Chica's gonna get a house! (hopefully)...

drums

Hello!

Good news about the dress, love when a bargain turns out to be perfect!

Just to say i'm going to do 3 NSDs this week; and even leave my bank card at home, shock horror. It's amazing how the emergencies like being stuck overnight somewhere, needing a taxi or um, paying a ransom, never seem to pop up but an unplanned meal out or strong cappuccino at Caffe Nero usually do.....so i've written it down now, here goes!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

ChicaBonita

Hey drums, 3 NSD would be great! It really does help focus you to not make those small purchases, especially things like coffee (I'm "lucky" in the sense that near my work I have no coffee shops so there's no temptation, but my bf constantly buys takeout lattes!), you'll be able to see if you actually need to spend that money or not Good luck!

ChicaBonita

So I didn't update on Friday, but it was a NSD.

Had a bit of a mixed weekend to be honest - yesterday I was chilling at home watching Homeland, with the plan to do my long run (7.5 miles) around 3pm. It got to 2:45pm, I'd felt fine up until that point, then I went to the toilet and was in excrutiating pain and felt sick, typical ibs symptoms. But it came on so suddenly I was confused. Anyway, I thought I'd try and still run because sometimes I feel better after a bit. Well....this time I didn't. I had to walk after the first mile, and was so cold and weak by the time I got just over halfway that I knew I had to abort mission. So I got an uber costing £7.18. I'm annoyed at myself as in my head that was an unnecessary spend, but I was over 40 mins from home (if I walked which I would've had to do) and I did not feel well at all so that was that. I got home , had a good cry (needed sometimes!) as my stomach really gets me down at times. Then I started getting ready for a nightout at one of my bf's friend's, and ordered a pizza at £10.95. Yes that was avoidable, but I felt I needed quick calories. So then went to the friend's house, finally swapped our secret santa. I got a mermaid blanket, very sweet and I will use it. Had a few drinks but felt good, then went back to the bf's.

Today was also a NSD, but doesn't count for this week's total as my weeks this month are Sunday to Sunday. I've had a total of 4NSD this week, not bad.

ChicaBonita

Not updated in a few days, a couple of good reasons for it though....
Sunday I had the most awful stomach bug, couldn't stop throwing up. It went over into Monday, couldn't eat anything, had abdominal headaches, and tbh I'm still not right. Hoping it improves soon.
On Tuesday, well, I had the interview......and although the guy was completely stoney faced (apparently that's his interview style), I enjoyed the challenge. I thought it was going well until halfway through he said to me "oh you don't seem too excited about x part of the job which is the main part"...I think I saved it, but then I thought oh there's no way I'll go further in the process now.

Anyway, long story short, I thought long and hard about whether I would actually want the job, and after hearing all the in's and out's and possbility of out of hours working I decided whether they turned me down or not, I didn't think it was quite right for me. I need to have a distinct work/life balance, that's just what works for me. Cut to yesterday I got the call to say I was the first person so far to get through to the second round!! Seems to me like the guy intimidated all the other candidates and they ended up tanking their interviews. I gave a polite thanks but no thanks, and was told to let them know if I changed my mind. It's not to say I would've have got the job even after the second round, but for my first interview back in the game I felt good and to know I got through is the boost I needed.

Was back to work yesterday (lost two days pay which will make Feb tight) and went to the pub last night to catch up with the bf. I will detail my spends from this week when I have chance, been a bit spendy due to travel, and I'm taking my brother out for his bday cinema trip tonight, already cost me £15-odd quid for two tickets (daylight robbery!), and I'm taking him for nandos as he's never been. He's turned 15 so I think it's important to do something special, brother and sister bonding time

ChicaBonita

Just got back from taking my brother to the cinema, Fantastic Beasts is a really good film, enjoyed it much more than any of the Harry Potters.

Spending totals so far this week:
As mentioned Sunday 22nd was a NSD
Monday - NSD
Tuesday - travel £5.90, itsu £9.99 & mcdonalds £1.69 (refuel after my interview!)
Wednesday - Bus fare £1.50 x 2, Pub drinks & dessert (bf paid for the meal portion) - £11.46
Thursday (today) - Cinema ticketst £15.68 (ouch! For 2!) Kindle book £1.99, Nandos £20.30 (also ouch!), Sainsburys for cinema snacks £6.68, Parking £4

So a spendy few days and tomorrow I will probably have to get petrol.as I've not got any this week. Worried about spending so much tonight but, it's my brother's birthday and I really can't begrudge taking him out! We both enjoyed it so that's all that matters.

Now need to get undressed and ready for bed

ChicaBonita

I've realised that after the money for last night's outing comes out, and once I've paid for petrol sometime this weekend (didn't get any this morning), I'll have £20 to last the rest of January oops. I knew it was going to be tight as I paid the extra £120 for my facials, so it's not too surprising, but I'm going to have to be super frugal so I don't go too much into my OD this month. I really want to get out of the cycle of ending up in my OD by the last week of the month, it then makes it seem like I have less money to play with because part of my salary is swallowed up. Add to the fact that I will have less due to my two days off this week, Feb is going to be extra tight I'm annoyed as I wanted to buy some new glasses, but as I can still get on with the ones I have now I might be able to get away with them for another month.

