Extending our house without extending ourselves beyond our means

PurpleFairy26

Morning diaryland :hello:

Another busy week or so, it's relentless at the moment but I have managed some down time too, a few of us went to watch a show at the local theatre this week. Considering it was an amateur performance it was amazing. I also had a day shopping getting a few bits for Christmas, only a couple to go.

I want to get up in the loft this weekend and get some cards down I bought in the sale last year. One small has 2 parties this weekend, am so grateful for the present box. 2 lovely presents retrieved with no effect on the budget and picked up at good prices to start with.

In money news, we've moved utility suppliers (switch complete) so I've started putting the DW and wm on timer. Managed to sneak a second load on this morning.

I've cashed £55 out of £co. Hoping some of the other £200 I have sat in there gets paid out soon. The £55 will go to saving for the electrical item we need. Must check out some surveys, but when work is so busy and days are long, these go by the by. Must refocus again.

Naturally exercise takes a back seat too when life is busy, but I have been using weights at home, must be mor disciplined and do this daily when I don't get to the gym. Am keen to run this weekend though as it's been two weeks again and I'm missing it

DH is working overtime today and both weekend days next week. There is talk of him having 2 days off this week as a balance, this would be good as it would a) give him some down time from work, b) allow me to do some longer days and c) allow him to work on the spare room as we've now ordered the carpet. The end is in sight

Budgets all looking healthy with a couple of weeks to pay day. I'm working on emptying the freezers as we'll loose at least one, maybe 2 :eek: of the 3 when we build. So this week will be a new freezer inventory and make sure the meal plan will shop from home in the first place.

Enjoy your weekend folks. Purps.

PurpleFairy26

Very productive day yesterday. Made a cottage pie, using a bargain giant sweet potato I bought a few weeks ago. Also a batch of scones that are super easy and lovely, gifted recipe from one of the lovely ladies on the DFW small things thread.

I also found a load of recipes on the cast iron cookware website. I'm going to try a frangipane post roast dinner today as we have everything in

Managed lots of sorting yesterday, loads went in the recycling bin and much sorting a sets of things finding their partners again. More to do today, but the back of it was definitely broken yesterday

Saw an offer for some barginous sausages from a excellent producer online, so am going to order them today. Must make sure they go on my freezer inventory I did yesterday :A I've done the meal plan based on what's in the freezer so only a small shop is due this week, I'll go post swimming lessons this morning.

I could do with listing some things on selling sites at some point. Maybe a couple today.

foxgloves

I'm doing really well with listing on ebay at the moment, Purps, but not so well on the long-overdue freezer inventory. I really must get that onto one of my daily task lists for the week ahead. There could be hidden treasure in that freezer!
F x

PurpleFairy26

Freezer inventory working well. Are from it all week, will be the same again this week. It’s very satisfying crossing things off

Carpet man coming next week which gives us a deadline to finish varnishing the door and skirting before then. It should mean I can get some stuff back in there pre Christmas.

Still no things listed on selling sites. Need to think about this again today. Tidied house yesterday and made a cake so one less thing today. DH is going to do a roast today so that should give me some time for listing. Also want to go to the gym which has been noticeable absent from my schedule.

PurpleFairy26

Morning diaryland :hello:

Well yesterday I ate a really big frog 2 years ago a call with the bank was really difficult as the lady told me we needed to provide x,y,z before they would consider x,y,z this was way above what I'd been told by another advisor at the bank and whilst it was possible, it all seemed very odd but she was adamant and actually quite rude to me about the fact that I'd even asked if it was possible, which was also odd considering they are a bank :rotfl: So I'd built up actually ever making the call to be very difficult

Well yesterday I did it and everything was ok and I didn't need to produce x,y or z :T such a weight has been lifted.

I've also listed 6 things on selling sites and tried a couple of surveys, but annoyingly 1 froze about 8 minutes in and I couldn't get any further. I'm sure they will still use all my data though :rotfl: must try for some more this weekend.

