NST: September: the Turtles go Wombling

498louise

traveller wrote: »

If ever there was a post that makes you think it's aimed at you,for me,this afternoon its this one. I too had my first two kids at your age and went on to have two more who are now 16 and 7. I have been trying to rid my credit card debt for two years. I have got to the stage where I'm feeling fed up, burnt out and dissatisfied with work. There may be a voluntary redundancy coming up. I would never given this any thoughts before,but over the last few days it's been all I can think of. Thing is, I don't know what I'd do as right now I have no disire to do anything for a few months. But, I'm also a single parent,so feel guilty to even be having such thoughts. Im very obsessive regarding order so probably wouldn't be brave enough,but the reason you give for wanting financial security and for me,talking about what life's all about has really hit home :T

Traveller - sorry to hear that you are feeling so fed up and drained at the moment. I think we all need to stand back every so often and have a good long hard think about what we are doing and where we are heading and figure out if we are on the right path/what we can do to make things better. It does make it harder when you are a single parent. Although my husband is the father of my children, we weren't together for the first few years of my daughter's life and I remember the feeling of pressure of that absolute responsibility. You talking about not wanting to do anything for a few months reminds me of times in my life where I have just wanted to press the pause button and take some time out to just rest and organise my life before unpausing it again. I hope you manage to figure out the best way forward for you and your children

crazy_cat_lady

Hi everyone
Thanks so much for sharing all of your Christmas plans. I am looking for new inspiration this year for Christmas so it's nice to read about what other people are doing. For me it's all about being with people that I love, so I'm looking forward to being home with DH, kids and cats.
I have spent today, but only on the grocery shop which comes around every fortnight on a Friday as planned - so nothing too extravagant. Made stir fried chicken with egg fried rice for dinner, which seems to have gone down well, and there are plenty of leftovers to have at a later date.
No extra payments to CC this week when I've been at work, but I'm hoping to get myself in order over the weekend and update the budget.
As for recipes - I will post as I do - but I just tend to bung stuff in a pan or pot and see what happens. Leftover roast dinner last week got mixed with gravy and made into a pie filling.

498louise

Apple muncher - gulp you are right, it is time to start seriously planning for Christmas. I do love Christmas :xmassmile

WelshKitty85

Hi everyone!

I'm loving reading all your Christmas plans! Calling I will be looking at everyone in the crowd on Xmas eve wondering which one is you! Traveller Xmas eve is like our Xmas day, minus the presents. Although I spend Christmas Day with the children, it often feels like everyone else is fighting for their attention, so Xmas eve is quality time together.

It's feeling really wintery here today. Have dug out some thermal curtains that mil gave to us last year. They are massive, but I have managed to turn them up at the bottom and hand stitch them to shorten them. They look ok and fall behind the sofa anyway so nobody would know if they weren't straight! I am also half way through turning an old bed sheet into a pair of curtains and I have pegged some sheets over the children's windows to keep some heat in. I splashed out £3 on some hot water bottles today and placed them in little ones beds half an hour before they went up tonight.

Done the weekly shop. Got a huge haul from the butchers for £30. Ald! had loads of items reduced so went slightly off my shopping list but got some frozen items reduced to stock up the freezer and got some reading books, notebooks and pillow pets all reduced to put away for little ones Christmas presents.

Budgets now look like:
Fuel - £93.08/£120
Groceries - £119.31/£200
Business - £23.44/£50
Anniversary - 0/£50

The presents came out of the grocery fund as I hadn't budgeted for them separately this month. The budget is looking quite tight for the rest of the month, but we are quite well stocked up so shouldn't need to but too much. Will update my meal plan tonight.

mothernerd

Just popping in. Had a viewing at 4pm today (no feedback yet) so Wednesday evening, yesterday and today (written Friday) spent several hours dismantling the attic cupboard, bringing all the cupboard pieces and some random items stored in it downstairs and stashed in the garden shed, weeding, pruning and cleaning.

Not done as much as there was to do (keep noticing dusty skirtings and stairs - between the posts - could do with doing again) but have done lots. Keeping going with hot baths, ibruprofen and lots of naps but content with the ache of muscles I haven't used for so long. A few short weeks ago I had to rest after every 15 minutes and now am doing so much (even with much huffing and puffing).

All four large tubs with shrubs have been brought back on faithful dolly - next stage the bins:eek:. When wheelie bins were introduced I acquired some bins (2 plastic, one metal) and also have a dolly tub (was joint toy box when we were tiny). They had fruit trees in when I moved to the other house (did it with dolly then) but now two have nut trees, one has hm compost (will have to bag that separately) and the other may have soil (kicked it earlier and think it has soil, judging by the echo but it has another 30l pot with shrub on top so not certain).

Spent £20.17 on cc but £11 was 2 bunches of flowers for the viewing (no flowering or berried branches atm) and yet another flat of bedding plants (as Summer bedding is nearly over). The rest was food. I have food in and am trying not to spend at all but some things help the other food go further, so loaf of bread and apples (ate a tin of pears at the beginning of the week, no other fruit in stock). All from a list (left some things because they didn't have/ were too expensive).

