OS Singlies - We Do It Our Way!

moneyistooshorttomention

Been/still is a nice bright dry day here....so duly got all virtuous and been out for a long walk. After some of the recent weather (and events...:cool:) its good to get a reminder of the plus side of moving to Wales.

Am lining-up events I fancy going to in New Year. You just don't take your eye off the ball as to what is going on in a small place like this, ie because there isn't loadsa stuff on any day of the week/any time of year as per "small city I moved from". So you make sure you don't miss anything that takes your fancy that is going iyswim.

I'll admit to being shocked at that food wastage. I do end up eating some odd concoctions sometimes in my bid not to waste any food if I can help it and am even experimenting now with growing food on from oddments. Experiment so far being with growing on beetroot to produce further leaves = so far so good, as it looks like the beetroot top is going to produce some more leaves for me to have as "greens" in a meal.

Trying not to think about the size of the quotation I've had from a firm to deal with severe drainage problem in noticeable part of my garden - as I know its got to be done, or otherwise a lot of my "growing space" wont be usable. The size of that bill is that large that it will take a swingeing blow at whats left of my savings - but its that or resign myself to having my own personal bog in situ (rather than a noticeable amount of my food growing space I'm supposed to have here):(.

Wishing everyone an early Happy New Year.:beer:

ellie99

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend. I'm beginning to feel a bit fed up today (don't mean to sound like a stroppy teenager!)...it's just that Sunday "nothing is happening" feeling multiplied by 10.

The week between christmas and new year is the only time when I feel I can't invite myself to visit my family and friends, so it's the quietest week of the year. With the exception of 2 friends, they're all coupled up and I think they'll be doing family things together. I've given up trying to get together with the single friend, she never seems to want to meet up.

Another night of interrupted sleep last night, woke up feeling exhausted. Decided to read for a bit before I got up, big mistake, I know it makes my back ache. So I ache all over. Forced myself into the kitchen to make proper soup, as both DSs were here for lunch.
Now wondering what to do with the rest of the day...everything that needs to be done is chores rather than fun stuff. Might start my new year clear out and go through the magazine rack...I don't buy magazines, it's had the same stuff in it for several years

moneyistooshorttomention

You're right about magazines - at any rate the typical womens magazines.

I pretty much gave up buying womens magazines when I realised that they just recycle the same sort of articles endlessly year after year. That is = if its New Year...then it must be diet articles. If its December = it must be "how to have a good Christmas" articles and so on ad infinitum.

So, I do buy the occasional magazine, but never ever womens magazines...only those "specific subject" magazines that are about particular subjects that I am particularly interested in.

I know what you mean re this period of the year feels like a Sunday x 10. I guess its just one example of many people living a Life Less Questioned. I know many people actively want to live a life Following The Herd. Its easier by far and I do understand...but that doesn't help the Questioners amongst us....

I don't condemn the Herd Followers...because (mentally-speaking) it does look a lot to me like its just so much easier to just follow the Herd. That is = now I get married/partnered-up and then I have children and so on and so on and little apparent thought put into "Now what do I personally want/need/think/etc?".

I fully understand and often feel envious about Herd Followers, as (mentally speaking) their lives must be so much easier I sometimes think. Easier, that is, than trying to Make Decisions about "What do I think/want/need/etc/etc about My Life?" and then modify accordingly as to whether that is "reasonable and fair to other people generally" and then pursue that Life. But Herd Envy is still there at times.Oh well....back to "I must be here for A Reason, so what is My Purpose?".

Over the years I have rather come to the conclusion that Quiet (trans "boring") times in life probably serve a purpose, in that they allow time to reflect/inwardly digest/learn from the Interesting/Happening Times in Life and maybe people burn out if they don't get "Boring Bits" at intervals.

Wonderful_Girl

Hello all *waves*

I lived with my granny until her death earlier this month, I am still living in "our" house until the estate has been sorted and the house sold.

I cared for her during her last 18 months when her falls became more frequent and she sadly became housebound, so I shopped for 2 and tried to negotiate the minefield of half-hour carer visits as best I could (food had to be well within date and quick to prepare).

Now I am 30 and had perfected the art of letting money disappear into thin air, but I have a car on HP, broadband, a cat to feed, mobile phone contract and pretty soon utility bills to ensure I lose roughly half my wages each month.

Trying to work out how much I can live on and possibly squirrel away for deposit /rent when I need to move after the house is sold means that I have given myself a budget of £50 a week at least (might be less I'm not sure yet).

I shop for food at Iceland, Poundland, Poundstretcher and the Reduced to Clear sections of various supermarkets (usually Asda and Sainsbury). Also I've found Sainsbury basic chocolate mousse tastes better than any other I've bought when feeling "flush".

