the hedgehog's balloons.

Karmacat

Streaming services never feel as secure to me as having my own DVDs, I confess - but DVDs do take up space, it's a tough one (to me).  As for selling them - during my declutter last year, I used ziffit or one of those, I had some really expensive books, some of them never even opened (work book, just before I retired) which I sold in a pack, and it wasn't bad - I just couldn't hack selling them one by one (or going into the post office so regularly, if truth be told).

Hope today is better for you than yesterday.

the_cross_rabbit

Still problems with the site I'm using to sell my books.may have to reload the site onto my phone to see if that works. Succumbed to ordering a new mattress after several months of not sleeping properly and waking up in pain. Not the most environmental friendly but has come top of which? reports for the last 5 years. I'm always cautious of believing 'we're having a sale gimmicks' but its a case of needs must at the moment and if the sale was genuine then I saved over 56% of the orginal price. Can't wait for it arrive and will mark my calender with the 200 night trail, incase it doesn't solve the problem. My biggest worry is if it smells chemically as that will give me a headache, but we'll see how we go.
Had the quote from the local carpet shop and its expensive but it will really insulate the floors, they are concrete underneath and the rooms even with carpets feel cold. We are thinking of rejigging the downstairs area to make it fit us more than it does at present. Current layout encourages lots of tv watching, whereas our new design will encourage time for other things. Hard to explain really but makes sense to us.
Table booked for cake tomorrow to celebrate mum's birthday and table cancelled for tonight as DD2 is still off ill. Had to rearrange her booster injection for next week. Other than that nothing else exciting has happened.Tilly tidy done

POSITIVES
1) New mattress ordered
2) nana naps
3) Stew made for tomorrow, dumplings or yorkie puds?

CRx

the_cross_rabbit

Weekly round up to keep the focus on the future overpayments
Food - £97.68
Other - £16 for blue badge and CAE card/ £20 cash for a birthday
Petrol - £25 (my car)
New purchases - deposit on flooring and new mattress
Second hand purchases - 2 (phone case/cd case)
Upcycle - 1 (DVD carry case converted into seed carry case)
Reuse - 1 duvet for DD2
Donation - 0
Homemade - 0
Mended - 0 
Money saved from deals - £546 mattress / £20 a month landline-broadbands/                                                            £2.50 a month boiler care saved.
Tilly tidies -  6 out of 7 days.

We went and paid the deposit on the flooring and had a nice suprise when we got there, they had miscalculated and it was £200 cheaper.Whoop whoop 
Meal plan done and is full of tried and tested reciepes after the several disasters we had last week. Food bill should be fairly low next week as we only need fresh stuff. Miss giddychops has enjoyed a couple of home cooked meals made from veg and meat scraps/juices, her favourite was the pumpkin based one. This has defineately reduced how much is going in the green bin and the wormery plus will make her dried food last longer.
In keeping with my buy nothing new year (cough except flooring and mattress LOL!!) I took mum out for cake and tea for her birthday instead of a present..
Other than that not alot else going on at the burrow as the hubbster and DD2 are at his parents house as he is pruning their fruit trees so they went for breakfast. Had a nice relaxing day so far on my own.
We are trying to lower our heating bill as we have now gone through our reserve money (this usually lasts until April but due to price increases ......) so during the day its down to 19c and will put it back up to 20c when it gets dark. Hopefully this will have some impact, the house does needs to be warm due to the nature of DD2 disability but hopefully this will be managable.We do have blankets but they aren't thick enough to keep her warm. Anyway, I accidently bought and opened a single winter duvet (was supposed to be a double) just before christams and because I had opened it I couldn't take it back. So if I cover it with an old duvet cover, she could use that when she sat on the couch watching TV and that would keep her warm.

POSITIVES
1) Time on my own
2) Finding a use for an accidental buy - duvet
3) MMMMMmmm roast dinner with all the trimmings for tea.

CRx

greent

If the site you are using for your books is z1ff1t I had lots of issues with them the other week - I could scan but not close the sale - and saw online that others were having the same issue. I ended up using zapp3r and mu51c magp13 instead - it meant I got less money but I did get rid of 5 boxes of books and dvds  

