Dancing in the Rain

doingitanyway

I'm WFH today but already I've been to the post box and done some creative work.

I'm going to do some creative work after my work day today too, at least that's the plan.

I've been thinking about ageing my money because of whiteboard Wednesday from YNAB. They talked about not using your salary immediately. You use it later and later until you are paying out from the following salary. I'm doing this in a small way. I'm going to try and get my big shop later again. I am still using last week's spending money. Somehow, it gives me a feeling of having a buffer, even though I don't have savings. It's 2 weeks to pay day and yet I don't have the same panic I usually have at this stage...

Anyway, that's all from me at this stage of the day. I just wanted to capture that thought really. It's helped me, so it might help someone else too

Have a good day reader
DIA x

Orange_Ena

Yay, welcome back DIA. Glad you had a super time in Scotland and are feeling creative, wonderful to read. :T

Hope you've packed that cape away neatly :rotfl:;)

Enjoy the rest of the week

doingitanyway

Thank you Orange Ena, my cape is in tissue paper for protection. I will take it out as and when

Well last night our team were offered some short notice overtime so I worked until 10pm. The extra money won't be much but I am saving for a fitbit. The money will come through in June.

Today I want to declutter some stuff to the charity shop. The bag is already prepared.

I am going to Ald* again today because their new super 6 comes out today. I'm going to buy lots of fruit and veggies. I love their sweet potatoes, so fresh!

I am taking this weeks money out today, for food shopping and spending. On a Thursday! I'm pleased with that I feel positively rich. A whole week's money and it only has to last me 4 days.

The house is a mess again. What's worse I don't feel motivated to do it. I'd rather do my creative work or go for a swim. I haven't been for a swim since before Scotland

I will go for a swim next on Saturday after work

Positively speaking, I have kept on top of the washing up and my bedroom is clean and tidy

Have a good day reader
x

doingitanyway

I went a bit off plan today.

i got involved in a work project so did not drop off my decluttering or shop for fruit and veggies at Ald*

But then again, I did not spend any money :T even though I wanted chocolate so much today I think it gave me a headache. Really. However the headache went and so did the craving so perhaps there is a learning point there.

I sorted some stuff from the garden ready for collection, bits of wood and old containers and a busted compost bin. Our council collects large items 3 times a year as long as your C/T is up to date and I don't use this service often enough.

Beanielou was getting her hair cut as a model at a fancy salon and it reminded me I used to do the same with beauty treatments at beauty colleges. Come August when I have a little extra I will be doing this again. It's important to look good.

A lovely friend who has a house next to the sea in Cornwall has offered it to me for September when she is in France. I'm going to go there and work on my creative project intensively for 3 weeks. I'll be working remotely for 6 days whilst I'm there, but it'll still be a fabulous holiday as I have friends there. I've enough notice to get cheap train tickets so it should be a cheap break. Something nice to look forward to again :D

My day has been productive. I hope you had a good day too reader
DIA x

in_need_of_direction

I really really want to go to Cornwall, I've never been.

doingitanyway

You should go to Cornwall INOD. You would love it. Stunning coastline. It's one of my favourite parts of the UK

Today was a good MSE day. I contributed generously to the person leaving's present. I went to the pub after work and bought her a drink. I survived a day without buying food out apart from nuts. :money:

And I've still got quite a bit of this week's budget on a Friday. Unheard of!! :T

The council collected lots of junk from my the front house today whilst i was at work. I like stuff getting out...:D

It's beginning to get almost as exciting saving money and keeping within budget as it was blowing it and spending without intention. Which is just as well really given the size of my debt

Work tomorrow and no lunch prepped. Getting up early to do it or else I will only spend on lunch out or starve and get a headache, all entirely unnecessary.

I had another good day today although it was jam-packed and I didn't get to be creative and I am not on top of household tasks, but it's nearly Sunday so it'll all get done in the end

Nite, nite folks
DIA x

doingitanyway

This diary has helped me see Saturday is my bargain day so I'll start to save some money for this as it will save me on the shopping budget long term. A weekly trip for Super 6 and a monthly Ocad* order is how I seem to spread my household/food shop for maximum return

Fish from Tes**, really nice cod loin reduced to 66p from 1.95. I could have got more , but I got stung with meat a few weeks ago so I got 3. They were all fine. Looked up a recipe for frozen fishmongers so making some giant ones and freezing so they can be cooked from frozen when I’m tired. RESULT.:T

Corn for 15p, got 2 packs, 2 in each pack, down from 1.50 and halved and frozen for future use. Two prepped salads 1.26 to 26p each, got 2.:T

In Waitro*** some lovely bacon 3.99 to 1.99, lovely yogurt, pickle and eggs, my free paper and free coffee

I spent £8 is in total today and I think I did well.

