Frugal Frump To Fabulous Summer Solstice to Autumn Equinox

Kiwisaver_2

Thanks for the fabby new thread. I'd like to join in for another quarter.

I hope to capitalise on the past three months, as I have began to feel a lot more human again in terms of caring for my appearance, after having been on a big downward spiral in the years since I left the UK. Life's too short!!!

In the next phase I am expecting things to improve with my work situation, hoping at least to get my pay sorted and then we can think about a well overdue holiday.

Other things on the 'must do better' list are diet, exercise and house fabbing.

I had my hair done today so that's a good start and then went and had a rummage around in L'Occitane and smothered my hands in various lotions and potions. I wasn't tempted to buy anything though.

I di however buy myself a black scarf which will come in handy for fabbing up some outfits; besides which it has been so cold this past week.

Bitsy_Beans

Oh dear 2.5 hours sitting on a chair in the building society completing a mortgage application has left me walking like Quasimodo :eek: I am in dire need of a pamper and a massage to get the kinks out. Sadly none of that will happen, it's just me and the kids today as H is having to work. Poor Luna hasn't been walked yet but since its tipping it down and I have to drag kids with me maybe this afternoon would be a better time
Kids were angels whilst sitting with me in building society (thank heaven for ipad) so some quality time with them this afternoon, that should feed the soul a little bit. DD has requested making some brownies and no doubt DS will want some time paying on Wii or building something.

Off to do some yoga to try and make my back less painful.

Lizzie well done of the outfit sounds fabulous. Your OH makes me laugh, jealous of your weightloss and now being a drama queen <sigh> sorry to hear about DD and her debt, can understand how hard it is but if she won't learn bailing her out wont teach her anything like you say.

Kiwisaver glad things are looking up for you x

Squid you've come so far, well done :T

Hugs and high fives all round xx

[Deleted User]

Hi folks. Thanks for the shiny new thread Bitsy. My goal for the next week is to do some yoga each morning (and hopefully keep it up beyond that;)).

Overall my goals for this challenge are:
1. To lose 3 stone
2. To find out colours that suit me best and wear them - move away from black.
3. To become fitter than I have ever been and have more energy.
4. To invest in some new make up and wear it regularly.

Today I have been having a lazy day today. Had the longest lie today I have had in years (got up at 10.30am) and have chilled out watching TV. I am about to head out for a walk in the fresh air and apart from that I plan to do nothing else today at all!

lessonlearned

Hi Everyone

Crazy mad here still. I am just sooooo busy. I have just dumped several bags of shopping in the kitchen, gulped a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits and am now having 5 minutes on here.

Allie - your doing nothing day sounds bliss. I think I will have a lazy evening myself.

Along with all the healthy fruit and veg somehow a bottle of gin found it's way into my shopping trolley. :rotfl: I shall relax with a G&T tonight and raise my glass to all you lovely ladies.

Lizzie - re your daughter and her lack of financial "nous".

My DS2 used to be just the same, lemonade budget and champagne tastes (tbh - just like me:o). He was an absolute shocker and when he finished uni his finances were in a disastrous state.

I took him under my wing and he is a changed man. Just like me he still has expensive tastes and a liking for the finer things in life but he has learnt how to budget and how to think creatively to achieve the same standard of living for much less.

DS2 and I live simply but well, he gets little more than a minimum wage and I am of course now on a pension. Despite our modest incomes we do still aim for a "la dolce vita" lifestyle and by and large we have more or less the life we want.

Apart from this site and the various MSE books are there any motivational books that might help. Does she have any ambitions or goals that she could work towards that might make her more motivated to changing her ways.

My DS2 has a particular goal and he is working towards it, because of that the sacrifices he has made don't seem so unbearable now. He has finally learned the concept of "deferred gratification".

I bought him a few motivational books which he devoured and which he still reads from time to time. They have become his bibles.

I can thoroughly recommend a writer called Richard Templar, especially his book called "The Rules of Wealth". Technically it is a business book but it is very easy to read and full of tips and advice - very motivational.

Then there is "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki but the best one of all is "The Millionaire Next Door". That one is a bit more wordy and very American and it does rabbit on a bit about the American Car Industry - she could skip some of that. However, it really is an absolute eye opener for anyone who is a bit daft with money.

Your daughter may well not want you to help her - she is perhaps embarrassed and this may make her defensive. My DS2 was a bit like this at first but now he readily comes to me for financial advice and planning.

Perhaps you could buy a couple of books and just leave them lying around......

PS - the wedding outfit sounds gorgeous. Never mind your partner, just enjoy the day looking slim and dressed to kill. Stupid man, he ought to be proud of having a glamourous woman in his life. My OH would have been as pleased as punch if I wore a red lace dress with a sexy low cut back.

