Changing habits, wanting freedom

jvr

Hi NOA


Thanks, 2017 was not a good year but feeling positive after the break away it was what we both needed and I don't regret the money. It's hard to plan fully as we don't know what will happen with OH's work but my main aim is to pay off minimum £200 debt a month, save for a emergency fund and start saving for SA again as its not just a treat its important for OH to see family. as soon as emergency fund saved (fingers crossed nothing goes wrong) and we can throw a lot more at the debt!
I have had so many plans over the last year but this seems the most realistic for getting us out of debt long term

NoOneAround

Hi Jvr,
Sounds like a good plan and keeping in touch with family abroad is really important. DH has lost touch with his family totally (and they are in this country!) - I feel he misses out on the emotional support that I get from mine.

Do you have an idea of how long the wait for surgery will be?

NOA
x

Honey_Bear

Good to see you posting again, JVR. Very sorry to hear about miscarriage. I'll be back later to post properly.

jvr

Hi NOA !!!8211; yes its so important especially when its only his mum and sister over there. The only issue is sometimes I struggle with his mum and the financial guilt trip. I don!!!8217;t remember if I discussed in the diary but for a long time we paid her rent over there this reduced when I changed jobs to a much lower paid one and then last year reduced to barely anything. When we were in SA there was constant comments about how little she had and saying things about can!!!8217;t afford to eat this or that. I admit I got irritated and kind of gave the same back saying yea we have to eat less meat of fill it out with other ingredients etc. I think, that they think, we live some kind of high life in England. There are a lot more instances and things which I could fill pages and pages about but I think I might bore you all to death.
We are still waiting for next visit with surgeon hopefully in a few weeks and then it will be about a month from them with minimum 3 month recovery.. all because he was playing a side football!
Thanks Honey is lovely to hear from you, I felt like everything was such a disaster and been away so long I should just delete the diary but I am glad I didn!!!8217;t!
So yesterday no spends for me. I got a new smoothie maker during my splurge so having those for breakfast using cheaper fruit, frozen spinach, aldi yoghurt and milk I also brought in left overs for my lunch. I got home and OH once again had his friend over with two tv!!!8217;s set up to play a stupid game. I gave him yesterday as a freebie but if I come home tonight and nothing is done in the house he will have to get a chart like a 5 year old We fed the friend again, which I don!!!8217;t mind as he is really struggling and is so kind and willing to look after our dogs for the three weeks we were away. Luckily OH cooked a bacon and broccoli pasta (emptying the freezer still). Had run out of pasta so he went to the shop, reminded him no longer just grabbing stuff and buying whatever, but we were low and some things so I think it came to about £7. I have brought the leftovers into work for my lunch and may need to grab some veg for tonight but that should be it. I was meant to be working all weekend but now have Saturday off thankfully. Aiming to do parkrun (yay free) and meet friends for a coffee (no cake) so should be lowish spend catch up.

jvr

So first off money, Thursday I brought all my food but was starving in the afternoon so went to get crisps from the vending machine (stupidly expensive I know) I didn't look properly and the slot was empty in front so ended up paying twice to get some £1.40 on crisps... Lesson is to bring snacks.
OH had said there was breaded fish in freezer for dinner but turns out was only one so we for pizza and chips for dinner £10.
Friday was my extra long day at work as was doing an event. We ordered our normal breakfast sarnies £1.70 skipped lunch and for fish and chips for dinner which was £5 and OH for pizza again so been spendy on food which is bad but it's a hectic work week I only have today off as doing an event again tomorrow
Im going to go check freezer now and try make a few days food plan. I didn't make it to park run as was so exhausted but letting myself off for that.
Next week should be calmer and I have the opera on Friday which I have never been to before but my sister for tickets through work for £10 including a drink so thought why not

Honey_Bear

It's obviously been a very dramatic time since you last posted JVR and it's hardly surprising that you've been spendy. I hope you manage to rein it in now that Christmas and the trip to SA is done.

I'm so sorry about the second miscarriage. That's utterly heartbreaking. (((Hugs))) I hope things settle back down again now for both of you.

jvr

Thanks Honey, I feel like coming back from this trip even OH has a sense of determination. Finally seeing how it holds us back and reduces our options.
So Saturday I hibernated I think OH got milk and that's about it. I made a huge pot of Mexican bean and rice soup (all from the cupboard) which fed us that night and will cover lunch till Wednesday. I think we just have some burgers in the freezer now and can defrost!
Sunday was work day, I brought a bagel for breakfast and one of my teams mum turned up with a huge pot of chilli and garlic bread for our lunch since it was a very cold outdoor event so saved me the £6 the burger van would have cost which I am very grateful for! fishcakes and rice/veg bags from the freezer for dinner so it was a NSD! Managed to find an apple and some greek yoghurt to bring for my breakfast today but I will have to do a mini aldi shop tonight. Once freezer is defrosted I plan on going to the market for lots of food to stock it back up again so that will be spendy but food budget is looking healthy... oh I just remembered I put petrol in yesterday so not a NSD, topped up £30 so going to see how long that lasts. I had a nervous drive home from work since the petrol light had been on for quite a while....
Back in work this morning exhausted going to be some early nights for me this week I think but planning on trying a local kettle bell class at a community pool and gym on Thursday and then the Opera on Friday with my sis.

jvr

I forgot to add I need to call [EMAIL="B@arclays"]B@arclays[/EMAIL] today to see what (from holiday spending) is not on interest free and hopefully move it across to interest free

NoOneAround

Sounds like week ahead is all planned
what opera are you going to see?
NOA
x

jvr

Yesterday ended up being a bit food spendy! I went to the market and got milk, bananas, apples, tomato, lettuce and amazing ovencakes came to £7.30 but then OH said the burgers didn!!!8217;t look good (they have been in the freezer forever) so he went to get more from tesco and also asked if he could get meat to make biltong. He got a huge piece for £30 and some chicken, burgers and mince as well as a few bits from Tesco. We are basically out of food so that!!!8217;s okay and the £30 piece of beef will make a lot of Biltong. Freezer is finally defrosting but will need to be fairly careful with food budget for next two weeks (I get paid on the 21st so we get a top up about of money then)
I geared myself up to go swimming last night with my mum and when we got there the pool was closed due to an incident. So I ate chocolate instead!!!8230;.. have rescheduled for tonight.
Other than that, things are fairly quiet. We got a great shelving unit with little baskets in some of the slots from my sister so plan to put that up soon and can load some of my many many books on to it. I did declutter a lot of them but I am a huge re-reader and I refuse to part with any of the others. The beauty of my terrible memory is I can read them over and over and forget what happens!