Here I am in debt again. 2nd time lucky

lurvlyloz

great news on the vouchers & gfts

StressedSteph

Housework*Fairy wrote: »

Wow, that's brilliant about the £50 vouchers from your friend! That'll be a weight off your mind about the present situation. Do you know any crafty people who you could 'swap' time with - what I mean is, if you know someone who makes their own jewellery, could you offer to babysit for them in return for a hand-made present for your friend? Or do you have any special - erh - talents that someone else might find useful...

Edit: Not recommending you prostitute yourself out LOL but are you a closet decorator, or plumber in your spare time

Haha, no unfortunately I am abit lacking in Special Talents .

Good idea though, I do do abit of bartering with our home reared meat in exchange for other things (Rhubarb plants & veg in the past). Not sure I could give someone a joint of pork for their birthday though and not sure about other friends hidden talents.
Will have a think about it though...Definately food for thought. Thank you hun.

Thank you Purple, PLMBL and LL for the kind words.
In the past I would have left that £50 as I would have either been too proud or embarrassed to cash it in. But I just thought "to hell with it" today. Another benefit to budgeting I suppose. I will do anything to prevent me blowing my budget

mummytogirls

Well done on the presents steph xx

cdm

Hi Steph!
Have been following your journey, and you're doing well...some good stuff there. Hope you don't mind me sharing a thought? In one of your earlier posts you mention about petrol/diesel and the school run. Maybe you've thought of it before...As you are very rural, I'm wondering, would you qualify for school transport from the Local Authority? (if you live more than 3 miles from the school or something, I think?). Might save you time and energy as well as fuel! Might be worth a check...

You've made a cracking start...well done! :-)

StressedSteph

cdm wrote: »

Hi Steph!
Have been following your journey, and you're doing well...some good stuff there. Hope you don't mind me sharing a thought? In one of your earlier posts you mention about petrol/diesel and the school run. Maybe you've thought of it before...As you are very rural, I'm wondering, would you qualify for school transport from the Local Authority? (if you live more than 3 miles from the school or something, I think?). Might save you time and energy as well as fuel! Might be worth a check...

You've made a cracking start...well done! :-)

Morning all,

Thanks for reading Cdm. We are only 2.9 miles from the school and they want £400 per child per year :eek:. Horrendous isn't it.
I did the maths but it works out at a £84 monthly DD. Had to cancel it as its just too expensive.
Thanks for suggesting though, would have been free if I lived .1 mile further away :mad:

StressedSteph

Morning Dear Diary,

Got so much to do today, I thought I might make a list.

Put Xmas Decs back in Attic
Clean Bathrooms
Pack away Mr T home delivery
Hoover House
Tidy Utility room
Meal plan for next week.

Sure there is loads more but can't immediately think of it. Getting dressed might be a good start . Went to one of the friends houses last night whose birthday it was and drank abit too much wine

Better go and get dressed, birds still need letting out

StressedSteph

Oh dear, not really achieved much today. Its been one of those days where you just can't get going.

Think I need to get to bed abit earlier tonight, I have gotten into a bad habit over the holidays of not going to bed till midnight and I think that makes me tired and lazy during the day.

I need to get back into a routine before the children go back to school next Tuesday.

Have put the Xmas decs away and tidied around. Had to go and visit MIL, and have received the Mr T delivery.

We have a Friends Birthday party to go to tomorrow night, one of the girls that I had to find a present for.

Its a surprise party and we all have to bring canapes for 35 people with us :eek:. I have decided to make my own sausage rolls. I have a load of sausage meat in the freezer and can just about make a decent rough puff pastry. Should be a cheap solution.

Have just text my two best friends and asked nicely if we could not do presents for our children this year. Both of them have three children and I only have two. So I am always out of pocket and I could do without the extra expense. Am hoping my besties will understand. Fingers Crossed.
That will save me at least £180. We usually spend £15 on each child for birthdays and Christmas. :T.

Not much else to report, Ebay stuff has'nt moved much and I keep staring at my spreadsheet willing the days on. Think I am getting obsessed.

StressedSteph

Just packed away Mr T's shop. Crickey, £50 does'nt get you far.

I had 5 bags and it was packed away in about 1 minute.

Kids suddenly decended on Yoghurts and Crisps. I had to virtually fight them off. Explaining that this lot had to last for packed lunches for school all next week.

There is certainly not a treat in sight when you do a £50 shop:o

Think the kids are getting used to my boring shop. They actually got excited about me ordering them some orange squash instead of blackcurrant for a change. Little things :rotfl:

StressedSteph

Morning Diary,

Hubby went to his weekly skittles last night and I did my back log of ironing whilst watching Eastenders back to back. Hubby hates it so I usually watch it on his Skittles night, but as there was no skittles over Christmas I had almost two weeks to catch up on.

Gave up at 12.30am and went to bed.

Got to make my mini sausage rolls for tonight as my contribution to my friends surprise birthday. Hope they turn out ok.

Not much to report financially. I can't pay anymore bills until the 14th January when hubby gets his first pay cheque after Christmas.

I have a bracelet on Ebay that is now over £300. That is finishing in two days, so that should be a nice addition to the OD in our account.

I must have a search through the barn. We still have a few boxes that we haven't tackled after we moved and I am sure there might be some Ebay items I can upload.

Hope anyone reading has a lovely weekend. Quite looking forward to getting the kids back to school and back into the old routine next week. Abit of peace and quiet would be appreciated

Housework*Fairy

Your shopping trip yesterday made me chuckle! I know exactly what you mean. Do you have a Home Bargains nearby? (or similar). I do my 'big' shops at major supermarkets but all snacky stuff (treats, cakes, biscuits) I buy once a month from Home Bargains and usually £15-£20 of crap lasts the entire month.

I was amazed that the Hovis loaf I normally buy is £1.35! I just couldn't bring myself to pay it, so bought value bread rolls for 40p instead.