New Year, different me

thrifty_fifty

Morning everyone Welcome on board Newpennypincher


Feeling more positive this morning, although I do still keep obsessing over my spreadsheet, what a pain in the backside to have to go through all this again.


Anyway January is always like the mental Olympics just trying to get through to the end and payday, so best thing is to put all of this out of my mind until I can do something about it.


Big NSD test today, have to do the weekly shop. I've already paid for this-I send money over to OH who likes to do the shopping as he loves food. I found £1.20 in coins around the house, so although I will most likely use this , I'm not counting it as a spend as it's bonus money. Going to get some lemonade 20p/litre bottle to take away the sweet food cravings, and 30p on lady items, leaving me with 70p left, not saying I won't be weak and spend that 70p on crisps-these are my weakness and I crave snack food more when I'm having tight-belt times such as these.


OH will buy me a sausage cob today for breakfast, I'm so excited about this (I know, small things), and we are going to the garden centre tomorrow, just to get ideas, not to buy, but it is where we used to rent our other house in the countryside. Our dream is to get back to the countryside and own a house one day


Going to try to stay positive today, get the rest of those decorations put away and not let the anxiety get a grip.


Have a great day everyone

Aloofdragon

Morning, your day today sounds just lovely, I love a wander and a dream around a garden centre I am taking over our veg plot in garden this year and have some wood hanging around I can build some raised beds so quite looking forward to a potter in the spring.
Your description of never finishing anything and can't sit and relax described me to a tee, but I had never clicked that is exactly what it is so thank you, I also pick, crave, potter, collapse anything not to sit and relax I really envy people who can curl up with a book surrounded in a tip and lose themselves it drives me crazy lol


Have a wonderful day and look forward to watching you busting that pesky loan first. x

thrifty_fifty

Welcome Aloofdragon. Veg plot sounds fab, I'd love to construct something out of spare wood. here's hoping we have a lovely summer like last year I'm on lettuce and carrot detail this year. Decided that any gaps in the flower border are going to be used to put veg in We're trying to find a Japanese cook book, so that we are really resourceful with the garden. Might finally get some chooks this year


About the loan, well, yeah, I think I might bust that with Februarys pay, as I'm just keen to get some money taken off that M&S card first Wishing you well on your journey too


Well I'm very proud of myself and very pleased to report that I did only spend the 50p from the 'found' money, took me ages to put all the coppers into the self serve machine


I took my credit cards and switch card out of my bag so I couldn't buy anything else (this is pretty scary at first), and I actually had an enjoyable shopping trip.


Now sitting enjoying my alternative to a bath (we only have a shower here, and I do miss my baths). I use a washing up bowl bought especially a few months back, and put some hot water and Radox green bubbles in there, just for the feet mind, but it's most of the way there to a warm bath


It was more than a little chilly in the car today, but it's all character building stuff, and we have had it a lot worse to be fair


Now actually managing to chill out (could be the lack of caffeine that is helping)


Hope you all have a fab day. xx


Ooh and that leads me to NSD number 3

judi24

Just wanted t pop in and say help Thrifty - I fully understand the procrastination - I am an expert! I love plotting and scheming but get stressed at the doing!


Like you I'd like to get better at doing things around the house rather than letting them get me stressed - but sometimes just getting started is the hardest part!


Anyway will be following your progress - you have done it before so can do it again!!!

thrifty_fifty

Hi Judi24


Thanks for popping by


All kinds of discoveries being made today, like the fact that as well as staying off the caffeine, I also need to stay off the alcohol, I don't drink much but any, it seems, is having an effect. I was doing well, until I thought I was a bit restless so had a martini and lemonade, within half an hour the butterflies were back, the nervousness, the detachment from surroundings and feeling down, hopeless, like everything was grey, I don't want to get out from the duvet, I don't want to go outside. That's not me, I'm usually an optimistic person. So now I know, steer clear of the caffeine, stay clear of the alcohol.


