Being called frugal is the best compliment

savingholmes

New boots sound like a good plan. I couldn't find any to fit me this year so doing without for now.

Dorisd

The boots are Dr M’s which will last for years, must get on and order them while they are still on sale. 

Went out for a walk at lunch for some air and send off a parcel. Shop wouldn’t take it so have to go to the post office 😞. Local one shut some years ago and nearest is quite a way away. I can’t make it there and back on my lunch break.
DH and I had a good chat today about saving. We have agreed on saving first for our 3 month EF straight away, then top up as we go to get to 6 months, also agreed 2 years for deposit saving and have agreed the other sinking funds. I have been on MSE looking at best LISAs and higher interest savings accounts. He is also coming round to having the EF in premium bonds. 
He has agreed to give me a fixed sum monthly to put into savings as I see fit, but I will always discuss this with him.
We’ve been watching Ricky Gervais Afterlife and it got me thinking seriously about what happens if……..
I am ordering a last wishes/important stuff to know when I die book from the big river site. This has been at the fore especially since the news about relative. 

On that cheery note, Must try to sleep.

Dorisd

Happy hump day!
Really struggling with sleep and energy levels for the past few days. I’m struggling to wake up and don’t feel rested in the morning.
I’ve managed 2 NSD so far this week, still doing surveys and made another sale. So more things going out of the house. I have not kept up with my touch typing but still learning my language.
I have not found January to be that bad this year, maybe because we’re debt free and in a good place. Feel that my relationship with DH has improved (it wasn’t bad before) probably because we don’t have money issues stressing us.

I’ll try a weekly rather than daily tally/round up.

savingholmes

Glad you've had a good month.

Dorisd

Happy Friday,
Made it to the end of the week and I’m up with the lark today. I’ve gone from not being able to sleep and struggling to get up, to being wide awake for a couple of hours now.
Fellow MSErs will be pleased to know that I have used the time wisely by completing my first debt free money shuffle!
Its gone pretty well, it will take some getting used to trying to decide how much to put in savings pots rather than how much to pay off debt🤣.
I toyed with the idea of zero based budget but couldn’t bring myself to do it. I don’t have an overdraft and have only ever gone into the red in this account once, very many moons ago when I used it abroad and didn’t take into account exchange rates.
£100 buffer in that account (bills), all pots looking good in my spends account and 1/3 of the way to EF 3 months goal.
DH gets paid today, there will be some motor expenses due, other than that he should give me at least another £500 to add to the EF.
Must get a move on as even though I was up early, time seems to be flying by and I’m in the office today. I walk there so should help my step count.

Dorisd

The weekend has flown by so quickly. Managed a PB for 5k today and ran without stopping! I have decided to give the @ddidas training app a go so it’s set up a training programme 3 days a week. Might as well keep up the momentum.

With the new job and longer commute I have decided to start meal prepping again as I did before. Mr L was out of some of the things I needed so hopefully I will get that tomorrow morning. Most of the meals will go in the slow cooker or pressure cook in the Ninj@. 

So far I’ve got 24 planned including some veggie meals for DD. It worked well in the past as you just take a bag out of the freezer to defrost and it helped cut down spends on takeaways. Got to start saving for our deposit.

savingholmes

Well done on the PB and the freezer meals. Good luck with deposit saving

Dorisd

savingholmes said:

Well done on the PB and the freezer meals. Good luck with deposit saving

It was good to get out running properly, something I have not done since I injured my calf last summer. Luckily no twinges today.
Meal prep is not finished as I still have some chicken, turkey and beef to get but so far have spent £30 in Mr L and food budget still has £144 for the month.
Must get to work (in the living room).

Dorisd

Happy Monday,
We came back from an overnight trip to visit some relatives up north. It was nice to be away and catch up with everyone and meet the new furry additions. 

This coming year is packed full of family occasions and special days so diary is getting packed up quite quickly. It’s good to get it all booked in now as we somehow always get told too late and never end up going as DH works Saturdays and needs to book time off. 

I am still a managing to get some runs in and still getting good times too. Trying to fit in some at home exercise sessions especially when I’m working from home and not moving around too much.
DD is due to start a new job soon, I do hope she settles in this one. She’s had 3-4 jobs in the past few months but has decided to leave bar/restaurant work as too many late nights and is now in training to be a Barista.
Its been a time of loss and new life in our family, 1 birth and announcement of an expected arrival this summer, 1 wedding and 1 engagement but also 1 unexpected death and another relative close to the end.
It helps to focus the mind and heart to actively be thankful and cherish your loved ones when they are here. 

beanielou

A time to be born & a time to die indeed.
Such is life.