Shipshape and Bristol Fashion

MagicCat

Thanks @thriftish, I'm fighting the perfectionism today so need to get back to the positivity!

Thank you for stopping by @ryanm8655, I think you are right about the payments. I need to sit down and have a proper go through things again, but upping the payments would be helpful for the long-term, and if I take the money from the grocery budget I should help me cut down, I can't spend it if it's not there!

Feeling pretty tired today, worked yesterday and M has been awful at night. As I said above I really need to get on top of the budget and money again once my brain is awake! Good things so far:
- Earned £6.03 on prolific last week, £4.50 on another site and signed up for a few more. Also entered some competitions, fingers crossed!
- Nursery can't take M until mid August, not good for DH and work but better from a finance point of view, only 2 weeks of 2 lots of nursery fees 
- Have resisted sale emails from various shops and actually unsubscribed so I won't be tempted.

I really need to get 2 birthday presents and some cards this week as otherwise they'll be two late to send and return some sock I got for S as no good and can get refund.

Hope everyone's week has started well 

MagicCat

So, still haven't had a chance to go through all the budgets and goals, working again yesterday and DH's work has been crazy busy too. He looks after M while I'm at work so he ended up working til 1.30am to make up, although nursery fees aren't cheap it will be good when she starts.

Today I need to get some things done - finally sorting these birthday presents, taking a parcel to the post office and finalising online shop. So not a NSD but all planned and hopefully as frugal as possible!

I did stir-fry last night which neither child would eat  Trying fajitas tonight, hopefully M at least will have them!

MagicCat

Uurgh, so the last couple of days have not been so good. M's sleep is terrible, so I'm averaging about 3 hours broken sleep a night, living on biscuits, house is a tip, weight 2lb up and unsurprisingly S's behaviour has been challenging.

Need to get out of this spiral so trying to think of the positives:
- we're all basically ok and together
- house may be a mess and need lots doing, but it's nothing health-threatening (now we've fixed the roof and it's not damp anymore!) and it's (with a mortgage) ours and where we want to be
- I may not be able to fully work out but my body works pretty well and allows me to live independently and look after my family

Tasks for today
- clean bathroom
Tidy toys and take back upstairs
- washing (a must because of the nappies!)
- wrap present and write cards ready to send next week
- meal plan
- cook tea - I'm doing a veggie fritata and FIL is coming so at least someone will eat it!

Wishing you all a happy and productive sunday 

Bluegreen143

Aw I’m so sorry sleep is still such a challenge for you 🙁 it’s so so tough trying to survive on that level of sleep. It’s basically all about survival so I honestly wouldn’t worry about weight etc just now. Focus on what’s most important to get through this time.

Is there anything you think that’s causing the bad sleep? Teething, illness? Or I’ve heard food allergies can affect sleep but you would see other symptoms... is she waking wanting a feed or just a cuddle? With Monkey when his sleep was bad I just let him sleep with me and that worked brilliantly, he started the night in his cot and then came into my bed and if he was with me he would sleep fine. It didn’t make a long term bad habit as he sleeps fine in his own bed now. With Bambi it was harder and she didn’t sleep well in with us - we ended up doing the exact opposite and sleep training, stopping breastfeeding & putting her on a strict routine. That worked too, though didn’t feel as nice as the co sleeping did but I was just desperate for sleep. I hope you can find a way to get past this and get more rest. I love your positive thinking list, so true that there is always something to be grateful for x

MagicCat

*Creeps back in after over a week*
Oh dear, where had the time gone?! I think as I've still been getting so little sleep everything is a bit of a fog and I've just been getting through the day, so not making much progress at the moment.

Still, new month, time to focus!
Things I need to do this week:
- sit down with DH, make a list of jobs and a plan! (I do realise the irony of having a to do list on my to do list  )
- Budget - this one is a must, I need to update and look at finances, I have a spreadsheet but it's not as up to date as it could be.
- keep reducing grocery spends. I need a target to work towards. I've been meal planning, but I think I need to find what I can buy reduced/cheap and plan round that rather than shopping for my plan.
- DH birthday - need to get presents and plan a nice day for him.
- chase up doctor and referral for S
- Do a workout and make sure I'm not snacking on biscuits!

Will try to update more to keep myself on track. Hope everyone is having a good start to the month 

Bluegreen143

Good to see you posting on here 🙂 

Do you have a target in mind for your grocery budget? I definitely find having something to aim for helps. I’m breaking mine down weekly in my head from my monthly total so I can hopefully correct early on if I start to go off track... have you been on the grocery challenge on old style? Just realised I forgot to sign up this month!

MagicCat

Thanks @Bluegreen143, have been thinking about a target, going to aim for £350 this month as it's usually around £400+, would like to get to about £300 but not sure that's possible. I used to read the grocery challenge a lot but have never signed up, will give it a go next month!

Currently holding a snoozing M, who has been wide awake since 3.30am until she crashed about 20 mins ago, so another rubbish night.

I was working yesterday, but did manage a bit of work on the budget spreadsheet in the evening in-between trying to settle the children who were too hot to sleep. I haven't got it to hand at the moment as I'm on my phone but the area I can make a difference is the groceries so really need to focus on that. £350/month is about £11.30/day to feed us all which sounds terrifying! I'm toying with the idea of a veg box but not sure if this would actually cost more, need to look into it.

Hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine.

Bluegreen143

Oh no @MagicCat, hope you can get to rest later.

I do think the fruit & veg boxes we get mean we spend more on fruit and veg now, but I love getting them. We eat more fruit and veg and a much more varied selection than before. And the kids love unpacking it and learning about the different veg. 

thriftyish

I hope you manage some more sleep tonight MagicCat, sleep deprivation is awful, there is definitely a reason it was used as a form of torture! I know everyone says this, but I find things come in phases, and saying to myself 'this is just a phase' always helped me through all of the tough times with the kids they have had, it does get easier.

I found a veg box more expensive too, but definitely a brilliant way of encouraging us to eat more f&v and try more different recipes - so definite pros & cons. I feel your pain re: weight gain. I am the heaviest I've ever been, but lacking in motivation to do much about it. When I have dieted previously, all shopping budgets have gone to the wind, and I've just bought whatever I fancied, which is dangerous (and expensive!) At the moment I am trying to avoid snacks like you, but its hard work when stuck in the house with children who also are forever hungry!

I love that you had a to-do list, on your to-do list 

MagicCat

Thanks @Bluegreen143 and @thriftyish . I think the veg box may work out a little more expensive for us too - but I like the idea of the children getting involved in it, and am going to plan meals round it (rather than thinking of meals then buying all the ingredients) so hopefully that will help things be a bit cheaper. I've ordered a trial box for this week so will see!

The heat is not helping sleep in this house, M is in a pattern of waking at 4.30 (am not letting her get up then but it's the end of sleep for her and me  ) so still quite shattered, particularly after a day in PPE at work yesterday.

I am slowly ticking things off the to-do list though - have chased S's referral, DH and I have a plan and are both recording all spending to help us focus the budget. Weight is still the same, not up at least! Had one chocolate biscuit in work yesterday, it actually wasn't very nice. Wearing a mask is interesting, usually I would be shoveling stuff in, but it stops that, and when I do have something I tend to find it's not really very nice. Maybe the solution is a facemask at home too