2017 - moving life forwards

coastalchick

Went to B's mums for lunch but kids weren't there which was a bit of a disappointment! Didn't do big shop but got fruit for breakfasts/snacks, a whole roast chicken, couscous, salad, tomatoes and cucumber so we can take healthy salads in this week (I'll jazz the couscous up a bit with some sultanas, lemon juice and olive oil and perhaps a little bit of cumin). Also got sunday paper and a birthday card for a friend. So almost another £20/2! B has told me has has band this week so we need an easy meal for that night, plus 2 others at shops tomorrow so should hopefully not be too much.

Went for run! Decided to literally start from scratch again so did run 2 mins, walk 1 min for 30 mins. Was hard as carrying a lot of excess weight (am so fat I had to wear my maternity clothes on holiday and my sports bras no longer fit) but I need to do this as need something else to focus on and need to lose weight. Going to aim to go 3-4 times per week.

Got sunday blues a bit now, esp as have had 18 days off!!!! But need to get focused at work or reckon I'll get the boot. I feel I've hardly produced any product this year so need to rectify that before year end.

System

Hellooo!

So sorry to hear about your holiday, it chucked it down the whole time I was in Amsterdam and me and BF both had an AWFUL cold and I spent my holiday wishing I could come home. Completely sympathize that you came back without that relaxing feeling! Sounds like the food festival will be a slower pace and hopefully having that to look forward to helps!

In terms of your weight-loss etc. Try not to be too hard on yourself, you've been through an awful lot. Gentle exercise and I'm sure you'll be surprised at how quickly you shrink back down! Same goes with your work, I doubt you'll be getting the boot.... You've had a rotten old time of it and there are a couple of months to go before 2018 appears!

coastalchick

It's just terrible isn't it when the weather is crap?! God, feel for you too - esp having a cold aswell!!!!

Yes, hoping I can shift the weight. Been good so far today and have had only an alpen light bar, a chicken salad with couscous and some fruit.

First day back was hard. Over 400 emails. Have got through and dealt with most of them though. Was a lot more focused today and am drawing up a plan for rest of year work-wise. I created this product for all offices which I then regretted doing because it took up so much time, it took me away from what my real focus should be. Anyway, cos I was off after MC and then hols, it's not gone out for 6 weeks. Discussed with my line manager and he and I have agreed that as no-one has been shouting for it, we will just not bother and see if a fuss is kicked up - he suspects not!

MSE today - not too bad but could do better! Walked to and from work so saved on petrol money and that will also help with weight loss (also took the stairs rather than the lift this am), spent 6.29/2 on way home on ingredients we needed to make this miso salmon tonight.

Still have to get food for 2, poss 3 more nights this week and maybe a bit extra for lunches (salad wise - chicken won't do thursday but have some eggs can hard boil instead).

B is out with his mates for a curry fri night so I'll either treat self to a take away (only £10 so not bad) or cook something. I do find it is more expensive to cook than buy ready made/take out these days. At weekend I wanted to make a tarte tatin but we worked out it would cost around £15! Fine if you're having people over for dinner, there's 6 or 8 of you and you want to pull out all the stops, but when it's just me and B - ludicrous!!!!!

Then we are out with friends at a steak restaurant sat night which I am fully preparing self for a £70/80 per person bill. But they are my closest and we have fun. Though I may drive rather than drink as otherwise we've also got the cost of a taxi home (B may drive if he's hungover from friday I suppose!).

No booze until then however. And run tomorrow night (or maybe the morning).

Do just wish I didn't have to work. Life would be so much better!

System

Yep! Totally get what you mean about cooking being more expensive, I try and cook everything like curries, pizzas etc. from scratch and aside from the time we have to spend in our tiny kitchen making the food we’ve found the cost of ingredients keeps going up and up. We don’t eat meat in our house and BF is totally vegan so we wait for our favourite ‘meat replacement’ items to go on sale and buy them in bulk and I’ve started buying frozen vegetables to reduce our food waste but I still feel like we haemorrhage money on food. Especially as my BF eats like a horse (honestly I cook a HUGE portion of food with the intention of leftovers for work lunches only to wake up the next day and find he’s managed to eat 4 portions worth to himself, and he’s a rake!! So unfair!).