Tomorrow I will menu plan for the week. Tonight I’ll eat the 26p salad with mackerel fillets

A tough, but good day at work.

House is still a mess. I open the door and it looks like I’ve been burgled.:o

Creative work once I’ve eaten and had a rest…

I’ll be back early in the morning to set my priorities for my 2 days off and menu plan

Have a lovely weekend everyone
DIA x

RosaBernicia

Nice one DIA

I totally agree about mini versions of 'aging your money' btw - it took me ages to figure out that saving money can sometimes be as much about the timing of spends as the amount. The little delays add up, as they all mean you spend less by payday... and so more is paid off sooner, less interest etc!


Rosa xx

doingitanyway

I shopped from home and came up with the following:

Fish fingers, sweet potato, salad and guacamole

Spicy chicken, butterbean stew, roasted veggies, salad

Lentil, veg and bacon soup

Mackerel, sweet potato chips, sweet corn and peas

Lentil bolognese on cauliflower rice, avocado, yogurt and lime wedge

Bacon and butterbean stew, sweet potato and buttered garlic kale

Spicy chicken, sweet potato chips and salad


I decided I don’t like swede so I threw it. It’s rare for me to dislike a veggie so I’m sad to throw out food but it really isn’t nice and life is too short for swede


Breakfast

Eggs

Porridge, seeds, almond milk, yogurt and raisins


Lunches

Left overs from evening meal or soup

Bacon omelette and salad/or mushrooms

Ald* shop

Super six veggies/sweet potatoes/cucumber/raisins/pot scourers/pomnegranate/cauliflower

There is not much fruit this week but lots of veg and I’ll probably buy organic apples in Waitr*** during the week

Work

I only have to go into the office for 2 days this week and next so I should save £9 a week. On fare paying days I’ll try and maximise my travel by swimming before work.

Plan for days off

These are the things I wish to achieve on my days off work today and tomorrow.

Charity shop drop off

Cut the grass

Create a clean, ordered space to work and eat in with flowers on the table and CLEAN THE FLOOR. PRIORITY

Washing

Make soup, butterbean stew, marinate chicken

1 yoga class. 1 swim, wash hair, steam.

4 hours of creative work

Ald* trip

Sit in a cafe and read with my feet elevated

Do my eyebrows

Make international phone call

Well those are my plans Let's see how I do
Happy Sunday

DIA x

doingitanyway

My two days off have come to an end.

My list of intentions set on Sunday morning have not quite been achieved. Sigh. I’m wondering if I am being too optimistic in what can be done in two days…

It isn’t that I haven’t been productive. The opposite. I’m doing lots of creative work as I want to go with how I’m feeling, highly motivated by this project and so I’m doing it over everything else right now.

I just can’t get on top of my housework, which is a shame as I feel so much calmer and happier when the house is clean and tidy. I’m concentrating on keeping the washing-up done at least. The dishes are done and the kitchen is prioritised. Washing and ironing is getting done and that’s about it.

GOOD

I walked 3 miles today :T
I went to Ald* and got lots of veggies and turkey mince as it was 30% off, so I made a big chilli today.
I did tons of creative project work :T
I washed dishes (I seem to be always washing dishes, when this debt is over I WILL get a dishwasher as I cook from scratch and generate lots of dishes)
I cooked, making soup and butterbean stew
I had a fab international call for an hour.:D

NOT SO GOOD

Work room still a disgrace
Didn’t swim, steam or do hair
Grass not cut
No yoga
Eyebrows still, well, full
I didn’t have a cafe stop with a book and my feet up

So much not achieved but my working week starts again tomorrow.

However, feeling pleased as unlike last month, I have 9 days to pay day and guess what? I am completely within budget!!! It feels so nice, so less panic stricken, so less deprived.:)

I only have to make it to August and I can start doing some little jobs on the house with my extra income. I have some pink champers that I was keeping until I was mortgage free. I’m planning to celebrate mortgage free. In 27 months I’ll celebrate debt free too. I think it's important for me to mark successes along the way

I hope your week got off to a good start
DIA x