EH - Essex > Hebrides...the next step of the adventure?

EssexHebridean

Morning all! Thanks SH - yep, meal plan is a bit random in places perhaps, but aiming at really starting to work through those freezers! I just need to remember to cross things off when I've taken them out, now!  

Must get my shopping list sorted today as well - I reckon I can factor in using some fish fingers and a wrap from the freezer for my lunch on Saturday as MrEH's rugby match is away, and so he'll be heading out for midday for the meet at the club so they can travel. We'll have toast & eggs for breakfast as there will be some eggs that will need using and that will give him something a little more substantial, then I can do a fish finger wrap for lunch as it's just me. I'll want to get something like cress or some rocket to throw into that though. 

Updates:
Prolific now at £11.26 paid/£1.94 pending
OnePoll now at 2335
NSD's 3/18 - today ought to be one, tomorrow possibly, Saturday definitely not. 

I've just withdrawn just under £12 from TCB that was due - all stuff that I had personally purchased through there so that will be heading across to my 0% card when it lands. That might make me hold off on doing the Prolific cashout until it hits £20. Hoping to get some more oddments from Prolific through the day today - annoyingly though there rarely seems to be anything at lunchtimes. 

Nothing much planned for today - it's that annoying point in the month where nothing much happens isn't it ! The DD to my 0% card goes on Monday - possibly to MrEH's as well thinking about it. The routine spending CC month ends on the 10th so the money shuffle to that will be end of next week - although there is some stuff I could just as easily do early so I might be tempted to do that just to scratch the "MSE itch!" 

More drizzly rain for cycling in this morning, but nothing much thankfully, and FAR less idiot drivers too which was reassuring! Felt like I was really struggling this morning too - particularly on the uphills, but Strava tells me I got 3 personal record times on segments so that suggests that actually I was just working harder - hurrah! Did manage to do a little extra distance too as we parked up with 20 minutes to spare on the time I needed to be at the office - only an extra mile but it's all good. Plan is to cycle back and collect the car at lunchtime today which means the car will be back at the office saving MrEH two tube stops, and a bit of time and money, tonight. It all helps!

Electricity use checked this morning again - 97p overnight which was the storage heater (adjusted up a degree yesterday morning so a more expensive charge), a full tank of hot water  as I had a bath last night, and the dehumidifier running right through the night too - kitchen and front room windows were absolutely dry this morning so that was worthwhile. 

Scottiedog_3

 97p overnight which was the storage heater (adjusted up a degree yesterday morning so a more expensive charge), a full tank of hot water  as I had a bath last night, and the dehumidifier running right through the night too - kitchen and front room windows were absolutely dry this morning so that was worthwhile. 

Can I ask you about your dehumidifier,  please? What make and model do you use, and is it very expensive to run ? Do you have issues with damp? My bedroom is very damp and the carpet sometimes feels wet rather damp when I step onto it in the morning.

beanielou

We have a fancy dancy dehumidifier at the foodbank as it can be damp.
It makes a really big difference.

savingholmes

Well done on achieving 3 personal bests on your cycle route. That's fabulous.

EssexHebridean

Haha thanks SH - it’s definitely starting to feel like I’m getting faster now! Beanie they make a huge difference don’t they! 

Hey Scottiedog - our dehumidifier is a Screwfix one - I assume their own brand. I’ve just had a look on their site and in fact the “Blyss” one they have for £109.99 looks pretty much identical to ours. It makes a massive difference and in normal energy price times wasn’t expensive to run either - a bit more so now,but then what isn’t! If you get one, I’d say make sure you switch it off a few hours before you go to bed as you might find you wake up with a very dry throat otherwise. If I tell you it’s that good, it’s one appliance that we would replace almost instantly if it went wrong, that tells you a lot about it I think! The current one has been going strong since 2014 - hopefully it’s got a fair few years in it yet too! (An added advantage is it makes drying washing indoors far quicker, too, by the way.)

Working week done and dusted for me now - I’m ready for it too, I’m finding the adjustment back to normality after furlough is leaving me feeling quite tired by the end of a week, and of course the last few weekends have been busy too  - I’m looking forward to a chance to catch up with myself!

savingholmes

You do seem to have been rushing here there and everywhere - so not surprised you need a mini break.

EssexHebridean

Woop - just got a Prolific survey for £8.75 - and an interesting subject at that. Reckon it took me about half an hour so a decent hourly rate.  Now crossing fingers it will be a fast payer…! 

EssexHebridean

Moooorning! And a glorious bright frosty one it is too! We’ve been out for a walk - did just over 4 miles so that’s my step count already done for the day - home, threw the curtains open in the front room to make the most of the free solar heating ☀️   and had raspberry porridge with peanut butter (me) and the last banana (MrEH). Now a quick catch up on here, banks etc while breakfast settles and then off to the gym I think - If I go today that leaves me the whole day tomorrow to sit on the sofa and do nothing once the shopping is done - that appeals a LOT! 😂

Banks checked and all good - Sky have taken their payment which reminds me I need to check when the contract is up. Debating about going to Netflix via the chrome cast plus perhaps one of Sky’s freesat cards but need to investigate the options. (Just looked at the Sky account - looks like it was early December last year I sorted it last and I think that was an18 month contract. Bills are certainly at the current level through to February anyway. Credit card is high this month but with the trips out as expected it - just one pending item at the moment which is MrEH’s train ticket from yesterday which he’ll claim back anyway. 

Prolific - £14.19 paid/£10.69 pending 🥳
OnePoll - 2395 points - soooo close! 
NSD’s - 4/18 - did go into the shop this morning to get MrEH’s newspaper but he has a subscription so just a voucher to hand over, no actual money. 

As things stand I have no plans to spend anything today. 

Electricity use over night was £1.16 - that was just hot water and now two storage heaters as the front room one went on last night. It always uses more on its first charge but I deliberately left it turned down low as it seems to work best for the first time on each year like that. Definitely warmer in here today anyway although I will be tweaking the heater input up a bit for tonight I think. Will need to do a load of laundry overnight tonight - most of that is already in the machine, I’ll add my gym kit when I get home. 

Food this evening will be using the second of our Confuzzled comparison site Dominos vouchers - free pizza effectively and we’ll pay for a couple of sides. It’ll be a relatively low cost takeaway and the only effort involved is answering the door - that will tick the boxes nicely! 

Have a good Friday all! 

EssexHebridean

Aaaannnddd….Fanfare please - £22.94 cashed out from Prolific and transferred directly to the 0% card - balance there now at £265.89 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🎊

beanielou

You are amazing