Crazy Cat Lady Chapter 3 - A New Beginning

f0xh0les

We are back! Hope you did not leave your purse on the sofa and have to drive back from town like I did, and then go out again..... oops

crazy_cat_lady

I was back before 10am as I only went to the butchers f0xh0les. It was busy in there though, but I have a large piece of beef and an even larger piece of pork that should feed us for ages if I'm careful and plan with it. Hope that the shops weren't too horrific for you.
After tutoring, I took ds to bestie's with me so he could catch up with his bestie as well (her ds). We watched Bird Box on Netflix (OK but a bit 'Walking Dead' for me), had lunch and a cuppa and a good catch up. I also remembered to take her presents over as well so that's one bag gone. The bags for my mam, my dad, my sister and my niece's birthday are all packed up and in the kitchen ready for the long day tomorrow. It's like a military operation. My cleaning lady is coming at 2, which is when me and the kids will go out for the rest of the day. I have to pick up my Mr S Christmas veggies order which will be blimming awful, then I'll go and see my dad and drop his presents off, then we'll head to my mam's for present exchange, and then my mam and stepdad, my sister and her family and me and the kids are all going to the pub for our annual Christmas Dinner (funded by my mam I hasten to add). They have a private dining room, which makes it just like being at home except none of us have a house big enough to fit 10 of us in for dinner... I don't expect we'll be home much before 9ish so I'm planning a very early night again tonight so I have the stamina to get through tomorrow afternoon and evening
I have read Frugalwoods challenge about uber frugal January and am starting to have doubts about my commitment to the cause. I obviously need to be debt free again asap, and I have to start living within my means a bit better. I thought I'd be up for it, but I really want to celebrate when my divorce comes through. I wonder if I could just blow it all on that one day and be frugal the rest of the month. It feels like making excuses, but I am perhaps not as frugal as I think I am - I wouldn't give up my cleaner unless I had no other option because she keeps my sanity as far as the house goes... however, she is a very expensive luxury. But then I don't drink much, don't smoke, barely go out, have no social life, no interest in fashion etc. so I clearly don't have to have everything all of the time. Hmm - more thinking to do, but I'm inclined to leave it and see what happens once the finances are finally sorted after the divorce and in the short term try as best as I can with the challenges on here.

beanielou

It has to be what works for you.
Have a good day tomorrow.

f0xh0les

I had a good root through their site last night (yeah, no life either), and they are not down on spending on what you want to, or celebrating when you have occasion to. They are just about not spending on all the little stuff you dont have to spend on. I mean they are still drinking fizzy water, they just found the cheapest way to do it (20l cannisters of CO2 from welding shops and a bodged soda stream).
More about questioning, but then again, how could you not save money when you are a stay at home mum and a man who seems to work within bicycle range of home. They have pretty much reduced their outgoings by life choices. Which is a position not everyone is in.

apple_muncher

The Frugalwoods have never been in debt, have 2 small kids and have always been frugal. Very different circumstances from you. And me. I hope to use the month to get a grip on food spending mostly. Anything else is a bonus.

