A Year in the Life of...

girlatplay

Yet another busy day at work today. I worked 5.5 hours again. Luckily I'm on flexi time now so I get the time back but I'll need to watch as I don't want to exhaust myself and be ill again.

The paella last night was a great success. I've been asked to make it again sometime. He says that about a lot of stuff I cook. A few weeks later I can't remember what the meals were or what I put in them haha.

The first week of the month (and year!) is now over. I'm keeping up with my daily aims apart from stumbling at one hurdle, the get outside every day one. Sunday's are the worst days as I rarely have plans other than with the washing machine, tv and couch. Technically I went outside on Sunday as I went to my folks' house for tea but it was 4:45pm and dark. The aim is to get out in the daylight. This Sunday I'm meeting my cousin for afternoon tea (a Christmas gift from her husband and she invited me ) so will be outside in the Sunday daylight this weekend.

I have been planking for 30 seconds every day. This is not getting easier. I'm struggling to get to the 30 seconds, but I'm doing it and I'm not prepared to do less than that so going to persevere.

I've been removing/sorting/tidying at least two items in the flat per day. One item was the aim and, actually, most days it's about 3-4 items (if I'm doing it anyway...) so this is going really well. I can't see any dent yet but I know I'm doing it so that's working for my mind.

I'm using my SAD lamp every morning now. Only at day 3 (this was not part of the Aims/Goals list) so not feeling any change yet but I'm trying.

I'm thinking that if I can freeze wine in ice cube trays, could I freeze it in bigger portions? I usually use about 100mls at a time in a recipe so that size would be useful. I remember being told that alcohol doesn't freeze so I wonder if wine has to be frozen in small portions so that it does. I have just under 100mls left of the small bottle I bought the other day so I might just give it a bash.

Financials today:

- 21p from a survey - balance is up to £2.98, cash out at £5. Will keep checking tonight.

- LMG sent an email to the college today to say she's not going back. I called the council to advise. Apparently I should have registered her for council tax when she turned 18. I had no idea about this. She is on the electoral role at this address and I though it was all linked. Apparently not. Since she has been a student all that time I am not liable for any other costs. They are registering her now and I should receive a bill in approximately 3 weeks.

Cash grocery fund has £77
Asda card has £29
Slush fund has £7 (gets topped up on a Friday when LMG pays her digs)

girlatplay

Really long day today. I'm so exhausted. I've worked 30 hours so far this week and I'm only contracted to 20. I'm on flexi now so it's not all bad but I'm starting to struggle.

Financial news:
- Technically yesterday but I've managed to upgrade my laptop from Windows 7 to Windows 10 for free. All above board and legal.
- 90p survey complete and paid in survey account. £1.12 to go.

jwil

It should be ok to freeze in 100ml portions.

I didn't know that about Council Tax either!

savingholmes

Look after yourself. Are you planning to use your flexi for something nice?

I didn't know about the council tax either and never did it but then DS was a student throughout - and I too thought filling in the electoral roll doc was enough. It probably doesn't affect us anyway as I'm married - unless I am missing something?

beanielou

Forgot to subscribe.
Take it easy

girlatplay

jwil wrote: »

It should be ok to freeze in 100ml portions.

I didn't know that about Council Tax either!

I'm going to try 100ml and I'll report back in the outcome

Glad it wasn't just me!

savingholmes wrote: »

Look after yourself. Are you planning to use your flexi for something nice?

I didn't know about the council tax either and never did it but then DS was a student throughout - and I too thought filling in the electoral roll doc was enough. It probably doesn't affect us anyway as I'm married - unless I am missing something?

I had a rest day yesterday. Walked to the supermarket but that was it. It was nice and could have done it again today.

LMG has been a student the whole time too, I only contacted them because she is now no longer a student. If she still was I wouldn't have. Each person aged 18 or over at a property, student or otherwise, has to be registered there for CT. This is (and I quote) "a completely different thing" from being on the electoral roll/being registered to vote. The only thing I would say is that I'm in Scotland so I don't know if that makes it different.

beanielou wrote: »

Forgot to subscribe.
Take it easy

:rotfl: I was hoping you were ok


I've not been on for a few days. Had a suspected PE (had an actual one back in September) but they think it's just an infection in my lung so I have antibiotics for a week.

Wee rest day yesterday which was so worthwhile health-wise.

I'm a bit behind on my resolutions and I'm not allowed to plank for a bit. Been getting outside (even just flat to car to hospital to car to flat - not good enough but better than not leaving the house at all).

Financials:

This is the one resolution I've kept doing!

- over £5 on the survey site so will cash that out shortly.
- bestie sent me 1p to check account details so I didn't insult her by offering it back - sent to holding account.
- joined a new survey site and building up points already.

Negative financials :
- Grocery fund is looking a bit dilapidated. £80 to last to 31st January. Totally doable if I'm careful so need to rein it in.
- bought another cookbook it's Jack Monroe's Veganish. It will be well used but I don't normally spend more than £3 on a cookbook including postage and this was more than 3 times that.
- met my beautiful cousin for afternoon tea on Sunday. It was her Christmas present and she chose to share it with me. She has paid the past twice we have been out together so I took it upon myself to pay the drinks bill. It wasn't huge in the grand scheme of things but I hadn't budgeted that much. I got a row of course but I feel I have now paid my way and I'll just have to juggle the slush fund for the rest of the month.

Can't remember if I have mentioned in this diary about boyfriend's niece getting married abroad this year. She is. Not sure of the plan yet but there's a 50/50 chance we might go, depending on what they ultimately decide. If we are going I need to up my savings game.

I'll report today's figures later.

beanielou

Cookbook tip~~order from library & photocopy the recipies you want

I have been hob nobbing with the great & good :rotfl:

girlatplay

Just had a bit of a panic. Checked my council tax online account. They had done the calculation and decided I owed them just over £400, to include a small payment from last tax year :eek: I called to sort it out as I knew it couldn't be right and it turned out that someone had typed in 2019 instead of 2020 so it had calculated it from last year instead of this. Whew!!! They are going to fix it by the end of this week. Once I know the amount I owe them (£90-100 I reckon) I will pay it straight over and that will be that done.

So, funds balances at today:

Cash grocery fund £49
Asda card £29 (and some pence)
Slush fund £5 (this gets topped up on Fridays but I owe £15 this week and next out of it to cover naughty gap spending this week )
Holding account £147.96

Once I've had the CT bill I'll know what is left in the holding account. I'll then make a payment to the loan account of £30 (that is my planned minimum overpayment each month unless I have to attend someone's wedding).
I'll keep adding to whatever is left in the holding account then just before payday I'll split the balance between the Christmas savings account and the normal savings account.

I'll still note at the end of the month how I did with my £50 a month challenge, even though I'll have paid the £30 to the loan already (sooner it's paid over, the less interest is paid).

girlatplay

beanielou wrote: »

Cookbook tip~~order from library & photocopy the recipies you want

I have been hob nobbing with the great & good :rotfl:

Yes, that is what I should do. Have done before but sometimes forget myself in the moment

Yes, I was reading about that on your diary. I hope you had a good day

beanielou

It was certainly different!