Giving every £ a job

Blackcats

Ha ha. I find it reassuring that you like it too. It validates me as a grown up woman with a responsible job and a secret colouring in habit.

Franalamadingdong

I'm not particularly grown up I'm afraid. I keep thinking I'm going to get found out as an idiot child!

Blackcats

It doesn't take long to get caught up in the busy world of work. Only second day back but barely time to grab some lunch. Stuck to my meal plan and had a healthy lunch. Luckily my tea mug is very big so that kept me going through back to back calls.

It feels like treading water a bit at the moment. No active transferring of money to savings for a few more days. I suppose that not spending now equal being able to save more money next month.

About to endeavour to bake a cake as I've a visitor coming tomorrow afternoon. Will cook dinner for my guest tomorrow which will be inexpensive but I hope tasty. Not going out to eat will save a fortune.

Blackcats

I've just read an update on a diary that's been dormant for a while - Treading on playmobil's diary. It reminded me that an abundant mindset approach can be useful as well as the frugal mindset. As I'm in this for the long haul I think it's important to look at positives of what I've got as well as what I don't need to buy.
So instead of thinking that I don't need to buy candles I'm going to turn that round to thinking that I've got lots of lovely candles to chose from and enjoy etc.
Today I've got a lovely dinner planned using good quality ingredients. My homemade cake turned out ok and I've done it all within my budget.

foxgloves

I think I do have that mindset, Blackcats. And I particularly 'get' your example with candles. I love candles & they were a very tempting item for me back in the Spendy Years, but I can't remember the last time I actually bought one for myself! I decided to use up every last candle in my stash & dotted around the house & I'm STILL doing it! I'm currently burning one my Mum bought me a few years ago from a garden centre sale & a huge one with three wicks which I found when we were clearing her house. Next up will be a scented candle in a tin which has been in our bedroom for two years & some ancient votives in little glasses.
I think it is an utter fallacy that living a more responsible, sustainable lifestyle where money is concerned needs to focus so heavily on cutting, denying, reducing pleasures & embracing parsimony. For me, it has been an opportunity to discover that the things I most value & which give me most joy are free!
F x

Franalamadingdong

I hope your dinner goes well. My fella is adorable, he's not so keen on going out to eat or get take aways because he prefers my cooking, which I do too, he now gets why I was a pain when we went out to eat and could never choose.

It is about enjoying what we already have. I enjoyed the fact that I have space in the understairs cupboard for the dog food from my parents' house after clearing it out before Christmas and I've actually been using my skincare stuff rather than ignoring it.

I sometimes think that we're all just over stimulated kids and we need to go for a nap and just have 5 things to play with.... Who am I kidding I always want to go for a nap!

cuddlymarm

Good morning guys
I love reading all these posts, it’s really positive.
I too aim to get my food waste to zero. I’ve got various little pots of leftovers in the freezer to make soup, when I’ve got enough they all go in the SC with a few herbs, spices and a stock cube and a free meal appears. Never the same twice. I’ve got chicken casserole in one pot, broccoli in another and a bit of leftover crunchy salad in another, made of shredded cabbage and carrot. All bits that would have ended up in the bin. My aim at the moment is to stretch my current shop as much as possible while stocking up longer life stuff. I like a good emergency stock in to guard against lean times like an unexpected expense.
I’m also have a secret colouring habit. I have a book where I have shapes (little Xmas trees at the moment) each worth £10. When I pay anything off I get to cross some off. A bit sad maybe but it works for me.
Once the card is clear then I’ll do the same for my savings. Then when I’ve got my saving to a level I’m happy with then I’ll go onto my old age account ( which is currently premium bonds because so far I’ve had a better return than savings and I don’t touch them)
Anyway I better get on
Have a good day guys
Cuddles

Blackcats

Thank you Foxgloves, sounds like you accumulated a candle stash to match my own. You are so right about putting the right value on things that matter. I don't need to spend the next year or so feeling deprived of buying "things". Instead I am going to enjoy the things I've already spent my money on, whilst buying what I need in a thoughtful, economic and controlled way. I feel so much better thinking about it this way. I had sort of resigned myself to depriving myself and going without but that isn't the case.
Fran - a tidied cupboard is a rare and wonderful thing. Well done on using the skincare products too. It will soon become a good habit.

Blackcats

Hi Cuddles. Thanks for reading and joining in.
I was really nervous about starting a diary but I'm enjoying it. It's helping me think through plans, set goals and get to chat to some lovely people. It's also helped me have another LBM with my mindset on feeling deprived to thinking of abundance. Turning deficit to dividend.

I love soup from leftovers. I think soup crams in so many portions of our 5 a day in a tasty and easy way.

Now I want little trees or similar to colour in. As soon as my boring grid is finished I'm getting a stencil out to make something far more exciting. This is more motivating than reaching my £1000 savings goal which I know is not a grown up thing to admit.

Blackcats

A good day today. Paperwork has come through for gas/electric switch. Need to do a meter reading on 17th. It will take a while to sort final bills on old account and really benefit from lower prices but worth it in the end.
I've already started to be more careful with switching off lights etc. So bloomin obvious but I've been too blas! to bother. I like to have a light on in the porch but actually I've had 3 lights switched on there when clearly 1 does the job. I've moved a nice table lamp into the hall instead of having all the ceiling lights on. There's hope for me yet