NST: February: Back to Basics.

FunBrum

WelshKitty85 wrote: »

Just popping in to share the news that I have made a small overpayment of around £2700 to my cc and cleared the balance. That's all!

Well done!!:T:beer::j

Bob hope you are ok. You will be fine I'm sure. Hugs to you and you little ones.:grouphug:

I just don't know where the days are going. I feel like I'm racing taking care of everyone and constantly babysitting for one or all my 6 grandchildren! Not all at once, thank goodness!:D
Don't get me wrong, I love it but I haven't had time to myself for a while!:o

I've been spending the last few evenings visiting and sewing and trying to spend any free time....as little as it is.....on the simple things in life. I think of how thing were before Times of wall to wall tv, iPads, iPhone, internet, and Facebook! As good as these can be, it's nice to be away from it all and get back to basics!:D

I haven't spent today but did yesterday. A bottle of wine to take to my friends. Not bad as we usually cane 2 bottles when I visit!:rotfl:

Bobarella

FunBrum- it is nice to do the simple things isn't it. You are a very hands on grandma aren't you. I admire you very much for that.

WelshKitty - huge congratulations on being debt free that is amazing. How are you feeling now? Any more signs of anything?

TOG - hope your son gets well soon. Thanks for the kind words.

Dolly - thank you for thinking of me.

CCL - so glad you made it to half term. And thank you for asking after me.

Calling - you got loads done. I've always wanted to use one of those jet wash things on our front path they look great. Hope your daughter has got away on her travels ok?

Hi to everyone else as well.

Today got £5 off in nectar points and found 1p whilst out doing the shopping with the family. I'm going to PAD the £5 as I haven't done anything on that front in ages.

My oldest friends mother sent me some money to buy takeaways for us whilst I'm unwell. How utterly kind and thoughtful. So I sent the cheque off today.

Cooking sausages for tea and then using up the veg from last weekends roast in a bubble and squeak. So a frugal meal.

My phone bill was a lot higher than usual when it came today due to the hospital stay. They didn't have wifi which was my lifeline whilst I was in so I will pay the extra £30 this month but I am going to sim only from next month. Anyone got any tips on that?

Our energy bill is also up by around £30 this month which I put down to heavy tumble dryer use and also having extra people in the house for 2 weeks.

Anyway off to do tea.

Love to all

Bob

mothernerd

Congratulations WelshKitty.

Today's doing something different was dyeing my hair red. Was going to use two packs (as per recommendation) but changed my mind at the last minute (moneysaving/ didn't want the extra running down my neck) so it's more a mahogany/ rosewood colour this time (with copper/ real red highlights - the old white bits).

Put on my summer waterproof and did it in the garden so the only mess was in the bath and swilled that away fairly easily. Still some on the towel but will bung that and the waterproof in the wash later.

For tomorrow I have rented 'Pride' from the library (£2 for the week) and also bought a local history mag for £2 - focus on Women's history (very interesting - some things coming up in the next week/ month that could be worth going to).

Spendy day for me (extravagant for me). I looked through all my drawers to see if there were any pamper products (have found the odd face mask lurking at the back once or twice) - think I have used up every bit of 'extras' I might once have had. I had a look in £land and then thought about things I have had before and what I really wanted.
So bought a tiny tube of cucumber eye gel and a small tube of handcream - was a Christmas edition so being sold cheaper than the identical product in everyday packaging. Most of the time I use E45 which I get free on prescription so little bit of luxury at a bargain price (£5 total spend - I'm not daft enough to buy the £10 - 15 eye creams).

Put that on extras budget. Thought about food and remembered I put prawns in the Icyland shop last week. I usually buy them for Christmas or my birthday and hadn't done, so as it's along time till next Christmas. Decided to buy salad leaves and tiny tomatoes and use the things i had at home but added more and spent £5.79. Included YS fruit - usually stick to apples and bananas with occasional YS purchases for variety (got bits of kiwi, grapes, blueberries and mango with apple for 54p - 3 of my 5 a day apparently so am over my daily fruit allowance).

Not planning anything other than purposeful pottering (have located, washed, put away pots, pegged out clothes to dry - whilst waiting for hair to 'cook' so no glasses, could just about see the clothes line, made a first attempt on a couple of diy jobs).

Today I am grateful for lovely sunshine (although very cold), for finding the film I wanted (it was purchased in April but must have been requested at the other end of the borough and only just made it's way back), and buying what I needed (bath bombs and nail polish would have been frivolous) for a treat.

XSpender

Well it looks like my hope of putting £50 extra into savings won't happen as I picked up DS's school shoes today while tidying up and he has worn a hole in the front so I have bought him a new pair today but have gone for M&S rather than Cl@rks as usual as this is the third pair since he went back to school in September. Saved about £12. He also got 4 pairs of school trousers, a pair of joggers, a pair of casual trousers and a sweatshirt all in age 6-7. He is 5.5 and does not look a lot taller than his friends but has long legs.

DMIL also bought him some jeans last week because DH was saying how nothing was fitting DS but bought the same size as the things she bought him at Christmas which he has grown out of. We decided not to buy him some cheap trainers as DMIL bought him some expensive ones at Christmas and the way he is growing he better wear them now or he will have grown out of them and they will still be pristine.

