2014 - New Rules to Live By

Pennydropped

Today it's all about beds. I have a king size bed - it's huge and takes up a vast amount of my bedroom, unfortunately. I would dearly love to have a full size bed which would fit in my room better, but there's technically nothing "wrong" with the bed I have and I can't just get rid of it when it's functional and fine, albeit big.

I realise that buying a new smaller bed would also mean buying new bedding - another additional expense on top of a new bed frame and mattress.

Autumn is generally when I replace pillows. So that's on my "winter prep" list - buy new pillows. Old ones are either washed and reused as cushions with a nice new cover or binned, depending on their condition after washing. So that's an expense that I always have built into my budget. New pillows (not expensive ones!).

However, new sheets are a new expense. I have 2 sheets per bed. One sheet that is on the bed (plus pillowcases/duvet covers/blankets - depending on the bed) and one in the wash. It's always worked out fairly well, as long as I keep on top of things. And here's where my "I want" list kind of detours from my "I need" list. I need new sheets - the current ones are threadbare and need to be replaced. I could, of course, buy cheap ones. But I want to buy some nice brushed cotton/flannelette sheets. They are lovely and warm and soft, and blast it, I MISS nice sheets, instead of having the cheapest ones I can find.

Considering how long I generally have them before I end up replacing them, I'd like to think of new good quality sheets as an investment. My duvet is rather frightening to behold as well, so that's going to be replaced.

These are the kind of things that can be so expensive and are rarely budgeted for! Who sits down and thinks "gee, I need to buy more sheets, a comforter, and maybe some new towels..." ?? Okay, maybe some people are just better organised than me - I'm not afraid to admit that - because new sheets and towels just are not on my radar. It's like once they are purchased, that's it. They're there forever (even though I know that's not realistic!!).

I do try to plan ahead - children grow and clothing and shoes can wear out, so that kind of replacement stuff I am alert to and prepare for. But sheets, towels, even kitchen pots and pans, tend to escape my notice. These things are a constant in my head, and I forget to plan for these. I bought a new frying pan recently, and I'd honestly put it off for months as I kept thinking "it's a pan, do I REALLY need it?" Well, clearly I did, as it's being used a lot.

But anyway, back to the bed discussion. I went over it all a number of times, crunched numbers, compared everything and came to the conclusion that while the bed is too big, I'm still not prepared to put forth a few hundred pounds minimum to replace it yet. In short, it's not irritating me to the point that I can be bothered to replace it. :rotfl: As I would have to get new sheets either way, but I am not spending a fortune on a new bed, I am going to splurge and get decent sheets this time and hope they last forever.

Pennydropped

I've taken the dcs to the cinema twice in the last two months. That's a huge new thing for us. We go to the autism friendly screening, which means not as dark, not as loud, not as crowded, and we can bring our own food (which is brilliant as one of my children has huge food issues).

As the film is just before lunch time, we happily packed a lunch they would both eat, water bottles, and today we splurged a little and bought some sweet popcorn at the cinema. A big bag that is still half full, and they are looking forward to nibbling the popcorn again tomorrow. I had purchased some bagged sweet popcorn at a supermarket but upon opening it to put it into a smaller bag, I noted that there were very few large pieces - it was mostly little crumbled bits. I was not impressed.

Cinema tickets have certainly gone up in price now, and even though it's a late morning showing, the full price is still quite high. Now that I know the dcs can tolerate it (with ear defenders and all the other changes), I will apply for a CEA card to decrease the cost further.

I do appreciate the autism friendly showings, although it would be nice if it were more than just one day a month. Even every other weekend would be nice. As it is, we're at the mercy of whatever film they happen to be showing - which is always a child friendly film, so that at least is good. I wouldn't mind the expense twice a month, as it is one of the very very few "NT" activities that my dcs can participate in (even if it is with adjustments so they can cope).

I see all the other activities - scouts, football, summer camps - and I wish there were "autism friendly" activities for those types of things as well. My older dc would love football, but a typical football practice would be far beyond his coping skills. At any activity, he would require a 1:1 to assist him and keep him safe.

I do find myself purchasing more activity type things to allow them to try different things at home, as they cannot always go to other activities in the community. I think this is often where a good part of my money goes - that's okay though, as it benefits the dcs, which is all good. It does, however, make storage an issue at our house. :rotfl:

If I ever won the lottery, I would want to buy a house big enough to have a good sized sports/activity room plus an enclosed outdoor area for outdoor sports. Wouldn't that be fun? Ah, one can dream. :cool:

Pennydropped

Today was definitely not a NSD.

I've purchased some grocery items, school shirts and trousers, as well as shoes and pants for both dcs, and a winter jacket for dc1 (dc2 already has one). My wallet is just over £100 lighter now, but at least that's taken care of.

Oh, and I bought pillows. I always replace pillows in the autumn - this is slightly early, but I guess August is close enough, right? All the old pillows will get one washing, then will be sorted through and either repurposed as cushions or thrown.

