~*~ The finishing straight for OrangeFairy :-) ~*~

brizzledfw

Hi there..was in your neck of the woods OF last weekend, and virtually waved to you!

My first time meeting Verity..she's certainly tall enough to turn heads!

Hope alls good with you and the funds are holding out and up

Brizzle x

OrangeFairy

Creeping back in looking a little shifty.......

Well not much good to report on an MSE front.

We are currently spending a tonne of money of Xmas. While keeping in budget with most people I have overspent with our children which we shouldn't have done :mad:

Just had my brothers birthday and my sisters 18th so a chunk of money spent there.

And to admit my huge MSE failing....we have ordered new sofas on my next account!!! They are our xmas present to each other and we had a 25% off the preview catalogue so they were well priced. We have wanted new sofas for the last 5 years as ours have had it! Hubby was a little more reluctant than I was but now it's done I am happy with our decision to go ahead. They aren't being delivered until late January so we can change our mind and cancel them if need be.

So 2014 is going to be a very motivated MSE year. I am going to try so hard. Tonight I have been researching cheap meals to try and have a couple of cheaper food months. DD1s birthday is in Feb but I am not planning to spend too much. She is getting a phone for Xmas and last birthday I overspent by about £150! There is nothing big she needs so I will take her clothes shopping and get her some art stuff.

Right plans for 2014......

Meal plan and make cheap meals
Keep to set budgets for birthdays
No buying impulsive lunches.
Sell items online- I have a pile but now isn't really the time as most of it is clothes which isn't at the top of people's minds
Cheap and free activities with the kids
Make some homemade presents
Keep posting on MSE regularly to keep me on track.
NO frittering money!
Keep water usage low with showers and limiting baths
Put jumpers on rather than heating

Get this debt shifted!!!!!!!!!

The plan will be for hubby to attack his credit cards and I concentrate on paying off the sofas. Then I can join him in the cc busting challenge. I am hoping we will have money left at the end of Dec but it's not looking that hopeful!

I hope everyone is well. I will be catching up on diaries over the weekend.

OF x

Choc-addict

Hello you,

Nice to see you popping back....I've been a bit awol too

Sounds like you have been busy, all good organisation lovely and the sofas are a nice treat and you seem to be focused already on shifting the debt on them! (25% off them is great!!)

I've less than 9k to go now so on a mission, have a end date set too....check out new diary! (yes last one promise!!!)

Will catch up soon xxx

brizzledfw

Good to hear how you are and your plans!

mummytogirls

Afternoon OF,

Dont worry about the sofas, its always good to have a treat and you deserve it! Plus they are a necessity really!!!

x

OrangeFairy

Morning Diaryland

Thank you for the hello's

I will try not to worry about the sofas too much. Though I keep having moments where I think 'how silly- what are we doing' when I nearly ring up to cancel our order!

I had a lovely weekend. Saturday was...collecting a tree from a farm, pub lunch, decorating tree, kids Xmas discos and wrapping presents! Our tree looks beautiful Then Sunday we didn't have anything scheduled so it was lovely to potter around and get homework done, more wrapping, bit of housework etc.

Wardrobe issue at the moment. I am severely lacking in 'bottoms'. I have kept just a necessary one pair of jeans and one pair of black trousers to keep me going for a while as I had planned to lose weight and wanted to buy more when I was a smaller size . Turns out I was rubbish at keeping motivated and now both pairs of trousers have failed on me and I have just one pair of blue leggings to go with one dress which I wore last night and then one black pair that go with 3 tops and that is literally it!!! So I have had to order some to try on. Quite a panic this morning. It has reminded me I really need to get some more leggings so I am not so stuck!

Today will be....

Work hard- 8 till 6.30 to build up some hours.
Eat pasta from stores for lunch
Fast overnight so no dinner tonight
Buy some leggings as cheaply as poss.
Take the kids hand drawn pictures to the printers and get some copied so I can make Xmas cards with them!
MIL to feed the girls.
Order Xmas present for SIL and BIL as we have finally decided on it.
DD2 to an ice skating party with Cubs
Find out if other girls are going on a camp sleepover in feb to determine if I want DD2 to go.
Finish sorting DD1s costume as a washer woman for her Oliver play
Check banking
Cry if banking is dire!!!

That's me today!

OF x



OF x

MrsSmith2013

Welcome back OF!

I wouldn't worry about the sofa, like someone else said, its sort of necessary!

With regards to clothing I was the same recently, but my mum very kindly donated her Tesco vouchers to me to double up so I got loads of nice stuff to keep me going.

I like your to-do list, I think I need to start lists again, it keeps the motivation up if you feel like your doing things.

Don't work tooooo hard and have a good day!

Mrs S x

OrangeFairy

Morning all,

Hi Mrs S- I think making a daily list really focuses me! Nice to 'see you'. I will have to catch up on diaries later!

I'm feeling Christmassy today so I am off to work with my Christmas jumper on :-)

Need to really get on with finishing Xmas presents. I spent an hour yesterday getting more tags, buying some presents for DDs friends (malteaters) and got my 2 secret santas a gift which is a load off my mind.

Still to sort;

Nan and Grandads photo book
Wine to go with my other Nans present
Bicardi as a gesture present for my Aunt and Uncle
Plant to go to my step grandparents
Blank cards to make my Xmas cards
Floatation voucher for step Mum
Make questions for my Brothers 'extension pack' for a home made game I made him last year!
Hubby to book tickets for his mum
Buy shuttlecocks to finish off BFFs date day with me box! (She has cinema vouchers, sweets for cinema, money to book badminton, shuttlecocks to play, voucher for a meal and a couple of drinks for before we go out)

Money is going okay. The great thing is that hubby says he is doing okay too!

Today for me....

Work hard 8-6
Create photo book
Fasting day so no dinner
Get something cheap for lunch as I have forgotten to bring anything
Wrap swimming teachers biscuits
Wrap DDs friends gifts
Buy blank cards
Drink lots of water
Wake my lazy tortoise up with a bath to again thwart his plans to hibernate :-)

I hope everyone is well

OF x

Domayne

Hi orange fairy! I've been reading your diary with interest - Your little tortoise Sherman sounds so cute! Weird question...do you play neopets by any chance? xD

OrangeFairy

Evening all,

Domayne- welcome :-) I don't play neopets......Why do you ask?

Just on the bus on my way home. I have worked 29.5 hours in 3 days so I am pleased to get to this point as I have 6.5 hours to do tomorrow and then just 5 on Friday. Hubby is picking me up at 1 on Friday and we are off to watch imagine dragons in Bournemouth and staying the night! I am tres excited :-)

Today has been a good day- need to finish my photo book tonight without fail!! That is my mission!

OF x