Cheery's buttling diary: tea in one hand, plant pot in the other, running shoes on

Cheery_Daff

Aw, you lovely lot :kisses3: You're right, of course And I am not letting it trouble me, I think we're just surprised as people we know quite well seem to have quite a fixed opinion of us and what we 'should' be able to afford! Most odd. But as you say, people do like to comment. I can't even imagine what it must be like to have children - especially if one is older, or younger, or a single parent, or homeschooling, or whatever.

I think I'd slap the first person who tried to touch my bump and it would all go downhill from there til I was living on my own in the woods with the child growling when anyone came anywhere near me :rotfl: :rotfl:

Probably a good thing I don't have any, all things considered

Thanks for the council tax link EH! The place I looked said I had to email for the band for a specific house so that was very useful, and I've found out it will be an extra £50 a month - I'd allowed an extra £100 in the budget so we've already made a 'saving' :j :j :j

Finally been paid all my expenses from last month's gadding about, so have transferred £700 to house fund (hardly exciting, as that just replaces what I removed to pay for the tv and final DIY stuff but it's good to see it back). Payday this Friday anyway so should be able to add another hefty chunk.

Must remember that this house is more expensive than the last one so stamp duty will be more expensive too - not *quite* got enough for that yet without raiding ISA but we should have by the time it's due.

Greying_Pilgrim

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

I think I'd slap the first person who tried to touch my bump and it would all go downhill from there til I was living on my own in the woods with the child growling when anyone came anywhere near me :rotfl: :rotfl:

*SNORT* - lmao at that ^ one Cheery :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

X

Cheery_Daff

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: I don't know how pregnant women stand being prodded in the street by people! :eek:

Had a frugal tea - last night's leftovers (again, had same for lunch) with some reduced lettuce I bought the other week that NEEDS eating, and a bit of bread. Had visitors quite a bit recently so bits and pieces need using up.

Looking after friend's dog for a few days so been out for a little walk in the drizzle

Had an email from work today with a link to a discount card for the city's leisure centres, including a free swim and some other stuff :j don't use them that often but a discount is always good :j

Cheery_Daff

Morning MSE chums :hello:

What a lovely sunny day it is! Sadly I'm working, but am at home in the kitchen with the sunshine streaming in, radio on and our friend's dog lying on the floor, occasionally barking at a passing fly :rotfl: He's staying for a few days and while he's absolutely adorable, it does rather make me glad we don't have the responsibility of our own dog :rotfl: Still, it got me out of the house for a little wander this morning so all good :j

Had a right old headache for several days now. All my own doing I expect - a combination of poor posture, lots of driving, far too much screen time between work and home, and probably a bit of stress too

Anyway... money news...

* signed up for uber frugal emails three times in the last three days and not had one yet - must investigate (or just search through emails for the last time I had them :rotfl: )

* just chased mortgage broker to check he's back from holiday - he is, and will (apparently) give me a ring today. Hope so - it's several days since we had our offer accepted and I want to crack on with the full mortgage application! :eek:

* working at home today, so can eat from stores. Plenty of things to use up - lettuce on the turn, parsnips that are VERY woody but have been revived hopefully enough for soup by Pippi's amazing trick of soaking them in a bowl of water :j

* need to do a meal plan and a list so Mr Cheery can go shopping

Not planning to go anywhere so shouldn't really need to spend anything today :money: Mind you, I did say that yesterday, and ended up buying 6 pints of milk and a freddo (could have been worse, I suppose :rotfl: )

Right, onwards with work-related things. Have a grand old day whatever you're up to :j

Cheery_Daff

Mortgage appointment booked for Thursday lunchtime :j

Several surveys done today - I only keep up with two survey sites these days - the secret one (which pays £3 a survey, up to £23 at the minute and I'll claim at £30), and Prolific, which I've only discovered in the last few weeks, and mostly ignored til the last couple of weeks :rotfl:

Currently up to £10.69, with another £7.45 pending :j :j There's a fee for claiming until you get to £20 so I'll just wait a few more days.

