Learning to live within my means

astrocytic_kitten

girlatplay wrote: »

It's brilliant isn't it? That's why I try to post every day, it keeps me accountable and focussed. Also, I don't like admitting to a public forum that I've fallen off the wagon. I keep it real on here but without identifying details so if I say I've screwed up then I actually have and I don't want to do that.

You're doing great, every little bit helps.

Thanks GAP! Talking of slipping off the wagon.... I’m in a war with my brain over ‘needing’ new clothes and I don’t know what to do. My clothes are probably 95% work focused, and now I’m spending all my time at home and I’m leaving the heating off during the day I’m realising how few casual clothes I have. I find myself bundled up in pjs and 2 pairs of socks and 3 old jumpers with moth eaten holes in which hasn’t been a problem before, but now I’m getting out almost daily it means I need to get changed into something more presentable before I get out, or before I have any visitors, and I’m fed up of it.

My usual clothes I’d wear outside the house are too uncomfortable to wear around the house all the time, my skin is horribly sensitive at the moment and so much of what I already have hurts in one way or another.

I just don’t know what to do for the best, after being a credit-card driven slave to my wants for so long I can’t untangle what is a need and what is a want. I know my dreams of a stylish, ultra comfy brand new lounge wardrobe is a want but I don’t know where to draw the line I’m not sure how unreasonable I’m being not wanting to get totally changed a couple of times per day when it uses up so much energy.

girlatplay

I found some really comfy leggings in Primark, £5 per pair. I can lounge around the house in them and I can go out in them looking relatively presentable. I can get three days of wear out of them (sometimes four ) before washing. I love them. I have 3 pairs. I wear them with long tops. They are black with a fluffy lining and have a (removable) sticker on them which says "Cozy". I think you can justify a small spend on comfortable clothes for the purpose of being comfortable in your home when you're not 100% health wise. Small spend though which means Primark or similar. If it doesn't excite you to buy the clothes but you know they are necessary, and only buy the minimum then you're getting it right

StartingAgainAt29

I picked up that giving up fast fashion book today from the library, will let you know what it's like! Personally I think if you've got nl comfy clothes it's not a bad thing to buy a couple of things to tide you over. I have a gap outlet near me and I love it, especially with the sales. I live in joggers and hoodies at home!

astrocytic_kitten

girlatplay wrote: »

I found some really comfy leggings in Primark, £5 per pair. I can lounge around the house in them and I can go out in them looking relatively presentable. I can get three days of wear out of them (sometimes four ) before washing. I love them. I have 3 pairs. I wear them with long tops. They are black with a fluffy lining and have a (removable) sticker on them which says "Cozy". I think you can justify a small spend on comfortable clothes for the purpose of being comfortable in your home when you're not 100% health wise. Small spend though which means Primark or similar. If it doesn't excite you to buy the clothes but you know they are necessary, and only buy the minimum then you're getting it right

StartingAgainAt29 wrote: »

I picked up that giving up fast fashion book today from the library, will let you know what it's like! Personally I think if you've got nl comfy clothes it's not a bad thing to buy a couple of things to tide you over. I have a gap outlet near me and I love it, especially with the sales. I live in joggers and hoodies at home!

Thanks both! I’m going to start with a comfortable non-wired bra (even my previously comfy bras are hurting) which at least comes under underwear as far as the clothes pledge goes and then see where I am. Will also give me a bit of time to think about what would be most useful, an attempt to wear my gym leggings a couple of weeks ago didn’t work because I don’t have any long tops (plus my gym stuff is a tiny bit tight around the waist now!)...I do have an ankle length sleeping bag coat that only ever comes out when it’s really cold (which it is where I am), maybe I should just start chucking that over my pjs when it’s time to go out :rotfl:

I’m off work sick today and feeling very cold even with the heating on, going to take the duvet to the sofa and catch up on dr who. Haven’t seen it for the past couple of weeks but I gather something major happened and I should watch it soon if I don’t want spoiled!

astrocytic_kitten

Thought I’d pull together my January totals (today will be a NSD):

• Food, cleaning stuff, toiletries etc: £82.55 (just over £12 of this was on OTC medicines, plasters etc after I ran out and had to buy more of a whole pile of things at once)
• Cat food and litter: £75.83 (erm, was stocking up on litter, and then he needed some very expensive prescription food for a bit)
• Taxis to and from hospital for appointments: £35.55

So...not as frugal a month as I’d hoped but not bad. I’m happy with grocery and household spend which was under £67, but in retrospect the £12 on medicines could have been halved. The food spend was helped along by very full cupboards and freezer!

