NST November: battening down the hatches!

thriftylass

Hello just a quick check in. Busy and spendy weekend. Spend £12 on lunch woth the girls as budgeted. Then went to see FIL and spend £35 on lunch on Sunday for the 4 of us (he usually treats us so i felt obliged to offer a turn) and bought a few things in Liddle on Sat too. Today I need to get milk but that should be it till payday Friday. Will catch up on posts later.

Better dash

CoffeeandStitches

Morning all,

Sorry I have been awol for the last few days, been a busy weekend, but thankfully a pretty frugal ish one. Nothing spent that wasn't planned!

Following sofa-gate, the new one is now here, and beautiful. I've also started he complaints process. I'm going to fight it all the way, I'm pretty confident that we are not in the wrong.

So, in a bid to end the month as ok a possible, I've sent off some dvd's (finally, only been sitting there for about 6 months!), listed the last bits on fleabay, had a change rummage in the house. Car man still hasn't booked me in yet, so I'm hoping I won't need to find the rest of the money until December. However - DH's car didn't start this morning. I'm hoping it just needs a jump because it's old and cold..... I'm relatively confident that despite the set backs, I WILL NOT FINISH THE MONTH IN MORE DEBT THAN I STARTED!

Did a tiny top up shop, it should last me until the end of the month, but need to do a list of what we have in the freezer, I want to see if I can put off doing a big food shop for an extra 4 days. Thinking caps on

Today, I am thankful for all of your posts, that are doing so amazingly at keeping me on track. I know I'm not always here but this thread is always in the back of my mind, especially when I have to get my purse out.

Happy Monday all

liltdiddylilt

CoffeeandStitches wrote: »

Today, I am thankful for all of your posts, that are doing so amazingly at keeping me on track. I know I'm not always here but this thread is always in the back of my mind, especially when I have to get my purse out.

And that is why I join again and again. Even though I have to explain myself to YNAB, everyone on here pushes me onwards!!

SOA Lol @ 3 challenges worth. The funny thing is, none of them are actually kindnesses in my world. It is just day to day stuff that happens and is just the way I deal with things in life sometimes nice to look at what I do and see for myself I am not too bad a person really

Am writing a shopping list. Will go way overbudget but I need some flour, a set of digital scales because the ones I have are older than I am and depending on how you tap them, you can be 2oz out either way each time you add ingredients into the bowl!

Have got to make Jelly some dairy free goodies for her Christmas party. Only a few bits but I want her to enjoy herself and not feel left out!

Off to write my list, then for a wander around the shops. xx

mothernerd

Sorry been MIA. Laptop stopped working and has taken three days for DS3 to lend me his cable to see if it was the 'new' cable or if laptop had gone to laptop heaven. No music, no games, no tv, no you lot - so bored.

Will catch up in a minute. Not much happening except continuing to rack up NSD. Have ventured as far as the bins in the yard. Don't expect DS3 to do housework but worried about drowning under accumulated rubbish - took a carrier bag of yoghurt cartons downstairs to rinse and put in recycle bin but can do nothing about the pizza box mountain in his room. DS1 and DS3's friend filled the new blue and green bins with the paper (empty cardboard boxes) and leaves I had done before I went in hospital.

Otherwise ticking along, doing the things I can and trying not to get aggravated by the things I can't do. It is obvious (as if it weren't already) that nothing gets done here unless I do it. Still only day 11 since the op so just keep ticking off the days - still have 3 weeks of extra meds and nightly injections and at the end of the year I might get rid of the white socks (to prevent DVTs). So much to look forward to.

Calling14

Lost my post just done, sort of sums up Monday already. So copied bit from my diary.

Well not a great start to the week. Decided to reduce my payments to Tesco cc and pay the extra to Santander which 0% deal runs out in January. So I changed my direct debit to the minimum amount with Tescos, reading the msg that won't be taken until it appears on your statement so I paid by faster payment for this month and guess what? They took the direct debit as well.:eek: :mad:Whilst it makes my cc balances look great. I really needed the cash so not sure how I will manage up to xmas now, things were tight before.

Stewby sun and heat very jealous. See you in London next year already booked few nights.

Lilt - feel sorry for you at the moment, and poor Jelly hope there is an improvement. Hope you don;t get the sickness bug.

Overspent my food budget this month but 50 pounds was tad silly tbh especially as kids visit most weekends.

Mothernerd stop worrying sure the rubbish will get outside somehow. Rest and you will recover quicker.

Moohound had to laugh to your windy dog.

CoffeeandStitches hope the sofa is everything you dreamed of.

Not sure who was buying a cushion for the naughty step but lovely idea for those of us who spend a bit of time on it.

Last week of November thanks for running this months Challenge SOA keeps me on the fairly straight and narrow.

mothernerd

Unfortunately I will end the month more in debt than I started but in moving to the small house and leaving the other one empty I have reduced my bills as far as possible. Some discounts and rebates should start to trickle back to my account and I have stopped worrying about food.

- my massive shopping day may end up paying for itself as I am confident the ready meals will last until nearly Christmas and other supplies (cheese spread/ crispbread) are stocked up into January. My 'Christmas' freezer drawer will see me through a whole week easily and I have a fish drawer (3 different packs of fish fillets, each of which will make 4 or 5 meals with veg added) and a meat drawer (stuff I bought to make into meals but froze as there wasn't time). Most of it is healthy and I have frozen and tinned fruit and veg as well and a drawer of bread and cooked meats for sandwiches.