crazy_cat_lady

Evening everyone :hello:
I'm back! And what a lovely day it has been - all about what Christmas is for me. I can't honestly believe how much more I'm enjoying life generally now my ex has gone. People comment on how much less stressed I am, and I don't feel as though I have the weight of the world on my shoulders any more. It's a massive change, and for the better as well. There still has been no word at all from ex (thankfully). The kids were adamant that they didn't want to get him a card or present, but I asked this morning if either of them wanted to change their minds (no), or to ring or message him (no). Ah well - I tried.
I woke up as usual at about 4am for cat duty and couldn't get back to sleep. I ended up getting up just before 5 and then dozing back over on the sofa for a couple of hours at about 7am. I spent the morning pottering around, doing washing, putting stuff away and sorting things out. Then I watched a bit of tv and did a bit of crochet before Operation Christmas began at 2pm.
Got to Mr S to pick up my food - there was a queue for the car park. However, I was very lucky and I got a parking space straight away, and quite close to the shop as well Went inside, and didn't have to queue to collect my food order either Also remembered to pick up some extra carrots for Santa's reindeer tomorrow night.
Went from Mr S to visit my dad and drop his presents off. Much as I love my dad, he has his share of faults and my ex is more like him than I have ever cared to admit in the past. He'd obviously had a few drinks by the time we got there and was very over emotional and tearful about the fact that he's getting old. Bit of nostalgia, bit of worry, and I think a bit of regret on his part. However, he's always invited to ours and never comes so there's only so much I can do.
Went from there over to my mam's place. My sister and her family were already there, and they were waiting for us to do the big present exchange. I am really pleased that everyone seemed to like their gifts - my homemade fudge went down well (thanks for the reassurance about the recipe and my cooking foxgloves) and hopefully it will be the same for the mincemeat. I have come home with new nightwear, some new clothes, smellies, books and 3(!) bottles of gin. I don't know if people think I have a problem, or if we're all just celebrating the fact that I can have alcohol in the house again without having to hide it. :rotfl: I barely drink though so I can easily see this lasting me a long, long time.
After that we went out to the pub for our Christmas Dinner. It was lovely, and very relaxed. I've had a wonderful time as I say, and really enjoyed myself (apart from ds acting himself a bit once he got tired/bored at the end). The food was amazing and the company was lovely.
Got home to a lovely, clean house and have unpacked the food and presents from my mam and sister. Now I'm ready to properly wind down for the next couple of days. I'm wearing my new pj's and getting ready to head off to bed (as I'm a bit tired after my rubbish night last night).
Thanks for the advice and thoughts about Frugalwoods. I really do need to get food spending under control. I think I'm pretty good at everything else if I'm honest. My luxuries like the cats and the cleaner are my choice and I'm happy with them so as long as I'm not making my situation worse then it doesn't matter. I just don't know if that's me making excuses though, but I will definitely make the effort to improve my current situation.

beanielou

Glad that you have had a lovely day & got some nice presents.
Hope at least one of the bottles of gin was raspberry

beanielou

Food for thought by the way about the cats.
I have never thought of them as luxurys :think:

blue_eyed_girl123

I suppose a cat is a luxury in that you don't "need" a pet, however they provide lots of benefits in providing company and I think I read somewhere that they actually lower your blood pressure. And they're cute, which always helps. Luxury or not, as a cat person, I would be lost without my cat so definitely not going anywhere in exchange for saving a (relatively) small amount of money .

crazy_cat_lady

As far as I'm concerned, the cats are part of my family and I wouldn't be without them any more than I would give up one of the kids. But I know that some people disagree. They do cost a bit though once you put in vet fees, insurance, food and litter, and I reckon I could save upwards of £150 a month without them. But they are non-negotiable and great for my mental health (apart from when one of them pees somewhere they shouldn't) - I have also read somewhere blue eyed girl that 5 minutes of petting a cat reduces your risk of a heart attack and also reduces the cat's stress levels. Win-win situation.
I can't believe it's Christmas Eve already. Not feeling festive again - although yesterday was a really fun day. I got up this morning feeling starving, went to an incredibly full fridge and decided that there was nothing in to eat :rotfl: What am I like? I do have to make rice pudding today though to use up the massive excess of milk I seem to have accumulated in the fridge. I'm also slow cooking a joint of beef for later. Plenty more needing to be cooked up though - another 2 joints of meat and lots of veggies (massive excess of carrots) which I'm determined not to waste. Lots of cooking and freezing coming up.
I've already been out this morning - up and out at 8am to the pharmacist. DD has been complaining of sickness and indigestion since Thursday last week and I decided that I was going to get her some Gavisc0n rather than leave it another day. Not sure if it's a bug, or the rich Christmassy diet, but she's a right drama queen when it comes to being ill. I hopefully will still claim it as a nsd, because it's medical supplies and I have no intention of doing anything else today - in fact I have gotten back into my jammies once I got home . Today is about me, kids, cats, cooking and lots of Christmas tv. Should be another good one .