Need to get a grip!!!

117pauline

I have just read your diary from the beginning and it feels like you are doing really well.

But....... you do seem to be really hard on yourself. Could you perhaps factor in some non food treats if you avoid the work goodies. It might help you to keep focused. Have a think about the way you talk / write about yourself, I bet you would be kinder to others so how about being kinder to yourself.

And a daft aside, how about using the empty tic tac containers for the raisins in you little one's lunchbox.

Keep smiling, I will be thinking of you. Not meant in a stalker kind of way though

rc12345

:mad: just posted and it has disappeared!!! Haven't got time to redo it now, thank you penny, supersaver and Pauline for your posts and I will respond - but have run out of time this morning!!!!!.....

rc12345

Need to catch up this morning, couldn't post Sunday morning as dd had her first ever sleep over - though not much sleep was had!!! Was really pleased with myself for getting them upstairs by 8pm and then they were still talking after 10pm and then they were talking again at 5am :eek: anyway other than that it went well and they both enjoyed it, hasn't put me off doing it again - but maybe not until after Christmas now


Thanks pennywise, I did get a nectar card when I was in Sainsburys not too long ago - but hadn't registered it, so it was sat on my desk waiting to be registered. I hadn't realised you could use them at BP stations too, last couple of times I checked cheapest petrol was from Sainsburys and can use it there too. Think I mentioned before I buy someone's lunch at work from Sainsburys maybe two or three times a week (go and fetch it whilst I am out, not pay for it) so can get points then as well. Following your post nectar card is now registered and in my purse ready for use

rc12345

supersaver - that's very disciplined of you taking the cake home With me it's more the mentality that if I have it I'm filling up on free stuff and won't be hungry then to fill up on stuff I have had to pay for myself - if that makes sense? dd says she likes cake, but in reality it is just icing she likes and then leaves the actual cake bit (which then gets passed to me and I don't like to waste it!!!) she's so fussy when it comes to food, she wouldn't entertain the idea of having a cream cake - but then I was fussy as a kid too, so I'm fairly sure she'll grow out of it.


You've motivated me to stick with the walking and Sunday came across my old pedometer so wore that yesterday 8,055 steps yesterday - think you are supposed to walk 10,000 a day, so didn't think that was a bad start on day one. I used to park in the furthest spot in the car park, but now I'm trying to get to dd before 5.30 I park as close as I can get. Thanks for the motivation

rc12345

:wave: hi Pauline, I didn't realise I was on hard on myself - I may have a read through when I have a bit more time at the weekend to see what you mean. Any suggestions how to be kinder to myself? I always think of being nice to me as treating myself, which always involves things that cost money - which I'm trying not to do at the moment


The tic tac box idea is great and I have recovered 15 empty tic tac boxes from the craft tub Thanks

rc12345

Not very money saving, but on Saturday we got a couple of kittens. I had said to dd when we moved we would think about maybe getting a dog, but we had discussed getting a couple of cats. Since the clocks turned back, I can't get her out of bed - never mind getting her up early to walk a dog. Someone was giving away a couple of kittens (5 months) for £20, but gave us their scratch post, bed, food trays, toys, litter tray, some food and litter and they have lovely collars. They are absolutely gorgeous and litter trained/house trained.


I looked into getting a couple of cat carriers to bring them home in, but small ones in argos were £13.99 each and they were £15 each in pets at home :eek: we brought them home in a tub and I've ordered two cat carriers off e-bay - much nicer than the ones in argos or pets at home and only £8 each. They should be here on Thursday this week. Will be looking into pet insurance at the weekend. I know cats are an extra expense, but they are worth it. I have seen a thread on here about something that is cheaper than cat litter and more environmentally friendly - so will look into that further at the weekend.

rc12345

So back to Saturday, I washed out a 1 pint milk bottle to reuse - apparently if you half fill with milk and half fill with water you don't notice the difference on cereal - tip off the great ways to cut back hunt. Usual excess water in flask, only boiled minimum amount in the kettle, reused tea bag, already had some excess hot water in the flask - so three cuppas Still had 24lb to lose on Saturday.


