Positive thinking!

Cwtchie

Morning! A weird month for me. DH and I went on holiday, a second honeymoon really absolutely lovely, lazed on the beach all day after a lie in, meal in the evening, same each day. Came home and I'd gone back up to 10.5 so not too bad really.
So,pleased to be back though missed my kids terribly.
Reality has kicked in, whereas initially when I gave up the contracts I was too numb to consider my finances I am now feeling a bit sick.
Have spent the last month cutting back, changing direct debits, meal planning and cooking from scratch.
The central heating broke again, in fact doing the same as last year so I am not paying another £820 to have it "fixed".
Have spent 3 mornings a week and a Saturday decorating my mums repossession another 6 weeks and it will probably be done.
Sewing/auto trimming is going ok, I am still suffering nerves when working for a client instead of just trimming and them selling the part.
DH and DS business doing great.
DD has gone to university which was a surprise, studying horse management, very proud of her, she said may become an equine lecturer
My first cushings pony had his dose doubled but has been very ill since. I've contacted the vets and they have dropped him back to original dose and we will see if we can up it very slowly, he is now back to normal.
We have tied the gates to the main yard and also themlittlemone which gives access to the fields, together and he is able to wander into one paddock and back into his stable at will, he is very happy lol!
Need to keep smiling

Cwtchie

I need to visit daily, the realisation has just hit. When I don't post, it means I've stopped being careful, need to post everyday, that's everyday from now on!
I've collected all the pennies from draws downstairs and added the change in my purse under £1 coins and I have £2.75 in the little plastic bag, I will add to it each time I spend cash as the new rule is anything in my purse under a £1 coin goes in the bag. That way I think it will force me to really want to buy something if it means splitting a note, the item I buy becomes a lot more expensive
I've added up the bills and the wages and have decided as much as humanely possible to leave the difference in the account to reduce the overdraft which is at £2709 eekk! I only have one credit card now which is approx £6000 still but the others are GONE! I need to find money each month to pay for hay, feed, shoes(every other month), food and petrol. So £435 before food and petrol. So far for November trimming £180, wages from decorating my mums house (feel mean but it's a money making venture for her) so about £216 minimum, cashing euros back in £80 so total of £476 raised. However the car has just broken so DH has given it to a neighbour to repair as it's cheaper for him to do it than for DH to take time off his business, it is going to cost a minimum of £150 I should think, so looking for £109 to find. Either I have to do more hours decorating or trim like mad, not going to panic about it yet, but will keep it at front of my mind.
Food/shopping this month will HAVE to be almost zero, so freezer living and home baking, DS and DD very often eat at respective partners houses so very often it is just DH and me for tea, so homemade soups, egg on toast, toad in the hole and mash, pasta, homemade pies etc are going to have to play a big part. One soup with homemade bread and one meal of egg on toast is 2 evenings a week cheap. I'm a dab hand at spreading corn beef as well so that's going to have to do its job. Will put one chicken breast less in the curry or pasta dish and put half the bacon in the pies which will double each meal. Going to be a long month
I can't deny I'm not nervous but as long as I stay positive and focuses I'm in with a chance, fingers crossed anyway.
I was so tight earlier I refused point blank to buy sweets for trick or treaters tonight, then out of shame (they didn't really like the digestive biscuit out of the barrel last year lol) I bought sweets, in case the neighbours children called as they are old enough now, so gave DS a budget of £2 and instructions to get as much as possible. He came back with two big bags of haribo sweets with individual packets inside for the grand total of £1.78 after his DG discount in home bargains.
I am currently sat here thinking what a bloody waste as no one has called! Aarrghhhh! Probably because of the biscuits last year lol

Cwtchie

It's officially my day off tomorrow, no decorating or trimming. I may trim in the afternoon which will mean I'm free of orders if I can finish the little one I've started and gives me more time in November to try to earn more money.
Weight today was good 10 stone, really pleased with myself that's 2 stone 3 or 4 pound lost in all. Even my tightest jeans are now beginning to look shapeless on me, won't be buying no way! Will take in and shorten etc. If I'm absolutely desperate then charity shop it will be but not before I've earned the money.

