I don't need another skinny Latte

Redemptionsong

Hi Skinnylatte, I'm pretty new to MSE and was browsing this morning and your thread popped up, have spent day on n off reading through your thread. I love books but this has been one of the best reads of my year, couldn't put it down, and it's a true life reflection of a woman's journey, honest throughout about the highs and lows of life and utterly inspiring! You have done amazingly well, given all the knocks all the way every time you came back fighting with as much if not more spirit you began with! How you juggle everything - I will never know, you have achieved so much. Thank you so much for sharing your story - I've laughed, cried and being utterly touched and inspired by your story and am sure many others have been also.

All the very best, and remember to be kind to yourself x x

Btw. Am originally from outer hebrides - hope the yocals where on best behaviour and the sheep weren't cluttering your cycle path

Skinnylatte

Redemptionsong: Thank you so much for stopping by, you read it all!! Wow, Your comments were lovely to read The locals were very welcoming and helpful, we spent a fair bit of time stopped on the side of the road chatting to a McLeod or McFadden. The sheep were very friendly too!

I've had such a productive weekend. Books up to date, VAT return done, all bills paid. Kitchen dejunked (I walk in and now and see SPACE, instead of 3 weeks worth of washing and 15 pairs of shoes), tomorrows dinner made, meal planned, shopped and all the washing dried and put away.

I did get my bike out to go for a ride, but it had a puncture, which amazingly I did manage to fix, but then only had time for 6 miles. The only thing I didn't get done was muck out the car.

DS has been lovely this weekend. He's tidied his room (hoovered twice which is a bit odd) dug out a load of stuff to sell on FB, and he's taken up the badly part laid drive, stacked all the bricks and heaped the sand in a large pile, all ready for relaying, saying it would save us money when the new people came to relay it. I didn't ask him to do any of this. I'm completely touched by his thoughtfulness.

Tea was haggis, neeps and tatties.The haggis was a gift from a friend in scotland, infact I've got 2 more in the freezer. So the most expensive thing on the menu was the spuds.
Followed by hand picked blackberry crumble and custard. I bought a tin of powdered custard and was delighted to find a mega easy microwave recipe on the back, so no more tinned custard for us, a mega custard saving

I went an asian supermarket in town with the idea of getting cheap rice. I got 5kg for £6.99, which I was really pleased with until I checked with My Supermarket and found that Asda did 5kg of rice for £5 and even had an offer on 3 for £10 :mad: That'll teach me to check before I go!!

DD is on good form right now, we've not had any therapy this month, she hasn't felt the need. We're expecting the one and only 2 years late GCSE result next week, so fingers crossed. She's working full time at MDs now and her manager has said she needs to apply for a promotion. :T
I relented about Leeds Festival and have let her go. Although if I'd said no she'd probably have gone anyway lol. She's currently trying to figure out how to carry everything. Tent, bedding, 8 changes of clothes, a packet of pringles and 30 cans of stella :eek:

Next weekend I'm off to a small festival with a friend, just the 2 of us, another childfree break . Tickets were paid for earlier in the year, and the rest will be done on a shoe string, really looking forward to it.
We've been looking at some ideas for frugal holidays. Volunteering at festivals looks a good way to make new friends and get in free, also working holidays, where you get your accomodation in exchange for several hours work a day, I'm going to have a look at that for next year. After this driveway debacle, it's going to be in to next year now before the debt is gone, and I can tackle the mountainous mortgage.

Wow that was a long blog tonight....I hope you've all had a productive weekend too x

Mercurial

I just read your diary also and it's inspirational you are doing so well and have so much energy I feel tired just reading it.

I have been looking at conservation holidays in Scotland they are only around 120 pounds per week. They are popular and you would need to book well in advance.

Mercurial

http://www.nts.org.uk/ThistleCamps/Home/

sorry forgot to post link.

Also feel your pain regarding rogue traders. When I was working overseas I arranged for wooden floors to be put in my flat. My tenant made arrangement for estimates etc. I checked him out online he came with glowing reviews. I paid for 60% for materials and of course he never turns up and can't be contacted. Nobody was interested so lost thousands..........

Skinnylatte

Hi Mercurial, thank you for reading and for the link, that's really interesting, - apple picking at Pitmeddan!
Such a shame about your floor, I'm gutted, it looks like I'll have to increase my debt by about £3k to put it all right, make you so angry that people get away with it doesn't it :mad:

Mercurial

Yep, it's terrible that somebody so undeserving gets your hard earned cash. I do believe in karma and I am sure he will hopefully get what he deserves .

Skinnylatte

Completely lost the plot this month. 1 account is overdrawn the other still in the black. Still tomorrow is payday so I'll take stock then.
Received £9 from pinecone surveys, £8.88 topcashback, and £6.67 from barclay card who wrote and told me they'd charged me too much interest so were crediting it back, how lovely of them. Then I got a new tax code notification 227L :eek:
Till tomorrow fellow frugalitees xxx

Skinnylatte

Payday :j

Decision made on the drive, I had a quote of £2400 to do it properly, which is quite reasonable, so after making only minimum repayments this month and raiding most of my savings I only have to find £900, I am going to put this on an interest free credit card. I'm gutted that my debt will increase but I have to have the work done, and I think I've managed to limit the damage.

Back at work today after 5 days off, it was good to be back. Took left overs for lunch, spent 30p on a cup of tea to keep me awake I was so tired.

DD has persuaded her father to insure her on his car as a learner driver, guess who got to take her out tonight!! It was terrifying, but I think I did a good job of remaining calm and cool on the outside

DS has decided he want to go on a low carb diet, which is great on one hand as that kind of diet suits me very well, but its SOO expensive, and what am I going to do with my 3kg of pasta and 5kg sack of rice now???

in_need_of_direction

Have you thought of chasing the old builder through small claims? As for the pasta, put it somewhere safe until the munchies hit.

Skinnylatte

Tis a sad day as I increase my debt by £900 today, signature duly updated
I now need to find a way to motivate myself, maybe I shall put a totalizer chart on my bedroom wall, like blue peter used to have! Or I should try another challenge.

INOD: Yes I have thought about chasing the builder, but I think it would cause me more stress than it's worth, and he probably hasn't got any money any way. I lives locally so I'm sure I will get my revenge at some point the t@sser, He did do the path which I will leave down as it's not too bad, and we have all the blocks.

Well date night again tonight, I don't know why I bother, all the decent men are married or gay, yawn