Frugal, thrifty, make do, mend! Let this debt come to an end!

Elisheba

Evening, moneysaving maestro's,

I agree @Moorviews, it's is not the done thing these days to say no to things due to budgetary constraints. I'm sure not everyone can be flush, although it does feel sometimes as though everyone seems to be in a better financial situation that me 🤣. Everyone seems have bought their houses, and even paid off the mortgage in some cases, or have piles of savings. Not even in an 'appear to be very comfortable but in actuality they are skint' sort of way, but I genuinely know they are very comfortable financially. Not everyone spent their 20s and 30s wining and dining like I did I suppose, and most people have partners so have two incomes coming in. Still, there is nothing I can do about the past and I did have a lot of fun, and I'm doing my best to sort things out now. No point dwelling on other people's lives. And I am indeed very lucky in my friends 😁.

Thanks @Makingabobor2 Modern technology is such a hazard isn't it? Someone at work once messaged me instead of whoever they meant to message, moaning about me after I had just tried to help them with something. I was so upset I had to leave the office as soon as I could, and obviously he realised what had happened and was almost in tears when he apologised to me the next day. Although I had limited sympathy as he shouldn't be going around saying horrible things and then get upset just because he's been caught out. 

In regards to the cost of weddings, I'm sure my friend will keep costs down her end. Nothing she can do about my diesel, kennel, gift, accommodation and drinks costs though. In the olden days my ex and I used to love a wedding and never really worried about the costs - almost always on the credit cards of course. Even now I'd rather throw what cash I can at it and have a good time, and cut back else where. Not that there as many weddings once you hit your 40s. In my early 30s we would be going to several every year - no wonder we were always so skint 🤣.

A NSD today. My new glasses arrived from the cheap online company and they look very nice indeed. They were both a little loose so I looked up their adjustment page and it was a revelation. Simply warm up the arms in hot water or with a hairdryer and you you can bend them all over the place 🤣. Also got a call from the shop optician that my replacement glasses are in, but as I need to pay for parking unless I shop in the nearby supermarket I'm not sure when I'll collect them. I don't need anything from the supermarket so will wait until I do. Since the shop glasses have an antiglare coating I'll probably keep them for driving, and use my new cheap ones for everyday use.

I did a few Prolific surveys today. I've not done any all month so will only have about £6 to cash out when it clears. I must try and do more in February.

Got nowhere with the crossword today. Gave up with about 6 clues left and cheated 🤣. I need to make some dinner - think it'll be egg, beans and chips as not feeling like cooking anything. Instead of cleaning the bathroom I hoovered downstairs, so that's my housework for the day. I've got my old undies soaking in green bleach and washing soda, but they don't look much whiter so may just have to accept them as grey 🙄. I remembered to message a few friends just to keep in touch and see how they are. Didn't change the cat litter as it's not quite needed yet, although black cat did manage to pee on the outside of her tray this morning so had to clean the bathroom floor 🙄. Took silly dog a walk around the village and had a good nosy round the churchyard and church which was lovely. So I've not done too badly on my daily aims.

Payday tomorrow which is always nice, although I'm very grateful I'm no longer desperate for it to arrive as I have zero in my bank like in the old days! These days I transfer everything to my 5.12% easy access interest account until I spend it, and I just like to see a big number in there 🤣.

That's it in MSE news for today I think. Just frugalling onwards. Oh, I did see a book I wanted in the Kindle sale, but the library app extension you can download said one of my libraries had an ebook copy so I've reserved that instead 😁. And no heating on again today as I'm very comfortable in my Oodie, and no point putting it on for the sake of it. Crazy when you consider it's January - this house really is brilliant!

Slowdown

Busy times for you @Elisheba. Except for the day on the sofa with the book. Sounds like me today but binge watching Anatomy of a Scandal. 

I’ll be trying the crossword once in bed tonight. Not holding out much hope as I’m tired, so that reveal button will be under pressure. 

