STOPPING robbing Peter to pay Paul...my journey...

blubella

The weekend is finally here..I have really struggled over the past week with lack of sleep, sometimes only 4.5hrs. I think it's had a bit of an impact upon work... as I haven't really been that motivated, been so desparate for the week to end .

Another NSD yesterday making 2/10...i...think it's going to be a spend day soon though as I need some fresh veggies and eggs; I may be able to stretch that until Monday especially as I won't be here Sun/Mon. My friend and I are going wild camping on Dartmoor over the weekend... I have visions of the summer slipping away, so want to make the most of it.

Need a to do list for the weekend, hope the weather holds out as lots to do in the garden.

• Take bag of decluttered items to charity shop
• Make cauliflower cheese
• Go for a run
• Weed raised beds
• Empty dumpy bag in to green bin
• Mow lawn
• Move scrap wood shed to back garden
• List freecycle items
• Clean bedroom
• Hoover and mop kitchen
• Declutter living room of paperwork

Better get out of bed and get going ...have a great weekend x

blubella

Didn't get too much off of the to do list over the weekend.

• [STRIKE]Take bag of decluttered items to charity shop[/STRIKE]
• Make cauliflower cheese
• Go for a run
• Weed raised beds
• Empty dumpy bag in to green bin
• [STRIKE]Mow lawn[/STRIKE]
• Move scrap wood shed to back garden
• List freecycle items
• Clean bedroom
• [STRIKE]Hoover and mop kitchen[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Declutter living room of paperwork[/STRIKE]

Went camping on Dartmoor, was lovely but friend overspent on food instead of sticking to the list :mad: which means I owe her half.


Son messaged me saying he is thinking of returning home, not sure what I am going to do? Not enough room for him and lodger as I only have 2 bedrooms, bit of a worry really as I have come to depend on the extra pennies.



Another NSD on Mon/Tues 4/10

blubella

I have £222.97 to last me until payday..if I can be super frugal I may actually have something to pay the debt down!

Been reading a blog which suggests having one month of the year using all the storecupboard staples and freezer meals and just purchasing fruit/veg/milk etc...i'm wondering if I can manage that until the end of the month? It may be doable..?

Have to find some money in the budget for Mum's birthday and fuel to get to work..but planning a weekend at home to get some of those garden jobs cmpleted!

blubella

Got a few more things off of the to do list, going to try and cut the hedges today..the green bin is almost full now. Planted up some flowers into pots yesterday that have been waiting for ages and gave the vegetables a good feed.

I also painted an old wooden chair which looks lovely 'a la shabby chic' , will have a go at the other one today..have friend popping for lunch...and my very own home grown courgette will make an appearance in the salad!

• [STRIKE]Take bag of decluttered items to charity shop[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Make cauliflower cheese[/STRIKE]
• Go for a run (knee is hurting so may hold off)
• [STRIKE]Weed raised beds[/STRIKE]
• Empty dumpy bag in to green bin (started but may have to carry over for when green bin is emptied!)
• [STRIKE]Mow lawn[/STRIKE]
• Move scrap wood shed to back garden (listed on freecycle..want rid)
• [STRIKE]List freecycle items[/STRIKE]
• Clean bedroom
• [STRIKE]Hoover and mop kitchen[/STRIKE]
• [STRIKE]Declutter living room of paperwork[/STRIKE]

Was feeling a bit down and sorry for myself yesterday and all because of some flippant comment made by BF. Don't know why I let things get to me..but it makes me re-evaluate..

Today I have woken up full of positivity and thinking about ways to earn extra cash...think I am going to try to upcycle some clothing.. I am a self confessed fabric horder, and have sewing experience from my YTS days..so I am thinking of putting my skills to use..this has been my thoughts many times but my motivation wanes. I have a book of ideas and I really want to get rid of this debt asap..so I am going to have a play around today.

blubella

Not so good news yesterday..lodger has given notice..I will be £365 worse off next month. Also, looks like DS is returning home after all, although I think he intends to find a place of his own to live with friends eventually, but it will put the squeeze on.

So, I have lost count of my NSD's which judging by YNAB they must be few and far between.. I have just had a bit of a reality check.. I have spent £85 eating out over the month and £165.77 since my last pay day on groceries for one!! I am really disappointed in myself and pretty disgusted..no wonder the muffin is rising again !

I need to work much harder next month and plan on not going out to eat with friends...just been reading some die hard frugallers blogs, i'm in for a tough ride..

blubella

I've spent the afternoon emptying the freezer and checking store cupboard contents in anticipation of a meal plan. Just used some veggie meatballs, homemade caper and tomato sauce with spaghetti for lunch..yum

Have lots on the meal plan for the next week...going to try not to spend until the weekend, will be hard but there is little money left this month. Going to make overnight oats and use up the frozen fruit. I made some bean burgers, stuffed peppers, chicken cashew curry sometime ago, so it will all make an appearance on the menu in the next week! Also planning on making a sausage and bean stew in the slow cooker...Will use up some chicken sausages, peppers, onions and butter beans!

Have two birthdays to factor in, will need to consider this in the long-term plan..pretty sure I will be a little overdrawn this month..

blubella

Have been away on Saturday night to a music event which was paid for last year..I think i did pretty well, i had £10 in my purse which was spent on a few drinks but did not buy anything else.

Was nusring a hangover yesterday and dreaming of roast dinner but managed to avoid the shops altogther ..used up the remainder of the caperberry and tomato sauce with pasta for lunch and eggs and wedges for dinner. So, today i have a dental appointment and not likely to want to eat for quite a few hours. Going to make the sausage and bean stew today with the fridge content leftovers..only 2 more days to pay day..I think i'm going to make it!!

in_need_of_direction

You're doing really well on the grocery side.

blubella

Have been cracking on with some cooking today using all the storecupoard and freezer bits. Made the butterbean and chicken sausage stew, a courgette (homegrown ), pea, mint and almond soup, and two wholemeal loaves....call me Delia!

I think it is my first wholemeal loaf success ever..it usually turns out really dense but super proud of these two. Think I will stick one in the freezer for next week and I have toast for the rest of the week...!

Feeling really good for eeeking things out and hoping to extend frugaldom for the rest of the week. Can it be done? No fresh veg in the fridge is the killer for me and i'm craving something sweet...I will give it my best shot..

Going to have a good attempt at stripping things back this month and only purchase the essentials..have to pay second installment on boiler repair , collect son from Heathrow and passport needs to be renewed..that may have to wait!

blubella

Yay, I have reached payday without purchasing any additional groceries since last week :j so I am going to try and string it out for today at least. Unfortunately we have a bring and share tomorrow and i have agreed to make some dips and bring tortillas for a retirement party.

I have just discovered the supermarket app which tells me the cheapest supermarket to buy my groceries! I will have to nip in for a couple of ingredients later but I do have some houmous ingredients kicking around... i also promise to take out the almond milk that i have just put in to my virtual basket and use up the soya milk that i have in the cupboard i have just made a strawberry and soya milkshake to use up the past it strawberries and added some chia and linseeds and coconut oil

So, I have commited to the uber frugal month challenge which is going to be really difficult with DS returning home next week. It's frugal tough love which will enable me to expand my understanding of my finances apparently!

I started my homework in the early hours of this morning when I lay awake, of trying to establish my goals?

Goal setting questions:
1. Why are you participating in the challenge?
2. What do you hope to achieve?
3. What are your long-term life goals?
4. Where do you want to be in 10 years?
5. What about your current lifestyle might prevent those goals from coming to fruition and what can you do about it?

I will pop back later to share my thoughts x