keeping on the straight and narrow

snozberry

The purpose of my shiny new diary is, basically, what it says on the tin: to keep me on the straight and narrow. 2012 started in a horrible way for me as I watched my mum die but the year is ending rather nicely as I am now living in sin with my fella, pregnant and newly engaged. This combination good news would have been enough to see my mum off anyway as I am the epitome of independence. Too independent for my own good at times but hey ho.

I need to save as much as I can before I go on maternity leave and my diary will track my progress. I have learned so much over the years from this site but I have areas which need nurturing and developing!

I will start my diary properly when the clock strikes midnight on New Years Eve. I just want to prepare myself fully first.

snozberry

My achievable goals

(disclaimer: work in progress)

These are areas which need developing:

1. Meal Planning

As a rule of thumb, we meal plan religiously BUT we stick to the same old, same old meals so things can get dull quite quickly. This means that we can slip of the wagon. I want to minimize this risk. We have a shelf full of recipe books and a well stocked store cupboard so there is no excuse.

2. Nutrition

Even though we don't buy ready meals and a lot of processed foods, we do need to incorporate more fruit and vegetables in our diet. I found the first trimester incredibly tough but, things have settled down more and it's not just mine and my OHs health that we need to consider.

3. Exercise

This has pretty much been on the back burner as the first trimester was tough. I slept more than Sleeping Beauty! Needless to say, my gym membership has been gathering dust. I have just ordered a maternity swimsuit online so I can start swimming again. I won't be taking regular classes and using the gym until my doctor/midwife tells me that it is safe to do so. We also need to go on regular walks. We often say this to each other but, if truth be told, we are usually cream crackered in the week and can't be bothered.

4. Personal finance

We keep our personal finances separate. He has asked me to open a joint account on more than one occasion but this would mean me stepping out of my comfort zone and my gran sending numerous thunderbolts in my general direction.

My spending diary has been neglected as of late and only been updated when I do my weekly online banking. My personal spends has been reduced considerably over the years and I have various bank accounts for various purposes.

5. Extra money making ways
I began 2012 soooo well! I have had, in the past, second and third jobs but I can't do this whilst up the duff and it will be impossible when baby gets here.

I must mystery shop, swagbuck and survey to my hearts content as the vouchers mean that expensive treats (oh hello North Face jacket) and birthdays/Christmas is pretty much covered.

I also use cashback websites and I love my money boxes.

6. Anything else

Even though we are engaged, we aren't saving up for the wedding right now. We won't be getting married for a while and, when we do, it will be a small, intimate affair. I'm not one of those who go crazy over ceremony and a bridezilla I am most definately not. Oooohhh I can't think of anything worse!

So, in a nutshell, my goals for 2013 are ... drum roll please:
1. Be more inventive when meal planning.
2. Improve our nutritional and physical health.
3. Continue to survey, mystery shop and not to give up no matter how tedious and dull I happen to find them. Repeat the mantra: Surveys and the like provide my treats!
4. NSD, complete and analyse my spending diary on a regular basis.

snozberry

In 2012, I accrued an extra £1005.50through surveys, MS, SnS, Sw@gbucks, ebay, money box coins ... I want to beat this total in 2013

In more shocking news I only had 160 NSDs out of a possible 366 days. This is an awful 44%. I MUST DO BETTER!!!

My monthly progress

JANUARY:
NSD: 19/31
EXTRA EARNINGS: £39.62
PACKED LUNCH DAYS: 13/17

FEBRUARY
NSD:14/28
EXTRA EARNINGS: £100.28

MARCH
NSD: 18/31
EXTRA EARNING: £76.90

RUNNING TOTAL:
NSD: 51
EXTRA EARNINGS: £216.80
PACKED LUNCH DAYS: 13/17

mummytogirls

Congratulations on your news Snozberry! Love hearing stuff like this!!
When will you be leaving work? xx

snozberry

mummytogirls wrote: »

Congratulations on your news Snozberry! Love hearing stuff like this!!
When will you be leaving work? xx

Hello! Thanks - it's been a lovely way to end a traumatic year. I want to work for as long as possible - until late spring. I'm due early summer :-)

snozberry

Ok, I am almost ready to start 2013 with a renewed sense of vision, purpose and drive. All of the Christmas things have been boxed up and are waiting my OH to put them into the loft. After looking at all of the Christmas gifts that we so gratefully received, next year I am going to replace 'I don't know what I want' with some carefully thought suggestions as there are only so many smelly gift sets and choccy that one can receive. Thinking about it, I need new socks and flipflops for the pool. I should have asked for those instead as flipflops would have been cheaper than some of the things that I received and would have been put to much better use. I hope that doesn't make me sound ungrateful.

The past few days have been ok but we both need to get into the habit of going to bed earlier and getting up early as we are both back at work later in the week and our sleep pattern has gone to pot. This always happens when we are off.

Yesterday, I made a batch of 'what's in the fridge' soup and have frozen four portions for us to eat later. It was really nice as well

Baby keeps moving a lot. Well, I think that it is baby moving. Your digestion goes haywire when you are preggo so, sometimes, it is hard to tell!

snozberry

Today has been a spendy day as I had to take my poorly cat to the vets (thank gawd that mine is open on Sundays!), stock up on cat food (I order in bulk online) and I needed some new clothes as I am rapidly outgrowing mine. Boo! I'm feeling baby move more and more though *big grin*

I need to draw my share of the shopping budget out of the bank in the next day or so and do a food shop. This money comes from the joint household pot and won't be classified as a spendy day.

I'm back at work later in the week - boo!

snozberry

Well, here it is, the start of a new year and the start of me save, save, saving as much as I can so that bills are covered when I am off on maternity leave. It still feels weird me saying the words 'maternity' and 'me' in the same sentence

Today was an NSD and the rest of the week should be as well. Tomorrow, I need to draw out my share of the household shopping money and do a small foodshop. As this money comes from a different pot and not my personal spends it doesn't count. I could do with logging on to my internet banking so that I know exactly where I am (other than the living room that is)

Achieved list

• Internet banking (my spends account was rounded down and the excess moved to a savings account)
  
• Sw@gbucks
• Nect@r Adp0ints
  

FlacosFloozie

Wow! Congratulations and a Happy New Year to you!

snozberry

FlacosFloozie wrote: »

Wow! Congratulations and a Happy New Year to you!

Oh it was a shock! haha Thanks and have a fabulous new year as well. You achieved heaps last year

mummytogirls

Happy New Year xx