From Little Acorns...

WhiteSnowdrop

Oops not been on here everyday as I've just been crazy busy! I've also been a little 'spendy' as I didn't do another shop until yesterday and without planning and a list nipping to the shops is frequent and expensive!
Anyway shop from Mr T coming today which should stop the 'nipping' and I plan to sit down and plan today for the rest of the month with only one additional shop between then and now which leaves my shopping budget a little on the small size but it will have to do.

Money Generating
I've used up all of my free ebay listings for July now so I'll just have to wait until the next free lot are available. I've nearly priced up everything I'm taking to the sale in August but I still have a chunk to do which I will finish next week. I have a ton of books to take to a $ for books place, I have quite a few but I doubt I will make much but at least they are not cluttering up my house anymore! Starting to run out of bigger items to sell (bar the dreaded cots!) which will affect the total I'm trying to hit but at least the smaller items should last until I start to earn a little money in Sept/Oct.
Oh and my late payer paid which was a result!

Money Saving

Need to do a food audit as I'm starting to see space in the freezer now! I'd like to stick to the same budget again for August but to do this I really need a menu plan. I'm getting a little behind on NSD's which I do feel help with saving money so I'm hoping to do one sat and/or sunday.

To Do
1. washing - where does it come from?
2. Perhaps try and strip the beds to take advantage of the lovely hot day?
3. Put all of the other washing I've done away
4. Post flea bay parcel
5. pick raspberries and freeze
6. make curry base and freeze
7. buy and post cards
8. type up one interview (evening)
9. take books for $4books place
10. menu plan
11. plan sale - what do I need for the set up
12. hoover upstairs and stairs

Lunch - crackers and veggie bits/ egg salad for me
Dinner - hm veggie pizza for kids/hm curry for us

Have a lovely day everyone

WS

WhiteSnowdrop

Strange weather this morning, its really hot and humid but chucking in down with rain. Out after lunch to see family so I'm going to spend this morning planning and finishing off the jobs I didn't get to yesterday. All quiet on the money front, today should be a NSD and may even manage tomorrow too. I think, well I know I will be going over my grocery budget which I'm a little disappointed about. I haven't been planning meals as well as normal and I can really tell in the shops I have been doing, items forgotten, running out of others. I am going to limit myself to £300 which is an additional £50 this month as I need to cater for 15-20 people next weekend but I do have some of the food needed already. My aim next month is to stick to £250.

WhiteSnowdrop

Feeling a tad more organised today. Meal plan completed until the end of July. I isn't possible to hit my NSD target but I believe I can achieve 11 out of the 15 so we'll see, just need to keep my focus. Nothing much else to report today. I'm studying today so will try and chip off some of the outstanding things on my to do lists.

WS

WhiteSnowdrop

Looking forward to this week. Made some in-roads to my dissertation yesterday which has made me feel better, some more focus for the rest of July should really make a difference. I'm aiming to have the draft completed by the end of August and be able to 'faff around' with it during Sept. Well, thats the plan!

Money Generating
Will be taking the books to the $4books place today. Didn't manage it last week because of the rain. I didn't fancy carting 4 tons of books in the rain with two small kids! If they are open today I'll take them or Tuesday at the latest. Other than that I'm at a bit of a standstill. I only want to list things on flea bay using my free listings which I've used up this month. Most of the other things I have left to sell are smaller items which I will be taking to the baby sale in a couple of weeks. I perhaps need to have a look at what else I could be doing, surveys etc? Although really at the moment I don't really have any more time, maybe I should just focus on keeping up the momentum doing flea bay/gt/fb and the baby sales I have planned in already and then once I have completed my dissertation start to look at other options.

Money saving
Managed a NSD yesterday, I need to go and get milk etc today and intend to do all of my spending this today so I can manage as many NSD as possible this week. With any luck I should end up completing 11 out of the 15.

To Do
1. food prep for the week
2. Hoover through
3. take books to sell
4. shove b'd cards through brothers door
5. buy teacher gift/make something
6. buy water bottles for kids
7. buy any bits needed for the party
8. Do 10 min yoga programme

Lunch - Pittas and veggies
Dinner - veggie curry

It's meant to be a fantastically sunny day but it still looks quite cloudy so far. Have a good day.

WS

WhiteSnowdrop

Morning all

I don't know what is the matter with me this week. I'm all dreamy and disorganised! I'm determined to change that today and get back on top of life and my house.

To Do
1. washing (including beds)
2. clean house
3. food prep
4. yoga
5. walk this evening

Have a good day everyone

WhiteSnowdrop

Didn't' manage the walk yesterday as it was too hot and by the time I'd finished some of the jobs it was too late. I did get a little more on top of 'life' yesterday and not only did some good clearing and tidying but managed to do some lovely activities with the kids. Did a Mr T order which has really bust my £250 budget but I'm still under £350 which covers 4 people (2 lo's) nappies and cat food and this month a buffet for 15-20 people so I'm not too disappointed.

Money Generating
two flea bay items end today, both of which have been re-listed as they failed to sell. The strange thing is that last time they only had a couple of views but this time one of the items has 6 watchers? I'm not sure I'm ever going to understand flea bay! Today I've going to price up all items for the sale so I can see how much money I might make.

