Sh*t creek - is now in my rear view mirror...!

savingwannabe

Irene you may wish to use the cash envelope method, I withdraw all my cash money (150) for food, travel and fun and divide it up into weekly amounts, and only spend that all month. It may not apply to you but I notice when i spend cash as opposed to clicking on my card and therefore it should stop me spending too much. When I first began at the start of the year i was undisciplined and used to spend it in one or two weeks but now I try not to and when I do (like the emergency spending at the boy's house) I sell something to make up for it (and I have to stop this as to be honest my house is very minimalist right now).   I keep some money for credit card spending but recently i have broken away from buying only essentials so I am going to only do this from now on.  

Irenadler

MovingForwards said:

Open a savings account with your bank, put £1 in each time you get paid, that's £13 a year. 
You could also start putting your new home insurance into it, ready for next year. Otherwise you may be rushing to get to the bank to pay the cash in, whereas you can move the savings across.

Long post warning!
That is definitely my plan, saving for emergency fund and annual 'set asides' like insurance, green waste, dog vaccination booster... just need to actually start!

There's absolutely nothing wrong with having an emergency fund at home in cash too.
I still have my stash cash jar... only its £10 lighter!

It's easy to go into headless chicken mode and think the world will cave in. Somehow, you will need to untrain that line of thought and that's where planning comes into play.
Still working on that: CBT, meds, and now actually starting to plan... it is slowly working....

When you know UC are calling, take your mobile with you everywhere and have the loudest ring possible, if you miss a call go straight into your journal and say you missed it and ask they give another date (good bum covering 😉)
I was doing that, but, failed when I went to wash up in the kitchen... and I did finally get on UC account to let them know after a few days of headless chicken mode/denial... still no date/appt though...

With the low price of the fruit and veg, I wouldn't even try to get the reduced ones as you want something with a long date, that's fresh and will last until your next shopping trip. You are buying different nuts too, due to being a vegan? I know it's early days, but start as you mean to go on and make sure you've all the right fruit, veg, nuts, carbs etc as you don't want to take vitamins to make up for lacking something.
Thank you, I am still doing that, did check out the reduced but nothing vegan that I needed/wanted. Yes, I have a nice variety of nuts, and actually followed a top tip of putting in the freezer to prolong shelf life (due to high fat content). Definitely making sure I have a good mix:

Carbs - wholemeal seeded bread, potatoes (sweet and 'normal'), pasta (wholemeal), brown rice, wholemeal cous cous and quinoa, plus porridge oats and oatbran. Also seeded oatcakes, rye crispbread, or seeded crackers.

Protein - nuts, and more nuts, tofu (long life silky and fresh in vacuum pack in fridge), variety of pulses (split peas, red, green and brown lentils, chickpeas, beans like pinto, cannellini, red kidney, mixed tins, etc), and vegan cheese (Greek style, Applewood smoked, soft cheese spread), also soya plain style Greek yogurt, oat and soya milk (fortified), and seeds! Like chia, flaxseed, mixed 'topper' seeds, etc.

Veggies: whole host of these every day, plus usually nana and frozen berries in porridge, apple for snack, veggie soup or other hot meal, e.g. latest one was ratatouille with at least 5-8 ingredients and either sandwich/snack, like peanut butter on oatcakes or seeded cracker. 

In addition, I have vegan equivalent to Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, salad cream, nutritional yeast (it also helps add cheesy flavour to cooked dishes), soya and oat custard/cream, and other spices, herbs, flavourings, oils, vinegars to pep things up.... Definitely helps on down days to know I have cooked up a batch of healthy veggies. I usually add my freshly grown kale, chard, or rocket and green herbs when I re-heat, sometimes with a blob of vegan cheese or yogurt plus the yeast/marmite. If I am really stress eating I am mopping it up with slices of wholemeal bread.... At this rate I will need a fork lift to get me out of the chair....
Weather is hot up here too!

I am trying to persuade the dog it is too hot for walkies, but, she is not having it.... Been barking at me for the last half hour! Will keep on trying with little walks into the garden in hope that she finally 'drops her load' lol! She is so used to walking to park and then 'performing' that she doesn't like to go in the garden... who is training who, I'd like to know?  

Skint_yet_Again

Irenadler said:

the dog is twitch running and barking in her sleep, 

😆 they are just so cute when they do that 🐶 Hope you are both coping with the heat 🥵 

Irenadler

savingwannabe said:

Irene you may wish to use the cash envelope method, I withdraw all my cash money (150) for food, travel and fun and divide it up into weekly amounts, and only spend that all month. It may not apply to you but I notice when i spend cash as opposed to clicking on my card and therefore it should stop me spending too much. When I first began at the start of the year i was undisciplined and used to spend it in one or two weeks but now I try not to and when I do (like the emergency spending at the boy's house) I sell something to make up for it (and I have to stop this as to be honest my house is very minimalist right now).   I keep some money for credit card spending but recently i have broken away from buying only essentials so I am going to only do this from now on.  

Hello Saving!
I think that was what my mind was groping for, thank you, as I have browsed a fair bit on the OS forums....

It's a mind-set challenge. I think I will have a go and see if I can do it....

£25 per week, means £75 to get out for next week, as it will be 3 weeks till next U.C. if I still get one.... That feels 'safer' somehow. Thank you both of you... needed the prodding and advice especially at the moment.  

MovingForwards

We are all here to support one another, encourage through good and bad times and be an ear without judgement. 

Irenadler

MovingForwards said:

We are all here to support one another, encourage through good and bad times and be an ear without judgement. 

Thank you MF, you and SYA, and SW have been so welcoming and helpful. I feel like giving you all nicknames as you have such long profile names, a bit cheeky I know, how does Moffy, er, Sya (sounds like that pop star?), and Swan sound?  I am open to suggestions.....? Not sure what to call myself, Ren? Just a daft whim, feel free to say no, stick to initials if you want..... 

Skint_yet_Again

Most people call me Skinty but I don’t mind what you call me. I just looked it up in an urban dictionary and it says 

skinty

-real skinny than normal 😄

-the work of acting skinny but becoming excessively overweight 😳

I would like to think I come under the first definition 🙄 but probably more like the second 😆

Have a lovely day. I’m just off to walk the dog 🐕 

Irenadler

Ha, I will go for Skinty, as I like that first definition... I am now picturing you as a 'Twiggy' style waif.... I am sure you aren't the second one.... 

MovingForwards

You may as well call me Babs and my OH can be Tom 😂 

I wanted something positive, empowering that would keep up with the future me and not the old me. Took me a while to come up with the name so I could sign up 😁

Ren is a nice choice.

By having the additional alias it makes our lives more 'real and friendly' here.

Irenadler

MovingForwards said:

You may as well call me Babs and my OH can be Tom 😂 

I wanted something positive, empowering that would keep up with the future me and not the old me. Took me a while to come up with the name so I could sign up 😁

Ren is a nice choice.

By having the additional alias it makes our lives more 'real and friendly' here.

Ok, Babs it is! Your OH has gone from 'Rambo', to Tom Good in the infamous green suit...

That's my thinking too, makes me feel you all have warm and cuddly natures to match your nick-names...

Ren - couldn't think of a short version of Irene! I have googled it and it means 'humanity/humane' in Chinese Confucian ideals (apparently akin to the protective feeling of adults to children....?) Unfortunately, it also has a 'Star Wars' connection, something about the 'dark side' oo-er missus.... I promise to keep the dark side under control....seems apt somehow!