Christmas is on hold. DS3 and gf usually have Christmas here in November or early December, then go to her family for Christmas. So usually grab leg of lamb (+other joint) any time now, when I see a bargain, cook, slice and freeze. Sometimes get the sort of thing I wouldn't usually buy (canape type) from the ys shelf to add variety and freeze veg etc when reduced. Mum is totally wrapped up in her partner's family so hasn't been to ours for 17 years (I stopped asking after the first five) and if things go to plan will be hundreds of miles away this year as one of his grand-daughters is having a Christmas wedding. I only buy for mum, her partner and DS3 (bought for DS2 when he was ill, including extra food but usually deduct cash for DS1 and DS2 from what they owe me).

Very happy with Christmas on my own, good simple food, lots of books, music and films I choose and this year I hope lots of walking. Have had lots of lovely family Christmases when boys were small and would do so again if I had grandchildren but like this type of Christmas which has 'evolved' over the past few years (did one where various friends of my sons who had no where else to go stayed and we all made Christmas dinner together). I like trees and candles (lots of candles)

DS3's gf and her chinchillas were set to move in with us last Sunday but that is now on hold. However as she has finally given up her 'no hours contract and bullying supervisor got promoted' job after two years of struggling she may come for a longer visit (several weeks) as they have only been seeing each other once every 3 months on average during that time. Or she could still be moving in.

dolly84

academia - good news about the car share.

Today me and DH are going cycling, we will be off soon for about an hour then shower and off to Lidl for a full grocery shop. After lunch DH and DS are going to DS's first football tournament of the new season. I was planning to go into town with DD, have a wander around the shops, try to get her a new lunch box as the one we got for going back to school is a huge thing with compartments but you can hardly fit anything in it and shut the lids, then call at Costa for a treat. DD did however mention going to her friends to meet with some other girls so we will see. I may have to go alone.

The new route for the school run worked out quite well yesterday (especially compared to Wed/Thurs nightmare), DD and her friend walked through the town and me and DS walked to meet them, I saw DD before she saw me and she looked so happy walking down the hill with all the other grammar school kids, wearing her blazer with pride - bless.

Bobarella

Mothernerd - great to hear how you are getting on. Your Christmas plans sound really lovely. Must be funny waiting to hear if you are to have house guests again or not....

Dolly- Have a good cycle. Lovely to hear your daughter is settling well into her new school. And that the journey was better too.

I need to pop out in a moment to get a small gift for the birthday girl. Son has made her a card already and we'll reuse gift wrap that I've kept from previous gifts.
I've made OH and I a lunchbox to take with us today as son will get fed at the birthday party. It's too far to go and come back in the allocated time, & there is a wonderful library nearby where we can hang out for a bit. Plus the enormous sports shop. I need to look for a high vis shower proof jacket.

Anyway I'm off to start the day. Have a great one all.

Bob

P.S Traveller - sorry to hear you have been feeling a bit stuck with work etc. And believe me if you saw me in the evenings you wouldn't think I was such a power house. I get very niggling pains in my upper legs and hips and watching me get out of a chair is pretty hilarious take care x

nannygladys

Bob you are right I have done the all the childcare, uni., stuff etc as I have 3 girls and now dgc!! I can remember having two jobs (full time office and p/t pub or shop jobs) to make ends meet and all that goes with being a single parent, so I suppose I should take it a bit easier, it's just that you lot just remind me how old I really are, but having said that I think life is a lot more complicated now, things were simpler when my girls were young, school, holidays, toys etc, it didn't seem so competitive somehow but I suppose all the choices weren't there like they are now. I didn't have a credit card until my dd went to live abroad and then I only used it to buy flights, and overdrafts weren't around to the likes of my bank account, so I had to deal in cash and if I didn't have it then we went without, I'm not saying I budgeted very well because I didn't, I was always broke and when it came to Xmas I went without for weeks to get some presents for them, the girls always had meat and two veg but often I would buy a cheap packet of biscuits and take all day to eat them (hence my bad relationship with food now) but we got by. How did I get onto this?????

OK, it was a spendy day yesterday but only on food and off my list so that was fine. Xmas I haven't any idea what I'm doing, going or coming here, I wish I could just shut the door and be on my own but I know it won't be like that and I'm really not looking forwards to it.

Have a good weekend everyone
Nannyg

Carviscocker

Hi! Today will be a no spend day and I've made my food for work later. I've had soup from the freezer and yellow sticker bread for lunch. I plan to do the same for the next couple of days whilst I'm at work.

I've been doing swag bucks and loading my receipts to tesco in the hope of winning the voucher! My siblings are quite a bit younger and still at uni so I've told them I'll get their Crimbo presents off amazon if they tell me what they want... Left out I'm hoping to pay solely with the vouchers off of SB!

Had a bit of a wobble about the money saving/debt reducing efforts but I just need to remember that if I can get paid I'll be at least £250 a month better off. If I can do it I can save to do up my flat and get it how I want.

Onwards and downwards!

apple_muncher

nannyg - I hope you do get to have at least some of what you want at Christmas, and do not have to spend it all doing what other people want. Hugs x