Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

badmemory said: I resent using them at face value for shopping, it just seems so wasteful (& not very MSE at all).

I feel the same - though groceries are actually more important than a lot of the more luxury items they are promoting. I must be a very unusual person because I don't want to spend on meals out or holidays (a home bird with a vengeance). Some things sound quite nice but aren't things I particularly want, for instance a membership of an organisation I've just left! It was a nice idea but we didn't use it in a year.

Today's spending was £16.45 (household).

The heating's been on and so have the layered clothes: by about half past two it was wet and dark. I'm using some of my stashed yarns to make a sparkly hat for DGD, which is easy and quite rewarding, but apart from that I haven't done much today. The sparkle is nice and cheerful on such a gloomy day!

Something I don't think I'd mentioned a couple of days ago: I'd somehow signed up for @maz0n Pr1me, but cancelled it at once. The benefits remain for a month, but I didn't need it in that time. Then I got a notification for a free renewal, which I've accepted as it will take me up to nearly Christmas. Then all I've got to do is remember to cancel!

MS things: we finished up various leftovers for dinner, heating goes up to 17C and that was plenty, I've used space in the spare room for clothes drying (must remember to ventilate it as much as possible), the family has decided to do Secret Santa (though I'm allowed an exception because I love doing stockings so much) (AKA Mrs Claus).

And things I'm thankful for: a warm dry house and plenty of layers for when the heating's not on. Still plenty of the gorgeous chocolate hazelnut biscuits left from a couple of weeks ago, a restful day after some busy days.

Cherryfudge

I have just discovered that what I thought were more Mr T vouchers are, in fact, discounts if I spend £20 or more. How long have they been doing that?!

I had one about a month ago which I thought was a random one-off offer, and when I remembered it, it was out of date. Now I have another three!

I don't often spend £20 in one go, especially now we have a L!dl closer than Tes co. I might get one of them spent with a bit of judicious planning, but three? Unlikely.

Cherryfudge

Today...rain. And another lie-in, partly because the bed is so comfortable and so warm, and I really don't do mornings. However, I've managed a few things: I'm back into both bank websites - somehow I've not checked one since May, but as that's where DHs money goes in and is mostly used for specific bills, I haven't really needed to.

It was very interesting to find that my ancient ISA, which earned 31p in all of last year, earned £1.08 in October. Crikey. I know that won't keep up with inflation but it's a bit of a shocker.

The purpose of going into the accounts was to find paying in details for my sister, which we definitely don't have. I messaged her to tell her that, and it turns out she had sent me the bank details back in August. This was on an unexplained screenshot which I took to refer to an old bank account that we'd discussed as she had been surprised was still open. I thought she was telling me she had access to that account. So there's been another 3 months + of delay in paying her share of Mum's estate. I don't think she's in a hurry, somehow.

Actually, neither am I because I still don't know what to do with my share (which is losing value, of course). DS2 has gone quiet on the prospect of us buying a property together, but he's not a great communicator either and I know he works long shifts.

Other than that, we had a day out to collect a painting DH has had restored.  - an education in itself - and went to a few charity shops. I got wet feet, some yarn and a jumper.

This evening was the first of the Tuesday group's 'Pizza Tuesdays' and was fun. Pulling the meeting time forward could be a good thing. We were home by about nine instead of ten.

Spending:
DH - groceries x 2 visits, painting restorer fees, diesel. I don't know what all that came to.
Me: e-book 99p
Hobbies £1
Donation 50p
Clothing £6
Housekeeping £1
Gifts £4

Things to be thankful for: the summer drought didn't win, really yummy pasta salad at my friend's house as well as pizzas, pretty colour-changing yarn in pinks and beiges from the charity shop.

Cherryfudge

Today was hot-wash day, and amazingly, things got half dried out on the line though the weather forecast said it was about 8 degrees out. I wrapped up warmly and went to the market and some shops, including careful spending of one of the '£3 off a £20 spend' vouchers. That means quite a lot of groceries bought ahead of time, and I still went elsewhere for some items. The heating has been on a bit, and we also had to use the tumble drier for an hour to get dry bedding, so it won't be a cheap day.

Thinking about the interest rates on my savings and an article I read about food price increases, it occurred to me that paying off the mortgage has saved us from a much more difficult financial situation. As things are we have savings but are spending more of our earnings than we were a few months ago.

We don't have a smart meter (DH isn't keen) so we don't qualify for a reward for avoiding usage between 4 and 7pm. It's quite a thought, isn't it: who would have thought we would go through voluntary rationing of our electricity usage? The other shocker recently was seeing a Yorkshire Water promotion about saving water. Back in the summer there was mention that it would take months for water levels to be restored following the drought.

And hasn't it been the longest Autumn ever! Trees started to turn in August and are still at it now.

At least the weather has been kinder today and I was able to walk to my church group this evening. I was tempted to stay at home and have a lazy evening but I'm glad I went and I daresay the exercise was good for me.

Spending:
Housekeeping Mr T £16.36, !celand £1.88, market £2.50, L!dl £4.16 = £24.90
Gifts £3.50
Clothing (getting shoes stretched and buying polish... and the man in the shop told me Kiwi polish has gone out of business. As I said to him, 'But they've been around forever!') £12.95
Data for my phone £3

And some things I'm thankful for: days off, supportive friends, rest and exercise, being within walking distance of supermarkets.

Seasidegal58

I was thinking of getting a smart meter - I've heard varying reports about them so was a bit dubious. And I'm not sure if I can have one as I live in a block of flats. I will have to check with Octopus c

Sun_Addict

I’ve had a smart meter for a few years and it saves me a lot of hassle trying to read the meters. The gas one is outside and hard to get to and the electric one is a nightmare to understand. I’m interested to know why people are suspicious of them, one of my cousins refuses to have one. 

Seasidegal58

I think when they first came out some of them were very inaccurate and it was widely reported in the media which put a lot of people off. They are reported to be a lot better now. My electric meter is really awkward to get to so it would save me crawling down on my hands and knees trying to photograph the reading on my phone!

badmemory

They can cut you off remotely without even telling you.  Put you on prepayment without you knowing.  Cut you off when they should have been cutting a neighbour off.  If british gas are anything to go by they can bill you for an estimated reading without even telling you that it is an estimate.  They are all a shambles & frankly I just don't trust them to get it right.

Sun_Addict

I’ve never had a problem with mine. I’m with Octopus.

Cherryfudge

We're with Octopus too, I might look into what they provide in the way of smart meters and see if it's worth having a further chat with DH about it.

£5 spent yesterday as a contribution to a colleague's leaving gift. Will be very sorry to lose her.

Around £40 extra earned as I did the sleep in at work.