NST April - SPRING INTO ACTION

dizzyblnd

2 spend days, just in general day to day bits, milk etc. does anyone else get sick of food shopping? I do it at the beginning of the week n by the weekend I need more. Ha ha.

I am carrying over painting my toes n I need to up my exercise n healthy eating. I try to do both but could do better.

With all the changes to savings does anyone know the best isa-savings account with good interest?

apple_muncher

Erin - you have not lost an nsd, as the meds were needed. Get well soon x

dizzyblnd

Calling- how early did u pay ur mortgage off? Any tips on how to achieve this while having a little bit of life too?

Bobarella

Mothernerd ah sorry I got the wrong end of the stick there. Well done you!

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for getting a great haircut, for dd + friends playing so well together, for my zwow #42 (some of which dd did alongside me, and she made it all look so easy. Unlike me!), for mr robin +mr blackbird in the garden, for dd falling asleep before 9pm.

Calling14

Dizzyblnd I haven't paid my mortgage off unfortunately I have about 33k left, that's next challenge after clearing my debts.

Didn't buy fruit today, defrosted some blackberries instead baking day tomorrow. Bought a train ticket for this weekend gig,budgeted less hassle that driving from here with the easter holiday traffic and finding parking probably slightly cheaper as well.

Erin hope you feel better soon.

Juliejim I haven't stopped eating today, at least your walking so your weight drop off. My walk cut short today friend needed loo and my ears still hurting.

crazy_cat_lady

Evening all :wave: - I'm ready to report in for the start of week 2...

Calling14 wrote: »

Finances
Make sure for get the best value for everything we buy.

[STRIKE]Check energy deals[/STRIKE], [STRIKE]read meter make sure not overpaying/ underpaying[/STRIKE] on smart meter [STRIKE]Dry washing outside, avoid tumble driers, use heating sparingly, extra layers, jumpers. Showers timed. Batch cook save gas/electric.[/STRIKE] So far so good today
[STRIKE] Can we buy food anywhere cheaper, switch to own brands[/STRIKE] already do this
[STRIKE] Petrol – check out online prices before buying in your local area.[/STRIKE] Check tyre pressures Will do this over the weekend, [STRIKE]drive economically as possible. Avoid short journeys WALK.[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE] Look at every outgoing you have, any contracts near the end? [/STRIKE] Haggled with Sky last week.
[STRIKE] Are you setting money aside for house maint, car repairs, dentist....[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE] Do you need to spend at all?
Cancel and cut up any old credit cards[/STRIKE]

Lifestyle
Our behaviour/ focus on what’s important in our life, changes over the years.
Decide what is important to you.

Can you clear your debts/mortgage quickly and still have a life? Still working on reduced income that we've had since October last year.
Are you just sat at home counting every penny afraid to live a little?
Definitely not - I tend to lean the other way...

List 2 things a day (within reason;)) that made your day happier and more fun.

Today was a bit of a strange day - feeling a bit unwell. Not wiped out ill but definitely not great. I bagged a nsd by using some n3ctar points to pay for ice cream, wafers and sauce. The kids had wanted to go out for lunch, but we decided to get the above in and make ice cream sundaes at home - preserve the nsd. I really enjoyed doing that.
My day was also made better by it staying dry and me getting out and about for a walk this afternoon. Oh, and getting the all clear from the docs after a load of blood tests.

WelshKitty85

Hi everyone!

Yesterday turned into a spend day as DH needed fuel. Had to run an errand for FIL but he bought us a take away supper in return and it was delicious!

SFD 5 today.

Had some good news in work today and have been asked to work overtime over the next few weeks as they are so short staffed. Hoping this means they can't afford to let me go at the end of my contract and I will be made permanent. At the least it will be a few hundred pounds extra in next months pay packet.

mothernerd

Spendy day. Went to buy buckets and came home with stationery. I saw some 'joyous' buckets yesterday (half size, deep turquoise) but thought it silly to bring buckets all the way from the city.

I knew I only had one as I had to hunt for one at the weekend. But only boring/ wrong buckets where I looked (and it was getting late, walked into one shop where they had already turned the lights out and at another the shop assistant sprinted across to lock the door.

Stationery will be a business expense as I have not bought any (or rather charged any) to the business for the past two years at least - used things I had (personally) to cut costs.

However will go and sit on the naughty step as I bought something on impulse which I do not 'need'. It is a little Scottie dog chalkboard. It cost £2.99 in HB and I had seen them online but cost more (prices seem to have come down but still dearer than this). It made up for the boring buckets (which stayed where they were) and can come from the extras budget but it wasn't on the list.

I have been pondering the audit and think I need to extend my cooking repertoire. I often do things I have been cooking for over 30 years. Some things I stopped cooking after my divorce (too messy/ his favourites/ unnecessary calories or rarely used ingredients) but, probably because we had very little money, I stopped 'exploring' and haven't added much since.

Also need to get out more - I have written the details down for a talk I would like to go to near the end of the month. And contact the builders - I have the money but I seem to be stuck in 'not having any' mode, I really need to get them here and find out what the essential repairs will cost.

I am thinking of doing a refit in the bathroom. The fittings are 12 years old, lots of bits need repairing but haven't got a shower and never had a good wall treatment (no tiles, just painted - currently the walls are battleship grey, done by DS2 when he was renting it from me - I've always hated it). Radiator and sink don't have any/ much space behind for tiles. Mirror never got put back up either and it is chipped and we found it in a skip about 27 years ago. I've moved it once - originally it was at the correct height for me to see myself at the top and the boys at the bottom, then I moved it up the wall so I could see myself at the bottom of the mirror as they all outstripped me.

I just think my life could be a lot pleasanter with not much expenditure. If I'm going to stay here then sorting the basic fabric with a few comforts thrown in would be a good idea.

Today I am grateful for
hot baths - water felt hotter today (perhaps the bath is not so cold and taking heat from the water) and felt so good against my back when I lay down
freezer contents - still (mostly) avoiding spending by finding little bits to put together a meal (not eaten the boring chicken and pasta yet)
the library - as well as the event I noted down, I have picked up leaflets for a tai chi class I might be able to go to ('a higher porpoise :rotfl: it says) and a general leaflet about healthy routes.

Things that made me happier
the colour turquoise - have bought little pegs and paper clips (saw them a couple of weeks ago and resisted but knew I would get them today - got to get through this *!*!* filing somehow). Didn't buy a little whiteboard to write weekly jobs on, or the bigger one - thought if I put things big enough so I couldn't ignore them, but then thought it might put me off going in the kitchen at all. Saw several lovely and inexpensive notebooks but left them all there - will carry on using up what I have.
The Scottie dog chalkboard - it makes me smile although I am feeling guilty as I have left it in the rucksack for now (might be feeling guilty about the state of the kitchen as not sure where it could go right now). May give it to mum as a surprise present as it 'goes' with her colour scheme (don't think mine has one - just neutral with some blue/ pale turquoise crockery and ramekins)

apple_muncher

Dizzy - re isa/interest, I'd look on the mse main site at their info.

My apple tree buds are budding - yay! They make me very happy to see from the window.