Positive thinking!

Cwtchie

Such a beautiful day here today Patio doors still open really lovely.
Have got another 3 day contract this weekend, a little bit nervous as a little bit out of my league but hey..lets give it a go!
Big contract doing ok, July is soon approaching so ill decide then how I feel
Money front ok because im working so much, better to have it than not.
DH spoilt me yesterday, after my migraine in the morning we decided to go to the coast and relax. So pastie at 2pm for lunch and then steak and chips for tea in a pub with toffee and custard sponge for afters. Ho Ho Ho
On another blow out, DH and I have decided to go away for a week, abroad! Don't know where to yet but somewhere only about 2/3 hours away, a second honeymoon, well it is 23 years this year Next week in fact
Mum and DH absolutely fine again now, considering we all live in such close proximity they get on really well, but I hate, hate with a passion, confrontation, but as they say everyone has to clear the air.
Have a lovely evening x

Cwtchie

Desperate for the end of the month, can't wait to see the damage.
Have not been very good last few days, chippie and mcdonalds, disgusting but seriously overtired so just desperate to get something to eat.

Working again this weekend should be another £180 or so.

Wages came through but £480 short which will go through now in May, so overdraft won't be paid off completely this month but hopefully will be down considerably.

Feel like having a few days where I do nothing but concentrate on meals, money and saving, all too busy at the moment.

Hopefully tomorrow afternoon when I have a few hours quiet I can regroup and focus.

Horses all ok, bigger one choked last night, was galloping in field and then came in, grabbed a mouthful of hay and promptly choked, DH and DD called me, and 10 mins later all over. He has also lost a shoe!
Anyway rain here this morning, but all going out as it is meant to brighten up later x

DebtFree2012

That's scary re the big lad, glad he is ok.


I can relate to the feeling of needing to regroup your thoughts. Hope you find that time to yourself. I find it happens when I don't mean it to.

Cwtchie

I know it's hard to keep focused little things cause you to wander slightly and before you know it your on the down hill run.

So today, on my own in the houses, DH and DS outside working, DD in work till 1.30. Farrier today at 3pm.

I've stripped two beds, cleaned toilet and bathroom, have "found" 5 loads of washing!!! Uuhhh where from??? Oh yes kids!!!!
I've just put the bread maker on, first loaf may get eaten, but then I'm going to do another two for the freezer. I have to defrost the freezer still and if I find time I may, just may get round to it today.

Have unloaded a whole lot of stress and baggage onto a supervisor this morning, so hey oh, that's what they are there for, they get paid to carry it lol! . I am feeling like I can breathe again

I've made a lovely list ready to cook and restock my freezer, even though I've done ok this month financially, I need to tighten it all down further for the future . And just plain peace of mind

Horses still managing to be out all day and in at night, so hay bill is halved, yay! Grass looking great, the two fields which have been fertilised are doing fab, the grass doesn't look like it's growing but it doesn't look like it's being eaten either....and I know they are scoffing it!

Anyway just a sneaky little pop on here as a treat and now back to my work, feels great just having a little peace to do it.

Will defo spend a while catching up with everyone's diaries just as soon as I can, missing them, have a lovely day x

DebtFree2012

Lovely to see such a positive tone (as always but especially today) x

Cwtchie

Freezer defrosted and re packed, amazing how much space there is now after all the ice has gone.

3 loaves of bread baked today, one given to my mum, and probably one out for tomorrow, might get the other into the freezer, but have run out of bread flour, Aldi still isn't selling it so will have to tap on to my mums tesco order on Thursday.

