NST November: battening down the hatches!

LoveaDove

traveller - What rotten news! But super proud of you with how you are handling it all and making plans and preparations already!!

Monday is nearly done and dusted and another SFD has snuck in! Bringing me up to 5 SFDs! Only 3 days of work then I'm off to Scotland for a long weekend (Fri-Mon) with my OH to meet the other half of his family (finally!)

Hope you are all keeping warm on what feels like another chilly eve! N'night Turties x

mothernerd

:j:j:j:jCongratulations samiszel:j:j:j:j

Commiserations traveller.

Oh I have missed you lot. So much still to do and so little time. DS3 refused to get out of bed the day after moving and still isn't being a great deal of help - actually admitted his gf had suggested he 'run away' to her house for a few days rest.

Well the food budget was woefully inadequate as I managed to spend £363-50 on Saturday (Friday and Sunday were spend free). Went to little Arseda first with DS3. When we got back he headed back to his room. I said he could have 10 minutes before we did the real shopping - he thought that what we had just done was it.

So headed off to Iceland on my own, checked that I could still have it delivered even though I had changed address. Bought more ready meals than intended - I am running out of time and thought having a base level would make me more relaxed about the cooking half. Some is stock-piling, my favourite low fat cheese spread was £1 in there and it's £1.59 in all the SMs (bought 8). Was going to go back for frozen veg later on but just added it to the pile.

Then as that was all to be delivered mid-afternoon and didn't think I could hurt any more, I carried on to Tessimos and got the rest. To be honest my main worry was that there wouldn't be enough fridge and freezer space. Other than that, sorry for breaking budgets but I would rather have it than not as not really sure I can rely on DS3 for anything (I did try to tell the hospital people I lived alone but the second nurse to go through the form corrected it).

So my Christmas turkey is cooked. This morning I went through each drawer in turn, cutting off any excess packaging to make more space, the bread and cooked meats have been frozen in small quantities, many tandooried turkey lumps are marinading and bacon and gammon have been divided and frozen - will do pigs in blankets when I get home and hope to cook properly tomorrow.

The more I get through, the more tasks get added. This afternoon I went on a little adventure - took proof of my identity, several filled in forms and the deeds and information from purchasing the big house to the solicitors to kick start the conveyancing. Long bus ride into the hills - where the house turn toi stone built rather thsan brick.

Dropped off the bus at big house to do more 'paperwork' as internet is not switched over ttill next Monday. Sat in the middle of Ds3's old bedroom (on a chair he neglected to put on the van) and don't know where all this stuff is going to go - he finally agreed to get rid of his old art books (if I say he filled one a week during high school). I ripped apart 56 last week (to keep warm between admin tasks) because the paper can go in the paper bin but the spiral binding has to go in either the recycling (metal) or rubbish (plastic coated wire) bin. May drag him here tomorrow and insist he buses back and forward till it's all sorted - still need to clean.

First week challenge - the only thing I thought of was that my glasses will need changing in January, get vouchers which nearly cover the lenses but not happy with the way these sit on my face.

This week's challenge - I am well ahead although in despair that I have got rid of so much and there is still stuff there (or that I have reached the grand old age of 56 without acquiring anything of value - secretly pleased that Ds3 broke the moulding off the top of my favourite piece of furniture (it might have been worth a couple of hundred pounds but now I can keep it and it doesn't matter if it gets battered.

DS2 should have taken the last of his things (2 mattresses and a picture) by the time I get home.

Took 7 bags plus a small Xmas tree and a yoga mat to cs this morning and trying to get hold of someone from one of the local charities that can dismantle a bed and take it away plus loads of bedding and towels (which DS2 had left in the WM, TD, under and on the kitchen table and any where else you can think of. It must go - just not sure how much I can carry and only two days left to do everything.

Probably see you all next Monday. Have a lovely weekend turtles.

moohound

Would have been a spend free day but, it was £53 at the vet for the hound of moo, who has D and V poor little chap, so now he has some antibiotics and some probiotics in a weird paste in a tube that he unhelpfully spits out.

He is nearly 16 and only weighs 3kg.

It was 2 years ago today when we had to say goodbye to his sister she was 14 and she had pancreatic cancer, so I was fearing the worst, especially as we set off to the vet and 'Knocking on Heaven's Door' came on the radio.

committed2change

No NSD again today. I took my lunch to uni and the ice pack I had leaked everywhere so I had to buy a flapjack to tide me over. Then I got home and found out we had no chopped tomatoes to go in dinner so had to buy them! So annoying.
Tomorrow is food shopping day so no chance of a NSD.

stewby

Congratulations Samiszel.
:j

I wouldn't know what to do in your position Traveller. I like the idea of sticking it out and getting a nice redundancy package but the thought of not having a job scares me a bit.
:embarasse

Today was a spend day. We went shopping. Got a fair few yellow labels but also some bits and pieces that we needed. Introduced OH to buying stuff in advance to preserve Spend-Free Days (we bought milk and bread as we will run out tomorrow or the next day).
He might just be learning.