Camomile tea is a great help

thrifty_fifty

Awake early after having work dreams and the smoke alarm downstairs beeping (it does this when the room is too cold?!?)


Going to try and get another NSD today, however might have to have a spend day soon as when I went into the bathroom yesterday I realised that toothpaste, shampoo, face cream were running out, also that I'm due a haircut and the brows are going to need threading soon. Grrr how annoying.


I can't wait for payday, now just under three weeks away (23rd), so in lieu of making it come quicker, and more than once a day going in to edit my signature, just to see what it will look like, I'm going to post it here


M&S £2550/Natwest £3526/Loan £506/Sofa £0/Ring £250/savings £40.17 £6832 minus the savings my position is £6791.83


Well lets post February's pay day one too although this might have to alter due to necessary spending on the above


M&S £1949.55/Natwest £3476/Loan £416/Ring £150/Savings £102 £5992.31 so £5890.31 with savings


I've done the whole spreadsheet which shows that I should be done by August

thrifty_fifty

Have just ventured downstairs for some breakfast, and noticed that it is a lovely frosty day outside- more photo opportunities when we go out to the garden centre later this morning then


Breakfast is natural yoghurt with summer berries from the farm shop, granola and cranberries all followed up with a cup of blackberry and elderflower tea, and a multivitamin. Feel like I could do with another week off to get rid of this cold or whatever it is, but hey ho.


Feel determined today, to get the rest of the decs put away. We pick up our replacement clock for the living room today, bought with Christmas present money, so it will feel like our home is a little more like ours and a little more complete. We've thought about asking the landlord if we could buy this place, when we have the deposit together, as we've got it looking good.


I'm full of hope for the future, today


Wishing you all a very fabulous sunday. xx

thrifty_fifty

Well that's NSD number 4 under the belt, went to the shops and everything and wasn't even the slightest bit tempted. I put my credit card in my bag as a real test too


Feeling happy and relaxed today. Just having an hours me time before OH and I re-watch season 1 of The Walking Dead


Took a lovely photo while out and about today, all frosty fields


Clock is up, living room is tidied a bit more, now off for a nice shower to polish up for work tomorrow


Tasks tomorrow: Get train ticket (not including in NSD stuff as this is essential), get fruit with M&S voucher, pop into bank to reduce overdraft allowance to £25, I'm not in my overdraft but as of 1 December they start charging £6 for any amount over the first £25. I don't think so! First of all there won't be the temptation to use it, and secondly I'll be damned if I'm giving them £6 for nothing, I think they've taken the biscuit enough with the loan.


Then credit card will be taken out of bag for the rest of the week, so there is no temptation. Also going to go for walks and take photos over lunchbreak and not wander to the shops.


Also being out in the countryside today reminded me of our walks that we are going to start again-always makes me feel more relaxed and improves my mood. We're going to take the camping stove with us and have some sausage cobs along the way


No caffeine or alcohol today, feeling a lot better, so determined to stick with this

cazzyd

Sounds brilliant and positive. Sausage cobs!!! Yum! And The Walking Dead is brilliant, me and bf are all caught up, but I might rewatch, I rewatched up to the middle of s3 but catch up facility has all up to and including the last episode of the current series!!

thrifty_fifty

Had a slight blip earlier this evening with the anxiety when I got my swipe card for work ready to put in my bag, for the next hour felt sick, had the butterflies and couldn't stop clock watching. Two cups of camomile later, the time is still on my mind and I'm apprehensive about tomorrow, but at least the butterflies and sicky feeling have gone . Just focussing on not spending, and positive move with that overdraft reduction, then if I concentrate on planning for my next assignment while waiting for the next course to start on the 21st, this will distract me from work and give me hope for the future, and also think of the ring, I have been paying that off each month for just over a year, it was so worth doing it this way, and I'll appreciate it when I get it in March