SmlSave's extremely small steps to reducing the mortgage

SmlSave

It's raining, it's pouring.........but it's pay day!

Last month I'm afraid that I overspent £6
But this is according to the budget and my personal allowance and I actually had over £250 left in the bank £200 popped over to the ISA so its now over £6000 and we just have to leave it alone now.

I went through my present boxes and there's surprisingly little there! I have been dipping in there for birthdays this year so I need to make my list tonight, match presents and people up and start searching for good gift ideas.

The chocolate cake is going done well at work and I need to find the energy to process a few bags of apples. Not tonight though, its the bake off!

SmlSave

So here I am with lots of good intentions and no energy to get going! After getting screamed at by DS for 30mins last night I come downstairs in foul mood armed with my notepad and the present boxes to sort. After paying the cc, nursery and completing my photobox order I feel poorly so off to bed I go at 9pm.

This morning I find out that if I'd just waited till today to do my order I would have saved 50% but its now too late. The washing is hung up inside and the weather has now changed to a bright sunny day - grrrr.

Sorry for the moan

I have picked up 3 presents through the book people today and have decided to make seed gifts to several others. Don't these look lovely: http://abernathycrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/make-your-own-seed-packets.html
Also I remembered about a M&S £10 voucher i have which I will spend on fancy foods for my brother's xmas present.
I'm going to make something like this for my BIL's family: http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/eticuts/product/personalised-family-tree-papercut

And those bl**dy apples still need coring and cooking

SmlSave

Nice weekend where we filled a £200 skip in a day and it looks like we'll need another one in a couple of weeks. We now are going to order a tall freezer soon instead of getting the chimney looked at which is a need and not a want so I guess that's something.

Went swimming which DS loved but ended up expensive as we were starving afterwards and spent over £17 on food. eeek!

But a good weekend overall as things actually got done in the SmlSave household. I even mowed the lawn

Sausage pasta for dinner tonight and then I've got to pack DS an overnight bag as Nanny is taking to visit Great-Nanny tomorrow and me, DH and BIL are off to the cinema to see Rush.

greent

Blimey - a £200 skip sounds like a biggy!!:eek:

Enjoy Rush - I want to see that too x

SmlSave

It took up half our drive greent I had no idea there was so much rubble in our garden and to think we need another one!

DS has gone off with Nanny and I think both DH and me were glad to get a bit of respite as the terrible twos have hit in force! This morning I stopped him from putting his cup of 'tea' in the fridge which meant that none of enjoyed our breakfast.

Apples are going in the cooker tonight if it kills me. I'm going to make apple jelly and some apple sauce which can be jarred and kept.

SmlSave

Rush was very good last night As I don't find F1 interesting at all it shows that it was a good movie! Always nice to see half naked men too.

I think I'm going to shock you all.......there are apples simmering in my slow cooker! Apple jelly here we come - nomnomnom

I'm 17 weeks along now and heard a good strong heartbeat today :T I'd been put down for a delivery suite birth by the consultant but after getting teary at the midwives today they've agreed to try and get me in the birth center if my blood pressure remains good :j

Paprika and rice for dinner tonight

SmlSave

Second batch of apples a-cooking for a jelly making weekend Actually going to be apple and damson jelly now as Mum turned up with a bag full.

I may even make cheese scones too nomnomnom

My box of chocs arrived yesterday and they do look lovely but I've put them straight in the Xmas gift pile so that I won't be tempted to eat them. Cancelled the subscription too so lets just hope I get paid the cashback otherwise that's one expensive box of chocs!

Am planning for a low spend weekend and as it looks like it should be dry we're enlisting family help for the great garden tidy on Sunday.

DH cleaned the bathroom last night and I hovered downstairs so the house looks fairly tidy apart from the wet washing in the living room - DS decided to jump in my shower this morning which is unheard and wouldn't get out, after the fire alarm went off due to the steam and I'd dried a reluctant DS we were too late to hang it up.

Ohhh, and I counted our change jar and there's over £20 in there Not going to empty it quite yet as its nice seeing it being full but that will most likely be my only OP Sept to Jan Shows that grabbing anything under 50p out of our wallets really does add up!

SmlSave

10 jars of apple & damson jelly cooling in the sink lets hope it sets ok!

We've spent most the day clearing yet more rubble from the bottom of the garden which has made a big difference. Lots of lovely earth to move now. DS was a star helping out with the stones and was fascinated by the frogs, snails, chucky-pigs and worms

Have been chatting on Gweds diary and its made me realise that its not really the money that gets me down but that there's simply so much to do with the house and I can't see an end to it atm.

Will all be worth it in the end though

SmlSave

The bl88dy jelly didn't set! but I don't feel bad as Mum's didn't either so I reckon the damsons were just a little overripe and I'm buying some pectin tomorrow to reboil the batch.

Dreamt of digging rubble out of the garden last night *rolls eyes* and bet I will tonight too. Was hoping to grass a 6ftx6ft area today but found what looks like old foundations and spent 5 hours digging them out. This was with the help of 5 people in total so I did a big meal of burgers, chips and salad for everyone. Doesn't sound like much I know but everything was cooked just perfect and it all got ate

Stole...ah hem... saved 30p from DH's wallet today.

Crumpets

Hi smlsave, found you:wave:

I'm going to have a nosy through your diary now whilst having a cuppa:coffee:

Crumpets x