Chicken, baked pots, rice and tuna for tea, filling and yum yum

Happy horses with nice new manicured hoofs

I'm feeling the nesting instinct strongly at the moment, decluttering, planning dinners, batch cooking, sorting everything out, weird

I really want DD to give up her job. Mad I know but her back is aching, her wrist is clicking and I know how hard she works! Yard duties are hard work, I've been there and done it for our own livery yard and I have spondylosis and sciatica to show for it . I desperately want her to give up and do something less physical, I know she wants to but obviously needs the money

I've got an old dyson Hoover which had decided to almost pack up. DH has taken it apart and untangled a load of string??? from the motor and hey ho it's working great again

I went to Aldi today, WITH A LIST, and (other than butter and rolls) STUCK TO IT! impressed with myself oh yeah!

Night x

Cwtchie

:embarasseLovely working the horses with DD today, cold but both went really well.

I had a shock today, I am a bit ashamed really, I never really looked at what interest charge my credit cards were, shameful I know. When I looked the one is on 2.2% monthly . I immediately paid it off with my overdraft, I am going to be much better off doing that even though my aim to clear it by the end of this month won't happen,but it's swings and roundabouts

Spagetti Bol from the freezer for tea tonight.

Cwtchie

Here goes:


Mortgage June 2013 £178,000 now £170,010 +£7,990
(Wont be paying anything else off this other than monthly payments until debts have gone)


So:
Overdraft April £-1861.35 /May £-2093.99 - £232.64 (But have transferred CC3 to it for cheaper rate
CC1 April £-6471.16 / May £-6398.51 + £72.65
CC2 April £-763.21 / May £-646.25 + £116.96
CC3 April £-1266.02 / May £0 + £1266.02
Total paid off in April = £1222.99
Tomorrow DH Wages go in and some of mine. By the 8th May the overdraft will be clear, just need to keep it clear till end of May!
A definite struggle but I am still owed £580 which hasn't come through today so will now officially be in May. Also a mileage claim will be paid in May which may be around £180.


My May targets:


NO Spending at ALL!!! (Well we do have to eat lol), no eating out, clothes, anything at all actually!
Eat out of freezer, batch cook and frugal eat, I've warned them all and its tough! I will make lots of cakes and biscuits to help keep them on board
To have NO overdraft by 31st May, come on!!!!
Here is a big one: Ebay lots of "rubbish" and only grocery shop on the proceeds Failing that, but I am thinking positive, no more than £50 a week on food


Feeling great today!!!! Hopefully it will stay with me x

Cwtchie

Found a recipe today which made 50+ biscuits Very similar to shortbread but crunchier.
It is meant to make 100 biscuits but I made big ones
500g Marg
220g Sugar
395g Condensed Milk (Tin)
750g Self Raising Flour
Cream butter and sugar, add condensed milk and flour and beat on high for two more minutes. Roll into small balls (mine were about the size of a dobber marble lol) and then put onto greaseproof sheets on a baking tray, squash down with a fork and bake for 8-10 minutes on 180c, mine took more like 20 minutes but they were big
Next time I am going to mix, smarties, chocolate chips and maybe a smashed up crunchie to the mix.
Anyway, everyone here has given them the thumbs up!
Very cheap to make and loads of them


For tea I made pastry and cut it into a plait, filled it with cheese, two cut up rashers of bacon and some left over tomato and garlic sauce. Cooked it on 200c, served 4. Cheap as chips


Have started my diet again today, first full day for at least 2 weeks, I have no choice but to force myself


DH and I have looked into holidays, oh wow there are some really lovely places out there! ....and a price to go with it! At the moment to cut the cost realistically we are thinking about Self Catering or B & B in apartments. We don't really mind if we have bread and crisps for dinner and will then pay for a meal in the evening
A few years ago we went all inclusive to Rhodes and they served disgusting food, including ****** rabbit!!! Yuk! I ate soup and rolls all week. Waste of money. At least this time we can choose what we eat
The bigger contract I have is probably heading towards an end, no date yet but quite likely any month now. If I get a date I can plan to go away when that ends, so I don't loose more money than I need to.
Anyway have a lovely evening x

cazmanian_minx

Epic April reduction, well done :T:T:T:T:T:T:T