Frugal until 60!

Vanlady

Good morning Hopefuljoy Mr P and the girls,
What a great thread! So inspirational! I love your honestly and your positivity. And you're right, we're never too old to change if we really want
to .
Sounds like you know what you want and that you will get there, you too Candy girl.
DME - I'll be having a crack at those biccies, they sound delish!

BettyBoof

De-lurking to say I love your diary!

Hopefuljoy

Gosh! I turn my back for a moment and wonderful visitors arrive on my diary! Thank you Bettyboof, Vanlady, Lifeofdreams and Glendasugarbean for all your lovely comments.

It has been a tough week but I am improving each day. Unfortunately the spending has gone a bit squiffy! I had an Egg Muffin and large tea for breakfast today (£2.98), have eaten two Sainbobs pizzas in as many days for dinner (£6) and spent £35 yesterday for Mr P's grooming. Eeeek!

Mr P's groom has been accounted for in my monthly fund forseeable expenses so I've replaced that money in my grocery account.

So this weekend I am reining myself back in and trying to recover my position regarding food. My cunning plan is that as I didnt go to work for two days week I will only need to spend £15 on petrol. That gives me ten pounds to put towards food etc and I can reduce my allowance for treats and fun to £7.

Providing I stick to this I will be back on track by next Saturday!!!

I almost forgot to add.... I had a haircut at the college where I work today. It was beautfully done by one of our apprentices. Altogether the wash, cut and blow dry came to £5.45. Wowzers! That also came out of forseeable expenses so I'm happy.

Me and Mr P are both ready for Christmas! Neat and tidy and smelling gorgeous!

My DD comes home in two weeks from her first term at University and we cant wait to see one another. I've even tidied her bedroom (it took about five hours three weeks ago and I almost needed a mask) in honour of her return...... so that she can destroy it as soon as she gets back.

It's weird when they leave home. My son left when he was 18 and now lives with his wife in Australia (he's 24 now) and now DD has effectively left. I do like being on my own and we message and facetime frequently. It still feels odd sometimes though although I've been proactive about seeing friends and family.

I really enjoy chatting to you all on here! I shall pop in tomorrow with an update on food.

Speaking of which my sisters are in a competition with each other to replicate my mum's 1970's recipe for chocolate biscuit cake. I'm reaping the benefits as they keep giving me slices to test! My mum has mislaid her original recipe and they're determined to have it ready for Christmas.... by which time we will all be heartily sick of the stuff! I'll be having raspberries, meringues and ice cream instead!

Wishing you all a really restful Friday evening with dreams of holidays, caravans and financial independence! xx

D_M_E

It's not you that's "reaping the benefits" of the chocolate biscuit cake - it's your waistline.

That stuff is highly fattening, dare I say!

Hopefuljoy

Hello there DME you are keeping.me on track as always! It also gave me raging indigestion so I'm off the chocolate biscuit cake. I'd rather have the raspberries!

Hopefuljoy

In the spirit of having a nice time but also moneysaving I have plans for today! Mr P is happy with them as well as he can stay home and play with the three cats!

I've booked to see the new Mortal Engines film with my Cineworld card so that is a sunk cost and nothing will be paid by me. I will use a voucher from a free newspaper to get a quarter pounder with fries for £1.98 (I know DME but I wont have had breakfast!) and I have a voucher for a free tea. The cinema is 12 miles away in the same town I work in but my petrol reserves will cover it.

I really enjoy going to the cinema and am not bothered being on my own at all. I take my kindle to read while eating and often chat randomly to people. That's how.i got my vouchers! I was chatting to two old ladies who were at the golden arches eatery and we talked about money saving. Cos I told them about MSE one of them gave me vouchers from her stash!

This evening the adventures will continue at my friends home. I met them in ****bucks two years ago while I was marking a huge pile of books. We got chatting as she used to be a teacher and then became firm friends. When I had a depressive episode earlier this year they were like a couple of angels helping me through. Thankfully I've been able to return the favour as the husbandhad a similar experience recently. Anyway, this week it's my turn to go to theirs with a desert and we'll watch Strictly together after a delicious meal.

It definitely pays to be friendly to everyone we meet in life! Every interaction with someone counts and without lots of little ones it could get quite lonely.

First though I need to actually get out of bed!!!! One cat is pinning me down by sitting on me purring like an engine and Mr P is curled up next to me. As you can tell we are a high energy family???!!!

candygirl

Sounds like a fab day hun.I also don't mind going places on my own.I'm an avid people watcher , n will also chat to anyone :rotfl:

Hopefuljoy

Hello People! I haven't logged in for a few days as it's been very busy here. Today was our Christmas party at work and I was dreading the expense so I planned ahead. In the end it cost me £12 so I was really pleased! Plus it was great fun so even better.

In the best news though my DD arrives home for Christmas this Saturday and I can't wait!!!! She is travelling on the megabus for 9 hours and then the train for one. She'll arrive mid way through the Strictly final and we are having a curry with friends. Mr P and the cats will go wild when they see her. Well Mr P at any rate. The cats will take it in their stride as usual.

Next week is the final week of the year for the College where I work and I will be off until Jan 3rd. Such a relief as I've only had two days off since July and I feel like I'm crawling to the end of the year.

I'm just about to dive into Amaz** to finish my Christmas shopping so I shall see you tomorrow.

Have a lovely evening. xx

D_M_E

Only £12 is a good result - keep up the savings, you don't need to go mad with the spending, people appreciate whatever you spend, the best part is give them your company, happiness and friendship.

10 hours travelling by bus and train, plus waiting time - that's a long journey and she could well be worn out when she arrives.

Don't take home too much work over the festive season - you don't want to turn up burned out in the new year!

Hopefuljoy

Hello DME and thank you for your lovely comments and advice. My DD called today and we are both really excited!! She will be really tired but we will get an early night. It'll just be wonderful to see her.

Today was a spendy day which confirmed that my careful budgeting is working. I got a penalty charge for the five seconds I spent lost in a bus lane and had to fork out £30. Very irritating indeed!! However, I took it out of my monthly forseeable expenses so it's all good.

I also needed to buy DD a small cabin suitcase and as she'll be using it for at least three years of Uni I got one for £24.99 which was slightly better quality. She has collected it from her local Arg** and is delighted with it.

On somewhat less spendy news I won a lovely cuddly bear yesterday so I'm going to give it as an extra gift to DD as she misses her animals. She can have something to hug!

Tomorrow is a dress down day so its time to wear my trusty Christmas jumper. We have a free Christmas lunch for all staff once the learners have gone and it'll be a really nice way to relax. As I left teaching this year it will be the first Christmas week off that I dont have to do any work in. Total bliss!

I hope you have a lovely evening and all your money saving is going well folks! xx