Won't be a NSD today as I have to buy a loaf of bread for work lunch. I've started freezing my loaves now as I was throwing away bread before, complete waste! I always have it as toast at work anyway so no problem.

Bit irritated at work but should be a fairly ok day. Roll on the weekend I say!

drums

Hi there!

Interview sounds like it went really well - I interview as part of my job, and coach people who are going for interviews but when it comes to putting myself in front of a panel it's like someone has taken my batteries out! You did well not to be intimidated, and wish people didn't see interviews as such a power trip, ridiculous! Good practice for when the right job comes up!

I'm going to do my diary at the weekend, and have a 5 week month coming up so will join you on an ultra frugal February. Great that we get paid early in Dec and Jan but really feel it mid Feb. So I'll let you know when it's up and we can share the pain!

Hope you and your wee brother had a good time, and that you're feeling better now. My plans have changed for the evening so have had a nice swim and am going to grab the opportunity for a night on the sofa with a cherry cola. Am off the booze for a few months but will detail that in the diary!

Have a lovely weekend!

ChicaBonita

Friday evening did yoga for the first time in a week, felt good

Saturday was up early as I had a facial at 10. We did 3 layers of the highest level, which is the most I can have done in a salon. Got one more left of this course and then I think I'll have a break. Already have tightness and dryness around my chin, which is a sign I'lll have a lot of peeling there. I spent £32 as I needed more of my recovery cream for when my skin is peeling. It's also useful for when my skin's dry in general.
The rest of my Saturday consisted of reading, and then chilling at my bf's with a takeaway and a film (he paid for the takeaway bless him).

Today went to the petrol station and got £20 worth of petrol to last me the rest of the month, and also spent £5.47 on some lunch and cat treat sticks. I was planning to run this afternoon which is why I bought lunch out, there's not much at my mum's that isn't bread-based and I had bread already at the bf's for breakfast.
I did manage a small 4 mile run, but I struggled the whole way round as my stomach is still giving me massive trouble. I've just finished my cool down and as I'm sitting here typing I've got severe spasms. I need to start my meditation at least once a day again as I did find that that helped a lot, and I need to get it back into gear for my running training as the half marathon is only 57 days away! Getting worried that my stomach won't play ball enough for me to up my mileage as I need to. We'll see.

I realised I've only got 2 of my running gels left so I've bought another box on am@zon for £17.97. These are essential as I take them before my runs, and if it's a long run in the middle.

Annoying as this is all money I don't really have at the moment, but it was necessary and I have me OD to catch me. The bf said today "I hope you're putting money away this month as we need to move out." I'm like that's all very well, but I earn a good £500 less than him, I run a car (which he gets plenty of lifts from!), I had to pay my car insurance this month and I will get less this month due to sick days. I feel like I'm making excuses but he has to know that I have costs that he just doesn't even consider? I feel like he gets more treats than me as well day to day as he still pays for his fancy coffees every morning and he buys new clothes every month when he wants to and gadgets etc. Maybe I'm feeling hard done by as I don't feel too well lol

ChicaBonita

drums wrote: »

Hi there!

Interview sounds like it went really well - I interview as part of my job, and coach people who are going for interviews but when it comes to putting myself in front of a panel it's like someone has taken my batteries out! You did well not to be intimidated, and wish people didn't see interviews as such a power trip, ridiculous! Good practice for when the right job comes up!

I'm going to do my diary at the weekend, and have a 5 week month coming up so will join you on an ultra frugal February. Great that we get paid early in Dec and Jan but really feel it mid Feb. So I'll let you know when it's up and we can share the pain!

Hope you and your wee brother had a good time, and that you're feeling better now. My plans have changed for the evening so have had a nice swim and am going to grab the opportunity for a night on the sofa with a cherry cola. Am off the booze for a few months but will detail that in the diary!

Have a lovely weekend!

Thanks drums, I could do with some coaching lol! I think because I'd been warned about his "attitude" I could put a face on and act my way around it, not sure I would have done so well if not. BUT I have had some hard interviews in the past anyway, so maybe I would've been fine. I actually hate talking about myself (in a positive way anyway!) so I do know what you mean it can be tough.

Ouch 5 weeks is tough! I get paid the last working day of every month, so luckily I don't have to deal with that - a lot of people I know have to do 6 week months in december-jan and I think that is absolutely the worst time to do it! I definitely feel the need for a frugal Feb as well, let's do it

Hope you had a good weekend! I actually don't envy you being off the booze, I know it's not the be-all end-all but I do like a drink!!:rotfl:

ChicaBonita

Quick check-in from me - NSD today I've calculated so far I've had over 10 NSDs (will do a full count at the end of the month), not bad! Hoping for lots more this week as money is TIGHT.

Did a hard yoga session after work, and did a binding pose I've never attempted before, and was half-successful - love it when that happens. Will do that routine again to improve!

My customers did everything in their power to wind me up today - must remember to be the model of calm LOL :rotfl:

Must do some meditation