Still eating from freezer and will be for sometime, although I did go to the wholesaler this week as I had a prime window of opportunity and I just detest going in December as anytime after November payday is just chaos. But that was just bringing forward a December spend.

We only have a tiny shopping list this week (famous last words) :rotfl: but hoping to keep it very reasonable.

Have tickets to two shows now for December which is very exciting. 1 set gifted too which is lovely rather than needless present. Very thoughtful of gifter :A

foxgloves

Funny you should say that about frustrating survey sites, Purps, as I had just decided about 5 mins before coming on here that I'm going to cash out on one of the big survey sites I do, & dob it in for a while. I shall still do Prolific, Ipsos, Onepoll & the 3 brand panels I'm on at the moment, but this other big one is really becoming a source of frustration. I get emails inviting me to do their surveys which always make out I'm absolutely definitely without a shadow of any doubt the EXACT demographic they need for it, then I find it's about children (I don't have any), fags (I don't smoke), business technology (I'm no longer working), airports (I don't fly) etc, & it just wastes my time. They know all this about me as I have filled in all the very detailed profiling info. Recently, if I HAVE actually been the correct demographic, I've still found that half way through the survey, I get evicted with a 'Sorry, this survey has just filled up' message.......I kind of doubt this always to be the case, as I have tested this by instantly accessing the survey the second it hits my inbox, so really, it hasn't had time to fill up. So, while I'm waiting for my final ebay auction of the day to end (8 more sales!), I'm going to sign in & see what I can get for my not insignificant amount of points, cash out & wave them goodbye for a while.
F x

PurpleFairy26

Morning frugal ones :hello:

It's payday and I was up early so have done the big money shuffle and all the pots are topped up. I was lucky enough to get a bonus this month so have put that in savings so it's not in my current account looking at me

I've just bought some gifts online for my team in a deal I saw in the grabbit board. Used £co too :T

So the frog that I swallowed last week seems to have been resolved in just over a week. I can't believe how simple and straightforward it was. Good news is that we should be able to build in 2019 :T im so excited.

I've managed to sell an item on fleabay this week, that was a duplicate item sent last Christmas. Money has been paid to savings :T need to check on other items that are live and see if there is anything else to list before the big day.

Still eating from freezer and food spends low, which is good considering time of year. Want to make mince pies this weekend and stash some in freezer, have already made mincemeat.

Also needs to write some cards this weekend, as I'll see some people next week and want to save on stamps

Still need to run, must try and squeeze in this weekend. Hmm.

crazy_cat_lady

Sounds like a very productive day PF - congratulations on the bonus as well

PurpleFairy26

Good day again yesterday. 90% of cards written only need to post 5, 2 of which can go in with a parcel that's going anyway. Got the last of my gifts, except 5. 4 of which are gift cards I'll get this weekend and the other I can pick up with my weekly shop

The house is quiet, DH is at work doing overtime, he's also been notified of a pay increase from January :T

I used 2 small balances on gift cards for one of the gifts which was good as I bought the cards at a discount but also means I know the balance on them is zero and there's no chance of me forgetting about the amounts.

Today will involve some batch cooking for lunch boxes and tomorrow as we're out most of the day but would like a good meal prepared for when we get back so temptation doesn't strike

Reconciled my just for points cc again this morning as they seem to have had an update where payments show the day after rather than a week like before, much more in line with my levels of organisation :rotfl:

Must claim work expenses this weekend too and make a list of just a few things I need Christmas food wise, so I can cross them off as and when as I'll be buying them all in advance - no food shops for me just before Christmas, I just can't bear it

Need to get the iron out today which is unheard of in this house. The smalls have made each other some hamas bead designs which need to be ironed (very MSE birthday gifts for each other - getting them started young) :rotfl:

foxgloves

I wish Hamas bead stuff has been around when I was little. I did loads of craft type stuff, as grew up in a house with no TV. I'd have loved hamas beads.