'm going away next Friday to help my mum clean my late nan's house (its been rented out for a while) ready for sale - the tenants didn't leave it in a very good state (in fact according to mum its positively dirty and needs some fixing up as well as cleaning). So this week I'm going to have a "use it up" week from the freezer and cupboards so it will be just fresh food and dog food to buy. I'm hoping to spend no more than £15 - fingers crossed.

WelshWoofer

Been to work, the park with the dog, grocery shopping and cleaned the whole house so having a well earned sit down before the dog needs walking again.

Did the shopping at Aldi and B&M today as I only needed F&V and a few toiletries, cereal bars, squash and pop. I ended up spending £15.81 altogether includiing shampoo and conditioner, handwash and face cream. I have meal planned for the week so will be trying to use up bits in the freezer and cupboards.
Might need to get a carton of soup from the corner shop as they don't sell them anyone at Aldi but they're on offer for around a £1 so be a budget buster!

I'm trying the Aldi day cream as the serum I have from there is very good - the cream is a whopping £1.99 so obviously an investment buy:rotfl: I also got some bargain shampoo and conditioner from B&M (grand total of £2), don't strictly need it yet but I don't always see that brand and the price was too good to leave it there.

I also bought the dog a bargain pac-a-mac from Pets at Home - £3! He's a woolly dog and takes ages to dry after the rain so now is the proud owner of a natty purple hooded anorak:D

WelshWoofer

Had quite a productive day so far...
Took the dog to the park for a play with the other dogs first thing ( there's always loads there on a Sunday morning), then went for a run that actually felt quite good considering I haven't been for almost 2 weeks, had lunch of soup and a banana and sat down and did schoolwork for 3.5 hours (all done now).
Also managed to do the laundry, have a bath and deep condition my hair.

Was planning to go for a walk with the poocher but its raining, may go anyway and put him in his new anorak as I have a bit of a headache after staring at the laptop all afternoon.
Rainy Sunday afternoons.... so boring!:mad:

No big plans for tonight - a bit of a relax and telly no doubt, but I will cook a nice tea, thinking veggie sausages, roast potatoes and peas and gravy or something similar (all from the freezer).

WelshWoofer

Not a lot to report really..... back at work and time flies.
Had to withdraw some cash today to buy sone hearts from the butchers for the kids to dissect at school - should get the money back though so its not too bad really.

Been taking a packed lunch to work and have resisted the urge to buy a book from Amazon tonight.

Checked the bank tonight and all more or less on course for the month so far... fingers crossed x

WelshWoofer

Just taken £30 cash from the cashpoint and put £40 of petrol in ready to drive home to Wales early tomorrow morning to help mum clean my late gran's house now the tenants have moved out. They've left it in a bit of a state and it really upset my mum so I've volunteered to go to help her get it straight before the decorator comes to give it a lick of paint to get it ready for selling.
Its a 3.5 hour drive in good traffic so its a bit of a traipse but I said I'd help, no rest for the wicked.

Was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to use my bank cards as I heard on the radio that Lloyds were having problems but mine worked so its all ok.

The work Xmas do was announced today for Dec 14th - its in the same village as I live in so won't be too expensive taxi wise. Just need to lose those 4 or 5 extra pesky pounds and buy a killer frock to show off the new figure. Its a good incentive to give myself a kick up the bum as I stayed the same weight this week for the first time since I started the diet - too many hormone induced treats and general laziness reagrding food. Need to get a grip and do more exercise during the week too - I'm knackered after a long day at work and walking the dog - must try harder!

Right, its time to make some tea and resist a takeaway and then I'm going to do the weekend chores of cleaning and laundry as I won't be around to do them this week and I hate coming back to a messy house after being away.