Oh pants I messed up BIG!!!

Broke_Bear

Well a NSD for me today as I was treated to brunch by my friend as a belated birthday treat, mmmmm eggs benedict. We usually meet up at the local garden centre and I used my garden centre membership to give us free drinks so no spend by me. Bought 2 trays of violas to give some winter colour in the garden and 2 packs of box hedging to continue the border edging, these were from christmas/birthday vouchers so no spend there either. :T

Came home and spent an hour or so in the garden starting the winter tidy up, can't believe how mild it is out there. there are so many jobs i need to do in the garden I think I will need to write a list! Because the weather has been so mild, there are lots of things still in flower longer than normal so I can't just go at it with the loppers like I normally do. Will get there though.

OH transferred some pennies to me from the take away so today's Pad is a mere £1.25 but every little helps (to borrow a phrase).

Broke_Bear

Well today was another NSD, spends pot already rounded down from yesterday's pad...is it cheating to count the DD of £100 that went off the V card today as my pad?

Broke_Bear

Off work tomorrow, the big day is finally here, work starts on the bathroom. It has been a long time coming!

I will be sorting the nice bathroom man out first thing and making sure Delia is ok with the crashing and banging, though judging by her complete lack of attention paid to the fireworks I think she will be ok!
After that I am off to the garden centre with mumsy for lunch, only spend will be vouchers so I’m happy with that, then I am off to do the weeks shopping as we have no food in at all and have run everything right down so I will be meal planning, working in the last of the stores and off to the shops. Technically this will be no spend for me as OH and I put in the grocery budget each month and the shop will come out of that. It has already left my account at the start of the month so has been accounted for.

Then if there is time before it goes dark I want to get out in the garden and do a bit more tidying out there.

All in all should be a nice day tomorrow I think.

Chrystal

Hope all is going well with the new bathroom, and that you enjoyed your lunch out.

Broke_Bear

It was a lovely lunch out with Mumsy thank you Chrystal x

So the skip arrived for the bathroom at about 8am and the nice bathroom man arrived about 5 mins later, by 10 am the bath was out and the tiles were being taken off the walls and floor. :eek:

Mum came round and we went out to the posh garden centre (not the usual one) had a lovely lunch of courgette and herb soup and a prawn sandwich. I cannot believe how tasty the soup was I will have to grow come courgettes next year and see if i can make an approximation of it. Had a look round all the christmas tat (read lots of lovely things that I wanted to buy but didn't ) and only bought some lamb chops and chicken thighs from the butchers in there, this will be paid back to me out of the house grocery fund so not really classed as my spend

Then we went to tile shop to buy the bathroom tiles - cheaper than I expected but I think we might need more than the nice bathroom man thinks... even if we do need more, still about 2/3 of the price I expected so happy with that.

Next I was off to Aldi for some food as we had nothing in, got everything we needed for the house for under £50 and that should see us through to end of next week with only a small top up of fresh at the weekend. I did however pick up some chocolates from aldi to have in work with our afternoon coffee (it was my turn to provide this month) and some french fancies to cheer up OH who is feeling rather low at the moment.

Just finished dinner of lamb chop - mmmmm haven't had this in sooo long was gorgeous, have made sammiches for tomorrow at work for us both and updated YNAB.

Of my spending monies I spent £8.78 today in aldi on chocolates and french fancies and nothing in the garden centre...not even on vouchers so quite pleased with myself for that. This means that I have rounded down my account and sent £1.22 to the overpayment pot.

hoping for NSD's the rest of the week need as many of these as possible this month!

Broke_Bear

Well I am back, minor spending issue due to a broken phone needing to be replaced, bathroom all done bar the painting and cabinet to be put up after painting...it looks amazing and most importantly it works!!! :j:j:j:j:j

So I have only done a little Christmas shopping and still have most people to buy for but being frugal this year and not going all out so although i still have almost everything to do I am feeling less stressed about the whole thing which is good.

The BSN is on its way back down again after a couple of mishaps and I am hopeful that I will be starting the new year on an almost even keel.

Me and OH have taken up running (read slow jogging and wheezing) and I have completed a few park runs. Lovely groups to run with 5k timed event and all free every Saturday much cheaper than the wasted gym memberships I used to pay for! :money:

Feeling very positive about moving forwards and looking forward to the new year and keeping the BSN going in the right direction.

Off to catch up on diaries and update my signature to the current figures.:eek:

Broke_Bear

Well we are now into 2019, Christmas was very pared back compared to what it has been in the past but still had to go on the cards, I hope that by next Christmas I will have put enough by in my YNAB pots to not require the cards at all...thats the plan anyway.


So, now that I am back, lets get the scores on the doors for the BSN.

BC - £10,634.14
M - £7632.74
T - £6376.15
V - £4966.32
L - £0.00

Total £29,609.35 :eek::eek::eek:



Ok so the BSN is now even bigger but I will not be beaten. I have 12 months to batter the BSN while building up my reserve pots and living within my means before this evil spendy time comes round again.

In other news, while I have been away from MSE I have been continuing with the C25K and the Parkruns. I have to say I am slowly starting to feel a little stronger and fitter although there has been no change visually or on the scales... This may be due to eating like a heifer for the entire festive period and indulging in a gin or 3 :rotfl:
As we go into the new year, I will be meal planning and prepping for us both and making sure the food budget is stripped to the bare minimum whilst keeping the healthy home cooked foods rather than cheap convenience. I have been researching meal prepping lunch ideas for me and OH as I have access to a microwave in work but he doesn't so dishes must be able to be eaten either hot or cold. So far the couple I have done have been a success so next week will be planned to a T.

I am off to update my signature and have a stern word with myself over some of my silly season spendiness.

Broke_Bear

Well barring £30 on petrol it has been an NSD for me today. There will be many more of these to come to get back on an even keel.:o

Has anyone else felt like this week back in work after the New Year has dragged terribly? I have really struggled to work out what day I am on!

I was really looking forward to going for a run tonight believing it to be Thursday and i was actually disappointed to find out it was friday and I would not be able to run....This is quite possibly the first time in history that someone has been disappointed that they are closer to the end of the working week than they thought!! :rotfl:
Although the only reason I can't run tonight is because it is the Parkrun in the morning so I am looking forward to that instead.:j:j

Hopefully I will be a little more together next week as I get back into routine.

abba1772

I know what you mean about the lost days I've struggled all week with days but this is the first time I've had the full two weeks off over Xmas and new year will struggle when I start work at 7.30am on Monday morning :rotfl:

Broke_Bear

Oh Bless you Abba, I can't remember the last time I had 2 weeks off together for annual leave, but I have just booked 2 weeks leave this summer and we will be going to my Mum's caravan on anglesey so other than a thank you present for Mumsy it is a free holiday and we only need spends :j:T

Well, almost an NSD today, did the Parkrun this morning (free) and got a personal best :j
Then home and housework for the afternoon, My only spend today was a small bottle of diet coke, some milky bar buttons and a pot noodle for my tea. Not healthy I know but just soooo tired and wanted something trashy that was cheaper than a takeaway!!

Fingers crossed for an NSD tomorrow