the_cross_rabbit

Thanks Greent, yes its the same one ,which is really annoying, anyway will look at different sites tomorrow.
Currently on hold for the last 40 minutes to new boiler service people, they rang and left a message whilst I was swimming and I'm now having to endure the same music which I'm sure is a dreadful rendition of ding dong bell. Not sure what song it is but thats the only part I recognise, however they 'realise how annoying being on hold is and they appreciate my patience'. It actually says this over and over. !st world problems.
Joined the weekly flylady challenge to try and keep on top of the housework, especially the deepclean stuff. So today I deep cleaned the bathroom, an easy room to tackle. Not much stuff out of date, which was good. Did find a body scrub lurking at the bottom of the basket so took that with me when i went swimming to use in the shower. Found some unopened face cream of DD2 so will use that as i have ran out. She has several pulse point oils that she doesn't want so will use those up too and unicorn perfum. Not sure if i want to smell like a unicorn but I hate seeing it going to waste as its a full bottle and smells ok. DD2 found a compact mirror that someone got her last year and she is going to see if her best friend would like it as she is more of a pink, sparkle girl. Took 15 items to the charity shop in town.
Whilst at the sports centre I;ve paid for 8 sessions and will get 2 free (£32.60). Also booked DD2 into the gym to try and encourage her to do some form of exercise as its too cold for horse riding, she keeps getting problems with her ears after swimming so this may be a possiblity. It will cost £3 for membership for the year and £3ish per session (once a week is all she'll manage) providing she takes her PIP forms in. 
Shopping came in under budget again and managed to get lots of reduced bread and veg which always makes the money stretch a little bit further and requires a meal plan alteration. Virtually all birthdays and celebration cards have been wrote and provided from what was already in the house, just 6 needed, so will hunt in charity shops tomorrow or will make them.

MATTRESS is arriving tomorrow!!!!!!

POSITIVES
1) Gym session is booked
2) Swimming managed 10 lengths before arm started to ache
3) YS items

Off to tilly tidy and then make bubble and squeak for tea.
CRx

themadvix

🤣 at the thought of smelling like a unicorn! 

Well done with the cards. I ordered blanks yesterday (new old stock from ebay, my budget didn't stretch to the lovely 100% post-consumer waste ones from eco-craft.co.uk) and have several card to make tomorrow. Am thanking my lucky stars that I have one suitable for my Uncle in stock - I struggle to buy cards for my uncles with all the choice of the high street - not sure about making them!

Hope you got through to the boiler people in the end.

the_cross_rabbit

Wow that week went fast, must be because of the unicorn in me. Finally got the books sent off but with a different company which didn't pay as well as the orginal one but there are still glitches with the network. The money made has covered the 2 secondhand items we've bought and cakes that I bought as a treat as we need a little pick me up midweek. Had a massive purge of my wardrobe since I've lost weight and the majority no longer fit. I've sent most of it to the charity shop but the more expensive, less worn pieces I'm going to sell online. Picked up another item we bought second hand online, and managed to get all birthday cards sourced 2nd hand, only 2 fathers cards to get. The hubbster did go and buy his parents an anniversary card but \i can't control what he buys, need the eye rolling emoji. The new mattress arrived, super comfy but has took me several days and lots of unicorn spray(smelled strongly of foam) to get used to it. But it definately won't be going back. Was very amusing when we got it out of it vacum packaging, it reminded me of something out of a carry on movie as it started expanding rapidly before we'd even got it totally out of the packaging and nearly knocking us over. 
Managed to deepclean the hallway following the weekly flylady, did not realise how grubby everything was, however thats it this week.
The hubbster has managed to chop up the rest of the Christmas trees and the some logs that we've managed to acquire ready for our next fire. He's also cleaned up after the resident blackbird who every morning comes and throws soil around from 2 tubs that are full of bulbs.

POSITIVES
1) 2nd hand item picked up and in really good condition.
2) Dad's medication is working so is breathing better.
3) My wardrobe feels better for losing its surplus

CRx

 

the_cross_rabbit

Weekly round up to keep the focus on the future overpayments
Food - £104.84 (the hubbster got carried away with reduced bread, so went over)
Other - £121.40 (various plus NT membership)
Petrol - 0
New purchases - 0
Second hand purchases - 3 (cards and notelets)
Upcycle - 0
Reuse - 0
Donation - 31
Homemade - 0
Mended - 0 
Money saved from deals -  saved money on swimming sessions  amounts to roughly £9
Tilly tidies -  4 out of 7 days.
CRx

the_cross_rabbit

My feet are sooooo cold after jet washing the patio, it doesn't get sun at all in the winter so tend to get very green and greasy. I'm back inside to warm up.
Yesterday I managed to go shopping (£29.80 - lots of y/s) and filled up (well not quite) with petrol (£60). Took DD2 and her support worker to the local mega shopping centre as she was looking for the emily in paris perfume, unable to find it (limited addition) and then they went onto have pizza. I sat in the car and read my book and ate my lunch that I brought from home to save money. When I did nip in to use the loo, I managed to advert my eyes from all the sales. DD2 phoned to say she was ready to go, so saved me from going into the delicious smelly shop and spending a fortune on bath bombs.
We managed to get to the gym for her to have a try it session, we weren't there long but seemed to go well and she is considering  joining. Sessions probably won't last for more than 10 minutes to start with but its all about having a go and building her strength up. The best thing about it was that alot of the equipement we can move the seat and slot her wheelchair in, which will cut down the amount of getting in and out of her chair.
Tilly tidy done

POSITIVES
1) Y/S shopping
2) The in laws garage that holds lots of gadgets that we can borrow and not have to buy
3) Snacks

CRx

Karmacat

Sounds like DD2 can expand a little back into the world, I love the sound of that adaptable gym equipment, very good news.  And you gave yourself some quiet time while the support worker was supporting DD2, which is part of the idea, for sure.  A good day!