Waiting for life to begin....

stiltoncheese

Didn't get around to putting a load of washing in afterwards, but there is only 1 load in the washing basket so will try and get that in after work.

Managed to spend £9.50 in Aldi, but that included some cereal which I hadn't planned on buying but was needed. Sadly, having tried said cereal, I decided I didn't like it! I guess sometimes you just have to accept that you can't down-brand everything in your shopping and I don't really buy many branded things at all now. Think I will just stick to toast in future to save some money as I do find cereal really dear for the amount of time it lasts.

Plan for today

• NSD done
• Check online banking and update spreadsheets done
• Breakfast and lunch from home done
• Dinner from menu plan - jacket spuds tonight done
• Put load of washing in machine done
• Still need to find something to use for a sealed pot done

Really need to start packing as house move in 6 weeks but we haven't got any boxes yet. Need to remind OH to pick some up from work for me.

stiltoncheese

It's a new morning (well, afternoon actually ) and a new list.

Managed everything off the list in the end and now finally have a sealed pot to start adding loose change into. OH also surprised me by managing to get some (ginourmous) boxes from work. God knows how I will actually go about packing them, as they are huge, so not sure the best way to do it yet.

Todays plan

Work from home to save on petrol done
Breakfast and lunch from what's in fridge/cupboards done
Dinner from menu plan done
Check online banking and update spreadsheets done
NSD done

Still have the £145 in my account for personal spends as the days I have spent money has come out of food budget as planned. Only 15 days left until payday now and was originally allowing myself £25-£50 per week spends over the remaining 3 weeks. Therefore I have just paid another £50 off of my credit card and updated my signature. I will only find a way/excuse to spend the money otherwise. Lovely to see it coming down at last

stiltoncheese

It's Friday

Today's plan

Work from home to save on petrol costs done
Breakfast and dinner from food already in done
Dinner - not from meal plan as such, as OH away for weekend but will be from storecupboard. Prob something easy like beans on toast. done
Check online banking and update spreadsheets done
Catch up on MSE diaries done
NSD done

List is pretty rubbish today but I will hopefully be able to get loads done this weekend whilst OH is away. I don't really enjoy it when it's the middle of the month as all my bills have been paid (bar any remaining petrol and food needed and already budgeted for) and most money has been paid off my loan/credit card. I'm hoping that I can pay another £50 off the card next week, and will then just have £45 left to last for the final 5 days of the month.

As much as I love the feeling of debt busting, I hate the inbetween waits for next payday to make some more inroads into it! Never have been a patient person really and always want things to happen now!

Happy weekend everyone

stiltoncheese

Decided to join in the £2 savers challenge too, so any £2 coins will be deposited in my (now empty) terramundi pot, and any remaining loose change will go into my sealed pot. Managed to use a knife to hoik out the coins already in the terramundi which came to the grand total of £14 coins and 17p. God knows where the odd 17p came from because I only ever put pounds in!

Still, £14.17 transferred over to sealed pot and empty terramundi will be for £2 coins only from now on.

Also made a start on packing up ready for the house move in 6 weeks. Some rooms looking a bit empty now, but saves me havign to do it all at once and it's a bit easier with my bump now than when it gets bigger.

stiltoncheese

Morning to anyone who is actually reading this other than me

Going to try and declutter a bit more throughout the day whilst I have the place to myself for the weekend. Plan on doing little bits in each room here and there in between my general housework bits, and catching up on MSE. Finding that although my drive to do things is as strong as ever, my actual energy levels are pretty cack due to lugging a 6 month baby bump around all the time! Therefore, small bursts of 15-30 minutes followed by a 15-30 minute break is the plan.

Also, as I have got the place to myself, I can be more ruthless on throwing things out. I have never really been one to hoard anything and was always ruthless (decluttering every 6 months) before Mr Stilton came into my life but he has a knack of gaining clutter and not wanting to let it go.

So, plan for today is:

Check online banking and update spreadsheets done
NSD done
Breakfast, lunch and dinner from what's in fridge/cupboards done
Put a load of washing on done
Declutter at least one of the kitchen cupboards
Give en-suite a quick clean done
Clean up area where cat eats (he is the messiest eater ever) done
Sort out fridge so I know what needs using up next done

I think that will do for now. I will end up adding other bits on and doing other things I'm sure, but it's a start. Really can't wait to move house and get settled in the new place.....the next 5.5 weeks are really going to drag.

stiltoncheese

Didn't do a kitchen cupboard in the end yesterday, but did do some bits in my bedroom and I completely gutted the second bedroom, packed some stuff up and moved things around to make some space for storing packed boxes. Looks loads better in there and feels like I made a big dent in the stuff to to list.

Have managed to track down a load of boxes from a local shop too (yay for freecycle) so OH will be dispatched to pick them up this week, and then I will start packing up the kitchen (only things which won't be used between now and move).

Todays plan of action
NSD (4 in a row - will have to spend tomorrow but out of food budget) done
Check online banking/update spreadsheets done
Catch up on MSE diaries done
Hang washing on airer and put final load in done
Breakfast and lunch from stocks/fridge done
Dinner from menu planner (OH back tonight, so back to menu plan) done
Write up new menu plan for remainder of month (last food shop tomorrow)
No driving anywhere (haven't used car for 3 days now, saving on petrol) done
Sort correspndence out....still not got around to doing this! done
Rearrange freezer contents so I can see what's left. Trying to use up everything before move so it can be defrosted and cleaned out done

I hate this inbetween stage you get to when moving house. Rooms are starting to be emptied and packed so everything looks a bit bare, but it's still 5 weeks to go until we move. Find it easier and more manageable to do in small chunks leading up to the move (particularly as I'm preg this time around) but it does make the place look a bit bleak and depressing with no pictures or ornaments about.

Have a nice sunday everyone

kittycatfan

Hi stilton cheese you are sounding extremely organised i was doing really well but then i had to use a credit card for a emergency and now im back to square one so feel a bit well a lot disappointed but amyway life goes on you have a good weekend also

4greenbottles

Hi stilton, thought I'd pop by and say welcome to the forces family. My hubby has been in 23 years now, although we've been married for the last 10. congratulations on the wedding and the bump! You're doing well and starting off on the right foot. I'm sure you'll meet 'quarter millionaires' who live beyond their means. Xxx

stiltoncheese

Thanks Kittycatfan and 4greenbottles. It's always nice to know someone is reading my waffle on here lol

4green I am really looking forward to moving into the quarter as we are going from a 2 bed flat with no storage space at all, to a 3 bed house with loads of storage and outside shed-type building. I do have quite a few friends who seem to live amazing lifestyles and we often wonder how much is on credit and how much is down to frugal living and decent wages!

Kitty I have had a few ups and downs since starting this journey so know how you're feeling. I have got to a stage before where CC was down to £300 and then a year later back up to almost £3000! Its so easily done it's scary. Most of my bigger debt has been with me since 2010 so feel like I'm finally nearing the end of a hard 4 years where I have scrimped a lot and had hardly any treats. I keep telling myself that the baby, wedding and new home (albeit only a forces house) is my reward for finally clearing all the debt and my clean-slate start to my new life IFSWIM.

Fianlly sorted out the correspondence and managed to get rid of a binbag full of rubbish, which really surprised me. It never looks that much in the box/pile! Now going to stop and have a cup of tea, make some lunch and decide what to try and tackle next. Think it will be the freezer as that's an easy job

kittycatfan

Thankyou that made me feel better and also made me realise were all human and not everything goes to plan always anyway good luck with move and of course baby