A new royal start

QueenJess

Actually managed a reasonable night of sleep last night.  Not been sleeping well for about a week now (for apparently no reason).  Really hope I am back to sleeping again as I don’t function well on little sleep.  Had a lay in this morning whilst DH looked after DS.  Finally got up and decided I needed to achieve some things today and so changed all the beds and did a load of washing.  Then put away all the dry clothes and did a quick tidy.  Really behind on all the cleaning after being ill and all out of a routine now DS is back at nursery. Going to have to catch up slowly I think. Made a start today by cleaning the mirrors and the upstairs windows.  Also sewed up another sock (they seem to continually be sprouting holes at the moment).

Made some flapjacks for me and DH, then made different ones for DS with some overripe bananas from an internet recipe.  I really hope he likes them as he is addicted to the expensive oaty bars you get in the shops and despite my best previous efforts to make very similar ones myself, he always refused to eat them.  Hopefully, these will be a hit and then will save me a bit of money! He seemed to like it, but he's flakey and might change his mind..

Wrote most the shopping list for next week whilst I was waiting for the flapjacks to cook.  Will check it on Monday before DH goes on Tuesday for the other things we may run out of like fruit/bread etc.  It is looking quite long… I really hope we can get it all for under £100.  Although I’d like it to be much cheaper, I’m taking it slowly and hoping that meal planning, no wastage and batch cooking will get me most the way there.  I will be making 9 dinners though rather than 7 (including one sneaky veggie meal) and my freezer is looking pretty empty (aside for way too much ice cream!).

Had a rifle through the cupboards and discovered a pack of couscous which is near the best before date.  DH doesn’t consider it to be proper food *sigh* and DS isn’t that keen.  I am thinking I could make myself a lot of cheap lunches with some frozen veg.  Will scour the internet for a bit of inspiration, although I am perfectly happy to eat the same lunch all week anyway.

Dinner was spag bol from the freezer followed by the last of the bread and butter pudding (everyone was too full last night to have any).

Not much money-making activity today, but did get paid 30p for a survey I did a few days ago.  It all helps I guess!

DS has also caught a cold and is looking a bit sorry for himself (when he thinks he can get extra attention).  I know these things are inevitable at nursery/school, but since they are meant to be in really small groups, doing lots of handwashing etc, it doesn’t really fill me with confidence that they would hold back the spread of CV19.  He’s only been back 4 days.  At least I know when he’s really ill as he’ll stop scoffing everything in sight, which hasn’t happened.

Bit of stream of consciousness posting there!  Hopefully, I’ll continue to be organised tomorrow and then back to hitting the finances next week.

helensbiggestfan

Well done, you are going great guns.  It's always nice to find money you've forgotten about.  

QueenJess

helensbiggestfan said:

Well done, you are going great guns.  It's always nice to find money you've forgotten about.  

Thanks   I am currently really focused due to the redundancy, so I am pretty time-limited.  Will throw everything I have at the mortgage to get it down by the renewal date in October 2021 as it will make our lives much more comfortable.

MagicCat

Hello, just popping in to your diary from the debt free wannabe board. I love the way you've split out your mortgage and the overpayments. We're not in place to overpay at the moment but I'd love to be working on it - my DH isn't so keen though, like yours he sees it as cheap debt so doesn't see the point - I'm wondering if doing something similar to you would help! 

It must be a strange feeling knowing redundancy is coming up, but such a great opportunity to have a career break and be with your DS. My SIL did a two year sabbatical when her children were little and she always says it was the best decision she could have made.

I totally sympathise with difficult nursery drop offs - my eldest has been known to lie on the ground screaming and refusing to go in (he loved it once he was there though), it breaks your heart. It's hard for them going back after a break, hope your DS is more settled next week.

QueenJess

Welcome, @MagicCat .  I love that after I paid a lot off the mortgage (mostly due to a legacy), my DH started to realise my way was better and his new aim is to catch me up  So if you split it that way, your DH might realise it is better and join in.  I know the nursery thing will get better as I’ve had it before when we first sent him, but it just feels so horrible..  In fact, when we sent him at 13 months, it went on weeks and weeks and weeks.  Nursery kept telling me he was absolutely fine.  Then one day he thought I had gone (but I was outside putting on my shoes) and he was as happy as Larry.  Little so and so!  I didn’t worry after that!

I just keep thinking this is temporary for him to be there so much (although we’ve reduced his hours so he’s only there for a school day now) and he will get lots of time with me soon.

I am really looking forward to having time out.  Sick of the bullying and politics which I take no interest in and really want to spend quality time with DS.  I’m really quite independent (hence the way we split our finances), so not sure how I will deal with having none of my own income.  On the plus side, I have 100% control of the joint account and all the joint expenditure, so I will have something to obsess over!

DS’s cold is slowly getting better.  I am plying him with warm milk and getting him to rest as much as a three-year-old can.  I realised the new nursery rules mean they have to stay away with any illness, so not sure whether he’ll be better for nursery tomorrow.  Saying that he seemed to have a miraculous recovery this afternoon and was in all sorts of mischief, so I think it’s safe to say he’s feeling a lot better!

