Frump to Fab - A Whole New World.

helensbiggestfan

Good morning lovely ladies 

Chanie  Your veg box was a great bargain.  Lots of healthy eating there.  

And SUgarbaby....wow, what a great month with your savings.  That's fantastic. I have actually been a bit spendy this month, buying the sun shades for my garden, and a few pieces of furniture last month but they were one offs.  The normal monthly expenditure is definitely down though.  

Feeling a bit tired today and a bit out of sorts so just going to take it relatively easy. I won't be rushing outside to mingle. 😂.  

savingfortomorrow

I am trying to be very money saving at the minute as have an expensive  month, car insurances, electric  repairs and I missed off a few. I just want to minimize  outgoings. 
I cancelled  Netflix as don't bother with it as gave sky and Amazon  prime and cancelled  the  car care subscription  with the garage as the free trial was extended  with covid and the price doubled in the interval.  I cancelled Fitbit coach as would have to pay and didn't  use it. 
I'm going to spend the evening  claiming  stuff back from revenue.  It all adds up. I drove into aldi car park today and basically  silently baked myself do I really need anything in there or just use up what I have. I bought a litre of milk in the petrol station instead. 

I pulled a dress out of the give away pile and know now why I donated it. Mind made up it's gone. I'm getting very inspired to just stick to what suits me. I do not want to consider the shoes as it breaks my heart to keep but ti give away such quality. I'm just going to bite the bullet and give a few away as my feet ache with some shoes that were mistaken purchases  from day one.

I'm cooking down the stock pile at the minute. It is good to be creative  with I have, similar to forcing an artist  to use a restricted  colour pallet increases creativity.  

chanie

All in the name of beauty - The Ordinary Peeling Solution.  I look like an extra on a horror film, when I have it all over my face.  

maman

Oh chanie, that looks really sore. ☹️

I really should do something about my shoes too sft. Particularly now in lockdown and when I increasingly use public transport at other times, I just don't wear all the heels I used to.

I think the social distancing rules and queues will make it easier to stick to just buying needs not wants. I can't be bothered to queue just to buy odd things or browse. 

I've not been doing much fabbing although did put a bit of makeup on earlier when DD1 called round. 

Not been out for a couple of days. I've been catching up with 'non essential' washing and a bit of batch cooking. I've done all the fleecy throws, bedroom curtains and loose covers off 1 sofa (and ironed them ☹️). I'll do the other sofa soon as, then start on gloves and scarves. 

savingfortomorrow

Chanie- that looks very serious. It is a lot of surface area exposed to potential infection. You need to really take care of it. Is it bleeding or raw because it looks like a superfical burn. It would be worth getting that checked out with nurse or gp and a very soothing cream.  
I would return that product because your reaction can not be normal. 

The plan for sorting out the revenue payments did not go well- its not clear what section to fill in. I have to ring them tomorrow. 

I agree maman about the needs verses wants. I bought 2 pairs of jeans - when home neither fitted- returned both and bought another 2 one fit and returned the other one. In total 3 times queuing up and so much returning. I am really going to avoid shopping in store as it is a pain. It is costing a lot in fuel to return items.  I got a basic t shirt for 2 euro in a sale rail and that was ok to take a chance on but there will be a load of lost reciepts and mistaken purchases. From now on im going to stick to browsing on line and click and collecting to limit impulse spending. 

sugarbaby125

Chanie that is just an Ordinary brand peel off facial mask isn't it? 

chanie

   it isn’t sore, it’s the colour of the product.  A friend said she calls it the vampire mask.

I have gotten around the queuing, by buying from eBay. There are always lots of little bits and bobs that we need around the house and eBay is really convenient and cheap.

My local also has ‘traffic lights’ on its entrance, which I thought was clever. Psychologically, it feels like ‘learning to live’ with coronavirus as opposed to having a staff member in a mask throwing hand signals at you.

helensbiggestfan

Good evening everyone. 

Oh dear Chanie.  That looks so sore.  I think you should see your doctor with that.  

I agree about the shopping too.  I really can't see any fun in having to queue. I do like a browse and thats often when I pick up my best buys but I won't bother for now. I did read that changing rooms wouldn't be open so buying jeans etc would be a problem, ok for knitwear and tops, I usually don't bother trying those on anyway.    I could maybe do with some undies but I think I'll just look online. Other than that I don't really need anything so I too will just save my money.  

. I managed to get a really good deal on my private health care cover when it came up for renewal, so I increased it to include dental which enabled me to cancel my Denplan, saving myself £25 a month.....every little helps.😁  Need to tackle my landline/internet package next.  I also got a refund on my EDF account and they have reduced my monthly direct debit so again managed to reduce my monthly outgoings.  Just by rejigging a few things I should be able to save myself around £60/£70 a month.  I am also managing to spend less on groceries at the moment, and of course no outings or socialising means even more savings. 😁.

 My monthly savings arent quite in Sugarbabys league but I'm happy, they have paid for a few new bits for the house, some furniture and the sun shades. They were definitely wants not needs but I figure it will be a long while before I'm really out and about again and definitely no holiday or travel this year. I am going to be spending a lot of time in my home so I'm going to make it just as I want it.  My nesting instinct......😂.  

