What small things will you do this week? - w/c 2nd January

LuckyPenny

FatVonD wrote: »

I used to think the same looking at Bob's total! 'Twas only when I joined the wombling thread I realised they also add in any money saved on YS produce, I'd always thought it was just road kill and wombled receipts with money off/unused loyalty points. None of mine is actual cash!

Okay I think I could do well on the wombling thread. Might join tonight. I wombled a £1.20 loyalty point receipt today at costa and I got Christmas wrapping paper for 10 pence reduce from £1, and a bag of donuts for 20 pence reduced from 65 pence. I can see how YS can get addictive! I'm already planning to pop into Mr S on my way home from work tomorrow!

[Deleted User]

determined_new_ms wrote: »

"killing me softly with [your] words" this is my life, different circumstances but sounds very similar. I had my son when I was 16 and my daughter when I had just turned 18. I spent my life being a mum. Then my dd developed her mh problem at 12 (although it wasn't diagnosed until she was 21) our lives fell to pieces. I didn't know what it was to be an adult without being a mother (I know I still was, but my whole life had been based around being needed for my children and then suddenly I wasn't for a number of reasons). It was really hard to work out who I was and what my life meant. Someone asked me what my needs where, I didn't even know how to answer that question!

Time does heal though, it's a process. I am no longer heartbroken, really I'm not. Although as I say I miss the times with them, I'm sure most mothers go through this. Coincidentally it wasn't very long after being able to move on emotionally and define who I was (a person in my own right dontcha know?!) that my relationship with my children changed. They started to make more effort to show their love for me and involve me in their lives again. It's a funny ole thing life x

Thanks MNS & YL. I'm a bit behind you DNMS but can see the light! Totally get not really knowing how to define yourself any more. I find myself not sure what I like to eat (??) after so many years of it being just DD & I for meals, and compromising! I'm finding my feet gradually now, and getting to know DD in a different way - focused now on preserving our adult relationship!

Maiden_Mum

Thanks Bobarella, I will certainly try!

La_escocesa

Hi everyone :wave:

I went to aldi today so no YS items there.

I've put a list on the fridge of the things that are liable to get forgotten about!! Mushrooms, lemons, bag of salad...

I prepped lunch for tomorrow - by that I mean put the leftovers in tubs

Called sis with free weekend mins :cool:

I'm not going to my pal's hen do next weekend. Whenever the invite came round I really couldn't face it (money-wise and just effort-wise) but now it's getting closer I'm starting to feel the guilt!! Need to think up a decent excuse pronto before all the Qs of why I'm not going etc... So far winning is that it was FIL's bday last weekend so we're going to visit him then...

Cat - another vote for spa voucher here!

Night all!

[Deleted User]

Weekly round up:

Wow, thanks everyone - I have been spurred on by you all and managed to tackle some jobs that had been hanging over me for far too long. Been feeling more upbeat despite occasionally peaking at scary things, and gradually closing the gap between peaking at and sorting out!

• Reclaimed today a grand total of £464 in expenses :eek: and again :eek:! Feeling a bit sick that I had let that mount up and not gotten around to claiming it! Have resolved to do a weekly submission this year - that and tighter control of my budgets should help me to stay on top of when they are owing me cash.
• Sorted out cash transfer with ex for DDs expenses. Its taken us 14 months to do a settling up, and I ended up owing a bit, but not too much. Phew.
• Haven't got to the food inventory (thats deferred to next week) but have done a good jib of eating up random stuff and am about to tuck into a weird looking defrosted soup. It actually says on the label - 'not our best' so I was clearly not impressed when I made it! Have added lentils and paprika. Maybe it'll be better, either way it will be eaten!
• Have decluttered several areas. Still more on the hitlist for next week.
• Have updated A1rb&b listings and reduced prices for this month to try to get more ionterest. Its a slow month around here for loads of reasons. Am confident it will pick up again.
• Am actively exploring getting a lodger in. Very mixed ideas about this. Have someone coming round next week to look; they are only after a transit place for 3-6 months whilst sussing the area out to buy. I think this suits me more than someone who will be here indefinitely. Will enable me to finish doing up house and be nice to have background company - I am always happier when there are paying guests in the house - but its a bit daunting! Just got to pick the right person I guess!
• Have finally found the item I wanted to take back, the card I used to pay for it, and the receipt. At different times this week had each thing, but only united tonight.
• Gave in and ordered new charger for jawbone in effort to keep track of fitness a bit better. Within 5 minutes, found the charger I have been looking for for 4 weeks, when I was decluttering baxk of a jewelry box! Have cancelled order from the rainforest people. It had prompted me to add my xmas giftcards so at least if I order anything spontaneously for a while it will be covered. Most likely to be kindle books, my weakness. Done well though - none since Nov and am re-reading some.
• Found a way to turn some risky times for sinking into a low into a prompt for exercise. Looking forward to repeating that next time.
• NSD almost every day this week! I have planned spends tomorrow - a social event, plus new bulb needed for car (but socialising friend has offered to fix it before we go out, and I have a few other jobs on the list to try to do while he is visiting - odd things that with 2 people would just be much easier!).