Cwtchie

Beautiful morning here in Wales . Sun is beaming down
Jobs for today:
Muck out 4 stables, feed and turnout
Attempt to clear part of veg patch
Wash living room curtains and cushion covers
Make fudge??
Also thinking whether I should sell my horse lorry?? . Due to finances we haven't competed since June, my DH and DS business could really do with a pick up truck so if I sold the lorry we could buy a truck and a nice trailer? There would be more room in the barn as only a trailer would be in there and that would mean that more parts/cars could be stored, in addition the only mot and tax and insurance needed would be on the truck which would replace our car....only problem is DD will be upset and might feel that I've lost interest or that I don't believe in her anymore. If would also mean that we don't go to big shows where we stay away or we camp lol! The lorry really does come into its own at shows like that but honestly we don't do more than 3 even when we are competing seriously.
Why do decisions like these have to be made, if only we'd won the lottery last night (sigh)
Feeling frustrated

Cwtchie

Have mucked out, fed and turned out, then later wandered down the field and took off rugs, boiling hot ponies! Dragged rugs up the bottom paddock but that was it, couldn't go any further so DH will take the quad down later and bring them up ready for tonight.
Cleared three quarters of the one raised bed it's about 8 ft X 8ft was covered in grass, which grew since August! Heavy work and I had to keep separating the bushes DH planted earlier in the year to grow on, because the grass had smothered them, not much more to do in that bed but ran out of steam
Washed and dried curtains and cushion covers, I will iron them tomorrow
Couldn't make fudge because I haven't got any vanilla essence
Spoke to DD about sale of lorry, she has suggested we wait till the spring/summer, it's not costing anything another than depreciation in the barn and then look at finances and decided what's best. I've agreed, feels better now we've discussed it and made a decision
Over did it a bit gardening lol, used muscles which have seen better days! So need to go and bring in gee gees, then book parcels and wrap them for DH and DS. I get paid so yay!
Dinner tonight is chicken (which I am doing more of for tomorrow) in a discounted so juicy sauce from the back of the cupboard with potatoes for me and rice for DH once again we are in our own
My mum had a chat to me and suggested I work more days for her, so mon-fri and do a minimum of two hours per day, more if possible. Mum said her house gets done quicker and I get more money! Thank you
TV tonight whilst reading mse is Jeckyll and Hyde, X Factor and then the Mexican Grand Prix
I also need to go and ransack DH bedside cabinet which is full of change, I am allowed twos, fives and pennies lol

Cwtchie

Record of debt and mortgage
Mortgage £167,751.20
CC1 £6003.95
O/D £2669.52

Today is a nsd no direct debits no spending . 1 for November
I am going to see if I can push the horses feet a little bit longer than 5/6 weeks, maybe I could get away with 6/7. Would be a £491 per year saving if I changed to 7 weeks from five at least through the winter, will see be a few hundred even if I change to 6.5 weeks. One is shod but needs to be due to conformation and the others are trims, so can't cut back any more.

Cwtchie

Another very sunny day here today.
Jobs todo:
Muck out, feed and turnout
Dishes
Complete one order for trimming business
Make biscuits
Ironing curtains and cushions from yesterday
Wrap and book orders when sold
I'm sure there is lots more...if muscles allow finish weeding the veg box that I have started
To be honest I don't like this feeling, last year at this time I had boxes of blackberries and onions stored in the freezer, mint and parsley and runner beans, I have nothing, it has been awful for our veg this year, I definitely have to get on top of the weeding and make sure it is more than ready for the spring
Off to start the jobs ......

DebtFree2012

Morning Lovely to see you posting again!

In the winter ours are pushed back to 8 weeks, pony 10 some times are their growth rate reduces dramatically. I realised it was a habit of timing for when we were getting them done, opposed to looking and deciding if they need doing!

Are you preparing the veg bed for next years season?

Take care.

Cwtchie

Hi DebtFree2012, yes I am. If I face all the grass which will be much more by the spring, it will put me off and I don't want that's! So if I get it tidied up and ready I'll have more to encourage me lol. Also we want to cut up all the veg plants and put them through the mulched and dig them in
Horses all done, took me an hour this morning I must have been going slow
Quick bath now as I ran out of time last night and then trimming

Cwtchie

Been a long day, just waiting to bring in the horses. Dinner tonight toad in the hole and mash, didn't have it yesterday. DD just got home from university:)