My Busy Life

sidneysmum

Hi Rainbow Bridge - Thanks for dropping by.

Today has been a good day for me. I feel as though i might be getting back on track a bit and am starting to feel a little more positive. Its been a work day for me but thats not been too bad as its pay day !! Yay!! I managed to get around to logging into my gas / electicity account and made a payment which i worked out should pretty much equal my recent usage. I have recently switched provider but didnt go direct debit with them as I wanted to pay an amount that equalled my usage and not some wild guess by someone sat at the end of the phone! I also saved a couple of pounds at work by taking advantage of a free 2013 pocket diary !!

Last night i was freezing in bed so i have now got the electric blanket back out. I also intend to buy an extra duvet as a top up to my current one as I am just not warm enough. Hopefully i can get one at the supermarket tomorrow as I have some money off vouchers to use up. (£10 off £50 spend). I also intend to do a bit of stocking up on tinned stuff and dried goods using the vouchers.

Food wise today - Home made hummus was taken to work to eat with fruit and crackers. For tea I ate up the leftover Thai red curry from last night. Two of my grown up sons arrived for some "Scoff" as they call it so I made a huge pan of chilli and rice for them. There is a massive portion left so this has been put in a container in the fridge for tomorrow or Friday.

I also did a bit of spending today. I signed up to Cineworld unlimited card which allows me to go to the cinema as often as I like for £15 a month. This will be money well spent for me as I spend more than that on cinema visits as it is. In fact, I think i will be encouraged to go more often now I dont have to part with any cash. The only other thing i spend on myself in a month is my gym membership which is £20 and as I use the gym and attend classes most days, its brilliant value for money. I only work a couple of days a week so need to have some affordable activities to pass the time. I dont think i will ever be tempted to go back to work full time again. I just love being at home most of the week and having my freedom. I know I am very lucky to have a job that pays quite well for the hours I do because i am not entitled to any benefits other than my 25% council tax discount. On the plus side I have managed over the past few years to "cut my cloth accordingly". I just love doing my own thing and keeping busy with jobs at home and little projects.

Anyway enough of my ramblings. I hope everyone is having a grea money saving day x

sidneysmum

Gosh today has been busy ! Just how i like it. Went to the gym this morning followed by a film this afternoon using my new unlimited pass. Watched "Taken 2" which was very enjoyable. I have just been to Mr M for a good old stock up using my money of coupons. I spent £40 and got £5 off. I dont normally spend £40 per week on shopping but have decided to take advantage of the coupons and stock up on stuff i usually buy. This week i stocked up on some meat which I have just put into smaller freezer bags. Also stocked up on packets of rice and tinned goods. I decided in the end not to buy another duvet. Its the bottom half of the bed that seems cold so for now I have put a single duvet widthways across the bottom of the bed (under my normal duvet) to see if that makes any difference. No point in bying another duvet if I dont need one!!

Not much else to report today. Going to have a read of some other diaries for an hour or so. Hope everyone is having a great moneysaving day x

sidneysmum

What a chilly day !!! I am pleased to report that I was really toasty in bed last night and the extra duvet across the bottom of the bed worked a treat. Great stuff.

This morning I had a quick shopping trip to Aldi buying a bit more super 6 veg and fruit. Didnt go out of my way and make an wasteful journey - Aldi is next to the gym so had an hour or so free exercise in there this morning. Had a lovely long walk with the dog this afternoon. Luckily managed to get back home before the weather changed to rain.

Tea was home made butternut squash soup (super 6) followed by leftover chilli and rice which was perfect in this cold weather.

Keeping my fingers crossed my mortgage provider sort themselves out so i can start overpayments soon as i want to get cracking with becming debt free !!

Hope everyone is having a great moneysaving day x

sidneysmum

Well another good day for me today. Had my usual morning trip to the gym. Spent an hour there which I thoroughly enjoyed. I must be mad !! Had a bit of a spend this afternoon in M&S. Treated myelf to some new brown suede boots. They were £50 but i had £40 worth of vouchers which had been very kindly given to me by my old energy provider so i was very pleased they only cost me £10 all told. Went shopping with my aunt and my cousin. My aunt very kindly treated us all to a latte and a cake which was a lovely treat.

