Put away your purse & become debt-averse

foxgloves

I like the washable cleansing pads too, @Deni_debt-free_dreamer, but I still use cotton wool for removing my eye make-up (though the washables have probably cut my cotton wool use in half). I do like black eyeliner & lots of mascara & I'm not sure how well they'd wash out of the re-usable ones. I should probably try though.
F x

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

foxgloves said:

I like the washable cleansing pads too, @Deni_debt-free_dreamer, but I still use cotton wool for removing my eye make-up (though the washables have probably cut my cotton wool use in half). I do like black eyeliner & lots of mascara & I'm not sure how well they'd wash out of the re-usable ones. I should probably try though.
F x

i do have some black reusable pads but i do sometimes use cotton wool to remove mascara too; another method is to have a shower and let black streaks run down my face which can then be easily wiped off with a reusable pad !!

Deni x

foxgloves

Oh yes, @Deni_debt-free_dreamer - black ones would work. Love the shower method but we don't have a shower, just a bath. I'd have to dunk my face under water to get the same effect, lol.
F

Sun_Addict

I had a washable makeup remover pad in a beauty box and was very sceptical about whether it would remove eye make up with just water but it did. It washes well too. I think the make is Glov. 

Deni_debt-free_dreamer

foxgloves said:

Oh yes, @Deni_debt-free_dreamer - black ones would work. Love the shower method but we don't have a shower, just a bath. I'd have to dunk my face under water to get the same effect, lol.
F

i think you need the running water to be effective!!

foxgloves

@Sun_Addict - I couldn't see how that would work, but it's probably similar to microfibre cloths, as it's surprising how much muck they can lift off with just water.
F

foxgloves

Morning Campers!
Not the best night's sleep with cats deciding to start the great 'Breakfast Meow-in' at 4.15 a.m, but they are very lovely & I did get back to sleep for a littler longer. Sorted all the dry laundry & did the ironing first thing to get it out of the way, then did a couple of surveys, as I am aiming to try & get my earnings from these back up to where it used to be. Several of the other tasks I intend to do today involve lists. Meal plans for next week are done (1 roast chicken & 3 knock-on meals & everything else from the freezer, having impressed on Mr F how much we have left in February's grocery budget!) so I will write the grocery shopping list. Also intend to lurk in the pantry for a bit to make a list for March's pantry stock-up at A*di next week, plus a list for our planned city centre shopping trip this weekend. 
I must say I'm feeling a lot of renewed vigour re all things thrifty atm, following our various discussions on here & other diaries. It really struck me anew this morning how important it is to check what is in stock before buying new - something I always do with groceries, but here's a classic example. I had in mind for our coming city centre trip that I need to buy body butter, mascara & conditioner. I'm glad I checked because I don't need even ONE of those items! I have 2 big pots of body butter, an unopened mascara & a large conditioner. I had also forgotten that I got 2 for 1 offers on certain other make-up items last month so will not need to buy those for a long time. What I ACTUALLY need is a hair colour (thought I had one left - I don't), moisturiser & cleanser, so coming home with a body butter, mascara & conditioner would have been pretty pointless. When I was putting away clean laundry earlier, there was a little rustle at the back of a drawer & investigations revealed two unopened pairs of Sw*g tights I bought last autumn. They last so long because I am not having to hoik them up constantly, that I still have 2 brand new pairs unworn. 
Another list I want to make today is books I want to read this year, so I can get as many as possible from the library. Another free source of materials which government cuts have been closing at a steady pace. Best way to keep them open is to use them, I reckon, so now life is returning to a bit more normality, I hope I can soon return to cycling into town on my bike, chaining it up at the library & seeing what I can borrow instead of buy. If I particularly love something, I can still opt to buy it for myself using my Personal Spends - been thinking about those, too. Like I said, a boost to my thrift levels seems to be happening in all areas, & just as well with all the scary price rises.....£1.50 per litre imminent for petrol. 
OK, off to sort out all those lists.
F x

marionmgcars

Most surprised to wake up to snow here, near Edinburgh.  Claimed a reward yesterday from work and converted into a M&S voucher worth £20,  so off to get some "free" underwear today.  It's is the small wins that make me smile

foxgloves

marionmgcars - Good for you on the free undies! I love a small win too. They do all add up. I really found that back when we were debt-busting, & still do while we maintain our solvent lifestyle & try to save.
F x
P.S Our county is a LOT further south than yours, but Mr F has just pinged me from work to say it's started snowing there too, & his workplace is only 26 miles north of me. No wonder my feet are cold!

foxgloves

Morning campers!
Got off to a cracking start this morning. By my coffee break at 10.30, I'd done the litter trays, vacuumed the entire house, cleaned the bathroom, dusted the piano, had a bath & washed my hair! Mr F often vacuums but I don't think I can stand another morning of him chuffing about how much he hates our current vacuum. Our upright has a split pipe so we are currently using Mum's old Dys*n, which is a very early model & he reckons it doesn't pick up. I did point out that in that case, how come he had just emptied it twice, because unless it was small invisible goblins racing around physically shoving dirt up the pipe, then it is defo picking up!! I tested it myself this morning. Emptied it before starting & it was full again by the end of my endeavours. He has been looking at new techy vacuums so I have this morning forwarded him a link to a spares website which has very affordable new pipes to fit our model of upright. Think he realises that as Mrs Budget, I'm not moving, as he says he'll get the part ordered this weekend. 
Other bits & bobs this morning:
- Printed out new car insurance documents as I've gone back to paper copies as find them easier to consult while phoning provider. Premium has decreased a tiny bit, despite having newer, more complex car, but I'm not complaining as so many other bills are going up. 
- Did a survey for £6.
- Sorted out my voucher stash - all those relevant to forthcoming city centre trip now in my handbag rtg. All JL ones from surveys & my 'just for points' credit card left out ready to use towards new coffee machine. With the full refund we received on the faulty one, we will only have a little to pay from our appliances replacement savings pot.
- Oh, & I've been missing my sealed pot. I never participated in the official challenge on here, but always had a sealed pot into which I posted 50p pieces all year round before emptying it in December & treating myself. I stopped it because during the pandemic, we were barely using cash, so nothing to pay in. I've started it again this week - I'm not expecting to raise much, but I will put in 'spare' £1 coins & I'm sure there will be enough for some kind or treat by the end of the year. It's a little bit of fun, anyway.
And that's pretty much today's jobs. Intend to have a bit of leisure time later. Apparently it's trying to snow in the north of the county, so I hope anyone further north of us is staying cosy.
Take care, m'dears,
F x