Oh No Not Again! Right. This Time......

Nagme

Thanks for the supportive comments INOD and WR.

I crash, but I come back up again. Keeping going with the diary though, need to do this

DH upgraded his phone on Saturday as he "needed" a bigger screen to read work documents. We also booked two nights in a hotel to visit family over the Xmas break. We did this last year and it worked out really well as we could do our own thing some of the time like go for a walk along the beach. Nephew's 3rd birthday party yesterday, and it was a lovely afternoon. I found him a 2nd hand RC Thomas the Tank Engine with "steam" that comes out of the funnel (DS had one when he was little) and he wouldn't put it down he was so pleased with it . Ate out for tea as well. A cheap weekend it was not.

Quiet day today, woke up at 3am and couldn't get back to sleep. Went for a walk to dr's to sort a repeat prescription out after lunch to wake up a bit before DS came home from school. Pasta with HM sauce and soya mince for tea (meat free monday).

I shall look at figures tomorrow and check where we are. I'm not doing it now as I need more than 4hrs sleep tonight, and the cat's giving me "biscuit eyes". I think she wants her supper.

Nagme

Okay so I didn't look at figures yesterday. I did, however, do 2 hours at work, and did 1hr paid working at home.

A nice surprise today - got the £30 cashback for the energy switch
Along with £70 expenses, so half to amex, half to car fund.
Still eeking out my tank of diesel,I might just make it to payday, but I have to do the train station run again tomorrow for my parents, and then again at the weekend for a friend, so that will be almost 100 miles all together. Hopefully the fuel bong will sound and I won't need to bring the subject up. There's also a really sweet picture of a spanner on the dashboard....aargh

Nagme

A few days since I posted, must update today or things will slip.

Felt so low on Friday, didn't start off well being told we were short staffed when I arrived at work, then I heard another baby due in the family next year, which really made me feel flat - a sibling for DS was not possible, I know we're so lucky having him, it's when I'm down things get to me, the reasons for not having that choice. I cheered up when I went to school and saw his face though.

Redeemed £10 voucher on VO, I save them up for something big. Although a few years ago I had £100 John Lewis vouchers saved up from doing surveys which I blew on Clinique . This year I got Clinique for my birthday instead.

Needing to de-cat the house ready for the in-laws (FIL has an allergy). I could've knitted a whole new cat from the fluff on the curtains. They are horrible curtains, but I decided not to boil wash them ("oh dear, well we'll have to replace them now") but to sew the thermal linings actually onto them rather than clipped on as they are currently, they may hang nicer that way. The patio door is very old and innefficient, looking forward to replacing it, one day.

The sky is a wierd apricot coloured glow at the moment, it gives off a very strange light. It's still very mild out and I filled our wheelie bin again yesterday, fallen leaves, ivy and japanese anenomes mainly.

Nagme

Well I did a nice long post but it's disappeared so I'm going to bed :rotfl:

Nagme

Challenges for myself as I think I could be doing better

No coke this week
No more books this year, I shall use the library or re-read what is in the house.
I shall get out of the house every day, even if it's just doing gardening.
No new clothes this year.

Yesterday I made a batch of pasta sauce for the freezer, and had to use up some chicken, so popped that in the sc with an enchilada cooking kit, red pepper, onion, red lentils, chicken stock and chia powder. DH liked it but very spicy, so that's portioned up into the freezer for him.

Sewing machine did a grand job on the curtains, I actually like them now but why are sewing machines so incredibly heavy? Or was it just the ones made in 1972?

I upped my anti-d for a few days last week which has helped, but I'll go back down now before I get heart palpitations

Amex £2110

Just got expenses through of £207 but that needs to go to cap1 as it's for hotel costs from the other week. Oh I know, I'll look at the statement and see if I can work out if there's mileage in that which can go to car fund and Amex. ..

Yesterday to DS: do you want to go to the school disco?
DS: what music will they play?

Nagme

NSD today, plus I walked to work. it was very cold!
Cancelled the window cleaner for this period; £12 saved.
No Coke

Moved DH's expenses..
£177 onto Cap1 (hotel costs)
£15 amex (fuel)
£15 car fund.

Half a pack of Mr T value tortelini for lunch with a handful of grated cheese and half a tin of baked beans leftover from yesterday. Tummy needed a bit of stodge.

Very pleased - I finally fit into the Fat Face jeggings I bought last December with my birthday money and never fitted into :rotfl:Now I just need to keep the weight off....

DH had 4 migraines last week, he's feeling the pressure at work. We had a chat about it at the weekend and he seems happier now. I think it helps him to unwind in the garage, so he was out there last night, tinkering away. Potential job change could mean he's away for 4 nights a week for up to four months, but DH is trying to get in with another company and stick with the current commute. No payrise, but that's a compromise we will happily settle for.

Reading some older DFW threads, a very inspirational one by fedupandskint.

Nagme

Oh pony pants. I have one more side to sew on the curtains and the machine broke! It just wouldn't stop stitching, so now the bottom of one of the curtains looks like drunk person did it. DH said it's possibly the capacitor, need to go on a hunt for one tomorrow. I just hope that it's fixable seeing as its 40 years old.

DS thinks the president of the US is Captain America.

Nagme

Spends today:
Sewing machine part 89p
Then from b&m;
slippers for me (last ones didn't survive the washing machine well) £4.99
xmas jumper for DS £7.99
2 peppa jigsaws for nieces @ £3.99 each (xmas presents)
Xmas baubles (3 glittery puddings)99p
Mcd sweet treats for friend and I (she paid for lunch) £2.18
Total £25.02

Mr T delivery - used ecodes worth £10.50 got it down to £49 (including big box of reduced washing powder)

HM veggie lasagne and gb for tea.

Advertised DS's school jumpers and sold them, to be collected tomorrow - £10.

No coke

Nagme

DH got paid today, plus £150 credit got returned from old energy company . Plus I got £10 for DS's old school jumpers today.

Paid £700 to amex, £80 to cap1, and £100 to next.

New balances:

amex £1,418
cap1 £2,671 (recent payment will take it to £2,591)
next £165.

So Amex is improved month on month by about £300. Cap 1 is worse by £190 though :eek:. The Next bill is DS's clothes and DH had a briefcase and winter boots.

Things for December:
Xmas - still probably have about £150 to spend out for gifts, I will try to keep that down though, given the above.
Motorbike tax - I will speak to DH about SORNing it - £80 save
£60 due out for DS's taekwondo.
Annual Christmas Curry buffet with old friends -£60ish? plus fuel.

Still have DH's old iphone to sell, £80? this will cover taekwondo.
Advertising bookcase locally for £20.
Have about £26 M&S vouchers to spend - could use on xmas gifts for the nans
Nearly at £40 on Onepo11

I feel really up against it. Dh was promised a hefty payrise in September and that's what gave him the confidence to replace his old company car, but it's made things very tight. I'm glad I'm doing this diary, it makes me stressed but at least we're not worsening our situation.I really want to see improvements, and quickly.

Nagme

SORN'd DH's motorbike
Listed some stuff on ebay -DS's school shoes and DVDs.
Got paid for my jobs yesterday, took out £120 pocket money for us for the month.
.
NSD for me today but DH has just bought us fish and chip supper instead of going out to see the Xmas lights being turned on.

Sewing machine is now fixed thanks to an 89p capacitor in the foot pedal. Clever DH also got my mini back on the road, I figure he has saved us about £300 in garage fees. Both curtains are now done.
:j

Can't believe how nuts people have been getting over this black friday stuff, how ironic that the Americans do this the day after thanksgiving where they're grateful for everything they already have