Car is a complete disaster. Thought it was going to be about £200 or so... but turns out I needed two new tyres, brake discs all round and my rear shock absorbers were destroyed (basically). My dad had looked at them a couple of months ago and said they were fine as no oil leaked... turns out they had lost all oil which is why none came out.
:doh:

So, looking at roughly £500 for everything.
:eek:

A relative works at the garage and is very lovely. He allows me to pay in installments and doesn't push me for money. So plan is to try and pay that off at some point.
:undecided

To top a spendy month off... my eyesight looks like it has deteriorated a bit. Potentially resulting in new glasses. I am now squinting at the computer screeen and also squinting to read. This is a bit risky in my line of work so am going to get an eye test done. Hoping that it is just my eyes being tired as I am really fussy with my glasses (find thick legs make me feel claustraphobic).


Not quite on the naughty step yet but probably heading there soon.


Oh... in unrelated news. Morries are selling off their Halloween gingerbread houses. The reason why I am saying this is because they are normal gingerbread houses but with orange and black decorations. Their expiry date is 31st December so there is nothing stoppping people from changing the decorations to green and red... tada instant xmas gingerbread house.

liltdiddylilt

Samiszel Huge congratulations on being debt free. You must be on cloud 9!! basketball outfit sounds fetching

Traveller I am so sorry about your work news. I am sure you will manage just fine with the attitude you are throwing at it. Good luck with the job hunting and lots of hugs! Keep your chin up.

Apple poor DD you know, if they made adult medicine with the banana flavour I would be first in the queue! Hope she gets well soon. Sending lots of hugs!

Can't remember checking in yesterday. I am sure I did. I can't really remember much about it. Today has been a marathon, drop Jelly at nursery between thunderstorms and torrential downpours, dodge another one in Mr L, did a shedload of shopping then home for cleaning and shuffling of furniture in my living room. Have reclaimed my chimneybreast from the gamer. He and his desk, plus 3x playstations, his laptop when he is here, a 32 inch tv from the wall and all of the thousand cables have been duly shifted, holes drilled in the other wall, cable tidy's deployed along with a bunch of sellotape. I can move! You would have thought I would have reclaimed the space earlier... like when he moved out a year ago.

So, to the totals:
SFD: 7/18
Groceries: £114.65/£130 - I can explain... I've more than a months worth of meat. Still :o:o bread & milk only for 3 weeks... :eek:

Meal planning around the masses I have got now. Night all

Dottydaisy

traveller - I hope everything turns out for the best whichever path you take.


Mothernerd- I know what it's like trying to get offspring to do what you asked them to, DD3 usually helps but DD2 thinks the house is my responsibility as I am retired.


Stewby - car costs come as a huge shock sometimes, Last year mine cost me £1500 for mot and service, this year £1004, fair enough I hadn't spent much up till then but neither did I have a car pot. I do now.
Today was a low spend day we needed lettuce for salad tonight, bananas and yogurt, so I bought Morries 3 for a tenner red meat to go with all the chicken in the freezer and some more vegetarian foods to see DD2 into next month. Spent £20-10, but only had notes and 6p in change. Till girl took the 6p so I put 4p into penny pot later.
We had YS red pepper and goats cheese flan-£1.25, YS jacket potatoes 20p and salad from weekend apart from lettuce.
Found some more clutter to take to the charity shop tomorrow, and hoping it's going to be another nsd.
Night night Dotty

thriftylass

traveller I too hope that you find sth. quick. Good luck

stewby we need to repair OH parking damage an d then comes the MOT and service plus the bill for car tax is on the kitchen table. Dreading to think what that will be. Adjusted my car pot savings target upwards for next year.

Early 5o'clock start again today, wish I could just go to work early rather than in 3-4 hours . Should be another SFD though.

speakingofart

traveller - I'm sorry to hear your news. Hopefully you will either be redeployed or find something amazing - turtle fingers and toes are crossed for you I found the employment boards here quite useful when I changed careers - they can be a little more harsh than debt free wannabe but also very knowledgeable about things to try.

mothernerd - wow, that sounds like a busy day! I definitely think stockpiling is the way to go, that's my plan when I get paid as well Something about winter always makes me want to hoard food, regardless of anything else going on!

Spendy day yesterday, had a lovely indian meal. Apart from car parking, I now have nothing to pay for until friday when I get paid, so hoping for 3 more SFDs. Not looking forward to 3 hours of uni after work tonight, but ho hum!

£100/ £150 groceries till 15th November
£0/0 petrol till 15th november
Outings £20/£20 (takeaway with friend, trip to see Levellers play)
NSDs 3/20
5/20 exercise sessions (lunchtime walks)

Have a great day!

traveller

Morning all

I just want to say a huge thank you for all the support, you've all been great :T I spoke to the older children yesterday. We are all on the same page so onwards and upwards:D Today aims to be a NSD and I will get some exercise done. Nothing more to report. Take care everyone and have a good day