In my dreams I have a plan

giblet1979

Aww...hope you feel better today London. Sending positive vibes.

I too justify Sky to myself; I think it's a choice and it certainly reduces my going out / cinema trips x

London18

Feeling much better today and migraine seems to be staying at bay so might venture to the gym soon. Won't be a hugely energetic workout but better than staying on the sofa.

Have just finished doing a budget for a holiday in september and wondering HOW it is posisble to spend £850 in 6 days? :eek: Especially since I'm flying budget airline and not staying in 5-star hotels. Have family coming over from NZ so will be fabulous to see them but love clearly costs money! Big killer is the accommodation - brother has booked 2 nights for us all at £85 per night (per room but I am solo) so am now looking for something cheaper for the other 3 nights. With £40 spending money per day for meals and sigghtseeing and the airport coaches it all adds up....

Then in October I have 10 days in Italy to meet my sister and friends. Flights and some accommodation already paid for - then have to buy train/bus tickets , as we are staying in 4 different places. But again even staying in budget places (and not planning any Michelin star restaurant meals) it's coming to well over £900.

Oh well I guess I can't complain too much, (holidays Italy! Guinness!! :beer: ) and it'll be nice to spend time together which isn't often given it's 12,000 miles and 25+hours of flying to see each other _pale_

I think I am just a bit more MSE aware now and thinking about what I spend on holidays is a bit of a shock!

BookWorm

Hi London

Re: the holiday spends. Just think how much less you would have to spend on hols without the rest of your MSE/MFW ways Hope you have a great time

London18

Hi Bookworm,
That's very true - I do live for my hols so don't mind saving up for them. Really looking forward to it as I haven't been properly away since March and work is grinding me down a bit. It all does get a bit much at times too. Only 3 more weeks to go **hangs on with fingernails**. The only problem is both siblings are a lot older than me and despite me being -err - not a teenager - I still get treated as if I am! Most irritating :rotfl:

Have done a freezer 'audit' today and found various sad looking icy things that I am hoping are still edible once defrosted.

Also rummaged in the back of the kitchen cupboards and found a lot more food than I realised I had. Unfortunately a few things are just too out of date so had to be binned. But I did find a tin of Puy lentils and one of cannelli beans I'd forgotten about.

Am now planning meals for the week and some batch freezing based on the clear out. So far the list has lamb stew (with beans), something-with-mince (& lentils) and stir fried prawns. Will have to get some veg tomorrow but at least I will then be all organised for the week - most unlike me.....

There is nothing like a budget for focusing the mind!

London18

Trying to open a new H*lifax current account to get a one off £200 switching incentive and talk about pain in the proverbial. Have already wasted 30 minutes on phone failing to get application underway, 30 minute complaining about it, 45 minutes finally applying and nearly 30 minutes in branch getting ID checked. And I already have a mortgage and credit card with them. Gotta love a good bit of pointless bureacracy. And still not 100% certain the account is properly open..... Will be throwing serious wobbly if the incentive doesn't go through - it was conditional on opening the account by 31 August.

Finally got the holiday accommodation booked and got some good deals & have come in slightly under budget so have a bit more spending money :j

Meal plans for the week have gone a bit haywire already, something to to do with only getting home from work at 8pm last night and 8.30pm tonight. Must try harder and stop eating like a student (crisps on the tube home, 2 slices of cheese straight from the fridge and a bowl of cereal). Fairly sure this doesn't help meet my 5 a day goal.

London18

So posting on here is pure procrastination since I am meant to be going to the gym. Feeling a bit sore from Thursdays workout so incentive is a bit low.

Was meant to go shopping as well but as usual can't face the crowds and hassle of central London on a weekend. I might take a few hours off work this week and go when it is quieter. I really need new prescription sunglasses for upcoming holidays as I lost my last pair on the last holiday - they were very old prescription & frames but I was still annoyed with myself. And ideally I will get a spare pair of normal ones on the 2 for 1 deals. I managed to leave my glasses at work the other night after rushing out in a hurry - realised I couldn't see much when at the bus stop and couldn't be bothered going back to get them. Had to go home half blind and wear contacts next morning. I use dailies but as my eyes don't like them much I only use them for sport/gym and ocasional nights out (pure vanity).

I also need a new pair of running shoes and the only decent ones for my high instep, hyper-flexible, wide feet costs over £100 :eek: Have searched online but nothing in my size. Again I do want to keep running so have to bite the bullet.

And I'm getting anxious about my teeth - think a HUGE spend is on the way. I've already been told I need implants including a bone graft i(.e surgery), to replace a dodgy bridge and that the intermittent pain I get in a gold filled molar may mean I require a root canal by a specialist in that type of work. We are talking thousands of pounds and I've been sticking head in sand for a couple of years about it. But bridge now has bits breaking off and gold tooth is hurting regularly. I also need a new night guard ( I grind my teeth and clench my jaw in my sleep - which does not help bridge either). Feeling a bit at the thought. It will wipe out a major chunk of savings which I'd much rather went on the mortgage or flat renovations. Why is dentistry so expensive?

Oh well better get to gym, can work off some frustrations there!

London18

This is like talking to myself but in a good way....

Anyway had an NSD on Saturday and a basic food shop Sunday. Got some cherry tomatoes at that farmers market that are so sweet I'm nibbling them like sweeties. Bought lunch today so must try harder rest of week. Did get some very expensive gluten free bread (as IBS is playing up last few days) so have no excuse.

Very fed up with 11 hour days at work, seems to be norm now so have to knock that on head. Might have something to do with IBS flare since this has happened before when work got hectic. Had a picky dinner from the fridge since was hungry and wanted something 'now' & no cooking.

Tomorrow might be a bit spendy as intending to go and try on some new running shoes. Since last time I went there I just tried on at least 15 different styles (not joking) they have ordered some in for me. .

Have been reading lots of diaries lately, some heart rending ones and some funny ones and people who are just getting on with life with a sense of humour and doing their best. Getting a bit addicted!

egoode

Good luck with getting your new running shoes and you've reminded me to organise a dentist appointment which I've been meaning to do for about a year! I don't have a dentist here yet as I used to get them checked whenever I was home in Australia but haven't done that on my last few trips.

London18

Feeling a bit sad and down tonight as got some potentially very bad news tonight. Sister and her friend are meant to be coming over in a few weeks on a big trip from NZ to Europe. And I was meeting them for a week in October - was so looking forward to it. But sis rang tonight to warn me it might not go ahead as friend may have had a return of the cancer we'd hoped she had beaten less than a year ago.

The trip was partly her 'reward' for being in remission and includes lots of things she's always wanted to do - I think planning the trip helped get her through her chemo and recovery. It's just so unfair. Won't know for sure until next week once the scans are done and I guesss there is still a chance it might be something else entirely. But does rather sound like it might be back and has spread to other areas.

Obviously my sister doesn't want to come over on her own and leave her friend starting treatment, and I don't see how I can do our Italian 'leg' of it by myself either. Both of us agree 'it's only money', so if it does have to be cancelled, even if we can't get anything back via insurance or on deposits paid, so be it.

Going to bed now, and crossing fingers and toes for a good outcome for the tests. It's going to be a long week. A reminder to live life for today as well as for the future .:(

egoode

Sorry to hear about your friend, I hope the news isn't as bad as you fear.