Food wise I have been eating up leftovers. Cheese on toast for lunch using up some cheese which is slightly past its best. Tea was chicken fahitas - very nice on a cold daylike today I might treat myself to a glass of wine in a short while - home made of course !

Hope everyone is having a great moneysaving day x

sidneysmum

Had a good couple of days moneywise. All spends were planned and accounted for. Yesterday was bellydancing at my gym which was included in my monthly direct debit of £20. I did have a bit of a spend yesterday afternoon with an Indian meal out with my friend. However we dont go mad moneywise as we are both on a budget. It just made a lovely change to have a meal made for me and no washing up. My friend very generously gave me a large bag of toiletries which she no longer wanted so i was really pleased. Apart from toothpaste and shampoo, I havent had to buy any toiletries at all this year. I dont think i will have to buy any for the remained of 2012 and probably for a large part of 2013. I am determined not to buy anything unless I need it.

Today included a trip to the gym and an hours zumba class, both included in my gym membership. It really is great value for money for me as I go to the gym most days so it works out at less than 70p a visit. Had to put some LPG in my car today and buy some bread - so my spends were "needs" rather than "wants". Did a bit of cooking this afternoon. Made a huge pan of butternut squash soup. Also cooked a chicken in the slow cooker for tea. I had the chicken with new pots, broccoli and gravy. Yummy. The leftover chicken has been saved and I plan to use it for another meal. Also made hummus for my lunch at work tomorrow.

Not much else to report today. Hope everyone is having a great moneysaving Nov 5th ! x

sidneysmum

Yesterday was just very busy so didn’t get time to post. Spent most of my day at work – having home made hummus and fruit for lunch. Made a trip to the gym on the way home which made me feel miles better. Tea was home made green Thai chicken curry and rice. I still have some leftover so I think I will be eating it up later on in the week.

I spoke to my mortgage provide again regarding overpayments and they are still having problems with internet overpayments. They confirmed that I can overpay £3300 by 31/12/12 so my plan is to hopefully save that amount up before then and either go into the branch and pay it over or keep my fingers crossed they have sorted out their computers by then and I can do it online. Novembers mortgage payment has now been recuced from my signature. I have also put the mortgage redemption fee in my signature.

Hope everyone is having a great moneysaving day x

sidneysmum

Oh its cold today....or it is in my home. I have found myself a lovely cosy sofa blanket to use for the times I havent got the heating on. Its been a work day for me today followed by my afternoon visit to the gym. Really I need to decide if I shouldnt start to have my shower at the gym after my workout instead of keep coming home and using my hot water here !!! I had a nice suprise waiting for me on the doorstep when I got home - a free box of special K plus some special K bars. Thank you very much.

Foodwise I have been very frugal agian today. Hummus and fruit at work today and for my evening meal - home made butternut squash soup plus some leftover roast chicken, new pots and gravy. Very warming in this cold weather. I have pretty much decided that up until xmas i am only going to buy what food i really need. I have huge quantities of tinned goods and a fair amount of meat in my freezer. I think I just need to buy the very basics every week - fuit, veg, bread and milk. I definately need to use up the huge stash of stuff i have in my cupboards. I also need to use up food out of my fridge before I start making more meals. I have a couple of packs of cheese open which could be use up as say cheese on toast. Also I have a huge container of home made butternut squash soup. So the plan now is to only buy what i really need. I hope to be able to make my first 10% overpayment on my mortgage before the end of the year, so i will have to be careful. Hopefully nothing will happen which will stop my plans, such as something breaking down or needing replacing.

Tonight I have been to my fortnightly Womens Institute meeting. Had to pay £1 subs and £5 deposit for my Xmas meal. All in all a cheap night out.