So although I initially overspent (some panic involved) my purchases should last 4 or 5 months with very little supplementing. The ready meals are boring but fill a need atm, but I wouldn't be tempted to re-stock with them. Just want to get back to doing my own things - will take it easy by doing a pan of soup/ stew a week as freezer space becomes available.

Christmas is on track - all possible presents have been bought and passed out. Got out the cards last night to check through and will get DS3 to put them in the post box later in the week. One of mum's friends' husband died last week but going to leave it as it is because crossing the Mr off will look worse (and I'm too mean to put it in another envelope and lose the stamp - slightly worried that I don't know where my stamps are).

Like the mini-challenge. I have £11.75 in my purse. Hopefully before Thursday I will get a call from the District Nurse about having my stitches removed - think they will ask me to go to them. If I can use the bus it will cost £5.20 (anybus ticket). A taxi to and from the infirmary would be about the same. Then I am allowed a shower, to wash my hair and take the stockings off for one hour (to wash and dry). However I have to go to mum's to use the walk in shower (climbing into the bath is off-limits for the whole 3 months) so may be better to take taxis. Reluctant to ask someone to drive me as will need help with shower/hair and stockings. So that might take all my cash (mum will probably give me some of it) Will talk it over with her - might not be a problem if someone is going to the SM for her anyway, might even be able to drop me at nurses, pick me up after shopping and then take me for shower.

DS2 and DS1 will be paid on the 28th. DS1 will be re-paying a small amount direct into my bank account, DS2 should be bringing me some cash, then I can try to work out how much to save for shower trips and how much to pay into bank (still a reasonable buffer in there). Think if DS3 is going away for Christmas I should stock up on bottled water (still and fizzy but the budget 19p for 2l will be fine). Any empties could be filled with tap water before he goes.

Today I am grateful that the laptop is still going (it really is a luxury but would find it hard to do without), for clean clothes (changed into the J*sper Conr*n wrap dress) and central heating (had it on for an hour - decided it was ridiculous wearing three layers of clothes plus mittens and scarf and using inhalers rather than making the house a bit warmer).

Aphidgirl

Greetings all,

Am on NSD 11 now and have no money til payday on Thursday, so the next few days should be spend-free.

I haven't been running, the cold, darkness and rain has defo put me off - will have to try harder!

I've overspent in the last week so not the most frugal times for me, but I've got about half the xmas presents bought and wrapped so I'm at least feeling organised in that area

apple_muncher

Another NSD to add to the total, plus an exercise session :T.


Today I am grateful for the sunshine, for hm curry, for dd on her bouncy hopper, for tap water, for my warm coat.

LoveaDove

Good evening Turtles!

I am inspired mothernerd - you are so organised! I am only just beginning to make my Christmas cards this evening! They'll probably take me a few evenings to get finished! Good to hear you are well prepped for food over the coming months!

Lilt - Sorry to hear about Jelly- poor little poppet! Sounds like you had an unintentional deep clean of your abode!

Coffee - Great to hear you are enjoying your new sofa! Definitely fight for your consumer rights regarding your previous "sofa" / pancake couch! Hehe

SOA- What a fantastic choice of reward!

Calling- How blooming annoying about the double payment!! Is there anway you can get that reimbursed? Who was at error?

So this morning, I woke up to a deep freeze! It took a lot of anti freeze for me to even be able to open my car door! Then when I managed to de-ice the outside there was masses of condensation on the inside of my windscreen, just dripping down and being all smeary- gah! Got to work with a couple of minutes to spare *phew*

I think my multi-vitamins are finally kicking in after two weeks of taking them. Over this year I have twice attempted to give blood and have twice not been accepted to proceed because the iron levels in my blood were too low- boooo! I have attempted to adjust my diet to try to make up for any lack of iron which failed to do anything. This year I have found myself feeling very lethargic most days, until yesterday and today. I am waking up without the lethargic heaviness, where my whole body and my brain feels like a heavy weight, and am finally feeling normal again! These H&B tablets contain an array of multi vits so it might be something else in them (as well as the iron) that is perking me up! So...Yay!

Another SFD today so I am at: 11 SFDs

Really looking forward to Mockingjay tomorrow eve. It will definitely get me through work if it turns into a tough day!

I have been looking at pursuing a Masters in September, to complete a Professional qualification to help me improve my prospects in my current career. The tuition fees would be covered and I would be entitled to a bursary if I am accepted on the course...so doing a fair bit of research and have already began my application. So already making plans for 2015...*exciting but a teeny bit nerve-racking as well*

Anywho, I shall stop jabbering on and will get started on these Christmas cards...

Have a good, warm evening all! x

Fmess

Evening all,


Glad to hear from you again mothernerd. I am jealous of your freezer stocks, they sound epic.


Today should have been a SFD, however as OH had not done the chore and it looked like it wasn't going to get done, I took the bull by the horns (as usual) and got a colleague to do me a favour and do the tricky bit of the work - in return for a box of chocolates. The easier bit of the job is still to do but need slightly warmer weather for the 'no more nails' to work so waiting until Wednesday for some warmer weather. I will succeed, with or without any help from OH.


Tomorrow is payday So excited to transfer over some more money to the debt and to pay off the presents I have put on the credit card (bought them when they were on offer).


No exercise today, except dog walking, but should get some in on either Wednesday or Thursday. I also have some time off on Friday so will try get an extra session in then.


I have drafted up the challenge for December, starting to get nervous about being the author!