Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

Sorry I didn't get back on the computer yesterday: DS2 was using it for his visa application: the trip is getting scarily close. I'm telling myself the day he gets home is getting close!

I'm off to work on Mum's house this morning till Friday. The train ticket was £32.69 but I've already claimed that off her estate.

Online food shop (for us over 3 days and top up of house supplies) was £50! Not quite sure how that happened - exact number to come once weighed items are delivered. Other than that I spent £19.98 on clothes and £12 on food shopping for yesterday.

Must dash - will have an update when I return!

Cherryfudge

I'm back - with 3 NSDs in a row! However that's a bit of a cheat as Mr Fudge joined me on day two and bought us lunch out yesterday. Other than that we had two lovely walks in the local area around where I grew up, and he made massive inroads into a room that was just full of who-knows-what. My Dad grew up during the depression and it seems to have made him want to keep everything in case it came in useful. Sometimes it did and some of it (old family photos in particular) I'm glad of, but other bits (21 pen lids) I have decided not to keep. DH also opened two daunting-looking boxes which could have been full of paperwork or something but only turned out to have very ancient bedding, so we hauled it out and away.

There have been some MS moments - we filled an obsolete recycling box with logs from the tree I had cut down last year so that will save us a bit on fuel, and when I got home the phone rang and it was the energy company offering to fit smart meters. If that all goes ahead as planned it will be £40 back to us.

I didn't get as much done as I'd hoped but it was really nice to have DH there and my mood has lifted quite a bit. Having the car with us meant I could sneak a few things home - some mugs, a baking dish, some glassware... nothing of huge value though I asked DH's opinion on a broken ornament I found and he's doing some research. Personally I've no love for it but I can see that it's fairly 'good'- apart from having large chunks missing! :rotfl: I also found notes my Mum had made when they moved there in the 1950s, and discovered for the first time that she loathed the fireplace and made plans to screen if off - and yet it's still there, and was an influencing force in us not getting ours changed till last year.

So, no financial roundup as nothing spent but I'm still over from the beginning of the week. Will try cutting back next week to make up, but there's a lot of perishables from the online food shop which we've brought back and which will go on feeding us.

My gratitude list: DH's company and hard/productive work, good weather and good walks, safe home tonight.

Honeysucklelou2

Well done on 3 NSDs... what a lovely post above...your teamwork shines through.

Cherryfudge

Thank you HoneysuckleLou

Car boot day today! I just love going - DH found an antiques fair nearby so he was happy too! It was a bit chilly and we arrived in the last hour as DH had an appointment that overran, but I managed to get round the stalls and didn't buy too much junk! I did spend £3 on something for work (no idea how to fit that into any of my spending categories but if I call it 'household' that means that if it doesn't work as I hope it will, I can use it at home). I also found a cake box that suits me better than the huge ancient one that's taking up too much cupboard space, and an old leaflet about craft.

I was going shopping for work lunches but realised I have pasta sauce to use up so I've saved some money there.

I have a massive list of things decluttered on the trip to Mum's house that I still haven't added to the decluttering thread but they will have to wait as I have promised A that I'd help with some research he's doing, and I have to get that done by Wednesday... somehow. Sure I'll manage to fit it into Tuesday! Meanwhile the good news is a colleague can cover a shift for me so if the manager agrees, I will get most of my annual leave in.

Spending
Household £5.00
Hobbies £2.00
MS
Avoided food shopping for the fourth day in a row.
£2 coin for the jar
10th coin savings 20p
Abd I'm thankful for a quiet shift, little perks of car boot shopping and the blue hyacinths in our hearth.

Sun_Addict

You've been busy! Well done on all that decluttering, you're putting me to shame

Well done on the no and low spend days too.

HairyHandofDartmoor

Well done on the decluttering and glad you enjoyed DH's help and company at your mum's old house .

Cherryfudge

Nothing spent today: it's been fairly steady at work this weekend and I was looking forward to a lie-in tomorrow when I realised I'm on a course then on shift, so it's a 12 hour day. Then I remembered I hadn't sorted meals for tomorrow but I think I can cover that with toast for breakfast, muesli for lunch and a hefty tuna mayo sandwich for tea. I've got fruit as well so all I'm missing is a chocolate biscuit.

So tomorrow's food is just about accounted for and I can go shopping on Tuesday morning. I was going to add the decluttering list here but I think someone's moved my suitcase - possibly to the loft, which is a nuisance as it has the notebook for Mum's house in. I have, however, found the safe place where I'd put my bullet journal which is a relief. Days are pretty full in the near future and it gets hard to keep track.

Today I'm grateful for hearing helpful things at church this morning, finding that the gadget I bought for work seems robust and does the job we wanted it to, and having an NHS, running water and reliable electricity. DH was chatting to a Romanian lady who works at DFiL's place and she was telling him about the poverty some people live with over there.

Cherryfudge

Well, I've done the maths on the food budget and am properly overspent these last couple of weeks - if I'm to get back on track I've only £7.69 to spend this week (actually £8.39 if you count the change left in my purse). DH still has his full share of the allowance though and I have enough leeway to borrow off next week's but if I'm not to go too far astray I need more NSDs.
At least there is quite a lot in the cupboards and a day or so of lentil soup will make quite a difference!
I've paid the CC off; still got to do the meter readings then have a look at the account to see what needs to go into savings, and if there's anything spare for the mortgage - though I put a lump sum through at the beginning of the month so there's already an overpayment.
Off to work in a minute: enjoy the spring sunshine everyone!

WannabeFree

Have a lovely day Cherry

x

Onebrokelady

Well done on the declutterng and NSDs,I hope you get,your annual leave,I'm still waiting to hear about mine which is a pain