Also interesting @Moorviews comment on credit cards. Absolutely right that we used to just say we couldn’t afford something and nobody batted an eyelid. It seems that admitting that now is a shameful thing when in fact it’s exactly how many people feel. Sometimes there’s stuff and occasions I just don’t want to spend money on because it simply isn’t a priority for me. Then saying I can’t afford it comes in very handy! 😄

As for the sharing of comments on the wrong forum, I bet most of us have been there. Did it on my family WhatsApp and then didn’t post for weeks as I was too embarrassed at my moaning. Hey ho. It gets forgotten and something else takes it’s place in no time. 

Cheery_Daff

I once forwarded an email from my boss with a slight moan about a third party - to that third party 😱😱 I still have NO idea how or why. Literally just forwarded the email, no text 😱😱 Fortunately it was someone else at her level, and what sounded like a moan to me was probably just a minor gripe to them, but still 😱😱 Fortunately nothing was said and it was never acknowledged, and now they have fortunately both retired, but still 😱

Elisheba

Evening, my tightwad teachers,

I've not been feeling great today - I think I've just been going to bed a bit too late the last few nights. I don't react well to not getting enough sleep. So I'm in bed for 9pm tonight, and will be heading to sleep soon.

Due to feeling so bleurgh I didn't go a walk today which silly dog was quite confused by, but he got lots of cuddles and attention so seemed reasonably happy. I also didn't do anything around the house except wash and hang up the undies I'd left soaking overnight.

I did manage to get a few surveys done on Prolific, and that's now up to about £12 which isn't bad considering I've only been on there 3 days this month. I'm not going to cash it out for this month, and instead will keep building it up through February and hopefully will have enough to cover, or at least heavily subsidise, a day out with a friend I have on the first weekend of March. It'll be an expensive day with travel and lunch and activities, and I'd quite like not to have my pocket money rinsed before March has even properly started 😆.

It's payday today, so all my money has been squirrelled away in my easy access 5% odd saver until it is needed. In order to maximise the interest I can make on the money earmarked for the house moving credit card, I've changed the payment on the card to the minimum, and the balance of the money can stay in the savings account until the interest free period on the card is due to expire in January. I reckon I'll at least recoup the £70 balance transfer fee it cost me to use the card in the first place, and anything else is a bonus.

I trialled knitting with my adapted dog proof biscuit tin this evening and it was a moderate success. Silly dog still tried to go for the yarn between the tin and my needles, but due to the lack of a big ball to play with soon got bored. So I think it might work. I'm knitting up just a plain stocking stitch snood in a cotton yarn in a horrible self patterning bright pink and white colour. I figured since I don't like the yarn it wouldn't matter too much if silly dog got ahold of it, and what is basically a long rectangle will give me a chance to get back into the swing of it. It will go with my Oodie so will do for round the house, where noone can see it, when it's very chilly.

Heating was on this morning and this evening. Definitely a bit chiller today. Oh, and I finished the crossword! I did have to look up a thesaurus to get one word, and I got a couple of letters by checking words that ended up incorrect. But those are more helpful hints than cheats, and I got all the words myself so I'm counting that a win 😁. I also remembered to renew some library books online, so no fines for me so far 😁.

Think that's all moneysaving news from me today, so I'm going to head to sleep and hopefully I'll feel more chipper and cheerful tomorrow 

redofromstart

Much sympathy on the wrong place to post. 

Thank you for sharing the tip on how to bend the glasses, I'm hoping it'll help me put my spare pair back into shape so much appreciated. 

MeandO

Hope you had a good sleep and feel better today Elisheba xx

Cheery_Daff

Hope you did indeed get a better sleep! Glad to hear silly dog might just be ignoring the knitting 😊 

WinterWarrior

Happy pay day ✨
it’s been chillier here too. I had the heating on yesterday, which I always have to think hard about because of the oil tank. I’m too miserly to want to order more just yet 😅

Elisheba

redofromstart said:

Much sympathy on the wrong place to post. 

Thank you for sharing the tip on how to bend the glasses, I'm hoping it'll help me put my spare pair back into shape so much appreciated. 

Video is here @redofromstart

https://www.glassesdirect.co.uk/buying-guides/aftercare/adjusting-your-glasses/

Elisheba

Oh, and I forgot to say - my parking fine was cancelled 😁. I'm delighted as I took a look at the parking fine section of this forum and it looked very scary and like you were risking CCJs and all sorts, so I would have just ended up paying no matter how unfair it was 😳