Actually I did buy myself an evening dress which was lace. It was burgundy red underneath with a black lace overlay - very similar to the one Kate Winslet wore in Titanic. I bought it for Millenium Eve. My kids were in their teens and they just loved it. Of course they called it "The Titanic Dress". I gave it to my niece for her graduation ball.

WelshWoofer

Afternoon all...
Good to see we're mostly in good fettle.:beer:
Had a lovely day - The Fling came round at 10.30 to watch the Lions with me - we didn't see much of the first half but did see the second half, had some lunch and spent a bit of time together> he's gone now to see his 17 year old son and it left me feeling a bit flat so took the dog out for a good walk in the wind to blow the cobwebs away, had a 6 min sunbed to keep the colour I've managed to get naturally over the past few weeks and popped to the library and done a few errands.

No big plans for tonight but will find something to keep me occupied.

Fabbing news - I have lost another 1 lb, so a little boost for me.

I need to make some goals for the next challenge....just a couple to make sure I actually manage them.

1. get my hair cut, been colouring it myself and it could do with a sort out - I'm growing it again (its way past my shoulders now) so just a tidy up is needed
2. lose 5 more lbs
3. make more of an effort to see friends
4. make sure the promotion in Sept is finalised before the end of this term
5. swim 60-100 lengths at least twice a week - this has slipped a bit to once a week and it needs to improve again
6. keep on top of now routine basic fabbing

That's about it for now - hope everyone has a good weekend. xx

PS Lizzie - your dress sounds lovely and well done on the weight loss:T

Hewie29

Morning all

Thanks for the new thread Bitsy.

This has come at a good time really as I feel that I'm ready to really get my life back on track after an awful 8 months. Its time and I'm not messing about this time.

I joined a slimming club last week, need some help to lose this weight, and I've also returned back to work after my op, only part time but its a start.

Exercise is stil only walking, need to wait to see consultant on 17th July before I can really do anything else.

So my goals for the next quarter are the following:

1. Have some fun
2. Lose some weight
3. Have my hair done, due to my op being on my brain I have a scar at the back of my head, so not been able to have my hair cut or dyed, again waiting for appointment with Doc before I make plans for that.
4. Keep up with fabbing, need my eyebrows sorted.
5. Live life to the full.

I'm sure there's plenty more to be done but that will do to start with.

Hope you're all well and hugs and spoons to those who are not.

Enjoy Sunday even though the weather is awful. xx

verynewmoneysaver

I've just semi-retired (just doing the occasional shift on supply) so a new way of life for me now. I also come off my HRT so hope I'll cope okay as I've been on it for years. My elderly Mum still living over the road. Her health is not brilliant as she's got heart failure but she's coping okay at present. Here's my goals so far;
Sort through wardrobe
Get most of clothes in charity shops in future (not so much money and I love routing through them anyway).
Get some exercise each day.
Do some volunteer work with the elderly and animals.
Sort out the house and garage (declutter).
Thanks for new thread Bitsy and good luck with goals everyone.

lessonlearned

Good morning everyone

Vns - congratulations on your "semi-retirement". Here's to new beginnings. The best is yet to come.......

Hewie - glad to hear your are recovering well from your surgery. Easy does it - you'll get there.

Well dreadful weather here.

I read in the press last week that some science bods were prediciting that we are in for a cycle of lack lustre summers and icy winters.......

Oh well I guess we will have to remember that old chestnut

"There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing".

Well today is definitely a day for macs and brollies. At least I have my nice new (to me) trench-coat. £8 charity shop bargain:D

This morning I shall tackle my ironing, then tackle me. Some defuzzing, eyebrow tidy, and a face mask. This afternoon will toddle off to see OH.

Have a lovely day.

WelshWoofer

Morning all! Good to see Hewie back and in good form.

Ended up going to a friend's house last night armed with 2 bottles of wine both of which got drunk and getting a taxi home around midnight. Had a good time putting the world to rights! Was a bit delicate this morning but the almost hour long walk in the drizzle to pick up the car has sorted that out now thankfully.

The weather is horrible - cold wet and windy - so there won't be a lot of outside activity today. I'm going to finally finish the spare room and get some jobs around the house done. Will have to brave the elements with the dog again later but hopefully it may have cleared up a bit by then.

Hope everyone has a good day.

fedupandskint

Today I have been out for my long weekend dog walk, dyed my hair, listed a few bits on ebay. Now finishing off a pot of coffee then its on with a couple of hours studying

Fabness for today will be my weekly facemask and exfoliate and tidy my nails up and repaint all after another long dog walk ifthe weather holds as it's very grey here and mizzly.

My fab routines are all fully ingrained with skincare, clothes, diet, exercise, house fabbing. Next thing on my list is to continue to tackle the debt repayments hence all the ebaying - when they are paid off I will be absolutely fabulous!