Champagne Lifestyle on a Lemonade Budget.

Wednesday2000

I feel a bit better after feeling very under the weather this week. I went out to get cold medicine yesterday and then had a long lie-in this morning.

I've made plans to meet my friend next week. I haven't seen him in 6 years!:)

Justamum

lessonlearned wrote: »

So how to streeeeeetch that £12k, until, in the words of one of our dear chancellors, I think it was Nigel Lawson ....."the pips squeak". How to extract every ounce of luxury and fun.

It was Denis Healey who said he wanted to "squeeze property speculators until the pips squeak".

lessonlearned

Justamum wrote: »

It was Denis Healey who said he wanted to "squeeze property speculators until the pips squeak".

:rotfl: thank you for pointing out my mistake.

Good morning everyone.

Awake nice and early. Got a great day planned. After a busy week on the home front going to have a much needed day off. A girly day out. I think lunch and cinema.

Have a great weekend y'all. Keep those champagne moments flowing.

lessonlearned

Good morning everyone

Champagne moments yesterday......meeting my DIL and her mum for lunch at Wagamama's and then to the Deluxe cinema to see Judy. Great meal and fab film - take a hanky:rotfl:'.

My lovely DIL paid for the cinema as a treat. I was a bit cheeky, I gave her my insider card to use so I got some extra points.

Chucking it down with rain at the moment so I'll crack on with those wretched ceiling beams. Thankfully nearly done.....I am so sick of them. :rotfl: they do look good though so worth the effort.

DundeeDoll

Happy Birthday candygirl I'm soon taking on a mortgage to buy soon-to-be ex out . August I drew up my budget, including 'pocket money' and 'holiday' account so that I can continue doing things but know i can afford them. So this thread is great for ideas. The separation agreement is now signed, so the conveyancer can continue which means I have the first 3 months' budgeted mortgage payments now as savings and the confidence I can have a very good social life on my new budget In fact, I am now going out more!!! Reflection on last week in case it helps anyone
1) matinee performance at local Rep - turns out matinees are cheaper. didn't buy a drink at the break or icecream, didn't miss
2) very nice packed lunches all week - have got the recipe books out and tried quite a few new things, including curry from scratch
3) did get a day ticket for the bus one day (£3.70, pocket money, but needed to go back and forth for dogs) but mostly have been walking or arranging lifts with others already going places (xoh took car as part of agreement which is fine by me since i was the one paying all the bills!)
4) going to a free talk at the University on Friday - invited friends who would normally have gone to pub with before a meal. We still went for a meal, but to a pub rather than a restaurant. Was a lovely evening, £15 in total
5) which meant i could definitely afford Turandot (live from Met) last night. I did buy drinks at the interval but again it was a celebration evening and then invited friend back to mine for pre-prepared light supper rather than us eating out. And today Scotland is playing. Yes. Watching at home (free) then free talk at the Botanic Gardens then friend's open garden event (£4 for charity) then Bishop Forbes service at church (free, with refreshment after as diocesan event)
Like I say, I seem to be socialising more! oh and a new-to-me phone - DD2 upgraded her mobile and kindly passed her old one which happens to be 6 (!) models above mine - £50 for new battery (pocket money) and I'm sorted. May invest in a tougher case as had Otter Box for my 5C

lessonlearned

Dundeedoll...what a lovely week. Great ideas. Thanks for sharing.and of course wishing you well on your new solo life.

I have been experimenting this morning, Learning how to light the open fire in my dining room. I am a dab hand with logs but am finding smokeless coal more of a challenge. I think it's a knack you have to acquire but I seem to have a nice little blaze going now.

Very Hygge......:rotfl:

I have been paying more attention to my budget because I want to start overpaying my mortgage this month. I played around with the mortgage overpayment calculator. It's well worth overpaying if you can because you can save yourself shedloads of money.

I am being a bit more frugal with the grocery budget although still eating well and hopefully now that I'm stocked up with winter clothing I am going to try and avoid buying much for now.

I want it all......I want to live well, enjoy a few luxuries, get out and about and have fun but also pay off the mortgage quickly. :rotfl:

lessonlearned

Update......

Those wretched beams are finally finished.....wahoo. :j:j.

Ive still got the kitchen end to go but they can jolly well wait until I'm recovered and good and ready. :rotfl: sometime after Christmas.

It might not sound like much of a champagne moment but oh the joy of actually finishing them. And....they do look good. . Just as I had hoped......they really do make the room look lighter and brighter.

Hard work but cheaper than bi folding doors.......:D

sugarbaby125

LL congratulations on finally finishing the beams. :j:D You have every reason to celebrate after all of your back breaking work

Dundeedoll you have had a very good week, now that you are solo, continue to enjoy your single life

lessonlearned

Good morning everyone.......

Giving myself a well earned day off today. No painting or diy.

Going to go into the city to have my hair cut and be a tourist in the cathedral quarter. Treat myself to a nice lunch and then a mooch round all the posh designer shops. There are a couple of nice chazzers there too which I might investigate......:rotfl:

Wednesday2000

I really enjoyed reading my book yesterday. I haven't done that in months.:o:p I bought it for 99 pence quite a while back. I'm going to read the second half of the book today. It felt quite nice and cosy sitting in my new armchair reading. :A

It's meant to be pouring with rain all week! I'm going out this week to meet my friend in a vegan restaurant.