Had a look into cheaper phone line and broadband and found plusnet is £4.55 a month cheaper than I am currently paying and you get £70 cash back - but then when I checked with my current provider I am tied in for 6 months and if I want to move I would have to pay the rest of the 6 months to them. Have made a note in my diary for March to let them know I want to cancel as have to give 30 days notice.


Special K box in craft tub, sent off for some free shower gel on magic freebies, dd didn't eat the sandwich I had packed for her - so I had it so as not to waste it. Went to Sainsburys and bought strawberries, apples and milk:


£2 strawberries
£1 apples
49p milk


Fridge freezer delivered last Wednesday was unpacked and put in place on Saturday (kindly bought for me by parents) and the box kept the girls entertained for a while making this into a castle remembered to close the door to not let cold air in when I went into the garage - this is easier to remember to do now as don't want to let the cats out yet! Didn't have any butter on my bread and haven't even noticed this. I had tuna pasta bake out of my batch cooking efforts in the freezer, the girls had pizzas. Bought the smartprice pizzas from asda - but did need to put some extra cheese and ham on these as they were a bit lacking in topping, so not sure if they were really good value after all


I saved some cling film to be used again, washed up in cold water and used tea towel/dishcloth instead of kitchen roll

rc12345

Sunday was the usual minimum hot water in the kettle, excess in flask and reused tea bag. Used empty strawberry tub to keep spare buttons and heels in. Kept the empty plastic container the party rings came in as this has five compartments and think it will come in useful in a drawer to keep little things in so easy to find. Didn't give into the girls mithering at the park for ice cream - £5 for two ice creams just seems so expensive!!!


Drove to the asda at the retail park to pick up shopping I needed as dd wanted to look at the pets at home there at cat things (she assured me just to look, not to buy!). I thought it would be a relatively cheap way to spend some time, however once I had got what I needed from asda she had changed her mind - so that was a waste of petrol really as could've gone to the asda closer to home. She changed her mind as she wanted to go home and look on e-bay as she thought cat stuff on e-bay would be cheaper than pets at home


Petrol was 119.9 at the retail park - 2p cheaper than I paid the week before! Gardener came round, but confirmed I didn't want it doing again. Decided to leave this now until next year as not going to be sat out in it now, so no point paying £15 a time - better things to use my money on at the moment.

rc12345

asda shop:


cat litter £1.55 - think this should last a week
sausage rolls £1.00 for five
milk - £1 for 4 pints (can get more now have fridge freezer!)
cat food - £10 for 48 pouches (they were eating asda's own, but whiskers were on special offer and worked out cheaper so bought that)
ham - 61p
croissants - 8 for £1.50
hot chocolate - 58p
yogurts - £1 for 9
oj - 55p each - bought 4, only needed 2 for dd for the week - but decided I am going to start having a glass in a morning. currently not getting many of my five a day and thought this would be a cheap way of getting one of them
deodorant - £1
bubble bath - 70p
shower gel - 55p


total £25.77


didn't need the sausage rolls and croissants, but was past lunch time and hadn't planned on being out so long so hadn't prepared anything to take with us - will have to be more organised anyhow reckoned £2.50 for our lunch was still cheaper than if we had gone to McDonalds as we would probably have ended up when in this situation previously and dd has had croissants for lunch for school for a couple of days as well - a change from the usual ham sandwiches and the sausage rolls did me for lunch and dinner.


hot chocolate was also something I didn't need, but thought useful to have in. Much cheaper curling up on the sofa watching a film with a hot chocolate than going to the cinema.


bubble bath and shower gel I checked all the price labels for the 11p for 100ml bits to check I was getting the cheapest


Don't think £25.77 is bad for a week's shop considering £11.55 of that was for the cats. Anyway running out of time this morning so will have to finish catching up tomorrow

rc12345

Also saved the sausage roll container as this has 5 compartments and can be used in a drawer. Dd ended up buying a cat toy and laser pen for the cats from e-bay - £1 each and she paid for them herself out of her savings (she decided she wants to go to the pleasure beach in blackpool and has been saving all her money for wrist bands for both of us ), but I think now the cats are here the fund will dwindle slightly as she wants to get things for them. Also found another plastic container with compartments when looking for the tic tac packets in dd's craft tub, so retrieved that as well.


Really am going to get ready for work now...xx