Carrot cake in the oven

supersaver1000

Not so miserable tonight. I guess at least wallowing in self pity is free if not attractive!

However I got off my behind and pulled myself up by my straps and took all the stuff to the charity shop. Have listed one item on eBay, visited DN before the return to uni and made a start on the chalk painting of the chairs. I spent £12.99 on the paint, £4ish on the plaster of Paris and I also gained two pretty wallpaper samples which I'm thinking of using to line the back of some cupboards I'm planning to chalk paint. I need to buy some wilko varnish tomorrow (£7.75) and will try and pick up some wallpaper paste but will still be cheaper than buying the Annie Sloan chalkpaint. Our furniture is definitely shabby so hopefully it will soon become a bit more chic and it's really therapeutic. I think I've missed the enjoyment of doing these bits and pieces of DIY but until now I felt is was a luxury I couldn't afford. Oh well, cr*p job has one benefit then.

Signature changed again! Feel a bit more focused tonight and tomorrow will enjoy meeting up with old friends. Will make some carrot cakes in the morning. :T

Feel a bit daft now being such a mis.

in_need_of_direction

Come on, tell us. How did you get on? You know we won't judge.

supersaver1000

in_need_of_direction wrote: »

Come on, tell us. How did you get on? You know we won't judge.

Hi INOD the day turned out much better thanks. Was decidedly down all morning but didn't waste the day thank goodness. Although I demolished the egg part of an Easter egg (£1 from Asda) so the diet took another hit but at least I didn't eat the Oreo one I got fir DD.

Day definitely ended up better than it started, thanks to MSE ::):)

ps I also noticed that my pre-approved loan offer from the bank has gone up from £5000 to £19000. Not that I want it as I think my life of balance cards are more flexible, but strangely nice to see. I guess it's to do with me using the safety fund to pay off some of the overdraft? Reiterates that being less in debt gives you so many more options. Not sure what the interest rate would be but can't imagine very goog.

supersaver1000

Okay confession time. I've been following the shabby chic thread and am desperate to have a go at chalk painting some of my shabby furniture into chic. Soooo.... As you know I ordered some plaster of Paris. £4.30 from flEaBAY using my household funds plus some brushes £3 from asadina. Then I went and bought some emulsion paint from Wickles at £18.99. Then I went to a more local store and bought the same sized tin in Johnstones paint for £12.99. So I returned to Wickles and took the £18.99 tin back. Here's the confession. I used the Tesco card. Dun dun Dunn.....!

Well using the Tesco card isn't banned however what I had said to myself is I could use it to get Clubcard points but must then go home and pay off that same amount on the card using the household account. However that is looking a bit weedy right now £31 and there are still quite a few days left in the month so I really want to keep that money for the food expenses.

I also put a quite a few other bits on the card last month and the balance is now £240! But I would say I will be able to pay this off at the end of the month and have set up the payment already for the full statement amount which is £146. I will also pay the rest of the balance in full (keeping to one side doesn't seem to be working)

Feeling slightly guilty though, hence the confessional. As I am about to go out and buy some more paint (£18.99 from B&Quill plus some Wilkon varnish at £7.99) and this will go on the card. Total spend on shabby chic-ingthese chairs will probably amount to just under £50 so I hope it works, but it will also leave sufficient materials to do lots of the other projects I have lined up.

I would also say in my defence that I have been very down lately and this is cheering me up to get on with this shabby chic-ing and also I just don't normally have the time so it's a really good opportunity. Plus my chairs really shabby.

I hope I can be forgiven for not being a very good MSEr and can only say I will try much harder next month.

I did make some lovely carrot cakes yesterday - they are now my favourites and I have most of the ingredients in including 200g carrots so only had to buy an orange for the skin - and I get to eat the flesh.

supersaver1000

Oh my goodness. Just remembered that I also bought two new cushions yesterday when I was in B&Que. I just wandered through the soft furnishings as you do and thought wow those would look good (and I've been looking for something for ages) and they were £12.99 each whereas in Laura Ashley they'd be £50 or so each.

Its no wonder we are in so much debt when I can spend almost £26 and not even remember it the next day until I find them again.

I'm going to keep them, because in the cold light of day I know I couldn't even make them for that. I will buy some more fabric to recover my other cushions so will save there and I also have the fabric to make some blinds, but won't do that until I have saved up the money for the bits and pieces to make the blinds.

Bit of a wake up call though and I need to be squeaky clean for the rest of this month/next month.

DH was away for a couple of days seeing an old friend and just got back today. He has mentioned going away on a boys weekend and asked to borrow the money from the emergency fund. You can imagine my answer. I've told him to save up! Especially with my job being so shaky. Think he feels a bit hard done by - I guess old habits die hard, but even with free accommodation, I would estimate the flights, food, drink, entertainment would come to almost a £1000. No way!

supersaver1000

Ahhh. Have just had a cup tea with an old neighbour. What a treat. Some people you just feel the support from they don't have to say anything. It was lovely and comforting. I've had a good week for meeting up with friends, what's that saying about friends coming into your life for a season/ reason?
I can't remember it, but am feeling very supported - a good feeling :):)

in_need_of_direction

People / relationships come into your life for a reason, for a season or for life. The trick is not to try to maintain the reason and the season ones past their sell by date.

supersaver1000

Have been shopping for the £7.75 varnish from Wilko. Was 50p to park, however I was right outside which really was a fab bonus.

I also bought an alarm clock £8 (the one I have been looking at was £18 so I couldn't not get it), plus Surf on offer £3 instead of £5.50, 2 packs of batteries BOGOF £3.99 and a storage basket for £1.50. TOTAL £24.24 :eek:

Then to Mr T's for shopping for week and spent £21 including some bits for more carrot cakes, a living coriander, a huge chunk of Gruyere and a £4.99 bottle of white.

I feel like Mrs Spendy at the moment but in previous days gone by my weekly shopping would have been well over £100+. It will balance up soon. Just need to make it to the next pay day. :j

:):eek::):)

giblet1979

Hi SS,
Sorry I've not checked in before - been a very hectic week. Also sorry to hear that you've been feeling so down; in the grand scheme of things, a few spends won't hurt, but I suppose that's the problem with food and spending, it's too easy to feel better initially, but regret it somewhat later.
The tub of ice cream I've just eaten is a case in point - an unecessary spend and bad for the waist line

Ah well - it's Easter. We can all allow ourselves a few treats I reckon

Happy Easter x

supersaver1000

Thanks Giblet I appreciate you taking time. Yummy ice cream it slides down so easily - how can it be anything bur good

Hope you had Happy Easter too

Ps paint expenditure definitely worth it, but now got to find the time to paint all my kitchen chairs. Can't wait for next pay day so things look more healthy.