A whole new world

belleandthebudget

Hi Carrot Cake, thanks! At the top of the first post there's a drop down menu called Thread Tools - if you click on that it gives you the option to subscribe!

Mrs Save - that's EXACTLY what I've been up to, open a bottle for 1 glass just cause it's been A Day and end up with not much left in it! it's been a nice break not to.

crazy_cat_lady

I've stopped drinking... Long story that I won't bore you with but I spent most of Christmas and NY drunk, and then started drinking every night in the run up to exams. Then it hit me like a light bulb that it was a waste of money, and a silly thing to rely on to use as a stress reliever, and not helping my quest to get fitter and lose weight. I found it very easy once I made the decision and I feel lots better for it.

belleandthebudget

Yeah, I think I'd just become complacent about drinking. But tonight I went to a work group drinks and just had soda water - had a fab time and the evening cost me NOTHING as the barman didn't charge me for my soda and limes.

When drinking it would easily cost £30 for drinks with work. Crazy!

I don't think I'll go tee total but I'll definitely drink a lot less and a lot less frequently.

Orange_Ena

I love cheap nights out like that. I don't drink and I usually drink tap water for free in the pub. I've even gone home with a profit before now when friends have given me a little petrol money to drop them off. :rotfl::D

lcc86

I'm in the meh camp for drink these days, I used to spend a fortune on nights out but just can't be bothered these days. Plus I feel I've got better things to be spending money on than booze!

belleandthebudget

Orange_Ena wrote: »

I love cheap nights out like that. I don't drink and I usually drink tap water for free in the pub. I've even gone home with a profit before now when friends have given me a little petrol money to drop them off. :rotfl::D

Sounds like you're on to a winner there! I'm really enjoying it to be honest. The only "problem" is everybody asking why I'm not drinking. I had work drinks today as well (I think everyone is trying to cling to the last dregs of summer) and stuck to soda water throughout, it's so easy. And cheap!

lcc86 wrote: »

I'm in the meh camp for drink these days, I used to spend a fortune on nights out but just can't be bothered these days. Plus I feel I've got better things to be spending money on than booze!

I'm with you! The funny thing is, I don't know if I would have had the true motivation to stick to no booze if it hadn't been for MSE. I've been so pleased with all the money saved and with all the water I'm drinking - good for the skin! - that it's like a double-whammy!

Have just rejigged YNAB with the money I have for the coming month. Got the water bill through which is always a gut punch but it's not as bad as it could have been and I have money in my tiny emergency fund to cover it, which is fantastic and a definite first.

Here's to a frugal weekend! I'm hoping to get some cleaning and tidying done. Lots of laundry. Maybe go outside to the park if the weather holds up and finish my book. Most of all I'm going to try and avoid spending money, the NSDs haven't been flowing so I need to make a real effort next week. :cool:

belleandthebudget

It's 27 days until next payday!

I've made a budget and hope to have my best month for groceries yet. Meal planning and cooking for myself will definitely be happening. This is a four week month for me rather than five so I should have a little left in the super strict budget if I can stick to my roughly allotted £30 a week (for one adult).

I received a lovely letter from a friend and have written one back so I need to pop out and post that. No one my age writes letters or cards much anymore so it was particularly special. I should have stamps I can hunt down!

I'll report back with some Saturday progress later. Have a great day MSE buddies!

belleandthebudget

Something that I've never really talked about but would be good to get off my chest. I'm pretty much 100% sure I have undiagnosed adult ADHD. Reading articles by people with the condition, taking some online tests (nothing that constitutes medical advice, I understand that) - I relate and score very highly.

There have always been jokes about my terrible attention span but I'm seen as a high functioning person with a great job and the ability to run my life without outside help, so I doubt anyone would slap a stick on my that said ADHD.

But I get distracted almost comically easily, procrastinate terribly, forget to do things if I don't immediately write them down in detail, struggle to finish tasks without running off to do something else, cut people off halfway through a sentence, restless/anxious, difficulty concentrating/listening to people even when it's a one on one conversation, find it hard to sit through meetings presentations where I have to sit still and be quiet for a length of time, deal with ridiculous levels of frustration having to wait in line or something, clearly some seriously impulsive spending, impulsive eating, and I'm commitment shy in the world of romance.

The joke is, oh that Belle, she's got no patience, no attention span, totally disorganised. (Though my work think I'm hilariously organised... I'm not, I just couldn't cope if I didn't write everything down!)

Now I have so many doc appointments for my physical health that I seriously doubt I'll end up being assessed, especially as I have no desire to go on any medication for it, but I have been looking at blogs and medical websites for helpful tips in managing the condition and lots of them seem to make sense.

I don't really want to tell anyone. I have so much medical stuff going on I'm sure people think I'm a hypochondriac. And, if I'm self-managing none of this should take me away from commitments like work or anything. But if they can help me be less stressed (I literally sometimes jump out of my seat thinking I've forgotten to pay rent or a bill even when I haven't) then it can only be a good thing.

As I implement some changes I'll let you know how I'm getting along.

Stuck to the food budget today and I still have £6.41 in my wallet for little bits and pieces at work during the week, so that's a definite positive.

Going to get my diary out and check through anything that needs prepped for next week (ADHD Baby Step 1!!) and do some shredding of docs I no longer need. I got some shredding scissors as they were smaller and MUCH MUCH cheaper than an actual shredder, hope they hold out!

crazy_cat_lady

Obviously I don't know how old you are - but ADHD is a relatively 'new' diagnosis. I have a friend who I am convinced is on the spectrum somewhere but has never been diagnosed because she was an adult before ADHD became a 'thing'. If you recognise the symptoms in yourself and can put steps in to manage it without medication then I would say go ahead with that. Being a teacher and working with some kids who take Ritalin for ADHD I can honestly say that while it's good in terms of getting enough peace and quiet for getting through a class, I do think it turns them a bit towards zombie status.
My humble opinion is that if you are aware of it and can manage it then that's a brilliant start.

belleandthebudget

Thanks CCL, I'm 29 and I doubt it would have even been thought about, especially in the very small rural area I grew up in.

I was very lucky to be smart enough to coast through most of school but looking back I see a lot of things that could have been pegged as disruptive if teachers hadn't found me charming. I found university VERY difficult as I test well but can't pay attention to complex lectures or research for dissertations. I tend to test well but still remember finishing an exam 30 minutes into 2 hours and being rageful that I had to sit quietly and couldn't leave.

I took SSRIs for awhile about 7 years ago (injury and rough time at uni struggling to keep up academically for the first time) and hated how I could FEEL my thinking patterns change. I have a creative job and would be a bit scared of meds but I do think monitoring and making allowances/adjustments for my brain could help dispel a lot of stress and "feeling like a failure".

My parents definitely never would have had me tested. They're quite hippy dippy and always enjoyed my small-medium scale flaunting of authority.