New Year, New Plans and Hopes

Lilith1980

Hi JackieO and everyone, hope it's okay for me to join? I've enjoyed reading people's goals and am inspired by the different life experiences and perspectives. I have a debt-free diary so one of my goals for 2018 is to cut my debt down. I'm not sure how much I'd like to reduce it by, but ways I'm doing this are: surveys/website testing and using any cash I have at the end of each month to pay a bit off. I'm ploughing as much spare cash into it as I can to reduce it..

Also on my list this year:

1. Simplify my life - declutter and stop getting sucked into consumerism. I don't "need" all the things I think I need
2. Save money on groceries - tonight I did my first monthly shop in-store for 12 years! I ordered online for 12 years, but will be doing most of my monthly shop with Aldi now and getting the remaining bits from Tesco.
3. Try to decide about the career I really want. I'm soon to qualify in a profession I enjoy in some respects, but I'm not sure it's for me anymore. OR if I stick it out for the time being, at least cut down my hours a bit so that I can...
4. ...have more time for doing things outside work - going away, taking on more hobbies

I think that's it for now. More things will probably get added as the year progresses :rotfl:

[Deleted User]

Welcome Lilith1980, and well done on your shopping change of venue I have managed to get my food shopping down to twice a month, but then I am working my way through the freezer food as much as I can.

Simplifying your life is an excellent idea, work to live, not live to work.The world is such an amazing place and there are so many things to do and find out about.I am in my 70s and enjoy life to the full, and never stop learning if I can help it.

I wish you all the best with your new life style choices


JackieO xx

Lilith1980

JackieO wrote: »

Welcome Lilith1980, and well done on your shopping change of venue I have managed to get my food shopping down to twice a month, but then I am working my way through the freezer food as much as I can.

Simplifying your life is an excellent idea, work to live, not live to work.The world is such an amazing place and there are so many things to do and find out about.I am in my 70s and enjoy life to the full, and never stop learning if I can help it.

I wish you all the best with your new life style choices


JackieO xx

Thanks so much, JackieO. I'm sure this thread will continue to inspire me

nannywindow

Hi Lilith1980 :wave:.
Well the decluttering is going very slowly, but it is still going !
Failed to keep up the exercising, as had the lurgy for about 3 weeks. Must try harder now I'm back to normal ( ish ).
The spending diary is still ongoing, although the bank account has taken a few small hits this week. We had to replace two small electrical appliances. Why does everything break down one after the other ?
Hope everyone is still on track.
nan

eandjsmum

Jimmy-Hockins wrote: »

the permanent practice will help you, may be tha same as it helped me many years ago. I was afraid of the depth to.

Thanks the weight is coming off slowly, but feel that I may be frustrated this week as the beast from the east hits so probably no swimming for me this week. I'll probably do an extra gym session instead.

eandjsmum

[.
The spending diary is still ongoing, although the bank account has taken a few small hits this week. We had to replace two small electrical appliances. Why does everything break down one after the other ?
Hope everyone is still on track.
nan[/QUOTE]

Think its called "sods law" happens here too.

Lilith1980

nannywindow wrote: »

Hi Lilith1980 :wave:.
Well the decluttering is going very slowly, but it is still going !
Failed to keep up the exercising, as had the lurgy for about 3 weeks. Must try harder now I'm back to normal ( ish ).
The spending diary is still ongoing, although the bank account has taken a few small hits this week. We had to replace two small electrical appliances. Why does everything break down one after the other ?
Hope everyone is still on track.
nan

Hi Nannywindow

I agree on things breaking down. Our hoover packed up just after Christmas, but luckily we had an Amazon voucher from family so we were able to buy another one without spending our own money

We thought our washing machine was going to give up the ghost as well, but luckily it's still going. We're had it nearly 8 years so I'm not expecting it to last much longer the way things are built these days :rotfl:

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Mrs_Salad_Dodger wrote: »

Hi everyone, lots of successes being reported which is very encouraging:T

My!!!8221;successes!!!8221; are a bit more haphazard:eek:

1. Lots going out & nothing much apart from food coming in BUT, BUT there are only a couple of very small pockets of clear space:( I am sure the clutter breeds:eek:

2. Very poor result on this - only one room fully redecorated but needs new carpet & the blinds & curtains put up. 4 more rooms to do so I don!!!8217;t think that is going to happen over the next two months:eek:

3. This has been very successful re the freezer - apart from lots of bags of vegetables & herbs there is only a small beef joint, 500g of beef mince & some mackerel fillets to use up. The larder has only one or two of the items I use regularly.

