I have lost my OS ways, help!

Pooky

Ginny - I hope your DH has a fab birthday (and hope he loves his pressie )

Caterina - Belated birthday wishes.

I've been decorating so barely had time to breath let alone spend money - I've been organised with my meal plans and even though I'd have loved to sit back and order takeaway when I've been so shattered, I've resisted.

I found 20 mins to potter in the garden yesterday evening, harvested in a bowl of tomatoes, a big pile of beans and a couple of courgettes. There's about 10 courgettes left on the plant and no sign of new ones coming through so they're coming to an end but from 6 plants (only 5 took) planted I've had around 90 courgettes! My freezer is full of runner beans ready for winter and I might even make some chutney from the tomatoes....or I might just scoff the lot!

Youngest DD is back from a few days away with her boyfriends family, later today, she's requested pizza for tea....I've got a couple of packs of wraps so I shall do her quesadilla instead with stuff I've already got in. I'll make a batch of veggi chilli for DH and I...courgettes will feature heavily

Caterina

Good morning,

Thank you Pooky!

Ginny happy birthday to your OH for tomorrow, in case I don't post on the day.

DD and DS are back from their travels which is very nice but also quite expensive in so many ways! The first thing DS said to us is that he craves Chinese food, so tonight we go to the local Chinese to celebrate my birthday as a family. I could have done without, but I understand they all want to go, it will be a bit of an expense.

Not very OS plan today, the kids laundry needs to be taken to laundrette as I have exhausted the number of people I can ask for home washes. That is going to cost us a good tenner or more, there's so much to wash! Then DD and I are going to have a massage booked and paid ages ago, the good thing is that we will get the cost of the massage worth of redeemable hair and body goods, so I am stocking up on shampoo, shower gel and conditioner for the year and more! Then laundrette, then Chinese meal.

DH goes away tomorrow for his martial arts camp for a week, he has his grading on Thursday so wants to go for the whole time to get as much practice as possible. We agreed that it is not worth me going and spend money for a double room in a b&b, food etc, and it is good that I stay home now that the kids are back. While he is away we won't have the car as he drives to the camp, but we will try to start the decluttering process all the same.

The cat's annual vet checkup and vaccination needs booking, another expense.

I have a 2 seater sofa that no charity shop will have because it has no fire label, it is 20 odd years old, so it needs to be sawed in 2 and taken to the tip. So much to do, so little time!

I need to have a serious talk with the kids. At 25 they are both unemployed (apart from odd jobs here and there) and they really need to get on and find something to do, contribute to the household expenses or find their own way in the world. After all DH and I decided to do up the house and stay here for the remainder of our lives, so they can inherit something, instead of selling, downsizing and living the life of Riley on the extra - and trust me, we would be really rolling in it if we did, as all we need is a 1 bed flat in outer London! So they need to make an effort. We could have decided to be SKIers (Spend Kids Inheritance) but it did not feel right. But neither does having to support them all the time now they are adults.

Hope you manage to have a good OS day today.

tatabubbly

Just in from a really great morning with my OH..

Got the internet sorted finally!! €15 a month, which is great as it's a 4G box and the speed is incredible!!

We live abroad and here, everyone has maids, gardeners, you name it! We've decided not to get anyone to help us, even though it's ridiculously cheap!! Going to splash out on dishwasher tablets (our bills are all inclusive) and use the laundrette for anything that needs to be ironed! €7 for a bag load of clothes to iron.. No very MSE but we both work every day and at 8pm at night, I do not want to do the ironing!

Bought 2 cactuses today, they reminded me of my dear granny and how she always had some in her tiny conservatory!

Out of my tax back, the credit card is cleared and I gave my mum €180 to help her out as she is struggling this month.

Put €300 into the wedding fund which means we are well ahead with our budgeting and should have it all saved by Christmas!

Caterina

Good morning,

Yesterday the family outing to celebrate my birthday was really expensive, so I hope to make today a NSD.