Next on my list will probably be a new washer. It's making enough noise to wake the dead. Still running though, so I'm just keeping an eye (and an ear) on it.

I've been looking online for reasonably priced sheets that are brushed cotton/flannelette but haven't found just what I want yet.

Pennydropped

The last couple weeks I've stocked up on meat and veg for the freezer. I think we're done now. Yikes! It's full. We use a lot of frozen veg as the dcs like different veg and this way I can make a couple different kind at each meal - so they each have one veg they like and one to try.

My list of things to do in September is growing in a scary fashion. Many tasks are simply because it's easier to manage with just one dc in tow, rather than two, I will admit. It's just practical, so I'll plan a day or two of just whizzing through those tasks and getting them done.

I've had an unbelievable urge to buy a glue gun. :rotfl: Why, you may ask? Pinterest. I've seen so many great craft activities that require a glue gun. I used to have one, years ago. I loved it and was able to create lovely decorative items for the home. (well, I thought they were lovely - not much fussed over whether or not anyone else did :cool:)

I can't decide if this is a good urge or not. On one hand, maybe I'm being unrealistic - will I actually find the time to do these things? Will I use it? On the other hand, I enjoyed it before - maybe it's me finding my inner creativity and actively taking an interest in a creative outlet, which I rather find gratifying as I've felt pretty burned out with everything going on lately. Doing crafts was a big stress reliever for me years ago, one that I've not had the time for (or to be more fair "made" the time for) in recent years. Maybe it's time to revisit it? I find myself struggling to even build up the nerve to replace my sewing machine as I don't think I'll use it enough to justify it. But a glue gun is a much smaller expense, and has wide uses.

I know I should focus on the DIY, but I can't ALWAYS be doing DIY or paperwork (which is what I seem to be doing in any and all free time, other than being on here researching and catching up on MSE stuff). Is my subconscious telling me I need something just for me to enjoy? Perhaps. Definitely something to think about.

Pennydropped

Hoorah! Electrician here today to give me a quote on a number of jobs I need done (yes, I've been saving up as I know it's generally a better hourly rate if a few things done all together), and it's under £200. Brilliant! I am well pleased about that. Four HUGE ticks off my list of things to do! Some of which have been on my list for a very long time!

Next up will be a landscaper. I have some specific garden work that needs to be done. I don't have the equipment, skill, or strength to do it, and as I've been struggling with my health lately, I'd rather not overtax myself. So I need to narrow down a list of a few landscapers and get quotes and see who I want to hire. I have basically a "low level" list of jobs and a "higher level" list of jobs that I need done. I will hire someone to do the lower level, and if all goes well, I will then go with them for the higher level jobs. I can't afford to do them all at once, so this (to me) is an acceptable way of dividing it up. Plus, one of the jobs involves removing the hedge out front and replacing it with a fence, and as I live in a council property, I want to make sure I check with them prior to doing this, just in case.

Oh, I love getting things done!

Pennydropped

Paint purchased and ready to paint the sideboard and shelf in the dining room. That's tomorrow's project.

I also found a few scented candles in glass jars on clearance at Home Base and Waitrose, so that's another tick off my "to do" list. I think my candle supply is up again sufficiently now. A few decorative items were purchased on clearance too. I like finding things I was looking to buy already on clearance - makes my decorating budget go much further! :cool:

I did make a monumental financial blunder in the supermarket today. For some reason, I was thinking that buying a few slices of turkey at the deli section of the supermarket would be cheaper than buying a small turkey to cook. Wow, was I wrong! It was almost £9 for 4 slices of turkey!! :eek: £9!!! I won't be making THAT mistake any time soon! I can buy a small frozen boneless turkey around Christmas time for that price! And I will definitely be picking some up and putting them in the freezer to use during the year when they show up in the supermarkets at a good price. I was kicking myself for that mistake all the way out to the car today. :mad:

Pennydropped

Sideboard painted - the shell of it, and the drawer fronts. The three doors will be painted today still, but probably after lunch. Only so much room to set out things with drying paint on them.

I've also painted the shelf above it as it definitely needed it! It makes the dining room look much better! Less hodge-podge.

I've decided I'm going to paint the dining room chairs as well, and recover the seats. The design of the seats is such that you can pop them out of the frame, recover them easily and pop them back in. It should be a snap to recover them in something that matches the room. (yes, I know - famous last words, right? it's right up there with "what could possibly go wrong?" )

Pennydropped

I've spent a few days working on my winter prep list again. Some gaps around pipes and doors have been filled now. I'm putting together an order for a number of household items (bedding, duvet, telephone, and other items) that are either damaged, threadbare, or not working and not repairable. I had money put aside for this, so it's not going to affect my budget.