4. Baked 10 days out of 31- just about 1 in 3:T - Success

5. Have managed this a couple of times this month - so the jury is still out on this one:undecided

Wishing everyone success for their 2018 Plans & Hopes!

MrsSD

Hi all,
Reporting in for the end of February:

1. Still quite a bit going out & nothing much apart from food coming in BUT the small pockets of clear space are still proving hard to come by I am sure the clutter breeds:eek: ). My decluttering efforts have been hampered by the snow as the council have postponed the bulk items collection to mid March & I also have 8 large bags + a glass fronted cabinet for collection by cs. However I do have several pockets of clear space now.

2. Improving on this - one room fully redecorated, blinds & curtains up & new light & sockets fitted but still needs new carpet which is being fitted on 12th March. The landing & stairs carpets have been taken up & packed ready for disposal (again the snow is causing problems as DH takes it a bag at a time to the Tip). DH has sugar soaped the Walls, ceiling & skirting boards. Has also painted a first coat of white on ceiling & stairwell walls + undercoated the woodwork where the new carpet is being fitted. Hoping that we can give the bathroom a quick spruce up before the end of March & the rest will have to wait :eek: Everything just takes so long to do, our own fault as we haven!!!8217;t decorated in 18 years :eek::eek::eek::o:o:o

3. Still successful re the freezer - now full of pre-cooked meals & lots of bags of vegetables & herbs.

4. Baked 8 days out of 28 - almost 1 in 3 (but have been making more than one item each time) :T - Success

5. Have managed this several times this month - so the jury is in - partially successful but could do better:rotfl:

!!!8216;See!!!8217; you all in a month.

MrsSD

ScotinLondon

ScotinLondon wrote: »

Afternoon all...out of my plans - we have done the following:
ordered new sofas! only taken 5 years - had to find the right ones and hope that these are it. The current old sofas are so old - that they are going one way or another!

Have also started studying too - only two weeks worth of full classes to go through, hopefully will do it before a full month of revision for exam in March. Lets hope I do better than last time!

We did try a new recipe too: Cuban Black bean stew
https://www.marthastewart.com/337366/cuban-black-bean-stew-with-rice
It was nice, but does need something extra in flavour tho - so next time will be adding coriander power and smoked paprika i think. We have those already. All the ingredients we have already.

We are going to try another new recipe tonight (I hope) and it asks for dijon mustard which i don't have - i have normal english mustard. Can I use that or is there something else that i can or just leave out? The receipe is Nigella's chedder cheese risotto.

Need to get bathroom quotes next...

Have a good rest of the day all and week. Not sure when I will be posting next.

SILx

Evening everyone - so following on from my last post, many moons ago - new sofas still fab...We are really liking them.

Our fridge started bleeping but that has now been fixed and sorted...Luckily the fridge was still in warranty.

Exam done - not sure if I have done well, it was very hard, so will start going through everything again in time for the re-sit in June (that is if i dail).

Bathroom quote has been provided - just have a few more questions for the builder.

New additions onto the list - sort out my Pension, PPI & also energy switch.

Have good rest of the weekend everyone.

SIL x

nannywindow

Hi everyone
Not feeling to good at present but wanted to report in.
The spending diary went for a Burton towards the end of last month, so must try harder. Will start again .
The de-cluttering is still ongoing, but very slowly. I'm trying to cull some of DH's stuff too which is blummin hard work. He wants to keep it all " just in case" so I am doing it covertly. I have found some mugs that a few years ago he "had to keep", so I have washed them and left them in full sight. If he doesn't notice, I shall wrap them up and put them in the next charity bag that comes along .
Still awaiting our new windows but with the dreadful weather we are having, we are happy to wait.
We will have to start decorating once the windows are in though.
Good luck to everyone.