Money Saving
Managed another NSD yesterday, can't do that today as MR T is delivering and we need some printer paper and stickers.

Happy Things
This is a big thing on fb at the moment and I'm sure I've seen something like this in a couple of diaries on here. I want to capture the many happy things that happen each day as its easy focus on other, less important things.
1. My daughters drawings of her family, huge heads with knees and feet.
2. The sunshine! It may be too hot for me but its lovely to watch the kids in the garden.
3. Pancakes for lunch - the kids requested it, well why not!

To do
1. As much of the garden as possible: weeding and sweeping
2. Tidy coach house (out building in the garden)
3. Hoover upstairs and tidy
4. wash beds
5. make wraps and freeze
6. price up items for the sale

L - pitta and veggies
D - butternut squash curry (slow cooker) and rice/Pasta for the kids

Have a good day everyone

WS

WhiteSnowdrop

Managed to have a reasonably productive day despite the heat! Today is finishing jobs from previous list and doing my uni work.

Money Generating
With some cash back from various places and the proceeds of the selling the books I've eventually managed to take to the $4books place, we've op'd £50. Another flea bay item sold last night with another due today which already has a bid on it so will package them up tonight and take to the po tomorrow. Should be about £10 (rounded up ) for the mortgage.

Money Saving
Should be able to manage another NSD today, use up stuff for dinner and generally not spend anything!

Happy Things
1. ice creams with the kids (made at home)
2. spending time with my mum
3. fresh bedding - always feels so lovely

To Do
1. Uni work
2. finish items from other lists
3. Put dress and suit on twins fb page
4. Make teacher thank you gift
5. Make signs for sale
6. Make signs for kids play room
7. Yoga
8. Walk tonight


Lunch - left over pizza
Dinner - pasta and veggies/hot and sour soup

WhiteSnowdrop

Had a funny old day yesterday, from feeling really disorganised and tired to feeling really positive. When I look at my lists I am getting through the work that needs doing and keeping a consistent focus on saving money, it just didn't feel like that yesterday. I felt better when I'd been out for a walk and had some time to think about everything and had some quiet time where I couldn't do jobs. I think what I need to keep in mind is although I always put my children first, that doesn't necessarily mean I have to come last, behind washing, cleaning and shopping.
Excitingly we have a busy weekend coming up. Tomorrow we are taking the kids to London to see a play. We paid full price for the tickets but got the cheapest train tickets using the travel card we bought with Mr T vouchers and are using P exp vouchers again from Mr T for lunch so as frugal as a trip to London can be!! Sunday we have a family party, we are hosting. Anyway enough ruminating!

Money Generating
Another item sold yesterday on flea bay so if they pay quick enough I should be able to post both items today. The other items I have finish at the weekend so nothing more until then, although they don't look too promising at the moment! I have a couple of things in the outhouse that could go on gt so may try and put these on today ready for the weekend. I had also complained about service at a pub we went to recently and have been given £10 voucher so I think we'll op that as we often go back.

Money saving
Was hoping to do another NSD today but as I need to send the parcels, I'll use the opportunity to buy anything that I've missed ready for the party on Sunday. Will be sticking to the meal plan for today and keeping spends as low as possible.

Happy Things/Things I'm grateful for
1. Walking in the sunshine and clearing my head
2. Taking actions to get me ready for my working future
3. Promising myself that I will see me and my needs as important

To Do
1. sweep the patio and move kids toys onto the grass
2. water everywhere
3. Hummus
4. 2 items on gt
5. walk this evening
6. post parcels
7. Prep food to take to London (snacks and such)
8. Clear washing basket
9. Hoover upstairs (sigh)
10. book in redelivery of parcel
11. make yoghurt
12. prep ingredients for spanish omelette
13. make pizza and freeze
14. Cookies
15. pick up baby card and gift

Lunch - wraps and veggies
Dinner - fish cakes and veggies

Ps I'm writing this with a cowboy hat on as my kids are playing dressing up!

WhiteSnowdrop

Had a lovely day in London with the kids, we have a party today so busy, busy. Nothing much money wise to report, the last item I sold has now been paid for so I'll get that posted and op the £2.

Hope everyone is enjoying the fab weather.


WS

WhiteSnowdrop

What a weekend, I need another day to recover! Lovely to see lots of family and everyone seemed to enjoy the food which made all of the preparations worthwhile.

Money Generating
No sales on the final few items on flea bay, I'll use up my free listings for August after next weekend when I've been to the baby sale. I've priced up most of the items now and hope to make £50 ish with any luck. Time to get the two items on GT and maybe have a quick look around to see what else I can sell - if it isn't nailed down…

Money Saving

We will need some fruit for the next few days before my grocery budget starts again, other than that I will aim to stretch our cupboards until Friday. I can't have a NSD today but will aim to one Tuesday and Thursday which will bring me up to 10 for the month which is only 2/3 of my target, you can really tell I lost the focus for a week or so. Oh well I'll have another go in August.

To Do

1. Party clear up
2. WAshing
3. Po
4. Items on GT


Happy Monday

WS