Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2016

Lynplatinum

Evening all

Appologise for the rather miserable and self indulgent post yesterday. I had a much better day today - the sun shone - so got washing out before catching a bus to the Bank. In the bank the actual cashier was lovely and very helpful. So all business delt with.

Then had my sani lunch sitting overlooking the sea and so chastised myself for being such a misery yesterday. Its not the end of the world and if I am really careful with my food spends I can 'pay myself' back slowly - the same way I got rid of previous debt.

I am just so lucky - and I do deserve the good things because I have worked hard to achieve what I have got however, success is only 50% perspiration + 40% preparation + being in the right place at the right time i.e. sheer luck.

dND - that is a horrendus amount to pay em WOW! And thanks for your support
Welcome back Purplebat and what a lot you have got done!!
Floss mmmmmmmmm 1kg raspberries - ohhhh I miss me raspberry canes!

Make do: Sanis and bottle of water from home instead of eating out
Mend: my head a bit + spent an hour talking to a friend who is in a bad place and hopefully helped them mend a bit by getting them to create a 'to do list' rather than sitting panicking about everything.
Minimise: hopefully me cos I did a lot of walking today + turned a butternut squash into a meal with feta; tomatoes; garlic and pasta. So that minimised the veg stock+ making do with what is in the house.
More tomorrow - frugaling away! folks :A

savingpennies

Hello to everyone,

Poppy - So sad to hear of your loss and as others have said, baby steps and take it one day at a time.

It was so glorious today we went up to Fleetwood for a walk along the front. There were quite a few grandparents out with children having a MMM day - picnics, buckets and spades, etc. It was lovely to see. I was with both my DDs and we were telling DD2's boyfriend about crab fishing in the boating lake when they were kids with a bucket, some string and bits of bacon.

I'm having to make do with no oven. It packed up on me last week. I'm planning to have a new kitchen next year and hoped it would last until then:mad: So now I'm looking at replacements that I can have re-fitted when we do get the new kitchen. In the meantime I have discovered how to use my microwave better.

Enjoy the weather everyone while it lasts.

mrs-moneypenny

Morning all
Savingpennies hope you can find the cooker you want.
Lynn glad you are feeling a lot happier now.

Currently going through clothes and minimising what I don't need/want to the local CS or the clothes bank.

Tonight tea will be what's left from last nights veggie shepherds pie.

Have a good day all.

poppy811

Hi, Many thanks for all your welcome and kindness, it is very comforting. I need to be super careful money wise as not only have I had the funeral expenses but have had to pay out for new car insurance and car tax and then of course the element on the oven went! Reminding myself that I have lived on a lot less when I put my mind to it. Gradually clearing the shed of some of " might come in useful" items via charity shops and the tip. All my late husbands workshop tools are in our local auction this weekend so hopefully that will be a bit of a boost to the finances.

tighteningthebelt

Poppy
Sounds like you are coping with all the practicalities really well. Such a sad time for you. X

Floss
Love the sound of your new life. I work-crashed last year and stuck to my self-promise that I would only work within my little town, had to be flexible about the type of work and lost some pay, but have never been happier! Hope your charity job gives you the same life-joy.

savingpennies

Morning all.
Poppy, are any of your items worth selling on Eb*y or worth selling at a car boot? You'll not earn a fortune but it puts a bit more money in your pocket.

Looks like the heatwave is over here. So it is time to plan my autumn/winter activities indoors, which don't cost a lot.

Recently we were looking at less costly things to do with our time. In the past we would visit some of the smaller local towns and villages, but they have very nice shops that lure you in. I'm very good at resisting but better I think to avoid the temptation altogether, So I'm off with OH this afternoon to meet my local U3A group. They have over 69 groups and we have already spotted a few that look interesting. Does that count as making do?

Minimising - the wool stash. I've made a few pumpkins which I am going to hang on some branches/twigs I picked up when out for a walk. They should look very seasonal in my hallway. I found a pattern for fir cones and acorns so tonight's job is to try and knit one or two to join the pumpkins.

Have a good day everyone.

tighteningthebelt

Lyn
I love that you listed a person on your mend section. I bet you are a good friend.

purpleybat

Lynplatinum wrote: »

. Make do: Sanis and bottle of water from home instead of eating out
Mend: my head a bit + spent an hour talking to a friend who is in a bad place and hopefully helped them mend a bit by getting them to create a 'to do list' rather than sitting panicking about everything.
Minimise: hopefully me cos I did a lot of walking today + turned a butternut squash into a meal with feta; tomatoes; garlic and pasta. So that minimised the veg stock+ making do with what is in the house.
More tomorrow - frugaling away! folks :A

a 'to do' list is a great place to start. I often panic about the most stupid of little things and I find that daily, weekly, monthly lists are really handy for focusing me on what needs to be done.
sometimes I add in little treats that otherwise I would be telling myself I don't deserve them or be to busy stressing to enjoy.
I think the main thing is to not beat yourself up to badly if things do go a bit awry and to set yourself realistic targets as to how and when things will be back to normal.
I remember years back having a fab therapist that often asked me 'what's the absolutely worst thing that can happen?', once it sinks in that no one will die and the sky wont fall in cos of a small blip things seem easier to deal with.
hugs for all

Floss

Thanks for the good wishes - luckily although we are still mortgaged, we have sufficient savings for me to be able to take a pay cut (offset by the petrol saving too!) to save my (and DH's) sanity!

I have really appreciated being at home since 2nd July, and though the first month or so was pure recovery & not much doing, I think my next step will be part time work to give me more time at home - but not just yet!

cafelady

Hello all

Good day today...

Made do with garden veg again today as the basis for dinner. I've got a glut of courgettes at the moment, so made courgette and feta fritters. They were lovely. Would have made hm potato wedges but no potatoes so did brown rice and a hm tomato sauce as we'd no sweet chilli sauce. Really nice dinner which worked out at about 65p per head.

Minimised some garden rhubarb into the freezer.

Also had a lovely walk with OH and dog. Took sandwiches with us. Bought coffees as we'd got none in to make a flask, so grand total of £3.60 for lovely few hours out.

Hope everyone's had a nice day