Spend most of my days at a computer so while I don't want to spend HOURS answering market research questions for a pittance, I don't mind a few minutes here and there on interesting academic things (and I love it that I don't have to keep entering stupid demographic stuff a million times!)

Might see if I can persuade Mr Cheery to get on the case too :rotfl:

It all helps, after all!

Right, going to give up work for today and see if I can persuade the dog out for a walk. He's been flat out snoring for several hours so it's about time he did something else! :rotfl:

Ooh, parsnip and lentil soup for tea :j Unless it's vile :rotfl: Brought it to the boil this morning then turned it off and just left it so we'll see... Might need to add a few more things...

starnac

I know I'm a bit late to this party but EH is right. People do seem to have opinions on what shouldn't concern them! Some of the comments you've had may be a bit of jealousy too as in "HOW can they afford that?" rather than "How can THEY afford that?" if you see what I mean. But really it's none of their business. All us MSE'ers know how much money people waste on frivilous things (mainly because we used to do it ourselves), living like we do is quite the anomaly. And boy do people like to comment on the anomalies!!!!

lionheartedgirl

Just popping in from lurkdom to say two things - firstly bahhhhhhhh to all those nasty people even though they are probably quite nice in other ways, it is none of their damn business how much you do or don't spend on ANYTHING. How very dare they. You have worked SO hard for this and I am keeping all paws crossed for a swift and smooth transaction!

Secondly, I'm sure I'd be the same if I had a baby. I (only half) jokingly said I could only do it if I could keep it in a drawer like Carol from The Brittas Empire, and if we could exist on a diet of red wine and coco pops. Living in the woods with the child growling at passers by sounds like the perfect way to round all that off, good thinking!

Talking of having children, my god people like to offer their tuppence worth on that too don't they! Arghhhh!

Cheery_Daff

Aw, more lovely people :kisses3: thank you lovely MSE chums :j :j Love this place

Yep starnac you're right about people buying frivolities, we have indeed pretty much all been there sometimes I scare myself by thinking about just how much I could have saved over the years if I'd tried :eek: best not thought about! :eek:

:hello: hi LHG, lovely to have you out of lurkdom didn't realise you frequented these parts these days :j :j :rotfl: at you existing on red wine and coco pops - I LOVE coco pops and in fact sneaked some in at breakfast in a B&B recently :rotfl:

Sure I was going to say something useful but no idea what

Still no uber frugal emails, might drop them an email to say it's not working...

Greying_Pilgrim

lionheartedgirl wrote: »

Talking of having children, my god people like to offer their tuppence worth on that too don't they! Arghhhh!

Having had a foot in both camps, of not having children, and then suddenly being blessed with a child, it certainly proves the point that folks have got summat to say whatever your circumstances. I know exactly what you mean - and it sucks, big style.

Cheery other than the e-mails are a nice 'thought-provoker' or cheerleader support - you seem to be still 'living' the frugal way - within your particular circumstances at this moment in time. I concur that we can all learn, and refresh why we're doing something or revisit our actions, but you're still doing pretty well hun, keep going!

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

Thanks Greying :kisses3:

Lovely sunny day today :j I am at work, but had a small pootle with the dog who, while being very cute, is doing a good job of reminding me why we don't have one :rotfl: :rotfl: Mind you, if he was *my* dog I might have trained him to sleep somewhere other than the bed... :eek:

Anyway, after a restless night (for him, and therefore also me - Mr Cheery was fine as he was in a different bed :rotfl: ) we are up and about.

Forgot to say about the local greengrocer yesterday - some great deals, we got 2 galia melons for £1, ten satsumas for £1, got very excited about 4 punnets of grapes for £1 but they were little tiny mini-punnets so we didn't bother. Still, lots of melon to munch on though :j

Shouldn't need to spend much today. Working at home (so can eat parsnip and lentil soup for lunch) and then a meeting this evening. Will try to avoid the shop on the way home - a stupid little pattern when we don't really need anything. Run out of peanut butter, but people have lived without peanut butter for a day or two before!

MUST do a meal plan - we've actually got quite a bit of food in and I don't want it to go to waste

Have a good day cheery chums :hello: