Enjoying the journey to becoming debt free - paying back the credit cards

fedupandskint

I've done some batch cooking today making a lovely vegetable curry, using up some veg bought last week before it went off. 7 portions all in the freezer now to keep me going over the next few weeks. Will be making a vegetable chilli tomorrow for tea and to freeze also. Both are nice and cheap too which is good for me right now using up lots of things I have in.

Think I might get my bike out this afternoon for a wash and sort out and then go out for a little bike ride tomorrow. Today will be along dog walk later on and generally a chill out listening to the cricket

fedupandskint

Bike washed
Long dog walk and more blackberries picked and frozen.
House hoovered
Cricket listened to - can we chase those runs down and win the series 4-0?
Washing done and dried
Crumble recipe for tomorrow's pud

Early night I think as tired again after my veggie pasta bolognaise for tea with more veg!

fedupandskint

What a ridiculous rule to end the final test in this way. So close but hey the series is won. Plus if we win in Australia we will be so pleased to win regardless.

Tea not bad if a litte bland. Off foraging apples tomorrow and doubtless more blackberries to freeze.

fedupandskint

A good result today - have reduced the cost of my mobile bill by £11.99 per month saving £143.88 per year so long as my phone lasts another year. Plus the allowance is slightly more than what paid more for the last 2 years.

What else, boiled beans for the chilli later to get through some of those endless stocks in the cupboard, washing on, next is the floors then maybe some garden tidying up

fedupandskint

A busy afternoon and evening.

Decided against the bike ride today and focused on garden tidying up - spent an hour and a half clearing a small section but it looks much better now. Will do some more this weekend too.

Then out for a long walk with the dog and more blackberry picking - all washed and frozen now.

Back to make that bean and vegetable chilli which despite my doubts as I'm not too keen on beans it was gorgeous - lots of spices in there using up a couple of very old spices too, eaten with some long grain rice, raw spring onions and a sprinkle of cheese - gorgeous!

Good results from batch cooking all using one bag of courgettes, peppers and red lentils and rest from the storecupboard

8 portions of veg and bean chilli
7 portions of veg curry
6 portions of lentil ragu

Plenty in the freezer to keep me going as I can't afford much meat at the moment with all this debt and overdraft repaying - going surprisingly well. Plus it was all about using up the stocks of dried beans and lentils I had in. Turned out I liked them more than I expected, good job I did, its' what I will be eating up over the next few weeks!

fedupandskint

A lovely surprise awaiting me at work today. A disaster as the ceiling had collapsed at work due to a water leak from upstairs - a real mess that is slowly being sorted out.

Then I discover my lovely friend had left a present for me for finally finishing my dissertation at last - a lovely dress, bought in the sale of course! A real surprise that really cheered me up and a card that made me smile and laugh. What a good friend to think of me and cheer me up and reward all my work. She is great.

Apart from that, another NSD here as no pennies to spend of course coming to NSD 27

fedupandskint

Payday
Budget day
Bill day
Banking done
No extras spent
Budgets stuck to
NSD 28

Run after work - getting a bit better than the other day - next one at the weekend

fedupandskint

Ok, long work day yesterday and the usual rubbish week with pretty much everyone feeling quite fed up about things.

Vol work placement went well today analysing the first stage of data - interesting early results. Called in for some printing prices and will do some work on the final piece of uni work this weekend.

Long walk with the dog after work today to clear out my head and picked more ripe blackberries.

Tomorrow I will go for a run, 2 long dog walks, do some uni work, housework and usual washing and I think that might be it!

NSD 30 - I did it, didn't buy anything apart from out of the set budgets. Have also achieved a 4th month of no clothes buying - I would have found this unbelievable at the start of the year and now I have achieved it!

Also totted up the bank balance and totals and should be able to get some where close to £245 paid off the overdraft by the end of Sept so it really is worth all this hard work

fedupandskint

Well a lovely walk this morning under a bright sunny sky which seems to have clouded over since then. Also went for a pleasant run - at last!

Found a recipe to use up some more beans and see how tasty this is after the success of last weeks new recipes.

Very pleased with how all the budgeting is going and the totals for August are;
NSD 31
No clothes spends 31 - 4 months now in a row with no clothes or shoes bought
Overdraft paid back 25% and overdraft limit reduced
Grocery budget - busted over by £60!
Petrol budget - under by £50

September goals are
NSD 28
Another no clothes spend month
Stick to the grocery budget for once
Come in on budget for petrol
Repay another 25% of overdraft and reduce limit again

fedupandskint

Cleaning and washing done for today leaving a little more to do tomorrow, after some exercise of course and the usual long weekend dog walks.

Have done as much as I can on the poster for now and am having problems saving in the required format. I'll have a go at work on Monday to see if I can overcome them. Nonetheless, its designed, boringly of course, what else would you expect at this stage? Leaving tomorrow free to please myself!

Sunday
Cleaning and mop floors
Run
Long dog walks
Make beany enchiladas
Gardening!
Ironing!

What a day!

Also counted up some more change to go into the birthday fund - up to £10 more now in various amounts of change