Second Time Lucky

amycool

I've just done my end of the month spreadsheet and we've done quite well this month. The food expenditure was higher than normal, but that was expected, and at least we have our waistlines to show for it.

We spent nothing on the house this month so that will all be happening in January.

Train costs were £100 cheaper than usual due to Christmas and somehow petrol was much lower too, despite visiting family.

I spent £5 on Christmas presents (all paid for in previous months), £25 on a Christmas tree and wreath, and £30 at the ATM, which is the area we should probably keep more of an eye on. I think that was a few trips to cafes, a Christmas fair and also buying extra christmas food.

We received a £70 amazon voucher for Christmas, so we've used about half of that to pay for my birthday presents for January! A Black and Decker workbench, a coping saw, some clamps and a mitre block. :rotfl:Probably not what most women would want for their 30th but I have always wanted to learn woodworking and I got a book for Christmas to get me started. OH just needs to get hold of some wood for me to practice on. Maybe the rest of the voucher should pay for OHs birthday in March!

amycool

Meter Readings

Gas - 28 units
Electric - 31 units
Water - 1 unit

I suppose it was pretty cold last week so I shouldn't be too surprised at the gas total, and the electric has gone back down to normal levels.

I got my statement from Ovo today and December cost me £27.76 for Electric and £49.19 for Gas. So very much still in credit and pondering reducing the Direct Debit, or just leaving it in there to collect interest (38p this month! ). Maybe in spring I'll withdraw some of the extra and make an overpayment.

I've written a list of possible plasterers so we can contact a few tomorrow and hopefully get some quotes.

I've also done a load of wallpaper stripping so just got a few hours left I reckon and then it'll be done.

In bad news, the car is playing up. :eek: The engine light keeps coming on and it's driving funny so OH will also be trying to get hold of the garage tomorrow. Really hope it's something small and cheap to fix.

I still haven't finished filling in the adoption application, which is entirely down to laziness and anxiety that I'll do it wrong.

In better news, we took the folding bike to the park today and I did 5km. I always imagined cycling 5km would be so easy compared to running, but I was knackered! Definitely growing in confidence and not even a hint of a fall this time.

Having dinner cooked for us this evening and getting a lift there and back, which means a) a cheap night and b) less chance of overeating. I've finished off the last of the christmas chocolate (apart from 4 reindeer that I'm hiding) now so tomorrow is back to normal food...apart from all the biscuits at work! OH has been much better than me and has stuck to fruit and carrots. However, I've been informed that we have no heating at work, so I'll probably burn a lot of calories just keeping warm.

Definitely need to get a move on with the glasses as I'm getting blinder by the day.

in_need_of_direction

Fill in those forms. It'll be grand.

amycool

Forms completed and posted

Wallpaper removed

First plastering quote obtained

Done 3 days of 3 miles (once on a bike, twice walking) so far.

A productive few days!

amycool

I am ill!

Feeling pretty fed up today as a result. I've had to phone in sick, which is annoying as I had a lovely attendance record for the last year. It also means that my exercising has had to stop, and I was really enjoying it and hoping to start running soon.

This morning I had planned to update my spreadsheet, but I can't seem to make it add up and there's £20 unaccounted for. My head is pretty fuzzy so can't work it out.

Then I checked my mortgage balance and they still haven't taken the interest, so I don't actually know what we owe. It's very annoying.

The car is booked in for tomorrow as something is very wrong with it, so that's potentially expensive, and we'll get the final plastering quote tomorrow too, which will definitely be expensive.

Not the great start to the year I was hoping for!!

amycool

Feeling a lot more positive today as I seem to be over the worst of my virus. Huzzah.

I also feel happy because I have just booked a holiday! We haven't been abroad since our honeymoon 3 years ago so we're off to Guernsey (does that count as abroad?) for 5 days in March to celebrate our anniversary and OH's birthday. I spent ages pondering the options of where to visit and decided I wanted something stress-free, so I paid extra for direct flights at convenient times, and we're staying in a 4 star hotel, which we've only done once before for a wedding. So that's £650 spent! :eek: I need to make a vague plan to see how much everything else might cost, but I'm very excited about it as it sounds lovely.

In other money haemorrhaging news, the car is fixed! £143, so not disastrous, and a relief.

We've also had all of the plastering quotes now so it's going to be £425. We're hoping to start the work next week, which is also when we officially start Stage One of applying to adopt. A busy time.

I'm just so glad that we're in a position where we can afford all of this and not have to panic. I naturally baulk at the idea of my bank account total getting lower, but the savings are there for things like this.

At least I remembered to go through TCB, although only 3%, and I got 2000 nectar points, which was nice.

The £70 I'm waiting for on TCB is still Confirmed rather than payable.

Halifax don't appear to want to charge me any interest for December. I'm guessing I'll get double in January, which just isn't good enough! My spreadsheet needs accurate figures! :rotfl: Or maybe they'll not charge me at all, which would be nice.

Did a tiny bit of exercise today collecting the car and we've bought lots of fruit and veg. We're both trying to lose a few pounds and the first week proved...disappointing. I lost a whole quarter of a pound whilst OH somehow put one on! He's refusing to make it into a fun competition, which is annoying.

in_need_of_direction

Hun, if the adoption process is successful, you'll have less chance of a relaxing trouble free break than ever. Just set up some kind of a counter and watch each day evaporate until you go.

amycool

INOD - that was the thought - that we may never have a relaxing holiday again!

Miserable weather outside so done no exercise today.

Phoned the plasterer so they're definitely starting work next week.

Booked my eye test at Tesco Opticians for next weekend.

Got a ton of new adoption forms to fill in, more plaster to remove, a wire to fix, friends to see, and family to see this weekend. Oh and we need to clean the whole house as it's a tip. I'm tired just thinking about it.

Ooh, Halifax have finally updated my mortgage. Hooray! I can colour in a new square! :T

debtfreeoneday

Hi, haven't read all of your diary yet, but will subscribe.

Good luck with the adoption process, we started that a few years ago, but didn't proceed.

Will pop in regularly!

amycool

:j:j:j
The £70.70 cashback that I thought I'd never get is now payable!!! Hooray!

Also £22 pending for the holiday (plus £10 worth of nectar vouchers, which I'll probably double up at sainos to £20).

It's always tempting to get the extra 5% and get a voucher but I find that I end up looking for things to buy, so I'm sticking to cash.

All the adoption admin we can do without help is complete (my health form looks horrendous...).

OH is still plugging away removing the plaster in the back bedroom.

I managed to re-route a wire that was in the wrong place for the price of a £1 part (don't ask me what it's called)

I went for a brisk walk and still eating healthily (I stay still like it's been months :rotfl:)

To Do
Finish chipping off the rest of the plaster
Remove the curtains
Somehow take out the sofabed and store it somewhere

Dispose of the Christmas tree
Move the furniture back to pre-Christmas positions
Tidy the downstairs rooms
Clean the bathroom
Hoover everywhere

We're visiting family tomorrow so not entirely sure when this is going to happen! Hoping not to be doing it on my birthday.