I suppose the way to look at it is typically the cost of ingredients will last several meals rather than just the one so the cost spreads out to be cheaper. Even if it stings the purse at purchase!

Glad you got on top of your e-mails so quickly, when I was off for 6 weeks it took me about a week to get back in to the swing of things!

coastalchick

That's exactly the same as B! He eats for like 3 people!!! Rather annoying!!! (though he's not a rake!).

Today wasn't great MSE. I walked in but B drove car then picked me up at home time so no petrol money saved and only half a walk! But did take the stairs instead of lift twice today and walked to printer 10 million times as kept making mistakes and having to re-print!!!

Lunchtime I paid a sickness benefit cheque in for when was off with MC though not actually mine as work deduct it so will still be same pay this month. Had a tenner in purse and 51p in shrapnel so paid all that in and will put the 51p to savings, tenner back to this month's spending budget as that's where it came from. Fixed my mortgage on Tooting property at 1.84% for 5 years with no fee. Fixed rate runs out 31 October and variable was 3.69% so didn't want it to revert to that. Only 11 years and 1 month to go on that property so by time fixed rate runs out will only have 6 years left to go. Has only reduced my monthly repayments by 98p and could have got 1.14% for 2 years or 1.39% for 3 years but given we want kids (preferably 2) and that property could do with some refurbishment, I figured it would be better to have certainty for next 5 years. Plus I do think that is a good rate for 5 years as surely interest rates are likely to rise in that time?

Then damage started. Needed to go to shops for food. A really nice wine we had at weekend was on offer £5.86 a bottle rather than almost £8. So we bought 6 as you then also get another 5% off. Spent £61/2 as also got milk, 6 chicken breasts, salad stuff, diet coke and other bits and bobs. So rather more than was expecting but it is good to stock up on good wine when on offer so sort of saving in long run(?!). Then £8 on batteries (24) as new cat flap keeps saying batteries dead! And cat needs to be able to get in and out. We had to fit a new one with the microchip sensor thing as a cheeky black cat kept coming in the house and we think it's been bullying our cat.

No lunches out or meals out now until Sat. My turn to cook tomorrow and thursday. Been taking healthy lunches to work so also saving there.

Trying to be more focused at work. Do find I'm more focused when the girl I'm sharing with is not there. She really gets on my nerves with her constant sniffing and her smelly food and loud typing!!!! She is sadly back tomorrow afternoon.

System

Ha, I have somebody at work who is super loud (shouts everything) and he drives me absolutely insane!! He makes up words, has horrible food, argues about literally everything (you could tell him you’re giving him £2000 and he’d have an argument with you about it), starts new lines in the middle of e-mails for no reason.. The list is endless. You sincerely have my sympathy. We spend so much time at work that it would be daft to expect everyone we work with not to get on our nerves.

Yes, I agree that sometimes it’s better to spend to save, wine sounds like a good deal. I always buy things like my fabric softener in bulk when it’s on offer as it’s so much cheaper and then lasts me a good 6 or 7 months without buying one here or there at full price. Poor Marley, hopefully the microchip cat flat is helping alleviate any bullying problems.. Cats can be so mean to each other!

Way to go on your healthy lunches at work, I’m being so bad for this at the moment… I keep buying lunch every day and that is of no help to my general wellbeing as I keep buying horrible food like mug-shots and then I’m hungry at the end of the day as I’ve had nothing wholesome.

coastalchick

He seems much happier so think the bullying has stopped!!! Annoying girl still being annoying, but she leaves in Jan, though suppose could end up with someone worse!

