In the words of Yazz...

Fudgefund

These are all good ideas, the birthdayee is my sister who alerted my parents without my consent to my debt problem so she does know better than most I can't afford much!

I find making cakes these days has got really expensive by the time you've bought all the ingredients etc, although the personal touch is always a winner. As I'm going to have to take whatever I get home on the train it'll probably be easier to use a WHSmith voucher i've got which you've just reminded me of. Thanks for making me think a bit more creatively, I needed the mental prod!

MuffinTops

Hello FF,

Lovely to hear that DB's friend meeting went well. Also that you felt anxious but did it anyway and without drinking.

For me, getting older has meant I want to learn those lessons now as I'm realising that life is too precious to spend it on any regrets. I've still got a little more to learn, but I'm getting there and it sounds like you're doing great in that respect too.

How did you get on with your walk to work? The clocks go forward on Sunday so the mornings will be a bit darker from next week for a while. Definitely worth making the most of this week's walks.

It's lovely to hear how things seem to be on a gradual improvement with your DB too and long may that continue.

MTx

Fudgefund

Thanks MT! xx

I've been thinking again (!) about my drinking today after a chance comment from my housemate who said she was happier now I'm a lot more sober because things are a lot less hectic in the house on a Friday night. I took that in the spirit it was intended, and I have to say apart from the odd stumble over the past two months things have improved dramatically. I haven't suffered any memory loss, I haven't said anything I've regretted and things have seemed a lot simpler. Long may it last! I'm going home this weekend and usually this involves a lot of drinking due to my family being heavy drinkers. I truly believe I can stay off the wine - I'll let you know how I get on.

I only managed one walk to work this week, largely because of the inclement weather conditions! I'm sick of being smacked in the face by unseasonal snow flurries and having to wear my woolly hat everywhere. I look terrible in hats. :rotfl:I have actually just signed up for an annual bus ticket through work, which saves me about 25% a week on my ticket and comes straight out of my wages. I think this is a sound investment as DB lives somewhere I need a bus to get to, it's a bit of a triangle between where we work, my house and his house. It also eliminates me having to stay at work until half six to get the cheap train home which brings me neatly onto...

I have made up a flex day at work! First time in at least two years! I was a good 15 hours in debit at one point in my illness! :jToday also marks 5 months since I've had a day off sick depression related or otherwise and I'm really pleased with myself.

I spoke to DB yesterday about the Bridezilla situation and explained my feelings about what had been said. I think he understood a bit better, I'm not sure if he was just trying to mollify me but I get the impression he may have worded events badly. As Bridezilla was downstairs in the living room I agreed to go down and sit with the happy couple to get it out of the way. It went okay, I still find it very hard to know what to say, but at least the ice is broken. I'm aware without being self-flagellating that I must own my part in some of the mess. As I became more unwell last year I became more reliant on drinking and this was prevalent around her because she makes me feel so uncomfortable. Not anymore.

My life has vastly improved in the areas of budgeting, paying off debt, flexi time, sleeping, personal appearance, happiness, drinking. I just need to crack eating healthily, and as I have done all the others, I'm pretty sure this can be achieved. But probably not this weekend. It's egg time.

Happy Easter everyone, have a lovely weekend. :beer:

(have a cream soda)

beanielou

I love cream soda

All sounding positive.

please-let-me-be-lucky

I'm actually drinking cream soda now believe it or not!! Sugar free version - it's 'interesting' lol.

Good luck with staying sober this weekend. I know you can do it! Congrats on the reduction in sick days, increased flexi and on breaking the ice with Frankenstein's Bride too Xx

beanielou

Oh forgot about sugar free cream soda.
Where can you buy it?

please-let-me-be-lucky

I think the nicest one is from Asd@. I also get it from M0rris0ns Xx

Fudgefund

I have had a day filled with weird coincidences, I'm going to count this as one too. I like to think when this happens that it's the universe smiling back at me. A couple of things have happened today that cement my conviction that if you put good into the world it will come back to you. I've tried expounding my universe smiling at me theory to a few people but they've smiled at me in a slightly concerned fashion so I largely keep it to myself.

I'm actually not a big fan of cream soda, I just always think of it when I see that smiley. My Mum used to put a scoop of vanilla icecream in to make a float, so I used to gobble that down and discard the rest.

My conviction I can eat healthily wanes... :rotfl:

please-let-me-be-lucky

Mmmmm ice cream floats! That used to be our Sunday evening thing when I was a kid. Makes me feel all fuzzy to think of it!

I'm smiling at ya! Not in a concerned way

Fudgefund

And so I have returned from the magical land of the South, having not touched a drop of wine but having had a few ciders, all in all having had a lovely time. As usual post-visit home (apart from the time I had the row with my Mum) I'm feeling very home sick, and sad to be back in my damp room with the peeling wall paper. However, things are really not too bad and I am concentrating on counting my blessings.

The main gathering storm on the horizon is the monthly chortle-a-thon which is my last week before I get paid. At the beginning of the month I have the most honorable intentions but because I'm working with such tight margins I always seem doomed to fail. I get paid a week on Friday and have £31 to last me out, which could be worse but falls seriously short of the £50 I should have. This works out at roughly £3.44 a day. This wouldn't actually seem too bad at all, but I have to go out on Friday night for a friend's birthday (I let her down last week so it doesn't seem an option to do it again this week). I can get a bus to the venue and back (the back bit could potentially be hairy but if I don't stay out too late should be okay), it will however be an eyewatering £5 to get in. I think my plan is to get the bus, and then stick to soft drinks at a pound a go. No one will be bothered or surprised by this, but I am terrible for feeling I have to buy other people drinks, usually with no return, so I'm going to have to work really hard to avoid the trap.

Food wise I have one lunch and one dinner in (tea, to you northerners) and I'm hoping DB will feed me tomorrow evening. I also have half an easter egg, one apple and four sweet clems. I am confident I can get through a sticky week if I just don't spend any money on bad food, which I shouldn't be doing anyway, but I just want the time to have already passed! I am definitely feeling in a bit of a debt rut at the moment, and getting annoyed with the slow passage of time. I know I should be hanging onto my rapidly ebbing twenties with all my might, but in my mind I really am already thirty. I feel like all this debt repayment is just laying foundations for something better, but I've just got to get there first. I'll probably be early for my own funeral. :rotfl:

Moodwise I'm okay, but I was a bit down today. This was a culmination of a breathtakingly bad day at work and being a bit home sick though, so I don't think it's indicative of anything more sinister.

9 days until payday!