I'm also overpaying my mortgage, it's only £199 a month so I'm actually paying an extra £200 a month at the moment. Savings interest rates are so poor right now figured I was better off attacking the mortgage. The best savings rates are only hovering around 1 to 1.5 % and my mortgage is 3.19% so I think it makes sense. I do have a cushion for emergencies but again when savings rates are so pitiable it doesn't make much sense in hoarding too much in cash savings.  And tbh I'm a bit wary of the stock market at the moment although of course I do appreciate that apparently now is the best time to buy but I don't know enough. And anyway the Stock market is strictly long term and as I'm nearly 69 then I dont think tying up capital in long term investments is a good option for me.  

With DS2s help I shall soon be setting up investment trusts for my grandchildren so they will have at least 20 years to grow, so its a different ball game.  You can take a long view and take a few calculated risks but at my age I don't think it would be a good strategy for me.  

And get this.......I had some fence panels replaced a while ago. Today I have been breaking the old ones up for firewood .....super thrifty or what.  😂🤣.  I actually have loads of wood and some smokeless coal left over from last winter. I only used half of what I bought last year  so I don't think I will need to buy any more. There should have enough to see me through the winter.  I wonder what it will be like.  I have this niggling feeling it might be quite harsh.....I don't know why but it's been such a year of extreme weather that I think it could be possible that we might be in for a bit of a shock.......First the exceptional floods, followed by weeks on end without rain and of course all the glorious sunshine and high temperatures I just wonder if a proper cold snowy winter is on the cards.  

I don't want to sound all doom and gloom but I'm not taking any chances, and not just because I think it might be a harsh winter. I think there may well be a second wave of Covid over the autumn/winter plus I think it's likely that commodity and food prices may well rise so over the summer I shall be adding to my supplies of toiletries, cleaning materials and non perishable foodstuffs.  

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. 😉.   And if we are lucky and it's another mild winter, and we don't actually get a second wave, well no worries it will all get used in good time.  

And now.......

My new awning isnt it fab...it was fitted today.  

Ignore the state of the decking, it needs a good clean and restaining. I've got the materials, it's just finding the time...... hopefully as soon as I've finished the kitchen.  As for the lawn it's in a shocking state.  It's not really a lawn, it's just a patch of half dead scrubby grass, dandelions, thistles and clover......it will be ripped up either in the autumn, or next spring.  I shall eventually be going for a Japanese style garden, with gravel, rocks, a water feature of some sort, and beautiful plants.  Well that's the plan.  Easy maintenance for when I can't manage the upkeep of a traditional lawn.  Ha ha.  Reckon it will take a couple of years before it's complete.  

clippy_girl

That looks great LL, perfect for getting some shade on hot days. Hopefully it will help with the heat in the kitchen too
Do you have an open fire or an enclosed wood burner? If it's open just be careful re the fence panels as they smell really bad when you burn them due to the chemicals they are treated with. I burnt some on the firepit in the garden for warmth one night and they were awful!
We are pretty much over covid here in  New Zealand so feeling very lucky I moved here. They will announce on Monday but looks like all restrictions will be lifted next week except the border being closed. Hopefully the numbers will continue to improve in the UK.
I need to get back to the gym to loose the weight i put on in lockdown and build up my fitness as I can feel the difference even when walking. We have really enjoyed cooking during lockdown and so are carrying on with that instead of eating out all the time. 
AS we are now just getting into winter here I have been making the house nice and cosy by getting some candles and warm curtains. The houses here are shocking compared to the UK. Minimal insulation (only just been law the past year or so in rentals), single glazing, draughty and my house currently has no form of heating anywhere except my plug in oil radiator. My landlords are getting me heating in the living room at the moment but the company have failed to install it twice so far Heating in the living room becomes law next year but luckily they are doing it now. The windows are sooo wet every morning! It doesn't get anywhere near as cold the the uk in Auckland but it's still cold at night! Brrr! 
I need to have a wardrobe sort out and put away my summer items. Not sure if I have suitable winter stuff but will wait and see how bad it is before I get more!

helensbiggestfan

Good morning lovely ladies. 

Clippy girl. Thanks for the heads up about the fence panels. I had completely forgotten about them being treated . Silly me. I'll just take them to the tip when they reopen. I do still have plenty of untreated wood I can use.  I just thought I would use them up for free heat.  Obviously not one of my better ideas.  😂

There's a thread on the OS board about preparing for winter, so lots of good tips.  This house had two large wooden single glazed windows when I bought it. The first winter the  house was freezing. The heating bill was eye watering and like you say they were streaming  with condensation half the time. The only thing that helped was a dehumidifier. It not only eradicated the condensation and that awful damp feeling, it actually made the house warmer even when the heating wasn't on. I have now replaced them and I am in the process of upgrading the insulation too.  

You are right about the awning, it has made the kitchen diner much cooler. It can get very hot in there when the full sun streams in, great in winter but a bit much in summer.  The awning has made a huge difference.  

We were promised rain......so far it's just been a few half hearted drops. Hope it does rain for a couple of days,  the garden is desperate and I'm sick of watering it.  

Anyway today I'm going to do some cleaning and have a good pampering session.  Hurt my knee yesterday by kneeling too long whilst gardening.  My neck and shoulder are playing up too. What I wouldn't give for a good massage.  😂. I'm using my hand held massager but it's not the same.  

Got a shock this morning with my blood sugar levels....my own stupid fault. I must get back on track, lose at least a stone and get the readings down again. Like a lot of people my weight has crept up during lockdown. And I too feel really unfit.  I need to get a grip.  

Does housework count as exercise. 🤣