Building The Burrow!

Pearla*Merle

Watty1 wrote: »

bit late chipping in but resolved personal knicker issue by taking the unsuitable ones on hols. Have always hated coming home with a bag full of grungy washing and last year took items that could be worn and thrown. Was just so liberating to take grot from wardrobe and knicker draw and wear and throw and came home with minimal washing :T

Obviously this only works if one is not worried about looking like a sexy glamourous well dressed woman on hols ...but ..as I'm not that at home it didn't bother me at all:rotfl:

Ooh, now that's a good plan of action, Watty! There's no way I'd be mistaken for sexy and glamorous (despite my attempts! drag queen more like!), so shall be keeping that in mind.

....though, it might play havoc with MSE-style activity, all that extra room to take home souvenirs! :eek: ...but I suppose it could all be duty free booze, in which case I'm making a saving? :think:

...though knowing my luck it'll all be taking up with blinking Disney memorabilia (Mr M's a bit of fan, it's been my whole experience of holidays with him so far really )

Wouldn't change him for the world though!

Pearla*Merle

ljaneyr wrote: »

Hi Pearla

I've just subscribed to your diary and will catch up on the rest of it eventually! Do you know of many other MFW diaries that aren't actually overpaying yet? I would love to start a diary but can never bring myself to, because we need to save up for a holiday , wedding and to renovate the house before I could actually OP anything.

Janey

]
:wave: Lovely to see you Janey! I was trying to think who to mention as I've definitely seen some of us who are in different circumstances about the place, but I see some others have dropped by with ideas If my mind starts working again and I spy some others I'll point you in the right direction.

Definitely start a diary! (I almost wrote dairy, haha, you could do that too, it might be a money spinner?)

I'm nowhere near actually OPing or even having a mortgage. We came agonisingly close last year but now it looks like things have worked out for the best given all the worky nonsense/not knowing where we're going be malarky. We're probably not even going to manage to get a place for at least a year or two yet now by the looks of things, but...

...having a diary has been amazing, I'm so, so glad I did it (you should definitely go for it!). To be honest, it's worth it just for all the fun chatter. It's cheered me up immensely when life has been less than fun over the past few months (thank you, everyone!). Seriously though, it's really helped me focus and jump back into action whereas if I slipped up before, it would take me a long time to get myself back together again. Now I feel like I have this project that I'm accountable for and it does alter my thinking when it comes to the fluff of life that takes off with my money.

It's really made me think about life choices and made me take control of my finances, I've some way to go yet before I'm where I exactly want to be but having a diary has definitely boosted me in so many ways.

PS. It's all about holidays in this household too, lol. The one thing about this lovely corner of MSE is that there is the extra bonus of there being this spirit of looking at life and really asking yourself what you want to get out of it. Once you start looking at long term financial freedom, invariably you start thinking of how you do/can live your life now, balance is key - you need some lovely things to do and look forward to, and if any of that requires a purchase then there are always of finding yourself a good deal and making your money stretch. Working out how to make your money stretch is great for saving/OPing, you eliminate the wasteful purchases and when you feel like you're spending wisely it's a great financial confidence boost.

Oops, I've rattled on a bit! It's my Irish genes, once I get telling a story that's it for the rest of the night!

Pearla*Merle

:wave: Hello Goldie! I was so excited to see you had started a diary, I've been all over the place lately and not had much chance to chatter properly on here but I'd seen you posting and was meaning to come over and say hello.

I love that there are now folks on here charting their journey towards early retirement, it's so motivating to see and hear what plans people have who are at that stage, it just makes me want to get even more of a move on! :T

Goldiegirl wrote: »

So I'll just keep on wearing the same boring things, and this time next year I plan to burn them ! :rotfl: Or in reality put them in the textile recycling bin.

Woo, bonfire! I always fantasise about burning hated uniforms (and other stuff, haha), but likewise end up with a sensible head on. More's the pity.

I've joined the clothes challenge on the Debt Free Wanabee area of the board. I've undertaken to spend £300 on clothes this year. It is really good for focussing the mind. When I spend my money I now want to make sure it's something really special and exactly what I want.. So far this year I've only spent £4 . But I'm going to Bluewater tomorrow, so this could change!

That's an amazing start challenge year! I've spent more on clothes in the past few months than I've spent in the last three years combined. I guess that's what I get for starting a diary. :rotfl: I used to set myself budgets, so once I finally get my accounts all in order again I'll need to get back on track with that.

Pearla*Merle

Today has been all about worky things. Worked my one suit rather dashingly, acquitted myself well in meeting (always worry about these things, ridiculously so since am a bit out of practice) and worked out that sometimes sacrifices can be blessings in disguise.

Will hear if things from meeting will pan out on Thursday. It's a bit of a curve ball I've given myself as far as work/career things go, I don't know where it is on the Plans of Action A-Z list, but it's definitely a random letter and would mean changing things radically but it's exciting to think that life can suddenly turn into a crazy adventure again with infinite possibilities so here's hoping.


:www: MFW Wonderment: signed myself up to the new Bzz campaign, a free foot sander thingymajig is coming my way, hurrah! 1Polled, as per. Used cinema cards for free film (The Double - which is utterly bonkers but rather good). Mr M has started a spreadsheet with our cinema savings, we're currently quids in to the tune of £130 or something like that.

:coffee: Simple Pleasures: unexpectedly bumping into a super cheerful friend & plotting some fun

:heartsmil Burrow Building: treated Mr M to some sweets in the cinema. We usually avoid the snack counter like the plague, but today it was definitely warranted! (Got 10% off with cinema card though! :money:)

ETA: Ooh, lots of that can only be a good sign.

littlegreenpeas

Thanks GG for your tips I shall try it a bit later when I am at work
Lgp x

Pearla*Merle

BARGAIN ALERT!

Insane Body Shop stacking deal, practically becomes 90%+ off, not sure if it's definitely working still, or for everyone, as I've not ordered anything but thought I'd post it here in case anyone used their stuff and wanted to give it a whirl - CLICK HERE

edinburgher

Cheers P*M, sent that one on to Mrs E for inspection :beer:

Pearla*Merle

You're welcome, hope she manages to grab some goodies

Just wanted to post this in case anyone's missed it/hasn't heard yet - Change Your Passwords! Especially any Yahoo ones, they weren't informed of the problems before they were advertised to the world so are at extra risk. What a palaver all this is. Better to be safe than sorry though

Pearla*Merle

Haven't exactly got a lot done today, needed to take a nap before tea I really need to learn to go and take a lie down more quickly instead of attempting to soldier on, I feel normal & full of beans now but couldn't get a thing done earlier. Managed to catch up on some diaries before conking out though, hurrah

Freezer meal (cottage pie) is out for dinner tomorrow, and we demolished the last of the southern fried chicken pieces this evening (easy tea was the order of the day!).



:www: MFW Wonderment: toothpaste freebie arrived, entered a couple of comps and under £5 to go in 1Poll :j

:coffee: Simple Pleasures: fruit wine... 3/4 of a bottle left to get through this evening

:heartsmil Burrow Building: planning some board game action, and have identified some more clothes to put in the eBay pile :T

ljaneyr

Thanks gallygirl, Goldiegirl and Pearla It's on my list for tomorrow...*gulp*