Next week will be a pressured one at work but going to try to continue to tick off a couple of scary jobs of my own in the week, and it should be possible to keep to a tight budget. I can only see me needing milk and fruit this coming week, but the food inventory should reveal all!

Cheery_Daff

Evening chums :hello:

Just a quick one tonight from me, I stayed over at my mum's last night, spent all evening setting her up a budget spreadsheet from scratch :eek: and then did a half marathon this morning, then spent 2 hours driving home. Worn out! So, just for the record, today I have:

* took my home made flapjacks and a flask of tea for the end of the race :j
* put the bread machine on and set the timer so bread will be ready at 7.30 in the morning :j Hoping it will encourage me out of bed for my first day back at work after 16 days off :eek:
* defrosted soup to go with bread for tomorrow's work lunch
* put new brake blocks on bike - not really money saving I suppose except they were £2.50 for four (only needed two this time) and I fitted them myself, and they'll get me on my bike more! :j
* made a batch of biscuits and packed them to last the week at work - trying to avoid going to the shops on the way in :eek:
* did YNAB/banks

Just about to do a meal plan and shopping list so Mr Cheery can go to @ldi while I'm at work tomorrow :j Really enjoyed meal plan this week and we've still got some stuff left so hoping this week's shopping will be a bit less :j Only bought milk and a single bread roll as extras - quite an achievement! :j

Bobarella

Wow Crazylady - so impressive all that you achieved! Another thought for you, what about looking into a week night only lodger? If you live anywhere near commuter belt it could work really well.

Cheery impressive to do a half marathon, well done you!

FatVonD

La_escocesa wrote: »

I'm not going to my pal's hen do next weekend. Whenever the invite came round I really couldn't face it (money-wise and just effort-wise) but now it's getting closer I'm starting to feel the guilt!! Need to think up a decent excuse pronto before all the Qs of why I'm not going etc... So far winning is that it was FIL's bday last weekend so we're going to visit him then...

I would be exactly the same, I've reached the point now where I can actually say (to workmates), 'sorry, it sounds like my idea of hell, I don't want to come' but I can see how a friend's hen might be a bit more tricky :rotfl:

I have always loved that feeling when you wriggle out of something you didn't want to go to anyway, somehow that evening in is so much more pleasurable because you've 'chosen' it than one where you didn't have the option to do something else

La_escocesa

Thanks FVD! I know if we do go over to the in laws I will have a much nicer time with FIL's awesome cooking, watching !!!! on tv and having a few drinks with MIL...:o Anyway, I went on her last hen do first time round a few years ago :rotfl:

ziggy2407

Hi All

Hoping for a little bit of normality back to our lives (even if only briefly), have been reading but not posted as felt a little overwhelmed but over the last few days we have:

Discussed DH's work - should he retire or continue working and take 3 months off with sick pay (still under discussion)
Check Banked
Sorted new calendar
Done shredding (well the 3 grand-kiddies took it turns doing it, have told DS not to buy anymore toys just invest in an exercise ball and a shredder, kept them entertained for hours :rotfl:)
Decluttered two big draws of toy cars and various odd toys
Sort medicine cupboard & destroyed all OOD meds
Recycled Christmas cards I won't use in my crafting
Shopping with list
Recycled old batteries at supermarket
Uploaded all receipts to COS (shame they've stopped the 1p reward for uploading receipts)
Tidied book shelves
DS to Football (his team won :T)
2 loads of washing (after son came home from footie)
Continued purge on emails
Entered a few comps
All meals from cupboards/fridge/freezer
Checked: Lucky Phone, Ashleigh, Numberplatelotto, FPL

C x