Apart from looking after DS, of course, I tried to catch up on housework stuff.  Did more washing and putting dry clothes away (I only use the dryer for towels, otherwise they go all scratchy), more tidying and cleaned all the downstairs windows/patio doors.  I also finished rearranging the two very small freezers so I know exactly what I have and can find it all.  I have a whole shelf free and ready for batch cooking

Beef roast for dinner (yum) and I made my own yorkshire puddings which were lovely.  I can’t believe I’ve never tried making any before!  I put the leftover ones in the freezer and will see how they fare.  Even DH said that was the best beef roast he ever had!  Plum cake, ice cream or chocolate chip muffins (depending on tastes) were all available from the freezer for pudding.  Mountain of washing up done and you’d never know I cooked anything from the sparkling sides in the kitchen.

I think plying DH and DS with homemade flapjacks and offering DS snacks before he realises he is hungry is working.  We need no expensive branded snacks for DS this week, which is a miracle!  I will have to keep making flapjacks for me and DH as DH also eats the oaty bars as he says they are much healthier than the sugar-laden ones you get in the supermarket and are really nice.  So need to keep his consumption down too!  I put very little butter and only enough honey to stick the flapjacks together.  All the rest is oats and dried fruit, so DH considers these to be healthy enough for his consumption.  On the other side of the spectrum, I put a tiny amount of chocolate chips in DS’s flapjacks and therefore he considers these to be a naughty treat and worthy of eating.

Wow.  Totally forgot I had an item just sat there on the Bay of E for months and it just sold!  Only about £3 profit, but that can go straight to the mortgage fund.  Must go through my pile to list some more.  Only small bits and pieces, but it all helps.

End of the week already… where does the time go?!  Also another waffly post I’m afraid

QueenJess

I don't know why my smilies keep going insane and not in line with the text.  It is very annoying.  If anyone knows, please let me in on the secret!

QueenJess

Kept DS at home today and he drove me mad all day. He's definitely better and can go back to nursery tomorrow.

Didn't anything done today as I attempted to work and do childcare at the same time, which was never going to work.  Did manage to do a load of washing and put away the dry clothes and some other general tidying.

Had some apples which didn't taste that nice to eat raw, so I stewed them up with some cinnamon and am eating them with porridge in the mornings.  Trying hard not to waste anything!

Dinner was a stir fry with the leftover beef from yesterday's roast and I made an apple and blackberry crumble with custard for pudding (with garden blackberries).

Managed to do a couple of surveys, but didn't do anything else. Waiting for a few cashouts to come through.

Hopefully will get more done tomorrow!  Am completely knackered now.

QueenJess

DS developed a slight cough overnight (which he always does at the end of a cold) and so he’s still at home.  Determined though that I would actually achieve something today, so I did the following (along with full-time work and childcare of course):

• Cleaned the combo microwave/oven (smell of fish pie gone)
• Deep cleaned the downstairs toilet
• General tidying/putting away clean clothes
• Followed up on an item that never got delivered to me and will get a refund (will offset the overspent budget areas from the joint account).
• Did some surveys etc and cashed out another £10.
• Listed 4 things on the Bay of E
• Did the meal plan for next week whilst I was waiting for the dinner to cook (bit enthusiastic, but I like to do it when I’m in the mood, otherwise it’ll be a disaster leaving it to the last minute).

For lunch, I used some frozen veg with the couscous that needs using up (sandwiches for everyone else).  Dinner was the last reincarnation of my Sunday roast; beef stew with mashed potatoes.  Pudding was more apple and blackberry crumble with custard.

Shopping is done for the week and was £79.  I also have a fruit box arriving on Thursday (£14.25), which I know is expensive, but their fruit and veg are amazing and it stops me eating the same thing all the time.  It’s my little treat and I don’t buy them every week.  Also as it’s straight from the farm I find all the fruit and veg last ages and much longer than the supermarket.  However, it still brings me within my £100 weekly target.  It’s still a lot, but better than the £120+ a week we were spending and I did get about 10 meals worth of food this week and we needed some one-off items like dishwasher salt etc.  Next week should therefore be a bit cheaper.  It’s a work in progress, but going in the right direction.  There’s £250 left on the supermarket gift card for the month.

Been receiving dribs and drabs of money in from the Bay of E, surveys etc.  Will update the impact on the mortgage on Friday.

Looking forward to putting my feet up this evening after DS is asleep.

rugbymadfamily

Just been reading and sounds like you're doing a fantastic job! Your DS sounds adorable! Good stuff getting your OH on board, mine wasn't keen (also said about cheap debt) until I explained about pension / retirement ages / interest to be saved etc....then he got on board!

With you on the food bills, ours have got outrageous during lockdown....your pudding descriptions have inspired me to get baking and making!

QueenJess

Thanks for dropping in @rugbymadfamily .  At some point in my life, I started cooking more and I just couldn't go back to shop-bought puddings and cakes.  I always thought mine tasted better and the shop ones have too much sugar for me.  So now I don't get anything unless I make it myself!  Glad I inspired you

My OH is funny.  I am totally in charge of the joint account and DH just puts in whatever amount I tell him to.  He doesn't see the point in loyalty cards and the other stuff I do as he says it is tiny amounts and not worth the hassle.  However, now he is facing the reality of having to foot the whole household bill (and I told him how much), he is rapidly changing his mind on everything!  To my amusement, he came back from shopping last week saying how excited he was that he had been using the loyalty card every week and we got £8 of vouchers to take off our shopping.  He then told me it was great and worth doing!  360-degree turnaround!