Aligning the Stars

enthusiasticsaver

That is a great way of motivating you to get rid of the debts. No feeling like knowing a large proportion of your income is yours to use as you wish otherwise you are just working to give all your money away.

Starmummy

Hi lovelies :j

How are we all?

Wasn't that just a soggy weekend?
Money wise it was pretty good. I didn't buy anyTHING (technicalities) but I did spend £16.30 from my account. My sister and her family came down to visit, they live 100 miles away so I don't get to see them as often as I would like. We met them in the local posh hotel bar (not very MSE) I bought the first round of drinks but then my BIL treated us to lunch so I think I did pretty well out of the situation.
Mr S sent me to wilko to get a caulking gun (he is finally getting round to tiling the kitchen) I happened to bump into a friend on the way and she lent me one instead so I saved the joint account £6 there.
Grocery-wise we aren't doing too bad, Mr S did the shop last tuesday and spent just shy of £60. We have had to top up on milk and green veg but we still have at least today and tomorrow before we need to shop again.
Unfortunately he tends to buy bung-in-the-oven stuff, okay it may be Aldee but still not very money saving. I shall see if I can take over the food shop this week, not only is cooking cheaper but I enjoy it. Mr S can't seem to get his head around that fact. I am thinking of making a big veggie lasagna and a big fish pie which means they should last 2 dinners each. I shall have to write a list and think of a couple more meals to cook.... and maybe consider a slow cooker. Monday to Wednesday are always so busy as SC has sports/clubs until 7-8pm so and I can't cook if I'm not home, Mr S has been working late and it's such a juggling act.
I helped SC make some lentil and carrot soup and some custard creams for her packed lunches this week. She takes a food flask we got from W1lk0 last year for £6 which was a great buy.
We watched the first episode of Simon Reeves Americas last night and it was a real eye opener. I'd really like to become a much more conscious consumer. I need to look into the practicalities of this as my beloved Aldee with all it's money saving is not that great on the amount of plastic packaging it produces. We already use soup bars instead of hand soap and shower gel. and we have started using old mayo jars for taking lunch to work in. I mentioned the eco egg to Mr S last night to replace laundry detergent. It's all a bit of an education.

Take care
SM

Starmummy

In other news...I think I have a sensitivity to caffeine. We have been back in our renovated office 3 weeks now with a lovely proper coffee machine. I've had at least 1 migrain a week. The two may not be linked but my mum discovered the same when she was in her 30's that caffeine effected her balance and vision.

So I'm cutting out caffeine.

[Deleted User]

Sounds like you had a great weekend!

I have the same thing with caffeine so cut it out years ago, I have all the herbal teas instead!

I do have an eco egg and it is good, but for properly soiled clothes, I still use detergent now and then. Saves an awful lot of money though!

A few other things that we do to reduce our environmental impact, in case you're interested:

- We buy recycled toilet paper in bulk from "Who gives a crap" - it's so much nicer than any other recycled toilet paper I've found, cheaper, and lasts longer too - and no plastic even in the packaging!

- I use a menstrual cup instead of tampons/pads - it's literally changed my life! So much better, and cheaper too. (not that I'm using that at the moment of course :rotfl:)

- We have bought some cheeky wipes (reusable baby wipes) and I use those for removing make up etc instead of any cotton pads/face wipes. works much better and just throw them in the wash with everything else.

- we have a compost bin in our yard. Our council have a scheme where you can buy them at a discount. It's been a year now since we've had it and we're vegans (so you can imagine how much fruit/veg we put in there!), and it's still only about a foot high in there - it's amazing how much stuff compresses! Really reduces amount of stuff in landfill.

Starmummy

Thanks for the tips M.

I knew it wouldn't be a NSD today but it is a LSD.
Total £2.56 (from joint account.
56p on crumpets to go with soup for work lunches
£2 to print out some photographs for SC's homework.

Suffolk_lass

I have organised a trip to the local refuse management site where they have an incinerator (that apparently produces enough energy for 30,000 homes) in November. Among my questions is what, if anything, they remove from our black bins (general refuse) before it is incinerated. There was an article recently suggesting they are drafting in refuse from neighbouring counties to ensure they keep the monster fed - I am wondering how much fossil fuel the refuse trucks use getting there too...

I am compiling a list of questions.

Starmummy

That's really interesting Suffolk. Will you report back on your diary with the results?

SM

Suffolk_lass

Yes I will - I will share my questions so far (if anyone has better/different questions, feel free to suggest them - over on mine (link in my sig) rather than hijacking yours Starmummy) - post 1015

Starmummy

We have had a couple of spends come out of the joint account today.
£56 for airport parking
£31.50 for one of SC's clubs (fees up to xmas hols)

Mr S doesn't seem to get the trying to budget. He thinks I'm just a bit of a killjoy. I suppose this will always be the case when our finances aren't shared and our financial situations are so different. He earns nearly 3x the amount I do, has no debts and the house is in his name only. We contribute equally to the joint account and bills, he does pay more of the mortgage though and I pay the bulk of the child costs (his house, my kid)
He just doesn't get it. If I'm honest we aren't seeing eye to eye on anything at the moment. He has been quite difficult to live with since turning 40. I'm not even sure if I know who he is, he goes out of his way to have the opposite opinion on everything, he has lost his drive, refuses to make any life plans... i could go on but this isn't really the place. I just don't feel there is a 'we'. I think that may be the way he is... a bit of a lone wolf.

I'm exhausted just from trying to keep the peace and it's really starting to affect my general well being.
I really need to get myself in a better place financially and finish my studies. At least then I know I have options.

Starmummy

Good afternoon all. How are you?

I'm pleased to report I'm feeling a lot brighter about everything after a sleep. Mr S even brought me a cup of tea this morning. This rarely happens, I'm always up before him and doing the tea bringing.

I have a call from a recruiter this afternoon and a 'Parent consultation meeting' this evening *eyeroll* when did it stop being parents evening? Anyway I'm going solo (what a treat) while Mr S takes SC to her second swim session of the week.

Not much money news. SC 'father' still MIA so still no maintenance- we are coming into month 5 now.
Mr S was 'helpful' last night and did a food shop before picking me and SC up after swimming. He didn't tell me he was doing so and therefore didn't ask if there was anything we needed. another week of no veg being purchased. I need to educate him I think. :rotfl:
Approx £35 spent in Aldee on ...not a lot.
I might do an online shop at the end of the week. I do find the supermarkets that deliver so expensive though.
Also paid £56ish for airport parking for our trip at half term.

I'm pleased to report that there is still no action in my personal account- other than scheduled DD. I've made it a month with only £22.30 of non-essential spending.

I'm trying to keep up with my daily study sessions, I really do need to get this exam out of the way I can't keep delaying it, it's holding me back career wise and it casts a dark shadow over my head space.
I hope you are all enjoying the blue skies I am right now and not the delightful storm Lorenzo.

Take care

SM