A new royal start

savingholmes

Glad the test was negative. 

You sound like you always push yourself so hard. Good that you achieve things and good if it's satisfying for you - but also good to rest.

QueenJess

savingholmes said:

Glad the test was negative. 

You sound like you always push yourself so hard. Good that you achieve things and good if it's satisfying for you - but also good to rest.

I need to do things. Lots of the stuff I would like to do and usually keep me happy I can’t do at the moment. Keeping busy makes me a bit less miserable whilst I wait it all out.

QueenJess

Picked up my A*di click and collect order this morning and it was fantastic! You drive into a dedicated space, text them you are there and they appear within 5 mins and put it all in the boot for you. I never want to go into the shop again 😂. Perfect for me with demanding DD and well worth the £4.99 it cost.

DH didn’t look too impressed (he’s a secret food snob), but I don’t care. Mind you, I’ve swapped out his stupidly expensive nut/dried fruit mix. The cupboards and freezer are rammed full and I even got snacks for Xmas day already. Should just be milk, meat and my veg/fruit deliveries this month now, along with other things I couldn’t get, misjudged so we may run out or didn’t dare swap yet as DH is picky (cereals I’m looking at you…).  I’m just looking for progress, so any improvement on expenditure is a good thing.

DH laughed at me yesterday when I ventured into the garage to reorganise the freezer with gloves, shoes and a winter coat on, it was brilliant as I was nice and cosy the whole time! So going to do that in future 😂. I know everything that’s in there now and for some reason it’s now almost completely bread items or ice cream 🤷‍♀️.

DS had started to copy me by continually rearranging his room. I wouldn’t care, but he puts things in places which are silly and make it difficult to use/tidy. For example, he laid lots of his books down in piles on the shelves and it was hard to see what we had. He also puts tiny things in big spaces and tries to put big things in tiny places. I always end up having to put a lot of it back. Most needs to be in a certain place, but he can arrange his toys however he likes. 

Anyway, not sure what’s on the cards this weekend. Got more tidying to do and will see if I can spring clean more of the kitchen as it’s probably 75% done now. Thinking another things to do. Park, Xmas lights etc probably.

Oh and presents all completed. Don’t need to buy a single thing this month! Might think about wrapping soon!

 Better wake DD as I need to run to the school to pick up DS. Hope everyone has a good weekend.

themadvix

With the cereals, if there really isn't much difference and it's just snobbery, I did what Martin suggested when I lived at home with my Dad - I put Sainsbury's own in the Kellogg's pack... and after a month or so, I admitted as much and he never looked back! (But if there's a quality difference then I'm with your DH - don't ever buy organic weetabix, they're completely different and you won't want to go back... which is expensive!)

I love that you've finished your Christmas shopping - I've only just started thinking about it!

QueenJess

I am now glad I was stupidly organised Xmas shopping wise and I planned it all in August! It’s very cheap this year as I made sure the things the kids needed/wanted are spread out across family, then we got a load of stuff free for DD from a friend and an amazing bike for DS from his friend for free (they refused money for it). That was an advantage of DS being very small! Not even sure I spent as much as £50 between them.

Well I’ve already won on the mixed fruit and nuts. I mixed them myself in a jar and DH loves them. I also got some alternative chocolate bars for DS and he loves those. Fingers crossed the rest go down well!  I didn’t want to change everything at once as I thought it was too much… if I can win on the things I got this time, I will get more things to try, including some more cereal.

themadvix

It sounds like you’ve done really well for Christmas presents - definitely make the most of the children not knowing/caring about secondhand presents while they’re young!

 Sounds like Ald1 was a big success too.

QueenJess

Urgh, so I’ve heard a rumour that they will be getting rid of the department at work and so I would be made redundant (again) in the next year 🙄. I know it’s only a rumour, but the organisation runs on rumours and I’ve never heard one that wasn’t true before…

So, new plan needed. I’m not totally surprised, but didn’t think it would be this fast. I have to go back for a year, otherwise I would have to pay my maternity pay back. So I’ll go back full time to max the pathetic amount of redundancy they offer and save as much as I can. Then will likely take a 1-2 year career break (unless something comes up).

Every penny will definitely count now. I’ll be trying to reduce expenses as much as I can over the next few months so it all becomes habit. I’ll also try to do extra bits online like surveys etc. Can do very little at the moment, but when DD goes to nursery in Feb and I’m still at home (I wanted her to settle in before I went back to work), I should be able to do a lot more.

Today I’m going to double check all direct debits and see if there are any more I can get rid of. Then I’ll start work on a tentative joint account budget for next year and see which are the areas I could cut back on (probably just food tbh). Will put a couple of things on the bay of e to sell as well.

I love the way I only hear about redundancies on Fridays. Lovely way to ruin everyone’s weekends…

QueenJess

Been a really busy weekend all round.  Although not totally unexpected, my head has been processing the redundancy expectations again and just amending my plans to try and plan for it.  However, I know we will be told at the last minute and will only have 20 odd days notice (or whatever the requirements are) and so I can't totally plan.  But I do have a rough plan of where my savings go and in which order for now.