I make packed lunches for work and have stockpiled tea bags, laundry and cleaning items due to them being on offer.

Any thing I've forgotten to mention or do?

Horace

Hello all

Slipped and slithered my way down the hill to the bus stop this morning which meant that I got the earlier bus to work. Earlier buses meant that I was there far too early so I nosed about even going into C0sta for a toasted sandwich and a flat white (so decadent), I also had a mooch in H0mebase and spotted a lovely duvet set which would look rather nice on my bed but as I am skint it stayed on the shelf.

Work was very cold again today - again extreme amounts of waste plus some people are like animals leaving the table as though a bomb has hit it. It was a bit manic again today but there was still time for a chinwag. One of my colleagues was leaving at the same time as me and as we were leaving the store we noticed that bags of spuds were being reduced to 25p or 45p - she grabbed a 45p bag (a new variety of spud) but I grabbed two 25p bags of King Edwards (2.5kg in each bag) so she paid 35p for her spuds and I paid 40p for mine with our discounts. I prefer King Edwards so I rang mum and asked her the best way to keep them and she told me to use a brown paper bag - handy that I never chucked out the brown paper Primarni bags:D My spuds were decanted from their plastic bags into the Primarni bags (one bag inside the other) and then I shoved newspaper down the sides and folded the top of the inner bag over and topped that with newspaper too and I have put it in the shed on top of the crates so it won't get frost bitten.

Mum sounded dreadful when I phoned her - she has a hacking cough and sounds a bit sniffly. Dad is narked because she could not manage to cook a dinner from scratch (no energy) so he had to have re-heated stew. She told me that she was in bed last night at 8pm and got up at midnight feeling lousy.

Tomorrow I have to go to the jobcentre and show them my payslips and I have to take 5 books back to the library. I will have a lie in first though because I too want to wait for the ice to clear from the pavements.

LavenderBees

Hi All, and welcome to Wonderful Girl (I don't know if you've missed anything, but keep reading the threads for Old Style, and you will be well equipped for a fairly frugal but interesting life...and really sorry for your loss, too )

Well today has been a pleasant time spent gently browsing the Christmas decs etc in the sale in the local garden centre. I thoroughly enjoyed my time. Bought a few bits and pieces..including battery operated lights that took me a good hour to get the battery compartment open. Apols if any blokies are reading this, but honestly, it could only have been designed by a bloke!:eek: Anyway, this afternoon, I quickly studied for an engineering degree :rotfl:, and managed to work it out...why make it simple, if you can make it difficult, eh? :mad:

But it was worth it, I have pretty lights, beads, sparkly things, and the bloomin kitten thinks they are all for her :eek:

Tomorrow, I intend to stay at home - my chilli plants have died, so I'm going to take the chillis off, reuse some raffia string from some pressies, and make me a chilli garland for free. It feels like an awful long time since I was creative in this way, but I feel the need to do something homely like this...wish me luck.

I suspect a nap will be in order tomorrow, too. :T Gawd, I luvs being on holiday.

Sweet dreams, all

LBxx

LavenderBees

Need2bthrifty wrote: »

Even after scoring 72% in Martins quiz .

72%?????!!!!! :eek:

I am not worthy :rotfl: Gosh you ARE TIGHT!! :rotfl:

LB xx

BookWorm

Evening all

I'm back from my festive break and preparing for a return to work tomorrow.

Feeling a bit emotional this evening. I think it probably is partly the 'end of the holiday' syndrome. However, I have also been left feeling somewhat unappreciated by someone I care about.

Off to watch trash tv and 'escape' for a bit longer before bed

Need2bthrifty

LavenderBees wrote: »

72%?????!!!!! :eek:

I am not worthy :rotfl: Gosh you ARE TIGHT!! :rotfl:

LB xx

:rotfl: :rotfl: Surprised me too but yes I am a rather canny Scot - I like weak tea so reuse teabags, have up-cycled stuff from skips (with permission of course) and have used 2for1 vouchers on a date

Love the idea of your chilli garland, but being a tight sod I would probably freeze or dry them to use in my cooking - make sure Little Miss doesn't get to them; a friend advised me to use chilli oil as a deterrent to stop the neighbourhood cats from using my garden as their toilet but as a cat lover I thought that too evil :A

Horace

I got 74% in Martin's quiz. I don't re-use teabags but I have been known to follow the assistant with the reducing gun around the supermarket, I have also taken things from skips (with permission) and stock up with freebies.

Here's hoping you all have a wonderful week at work or home if you are still on your hols.