Courgette's 'Frugality gives us options' diary

earthgirl

Sounds great! Love city breaks and I think as kids get older it gets even easier. Hope you feel better soon x

Courgette

Wow is me, been really unwell. Have also been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid and my iron levels are very low again. In a very non-MSE move I bought a Nutri Ninja in the hope of boosting myself back up through fruit and veg rather than medication. The Ninja is fine but not really that much better than the blender we already had. I'm a bit cross with myself if I'm honest but I've used it every day and will continue to do so.

Feeling very worried by the turn of global politics. Really want to get to MF/financial independence but realistically it's years away. Feeling a bit helpless really, not sure what I can do to play my part

earthgirl

Sorry to hear that you have been feeling so unwell. If you have low iron and underactive thyroid, I'm guessing you are feeling a bit low, so be kind to yourself. If a nutri thing works for you, don't beat yourself up about it.

I'm not sure if there is anything that you can do politically, but I'm sure others will have some ideas

newgirly

Glad you enjoyed your London trip, sounds like you packed lots of good stuff in

Courgette

Thanks. It's a relief actually to find out there may be something medically wrong rather than just being a bit rubbish. I should know by the end of Feb.

Have been reading The Millionaire Next Door. An easy, enjoyable read with some good ideas and also some reassurances - frugality is definitely important!

One point it makes that got me thinking was that millionaires mount both a good defence and offence. Defence means frugality basically, watching all outgoings. Offence means keeping your earnings high. I think I'm pretty good generally at the defence but the offence needs more work. Thinking in terms of offence and defence is helpful for me though and I've started sorting my to do list along these two categories.

This morning has been a good defence session. I've carefully gone through our current account and have saved £39.75 pm through a combination of reducing our landline/broadband costs, our gas/elec and also cancelling our National Trust membership. Cancelling NT didn't feel great really but we haven't been since the car was stolen as the properties aren't really public transport friendly. Saving £39.75 pm reduces the mortgage term by 2 years and 7 months and saves £3934 in interest which is actually mind-blowing!

Am gonna go to Aldi in a mo and do a massive stock-up. I also have some more ideas of areas I can save more money.

In terms of offence - could do better, as always. I've been fiddling with some eBay listings, changing photos and descriptions, that sort of thing. We're also experimenting with autioning off some of the very slow selling stock but it's a risk as you can't set a minimum price (not lower than £50 anyway). We'll see how that goes.

I did some matched betting in my MSE hiatus. It was okay and I did make money but I found it to be a very weird combination or terror and tedium. Winnings are tax free though so it's really worth having another go. I'm trying to persuade DH to sign up but I don't think he's keen either!

Need to keep thinking about how to bring in more money without seeing even less of the kids than I already do

earthgirl

Thanks courgette! Have got hold of the book and will have a read.

I also like to think in terms of money saving and money making. I hadn't thought of making my daily lists in two columns though. I'll try that! Anything to stay focused.

Secret_Saving_Squirrel

I really liked that book as it backed up what I had always thought, that steady wins the game! I just wish I had read it a lot earlier in my life.

lincoln-potter

Courgette wrote: »

Thanks. It's a relief actually to find out there may be something medically wrong rather than just being a bit rubbish. I should know by the end of Feb.

Have been reading The Millionaire Next Door. An easy, enjoyable read with some good ideas and also some reassurances - frugality is definitely important!

One point it makes that got me thinking was that millionaires mount both a good defence and offence. Defence means frugality basically, watching all outgoings. Offence means keeping your earnings high. I think I'm pretty good generally at the defence but the offence needs more work. Thinking in terms of offence and defence is helpful for me though and I've started sorting my to do list along these two categories.

This morning has been a good defence session. I've carefully gone through our current account and have saved £39.75 pm through a combination of reducing our landline/broadband costs, our gas/elec and also cancelling our National Trust membership. Cancelling NT didn't feel great really but we haven't been since the car was stolen as the properties aren't really public transport friendly. Saving £39.75 pm reduces the mortgage term by 2 years and 7 months and saves £3934 in interest which is actually mind-blowing!

Am gonna go to Aldi in a mo and do a massive stock-up. I also have some more ideas of areas I can save more money.

In terms of offence - could do better, as always. I've been fiddling with some eBay listings, changing photos and descriptions, that sort of thing. We're also experimenting with autioning off some of the very slow selling stock but it's a risk as you can't set a minimum price (not lower than £50 anyway). We'll see how that goes.

I did some matched betting in my MSE hiatus. It was okay and I did make money but I found it to be a very weird combination or terror and tedium. Winnings are tax free though so it's really worth having another go. I'm trying to persuade DH to sign up but I don't think he's keen either!

Need to keep thinking about how to bring in more money without seeing even less of the kids than I already do

Sounds like you have been busy, I was meant to be going down to London over my birthday weekend but I cancelled it in the end.

One small word of warning about matched betting, whilst there is nothing against DH doing it also but if you do it off the same computer and thus same IP address you can be "gubbed" by some of the betting sites by thinking you are exploiting.

MamaSaver

Courgette, I was borderline over active thyroid a few years ago. I had just had a baby with reflux that didn't sleep and couldn't take a bottle. I was worn out and very highly stressed. The Doc advised to monitor rather than medicate, so I concentrated on deep breathing and meditation (when I got a chance). I did my best to reduce stress in my life (like cutting out activities that my other DD really didn't need to go to) and got as much sleep as I could. All this seemed to do the trick and made me go back within normal parameters. I'm not saying it'll work for everyone but it's worth a try.

Courgette wrote: »

One point it makes that got me thinking was that millionaires mount both a good defence and offence. Defence means frugality basically, watching all outgoings. Offence means keeping your earnings high. I think I'm pretty good generally at the defence but the offence needs more work. Thinking in terms of offence and defence is helpful for me though and I've started sorting my to do list along these two categories.

I read this book a few years ago, it all makes sense. You've inspired me to try out more of an "offence" approach again. I have really lost my mojo on that front.

Be kind to yourself

Courgette

Thanks Mamasaver.

To be honest I don't think I've ever really recovered from having DS3 over 3 years ago. I'm rather hopeful there could be a medical explanation and it's not me just being completely rubbish at life :rotfl::eek: We'll see

Lincoln Potter, yes I know about the limits on sign-ups per IP address but thanks for the reminder.

Just been phoned out of the blue by a recruitment agency I signed up with about 5 years ago. There's a possibility they'll have some daytime tuition for me with looked after kids paying around £20 per hour. Interesting. It will be during school hours too which is what I'm looking for in the longer term. I'm not really one for believing in asking the universe for stuff and all that business but it's interesting that at a point I'm thinking seriously about my offence I get a call out of the blue. A friend of mine has also asked whether she could invest in our eBay business as a way of her earning more money than she could in a savings account. Would it have been bad form if I'd told her to pay off her mortgage instead?!?

By the way, am I even spelling 'offence' right? I'm supposed to be a blooming English teacher! This is what I'm talking about re not having recovered from DS3, I'm really lacking mental clarity and recall and it's getting me down. I find I'm forgetting basic words like 'structure' in a lesson about poetry. I've suffered from depression before and this isn't it but I feel like I'm wading through treacle. I'm pinning my hopes actually on this being an underactive thyroid and that I can just be treated (and yes I know it's medication for the rest of my life) and get back on track again