The local corner shop has milk, juice, and bread at the same price as the supermarket. This is brilliant, as I can easily walk there (3 minute walk) and pick up these things instead of driving to the supermarket and risking any impulse buys! That will definitely save money!

I've been working on changing over my budgeting system. Usually it's all written out extensively, what money is coming in and when, what bill is coming out and when, and it was a bit of a faff not only to write it out, but to make any changes. I can't stand looking at a messy budget sheet, so I ended up rewriting it regularly whenever there was an unexpected change. Crazy amount of time on paperwork! I've now slowly been building up a certain amount in my account to cover one month's worth of bills, so that base amount will always be in there. Now I just make sure that the appropriate amount is deposited in there every month to cover all bills, withdraw a small amount for incidental spends, and whatever is left will go into savings. I have savings for Christmas and will be opening one more savings to use for household/car repairs, DIY, and upcoming extra expenses (planned for). Then I have my regular savings that I don't touch. It's not a lot, as something is always coming up (like the cooker that needs replacing!), but better than nothing.

Yes, the cooker. I have it narrowed down to a few now. Checked the measurements. Drooled over the lovely ranges that I'd LOVE to have but then allowed sanity to take over and remind me that it's a luxury I can't afford and don't really need. There's also not room for it in the kitchen. I'd actually have to remove a cabinet to fit a range cooker in there, and I'd loathe to do that. First of all, I'm in a council property, and I'm fairly certain they would object to me removing kitchen cabinets. And secondly, I need all the storage space I have.

So a normal cooker it is. Electric, because while I prefer gas cooking, it would cost a small fortune to have the work done to allow me to have a gas cooker (I've checked into it!). And with a ceramic hob, so I don't need to replace the pans I have (even though eventually I will need to!). Induction requires specific pans that always seem to cost more, and I prefer not to have to worry about that. I'm quite happy with the ceramic. Definitely need 2 ovens as not only do I frequently use the second one, but when not in use, the second oven serves as storage for baking pans. Again, we're back to storage! Usually one of those ovens is a fan oven, which I'm not keen on, but to be fair, it may be because the one in my old cooker (not this one, but the one I had previously) was a fan oven and it was awful. I think there was something wrong with it though, so I'm trying to keep an open mind. Loads of people like fan ovens, so they can't be that bad, right??

I'm off to double check my order to make sure it's complete and correct. Looking forward to replacing the old stuff.

Edited to add: Wow, on reading this back, it's rather disjointed. Sorry! I have had 3 cups of coffee this morning (long night, dc1 up more frequently than usual and I needed the caffeine jolt!) and obviously my brain is skittering all over the place!

Pennydropped

Argh! Ants!! Found some behind the refrigerator after I pulled it out (because I spotted an ant on the floor near there). Little "ant hotel" put down and seems to have sorted it though. I will be filling those gaps in about a week, to let the poison do it's job first.

It has not been a low spend week here. I've purchased a replacement duvet for my room (the old one is torn and awful - has been for a few years, but I was loathe to replace it), new duvet cover set and sheets for my bed (the old ones are threadbare and needed replacement), new duvet and cover set for ds2 (now that he's in a single bed instead of a toddler bed), new telephone (finally! I've been putting that off for ages!), and new bed slats and holders for ds1's bed, as he'd broken a couple of them, and it was loads cheaper to buy new bed slats than replace the whole bed!!

But, as I said previously, it's a whole lot of ticks off my winter prep list. Decent warm covers and blankets means I can have the heating lower during the winter, so I'm fine with that.

Pennydropped

I don't remember if I've mentioned that my lawn mower died recently. My garden has begun to resemble a jungle, so I finally went in a replaced it. Instead of a full sized mower, however, I have purchased an electric cordless grass trimmer. There's not much grass to trim, so it's perfectly capable of taking care of both front and rear gardens. I just charged it up between the two and it was fine.

I'll admit I was eyeing up the electric cordless hedge trimmer too. :rotfl: My hedges are pretty dismal at the moment.

This week's jobs? Haircuts for dcs, ordering the new cooker, and doing some clean up of various areas of the front garden, drive, and gutters. School starts so there are various other things needed to get organised, plus two different medical appointments coming up this week and someone coming over to take a closer look at the fireplace to see if it can be sorted. I'm also organising the HE stuff as that starts back up.

Next week I'm hoping to start painting the chairs. I need to go to the Range and see if I can find a material that I want to use for the seat cover. I want to sand the table top, but don't know what to put on it once it's sanded. I've heard oil is not a great choice. So once I figure that out, I'd like to do that. Then I can get the flooring done in the dining room. Hooray!

I know people often say "oh, it's so great when the children go back to school and you can get a rest." If only!! My schedule seems to get even busier for some reason!! :eek:

But for the moment, I'm going to relax this evening (after looking up some HE curriculum info online) and finish sewing my cushion covers. It's by hand as I still haven't replaced my sewing machine, so rather slow going.