Here we go again. LBM number a million

millionaire_in_training

Thanks Amber we will. I hope you do too.

I am having a thoughtful day today. I'm missing my Mum massively and thinking about her lots. Shed a few tears today and had a massive rant at DS as he is literally eating and drinking everything in front of him. I'm pretty much organised and just need to hoover and mop. I'll clean bathroom after I have my bath.

Whilst ironing this morning I was pondering life, as you do at this time of year, and I realised that I am really not taking full advantage of my time on earth and that's mainly down to 2 things. 1 is lack of money due to debt and I have little to show for the volume of debt I have so it really, really has not been worth the journey. No 2 is my excess weight. I keep losing chunks of it and then putting it back on. Both of these things have a massive impact on my enjoyment of life so I am going to take control once and for all and ensure that at least the time I have left is better spent. I feel good about this and hope I can manage to do it. I am going to join in with the frugal challenge and live on £5,700 over the year. This is not counting my DD's but includes DS's school costs, petrol and everything else. It will be tough going but if I manage it at least I will get to the end of the year in a much better position. So each month I will lift £475 and split it into DS's costs. petrol and everything else. Hopefully working in cash only will help me budget better.

I will also strive to make extra cash. My income already includes a second job but I am going to think of other ways to make money as I go along and that will be my birthday/Christmas fund and I will try and do birthdays and Christmas for no outgoings next year. I am really really determined. My mind is a whirl as I want to start living again and stop worrying.

So that said I hope you all have a fantastic and peaceful Christmas surrounded by loved ones and with food in your bellies. Take care xx

millionaire_in_training

Was all booked in to watch it's a wonderful life with the kids tonight at a drive thru and it has been cancelled due to adverse weather. We were down there with all our fleecy blankets and hot water bottles and had to turn round and come home. Never mind I bought a cracking big slow cooker with my refund in ASDA sale. Morphy Richards one reduced to £20. Am delighted as my slow cooker is small and I can do lots of batch cooking in this one. That'll help with my frugal living lots

Keeping_Positive

Merry Christmas MIT :xmassign:

please-let-me-be-lucky

Merry christmas MiT, hope it's been a good one for you Xx

millionaire_in_training

Merry Christmas guys. I hope you have had a lovely day. Mine has been very nice. Unfortunately been up since 4.30am. Heard someone moaning loudly in a lot of pain then realised it was me. I was in agony. My kidney stones were playing up. Threw rings round myself and have been like a zombie all day taking the powerful pain killers the doc gave me. Moan over!!

I painted on a smile and have otherwise had a nice day but I have never been so thankful that I wasn't cooking. We went out for a lovely meal and I took my hot water bottle with me :rotfl:. Kids thought this was a hoot but I didn't give a !!!!! as it really helps. Now chilling on my couch. No alcohol as I reckon my kidney would just have packed in altogether if I had been that cruel to it :rotfl: but SIL and I had alcohol free cocktails and they were lush.

My DD got me a very treasured gift and she is taking me to the ballet to see Romeo and Juliet. I am so so so excited about it. I have always wanted to go to the ballet but none of my pals want to go with me and I had mentioned it to DD and the total sweetheart that she is is taking me and we have fabby seats and going for dinner etc before and Oh I just can't wait. Isn't she just a star. She also bought me the bake off book and choccies. DS bought me lush products and kept dropping wee lines all day about how expensive 'that lush shop is' . Made me smile. Also got a much desired seksy watch from my best friend and her family. I was thrilled. Umpteen bottles of wine and boxes of chocs so a very spoiled MIT today and I am a very lucky lady indeed. I got a beautiful Christmas oil burner which burns those wee yankee candle tablets. DS took exception to the yummy cinammon smell and blew out the candle. Unfortunately he blew so hard that the wax went all over my unit, the mirror, the floor, the wall, the new carpet and the burner itself is covered in it. Ho hum !! Kids eh?

So now on couch in pj's, doped up and ready to crawl to bed with my hot water bottle in the hope that I get up feeling fabby in the morning xxxx

please-let-me-be-lucky

Your day sounds lovely despite the pain, hope you feel better today.

Top marks to DD for ballet tickets!! Xx

kittycatfan

Hi mit sorry about your pain but glad you had lovely day and got lovely gifts i also had fab day but am glad its over now

millionaire_in_training

Good Morning. 10 hours sleep and I am feeling loads better. Still some pain but gone from an 8/10 to about a 2/10 . Fingers crossed I stay that way

Going to tidy round today and get the washing mountain started. I've been invited into my Aunt's tonight for chinese and drinks but tbh I am scared to chance it incase I end up ill again. God I'm such a moan.

I will sit and watch trashy telly today and eat chocolate - just because I can

amber03

To me Boxing Day is all about trashy tv, choccies and just generally lazing about.

Hope the pain disappears soon and you can enjoy a small tipple.xx

millionaire_in_training

Amber we are usually the same but today has been horrible. DD's BF's Gran was found dead in her bed. They had to kick the door in and everything so it's all been very upsetting.DD was staying at theirs last night so was involved in all of the comings and goings all day. I picked her up and brought her home earlier but he wants her back in with him and she is just heading back in there just now. So sad for them.

I popped into ASDA as I was looking to see if they had any turkeys or anything on offer but no. However I bought 3 shirts and 2 ties for DS for his work experience, a new frying pan for a fiver, half price fancy Christmas cards, half price ribbons and bows for wrapping as I like to wrap gifts really nicely and loads of scented tea lights.

I have 3 birthdays in January and I am going to get the females tea light holders and make them look lots posher than they actually are with some careful presentation. I have wine here that people have bought me and I will pop a bottle of wine into the gift as well. I will see if I can get a top in the sales for the male birthday. I have budgeted £60 for these birthdays but am hopeful I can do them for much less than that.

My budgets for next year are scaring me to be honest.I only have £35 ish per week for food, toiletries, cleaning stuff and clothing for DS and I unless I manage to make extra money or cream some off of another budget. There is no spare money that I can take from and I really need to get into this asap.

I will actually lift £425 per month and put £50 a month in my savings for Christmas. I've set up the standing order for that already. This will mean I have £50 every month for gifts so I can pick things up as I see them and hopefully get better prices.

My head is busting thinking about all of this TBH. I am away to work out exactly what I need for January xx