The Road to Financial Security

Pushkin

This weekend has been relatively easy on the purse strings sadly the same cannot be said for the waistline.

Cinema Friday with popcorn, then friends over for bbq yesterday, lots of food, a (for once) decent pavlova made by moi and beer. Today dad came over as mum has gone on holiday with my sister and her kids to help her with the kids (single mother) so more beer and food.

I did however manage to get lost while walking the dog this morning and was out for 1.5 hours in the end - you wouldn't think I'd lived here for 15 years- went a new route in the woods and when I re-emerged I was totally disorientated and lost! Must have burned off a few extra calories huh ? :beer:

No money news although DH and I discussed what else we want to get done on the house and what we could afford with the money we have left. We are in agreement which is a relief:

In order of importance
Lounge
Get decorator in to paint, get carpet steam cleaned, buy new curtains (current ones are 14 years old and somewhat frayed)
Kitchen
new floor- definite as current floor doesn't sit properly
new sink
new hob
budget permitting - new work surface, new pull out cupboard
Would like if possible - new cupboards - think you can keep the carcasses and put new doors on
Don't want to spend a fortune but the kitchen is 10 years old and is/was definitely budget when we had it done

Hall/landing redecoration
Master bedroom - do need to get this done as its by far the worst room in the house - one wardrobe is a hole in the wall with a hanging rail in it :eek: Will likely leave it to next year - I just can't bear the thought of clearing the room out and having to find somewhere to store everything...

More redundancies at work and am limbo waiting to hear so all of this could be shelved if the news isn't good but I am actually quite relaxed about the whole thing - or possibly immune emotionally as this is the 5th or 6th year running this has happened :cool:

Pushkin

No news work wise (still in redundancy limbo), I don't consciously think about it but it must have an impact and I'm really struggling with eating healthily at the moment - a month to my holiday and my wobbly bits will be on display :eek:

£5.76 cash back paid into my money saving account :T

Lots of juggling coming up over next 2 months:

£2k to pay for the Euros
£500 for DH's car repair this week
home insurance up for renewal mid August
DS drama to pay for start Sept

Plus I normally start Christmas shopping late Aug/early Sept to spread the cost.

On a positive note I checked gas/electric balance today and both are in credit...

gallygirl

Pushkin wrote: »

a month to my holiday and my wobbly bits will be on display :eek:

And so will everyone else's

Pushkin

Up early to go to the school uniform shop before town got too busy today.

Quite sad that all the shops are pushing discounts on school uniform when the summer holidays have only just started. However wanted to get it done now as hate leaving to the last minute and risking things being out of stock.

Still need to buy some school trousers and a couple of shirts but they are easier to find as they don't have the school logo on.

Also had a bit of a splurge on myself - shops all have sales on! So picked up a few new clothes. I really do need to have a sort out of my drawers and wardrobe as am at the stage where it's all over flowing yet I still feel I have nothing to wear.

Might pop to the garden centre with DH later (I know more spending) as I feel the urge to get a couple more plants for our garden. I am also going to be incredibly lazy and have a little nap this afternoon, last few weekends have been busy and it's nice to just relax.

Pushkin

Back in the employment hamster wheel of life today - feeling very jealous of all retired MFWs and then concerned that I should be longing for retirement at my age :cool:

Annoyed at getting caught out by perfume packaging at the weekend, normally just buy something on offer in B00ts for my day to day scent and rely on Christmas/birthday for the posh stuff. Went to buy some on Sat and chose some on offer for £18 - (bit more than normal but not a lot of choice and I wouldn't buy the 0ne D1rection stuff on principle!).

Got said perfume out of box today to discover its a third of the size of both the tester and the box - probably a very standard con trick but I am kicking myself.

Could almost put the heating on today it feels so chilly - but obviously I wouldn't contemplate that in July!

Pushkin

Week has gone by in a blur, been very busy work wise and done little else beside. DS is already bored only a week into the summer holidays :cool:

Not planning much this weekend, cinema trip (using cheap tickets I can get through work), some household jobs and some pottering in the garden. So should be fairly cheap.

No money news, still plodding on with some surveys, have some cds I'm selling to MM which is in their process (maybe payment by Christmas?) and thinking about starting Christmas shopping - yikes! :eek:

Pushkin

DH took out dog to the vets yesterday, she'd been subdued and lethargic for a couple of day, just not her normal self. Very sad to discover she is very ill. Her immune system is destroying red blood cells, she is jaundiced and anaemic. She had a new type of vaccination a couple of weeks ago and best case scenario is that it's a reaction to that. Worst case is that there is an underlying cause - cancer or liver disease.

She has has a massive dose of steroids and come home with a lot of tablets to take. We were back at the vets this morning and another follow up Monday when hopefully they'll have the results of the blood tests.

So unexpected spending for very unfortunate circumstances, staying positive as at 10 years old I had hoped our dog had another 5 or so good years but we have to be realistic as well.

I have also renewed the house insurance today - current provider's quote was £320 - increase of £6 from last year. Did a comparison and found a quote for £197, so bought that and cancelled the auto renewal.

I won't get into another rant about how these companies discourage loyalty and how staying with a provider costs you more money but I was delighted when I rang the old company and they offered to try and match the quote. I just told them I had already paid and just wanted to cancel it. I know it isn't but it feels like a victory for the small guy against the big corporation!

No other news, we aren't leaving the dog on her own, I will take DS to the cinema later so DH will stay home.

cookie9

So sorry to hear your dog isn't well. Well done on the insurance front. I agree that it is frustrating not being rewarded for loyalty.

BookWorm

I'm also sorry to hear your dog is poorly. Sending positive vibes to you all x

Pushkin

Thanks for the kind words Cookie & Bookworm - am still in a bit of shock I think how something so serious can develop so quickly - she was fine until Wednesday.