DH is going away for his week of martial arts, I am sad because I shall miss him, but also in a small way look forward to time on my own. The kids will be around but they pretty much do their own thing.

Tonight I have unexpected (but very welcome) guests, a couple with a little child who I know online, they write a blog I follow and we have been corresponding on and off, they are passing through London and need a place to stay overnight. They are big on the simple living so I am looking forward to a meeting of minds. I just hope that their little child will be fine in my very messy and chaotic home. I explained that I am having works done so they know to expect it.

My day will be like this:

Bootcamp then visit to allotment to get salad for dinner, then a big tidy up, remove as much dust as I can - except that the builder will be in finishing the kitchen floor so it might be a futile exercise in cleaning. Will do my best. Then cook a big pot of bean and veg stew for tonight. Then chill until guests arrive.

Hope you have a good OS day.

bellaquidsin

The only OS thing that happened in this house yesterday was that DH picked a whole heap of blackberries. They are all rinsed and frozen, just got to bag them up now.


My spends in town were 65p towards lunch for me and DGD, the rest was paid in vouchers and £7 on bit of stationery for DGD but when I spend on her I give the equivalent to her brother so it all mounts up. Oh, and there was £1.30 on two cream, cakes for DH and DGD. That'll teach me to have my freezer better stocked with homebakes in the school holidays but sometimes the clock beats me.


Bella

Caterina

Well it wasn't a NSD in the end. The building works expenses (brushes to oil cupboards, worktop and floor) I do not count as daily expense - there is always another something needed, I have given up trying to stem the tide of money flowing out. We are still in budget so if it is needed it has to be bought.

I spent a bit in shopping for salad as I did not have the time to go yo the allotment, and bought a cheese bread for DS to thank him, he and DD were massively helpful this morning and did most of the cleaning, the place looks and feels much better.

I gave lots of bits and pieces to the charity shop, am really pleased because it is the start of what I hope to become a regular declutter, until I have achieved some sort of tidiness.

Not sure of what will happen tomorrow, depending on the weather I might go to the allotment or just stay in and put together more stuff for the CS.

Good night.

villagelife

I have picked plums and nuts from the garden yesterday.
Also washing dried on line - three loads as going to be wet today.

I went to garden show yesterday - cheap to get in and came away with lots of ideas but only bought some seeds for £4. DH liked them and are good for bees and butterflies.

As raining today perhaps the house and windows will be cleaned.

northwest1965

I am doing really well with NSD's. It been nearly 2weeks since I spent any money apart from groceries.

When i think, shall I buy something? I think "do i really need it?" The money saved is all going towards my husbands surprise weekend away in October for his 50th.

Yep, it's raining here too in Stockport, so today it will be cooking. A OAP client of mine, gave me some bacon yesterday that she wouldn't use, so I am making a pastryless quiche with homegrown courgettes, onion and tomato. Will bake some cakes while the oven is also on.

ginnyknit

Damp squib of a day. Bar-b- que now translated to DD's Oh cooking huge Sunday roast at home and bringing it over later - Im happy with that but Oh still wants a bar-b

He was very happy with Pookys papercut and was really touched with how personal it is and how you got it so right for him - thank you xx

Just have to help the living room recover from Dgs - he hates rain so had all the cushions off the couch and spent the morning jumping on them - free fun :rotfl:

Several nsd's apart from party provisions, all stocked up for the week and beyond. Found first cucumber in greenhouse and kuri squash coming on nicely. Slugs ate a huge crop of shallots despite slug patrol - hate waste!

tatabubbly

Start of my week!

Gonna aim to :

Only spend afternoon : Wednesday
All meals outta my cupboards
Spend my €5 earned on amazon on something helpful for the wedding
Try it use up some of the food that is laying in the fridge
Try to let go of my dad anger! (Having a bad dad day)
We have a brunch on Friday as well, I'm planning on going teetotal to try and save costs!