The cat food is what it is. His vet bill for the month was also high but I’m not tracking that here as there’s not much I can do about it, I put money aside for vet bills every month to cover it and am managing so far.

Onwards to February! Hoping for the grocery total to be roughly similar, with much less on cat food and OTC medicines.

astrocytic_kitten

So, February! Looking back on January, I did ok on the grocery spend as I was being mindful of being on a budget for that, but slipped back into old habits and didn’t really pay attention to the cost when stocking up on medicine. I’m hoping in February to be mindful of everything I’m spending.

Already being sorely tested by two of my favourite ever books being in the kindle sale. I have them in hard copy and audiobook format, I really DON’T also need them in kindle form. Currently feeling strong on this, let’s hope it lasts the full month :rotfl:

Just about to tackle meal planning from a frugal point of view as well as a making my life easier POV! I’m starting to be able to cook more again which is nice.

Some other good things about January that weren’t finance-related: I did my physio daily (I’ve really struggled with this in the past) and have made some progress health-wise. Glacial, but progress nonetheless. I also feel like I’ve accepted where I am in life more, instead of railing against what I’ve lost and wishing for my old life back. I do believe I’ll be able to get some (not all) aspects of it back, it will just take time.

redofromstart

Hi AK, came to read your diary as we clearly have shared taste in books. I can now see that we also have cats, plants and chronic conditions too.

I really like your thing about it's only X months, smaller steps feel better. I have a replica of our house in bricks and colour in the payments we make, if I fritter I can't colour the bricks in. Works for me.

Do you have any holiday you could use to help with the phased return and not having your pay reduced?

katsu

Hiya. In Dec you said you aren't a big fan of meditation. I recommend looking into yin yoga. I found it very helpful as meditating didn't really do it for me (I was driven to it by illness too) but being still for several minutes in a position was manageable and the whole class lasted about 1 hour.

I hope this tip helps you. Good luck!

astrocytic_kitten

redofromstart wrote: »

Hi AK, came to read your diary as we clearly have shared taste in books. I can now see that we also have cats, plants and chronic conditions too.

I really like your thing about it's only X months, smaller steps feel better. I have a replica of our house in bricks and colour in the payments we make, if I fritter I can't colour the bricks in. Works for me.

Do you have any holiday you could use to help with the phased return and not having your pay reduced?

Thanks redo! I have been using holiday to top up my pay so far, though it’s hard to find the right balance between breaking even financially and using up all my leave for the year. It’s helped to keep me afloat so far though.

Talking of plants and cats, I managed to go to Aldi today and resist all their plants! Helped by all the ones left being toxic to cats, and my boy not one to be trusted to not eat them.

astrocytic_kitten

Hi katsu, great minds - I used to go to warm yin in a heated studio near work and loved it, though I did fall asleep more than once! I’ve tried to get into yoga several times but yin is the only type I’ve felt enthusiastic about. I can’t get to the studio now without a taxi (and can’t afford that) but I’ve added some floor based restorative / yin poses to the end of my physio and it’s definitely helping me relax.

I miss the warmth and instruction of the studio, but on the plus side home based yoga comes with a purring cat climbing over me, getting in the way, and lying on my chest during shavasana. Which also adds some much needed laughter to my day :rotfl:

I’m actually managing to do the 10 minute daily Calm meditation too and I’m not actively hating it any more, but I think for longer periods yoga is much more my style.

Unfortunately, being me, this does mean I want to buy a yoga bolster :wall: I’ve told myself if I’m still practicing regularly by April (and if I have the money) I’ll let myself get one. For other props I’m managing with things I already have, but nothing I’ve found replicates a proper bolster.