This weekend we went to the park for a couple of hours and the DC had a brilliant time and the ducks appreciated some nice food.  DD loved the swings so much that she didn't want to get off!  It was freezing though and I had to be defrosted when I got back.  We also watched a local xmas parade thing outside which was fun and DS loved.  DD was cuddled up to me nice and toasty in her carrier and fell asleep!  She is now totally knackered, but has had a brilliant weekend.  Managed to spend lots of time with DS as well and we've had some lovely evenings doing sticker books and I am reading him The Twits.  He loves the language and giggles.

I have also changed all the beds, spring cleaned some more of the kitchen and finished all the drawers/cupboards where things were being moved (just have a few left that simple need a clean and everything putting back), lots of washing done and put away, got more things picked up for free and have restarted a few money earning activities to try and top up the savings this month.  Budget is still in progress and any unneeded direct debits/standing orders have been cancelled. 

Lots of good food this weekend and used up tons of things that needed using up - yesterday was leek, pea and cheese orzotto for lunch and a roast chicken with roasted parsnips, potatoes carrots and some cabbage with hm yorkshire puddings.  Pudding was fruit salad and yogurt (using up fruit box stuff).  Today was omlettes for lunch with more fruit and salad for pudding.  Dinner was burgers with hm coleslaw, pickled beetroot and sweet potato chips with chocolate cornflake cakes for pudding.  I also made some flapjacks which will stop DH reaching for the expensive snack bars for a few days!

This evening I might wrap a few presents, do a last bit of tidying before the cleaner comes tomorrow and see what money I can make online.

QueenJess

DS came back from school yesterday not himself and went straight to sleep. We think it’s a tummy bug and after one bout of sickness and a huge sleep he’s soonish back to his usual self today, but not eating as much. Am hoping he can go back to school tomorrow as it’s his classes Xmas play.

Felt really busy the last two days, although not sure exactly what I’ve done. Washing is up to date, I’m still trying to tidy the rest of the house (it’s slow!), I’ve wrapped 90% of the presents, bathed the baby (don’t do it everyday and just wash as she has dry skin like me) and made red cabbage for Xmas (and more!) this morning. It’s cooling and I’ll have to try to squeeze it into the freezer later. I’ve got to investigate the rest of the veg at the bottom of the fridge too as I may have too much green cabbage. I think you can blanch that and put it in the freezer, so will do that if I get the time at some point!

I got my new laptop and so need to get everything transferred asap so I can send the old one back and get a potential trade in (or not). I have done a few bits of online money making, but not very much as I have no time.

Made DS a Lego house this afternoon, then we made paper chains to decorate his room. Apparently he wants to write Xmas cards later as well.

All meals are currently being served with coleslaw as I made a ton of it. I had a >2kg purple cabbage to use up of which about half went into coleslaw, another half into the Xmas cabbage and I have a little bit left for stir fries. I don’t think I need any more purple cabbage this month!

Might investigate some festive cinnamon biscuits later this week if I can find the time. We haven’t had biscuits for ages! Although we still do have flapjacks and chocolate cornflake cakes to get through. I’m sure they’ll all be gone before the end of the week though! Also need to fill up the bird feeders again as they’ve gorged themselves over the past week!

I think I’m getting through my to do list, but it’s slow and very haphazard! As long as I can see progress that’s good enough for me.

QueenJess

Feeling a bit stressed out and alone at the moment, but will plough on through.  Am also finding the thought of going back to work a bit depressing really.  Got a meeting with my manager next week to try and work out practical logistics of it all so I can get myself organised.  Might treat myself to a nice hot chocolate this evening with my feet up - will try it out with the new pea milk I've been thoroughly enjoying on my cereal.

DS is all better and back to school.  We (all three of us) went to see his Xmas play (windows open, masked up and everyone was meant to take lateral flow tests beforehand).  It was very sweet and DD seemed to absolutely love it despite it being right when she should have been having her afternoon nap.  She fell asleep straight after and woke up to find herself back at home!

Handed over DC to DH for a little bit, but then spent most the time sorting everyone out anyway.  DD was in a bit of a stress and I had to translate baby for DH as he didn't know what she wanted.  All quiet now, so have snuck off for a little bit of peace and quiet before dinner.  I finally finished the last of the coleslaw for lunch (with my cheese sandwich).  Dinner is tomato pasta with garlic bread and salad.  Pudding is still the cornflake cakes or kiwi and yogurt (so many kiwis and I'm the only one that eats them!).  I might mix them up with yogurt and some meringue pieces from the freezer.

Not much done today as we went to the school an hour earlier than usual.  Started making the chocolate shapes for DS's present and DH's present.  I am waiting for these ones to harden and will melt more later as I decided to half fill each shape so I can make them all stripey; I have 3 different types of chocolate.

Need to check later that everything has been transferred to the new laptop and then I can restore the old one and get it sent off.  Will probably tick through a few surveys as well later to try and get a bit extra.  Need to up my emergency fund more if I'm going to be made redundant at an unspecified time within the next year.  Should probably revisit the budgets too and try to do a bit more on them.

Well that didn't last long... will have to go back downstairs again to see what is going on..