DH has also had more personal spending money than planned but he is including his beer in this so overall it has probably halved what we would normally spend on his personal spends and beer when budgeted for separately.

Also went to Mr T and bought a meal deal thingy for tomorrow night which we didn't need and a chorizo, lurpak on offer and frozen veg which we did. Also bought more snacks but I had to laugh when DH said he wasn't paying more than a £1 for a big pack of crisps and went up and down the aisle looking for the best deal. He is learning :rotfl: This leaves me just over £23 until the 29th but we have everything we need in for meals, just need a little fruit and some crisps.

We were taking DS to the fair this evening but it is raining and freezing cold so have put it off until tomorrow.

I am trying not to get to excited but my DM and DSD have put their house on the market and have been considering moving to the place where we have bought a house. They want to move anyway and have looked at places near them but I would be over the moon if they end up living near us. I want them to be more involved in DS life and so do they. They currently live 100 miles away but say they need a new adventure and I am worried about who would look after them when they get old or unwell (currently 74 and 69 and very healthy) as we are much closer than my DS and DB and I don't think they would bother much with my DSD if DM went first.

They are hopefully coming to us next weekend to explore the area if their house sells this week and they have no more viewings.

Fmess

Congratulations welsh kitty, that's fantastic news :j


Lovely to hear you are doing ok bob


Today was spendy as expected. Got lots done and the garage is clear and full of only my own stuff now


I'm spending my Saturday night trying to get a good car insurance quote from a company that doesn't have awful reviews. Any suggestions of companies that have proven to be reputable in your experience turtles?


Thanks in advance

crazy_cat_lady

Hi everyone
I intended to be on here more than I have been today - but have been pleasantly busy doing things that I wanted to. Well, apart from the bit of housework at the beginning of the day.
I've done a bit of cooking and food prep, watched telly with dd (that was an experience) and made dh his Valentine pom pom wreath, which the cats definitely love more than he does. It took longer than I thought though - but at least it's done.
No leaving the house = nsd, although I will have to go shopping tomorrow because we're about to run out of milk and dh forgot to bring some home with him today.
Pound shop Valentines Day tomorrow, hope he's made the effort to at least spend £1 on me. We don't really celebrate much on Valentine's day either, but I really think that after all we've been through the past few months, it's nice to know that we're still in love with each other.
Right, enough of that sick rubbish. Have a good evening all. :j

misstara

Evening turtles

Congratulations welshkitty :T

A spendy day for me, I had a voucher for 5000 points on a spend of £40 at Morries so did a big shop. Got a few YS GF goodies so happy with that. Now have under £25 left of my grocery budget of £100 for the month but will hopefully just need fruit and veg. We hired a car to do the shop and then used it to visit a friend of OHs who is not very well. Had an enjoyable afternoon with him watching the rugby (although we lost ). I also bought another wee birthday present for OH and a present for SIL. Will be going for an early night tonight as I start work at 7am tomorrow, it should hopefully be a NSD though as nothing else planned other than work.

WelshKitty85

Thanks everyone!

I must confess I'm not completely debt free yet. I have a (0%) spending cc, which we took out mainly for the cash back, and we normally pay it in full each month. However, I have only paid the minimum over the past few months in order to save to pay off the main cc before I start getting charged interest on it. My car ins is also due this week so that will be going onto the spending cc rather than paying monthly, and DHs car repairs have had to go onto the cc. I actually have close to £2000 on the spending cc now, (which I know sounds a lot!) but as the other one is cleared I have worked out it will only take a few months to clear. I have also received a letter from the spending cc company saying the cash back is being drastically reduced, so I have budgeted for all future spends to go straight out of the current account and we won't be using the credit card for our monthly spends.

Health wise, I'm feeling ok. DS has had a virus though which has been making him dizzy, so wondering if I also had a form of that which caused me to pass out.

Spend day today as have done the weekly shop. Little ones have been to a party. Tried a new chicken dipper recipe today.

I think that's all I have to report for now. Night all!

FunBrum

Hi Bob yes we are a very close family, and my sister even goes to London every week to help with her grandchildren. I love being around children, they are so funny and keep things simple! Pity you don't live closer....I could help you out Bob!:D

mothernerd mahogany is a better colour than red! I've had it in the past and its a nice warm colour. I'm blonde now!:eek:

You all are so busy with lovely lives no matter how busy you all are, you are all doing well,my lovelies!

Calling14

Late post from me, seeing I fell asleep at 6pm till now. Annoyed wasted my Saturday night, hopefully cold will go completely soon.

Had a sfd today, went for walk with a friend and she treated me to a coffee for all my dog walking.

Had a clean kitchen morning, lived off lentil soup and chocolate spread toasties today, only food I wanted.

Welshkitty well done on clearing your card:T:T. Glad to hear your healthy.

Mothernerd isn't it cold dying yr hair in the garden? Enjoy Pride one of my favourite films inspirational and set in the times when I was politically active.

Bob daughter travelling going well done Dubai, Thailand and now in Burma. Photos of an elephant sanctuary and temples look amazing.
Hope you are coping

Fmess I have used Arriva car insurance, Halifax banks own one and now got one with Aa. Just have to trawl policies as some the cover is dire. Good luck.