Hope everyone is having a great moneysaving day x

sidneysmum

I have had a lovely day today !! Oh I just love being at home and being able to do just as I please. I cant wait for the day when I can finish work - although i think that is a long time away. :rotfl:

Started my day with my usual trip to the gym. Not only do I love getting some exercise but I love the meeting people aspect. Came home to shower. The jurys still out about whether I should have a shower at the gym or not. As I have quite a lot of toiletries (despite not buying a single item this year other than toothpaste) I am making an effort to use up what I have. Mind you I have been doing this for a year. I have definately halved my stock of stuff and hope to use most things up over the next 12 months withouth buying anything else. Anyway today I used up a bottle of shower gel. Great stuff.

I have just returned from the cinema where I watched The Sapphires. It was rather cheesy but still entertaining. I feel so pleased that for £35 per month I can go the cinema as often as I wish and also go to the gym / classes as often as I feel like !! As I live on my own and only work a couple of days a week, I have a lot of free time. My children are all grown up and although I love seeing them, they have their own lives and we dont need to see each other every day. For the past couple of years I have been trying to come to terms with being free (from children) and single (from husband). I continually try to get myself organised and get jobs done in my home myself. I really like making good use of my time and love being happy with simple pleasures - cooking, making things, walking, gardening, my pets

Foodwise today I have been very frugal. Lunch was leftover cheese which I grilled on toast. Tea was butternutsquash soup plus roast chicken, new pots and gravy. All leftovers which I am so glad I used up instead of throwing away or giving to my pets.

Anyway enough of my ramblings. I hope everone is having a great moneysaving day.:)

sidneysmum

I learned a new lesson last night - Dont drink coffee after 7pm. I am obviously not good with cafeine. Even though i was really tired I felt really "awake" and I just knew it was down to the 2 cups of coffee I had drunk at 8/9pm. I also learned another lesson this morning. Stop getting on the scales. Although i only want to loose about a stone, I keep getting on the scales, and because i am not loosing weight fast enough, the scales are really making me despondent. I have now put them away and i am going to get on them in about 2 weeks.

Had to have a bit of a spend today. Filled the car up with petrol which is job I only do every few weeks. Also did a very small food shop and bought 2 more butternut squash, some natural yoghurt and a packet of couscous. Grand total £2.87. I hope i dont need anything else till after the weekend and hopefully that will just be milk / fruit. After shopping i did my usual trip to the gym which was really good. Before going out this afternoon I got round to doing a few of those jobs which have been lurking about for ages. I cut up and hemmed some old tea towels and made them into dish cloths. What an exciting life - Not ! Cinema again this afternoon. Went to see "People like us" which i thoroughly enjoyed.

Foodwise i hae been using up, yes you guessed it - more leftovers. Cheese on toast for lunch and chicken green thai curry which was delicious. Took a little snack to the cinema of crackers with marmalde which just hit the spot and also saved me buying anything from the kiosk.

Hope everyone is having a great moneysaving day x

sidneysmum

Hello out there....

Quite a good day so far today. I feel as though I have actually achieved something today. As the weather has been dry here I decided to get on with a few outside chores this morning. I had a good rearrange and tidy up in my garage and I also managed single handed to move my chicken coop and chickens into my garage. They are just getting drenched outside and I know they are not happy as they have stopped laying. I will keep them in the garage at night then during the day they can have their freedom. I know they where very happy with that arrangement last winter ! Luckily I have a huge garage, so at night I can still house my car.
In my fridge I found 3 big packs of cheese. Why on earth did I buy so much? Anyway, I have cut them into smaller blocks and put them in the freezer. No point in letting them go mouldy. Also used up some more toiletries - 1 x body lotion. I am not going to buy any more until I am on my last bottle. I think I am going to add my toiletries usage to my signature. Mind you I might get bought some for xmas.
Food wise I have used up more frm my stocks. Scrambled eggs on toast for brunch. This afternoon I went out with relatives and we had fish and chips in a restaurant so I didnt get a NSD. However I am quite happy about that. As i live on my own I am mindful that I could become quite isolated especially as I only work a couple of days a week. Since becoming single I have been very frugal with my utility bills and groceries so that I can enjoy a good social life and not be declining invitations. Obviously I dont go to things that cost a lot of money but I try to do lots of "cheap and cheerful" activities. I dont want a life where I dont spend any money at all other than essentials; I want a champagne lifestyle on lemonade money !!!

Hope everyone is having a great moneysaving day x