Well, thursday at work I bought a duck wrap from c*-op and a pack of galaxy ripples, plus some spring onions as we needed some for thursday nights dish. Dodgy tummy then started thursday afternoon and I went to bed at 830 still with dodgy tummy. Up all night then spent all day in bed on the friday, couldn't eat or drink anything as it came straight out the other end (sorry for TMI!). B went out on lash and for curry with his mates.

Sat morning was still disaster so took 4 immodium as we were going out on rib B's brother in law had borrowed from work, with the kids. Went for lunch with them and we paid £66.80/2 but I could barely eat. My dodgy tummy started again just before we were about to get back on the rib. Went to supermarket to get stuff for dinner as had to cancel on my friends as no point going for expensive 70/80 a head meal if going to come straight out. Thank god did as managed a single slice of pizza then on toilet all night again!!!!

Sun morning it seemed to calm down and went to B's mums for lunch and had half a (small) pizza then managed half a steak and ale pie for tea. Been ok since then though really bad pains this morning. Then stopped.

Have got about 360 in this month's budget until get paid friday. Hopefully need nothing more than milk and will then divide what's left between long term savings, holiday account and house account. New budget friday and really need to be frugal this month!!!

System

I know this probably sounds silly but be careful that you don’t have an E.Coli infection. I had one badly when I was at university (thanks to my disgusting housemate leaving meat etc. on the side and not wiping it up) and I ended up in hospital and your symptoms sound like mine. In the end the hospital said the only thing to do was to starve the E.Coli out as every time you eat it feeds the bacteria which causes the symptoms again! Drink plenty of water as you’ll be dehydrated and watch you don’t end up with a UTI as your symptoms very often lead to one! I hope you’re on the mend soon!!

coastalchick

Yeah, I definitely have the symptoms!!! Seem to be better now though, thankfully. Not eating the galaxy ripples in case it's those! Killing me to have them in my desk (maybe I should just chuck them in case?!)

So we spent a little yesterday on a pudding as a treat, oven chips and milk - came to 775/2.

Did my calculations today and had screwed up somewhere so that was another £60 I had to take from this month's budget. Anyway, ended up putting £98 in each of my long term savings, house account and holiday account. And have a bit of shrapnel (around £7) in cash which need to pay into bank and think will put in long term savings account.

Weather is pretty wild out there! Tonight is beer battered cod, chunky oven chips and asparagus from stores. B is off to band shortly so have whacked heating on (we have underfloor throughout the whole house - bliss) and going to watch a film when he !!!!!!s off!

Tomorrow we get paid - waa hoo! So will move money across from bank account to my various accounts - bills, mortgage, holiday, spending and long term savings. Really want this month to be frugal but suspect it won't, esp as will need to start the christmas present buying using this month's money as we don't get paid until 20th and then it will be too late to order stuff online in time etc.

We will need bloody petrol tomorrow so that will be a tenner each

Planning to get tax returns sorted tomorrow and give the house a good old clean. B and I might also go out for dinner tomorrow night (frugal my !!!!!) but we've not decided yet as he has manflu (though clearly not stopping him going to band!!!) but if we do, will either be a pizza or our fave pasta place (which doesn't do pizza) which is very reasonable

Thank fcuk I've finished for the week!!!!!

coastalchick

Gah, just want to be really frugal this month but it never seems to happen. Even annoyed got to spend on petrol. And we don't drive the car much - unless weather is bad or we're sick, we both walk to work. We use car to get to B's mums and for food shopping. But buying petrol still galls!

And food. Where we live food is SO expensive. And that's what we spend most money on. If it was just me, I'd just stay in and have beans or eggs on toast. But B doesn't think we need to watch it. In reality we don't, as we do have a lot of disposable income left after mortgage and bills. But I just worry for the future, especially as I was in A LOT of debt in my 20's. Just worried that we won't have enough on retirement as there is a lot in between - house repairs, potential school fees (if lucky enough to have kids), day to day living. Plus I hate my job. Not as much as the last one, but enough. Can I do this for another 26 years?!!!