Project Change!

Adjusting_the_balance

Morning! 

Had a lazy but productive day yesterday if that makes sense! Spent the day around the house doing very little, but did manage to make £100 in fb sales which will cover some Xmas pressies ordered this week.  Another small win is that I’ve received a voucher for a free bag of pony feed 😊 this should save me in the region of £30 so definitely not to be sniffed at.

Habit of the week this week needs to be water, water, water. I’m drinking far too much tea and fizzy pop lately, my skin is terrible and I’m sure it’s not doing me any good health-wise.  *just sneaks off to fill up a water bottle*

Need to get my domestic goddess head on today and attempt to get on to top of things around the house before the working week starts and we’re too shattered to do anything except the minimum. Will also check out Prolific

Sarahwithlove

Good luck on your journey and well done for not waiting until the new year as it would be easy to just keep building the debt during that time. 

Adjusting_the_balance

Well Happy New Year! 

I’ve been missing in action for a wee while. I was a bit naive in my estimations as to how much time the online course would take up. It’s a lot faster paced than I anticipated with 2-3 assessments requiring completion each week. Good new is though it’ll be finished in 2 weeks time. I’m not saying I’ve not found it beneficial, because I really have. I’d have just preferred a more flexible pace especially given DS has been off school over Christmas! Anyways, the end is in sight! 

Focus for January needs to be driving the food bill down. We’re averaging £115 a week for the 3 of us (not including the pets) and whilst it does 3 meals each a day I still think it’s far too high. Since the start of the pandemic we’ve switched to online shopping. This in theory should help me get a handle on things (not that it has done so far!). I was given a copy of one of Jack Monroe’s cookbooks before Christmas, so will be experimenting with that in an attempt to cook more from scratch and keep costs lower. 

I’ve picked a few bits up for my pressie stash in the post christmas sales and have also agreed with some friends and extended family to no longer exchange gifts. As much as I love buying for others I fully get the reasoning and it’ll take some of the stress and financial pressure away. 

I’ve sat and worked out my budget for next year and am aiming to save up for MOTs, vet bills etc ahead of time so have set up pots to do so. I will also put by so much a month for birthdays and Christmas. I used an envelope system for this in 2020, it worked well - mainly because spending actual cash has been so difficult this year 🤣

Right, I’ve got an online shop arriving over the weekend. Starting as I mean to go on, I’m off to write up an inventory of what we’ve got and a meal plan for the week.

Wishing everyone a very happy and healthy 2021! 

 

Adjusting_the_balance

Morning,
A nice quiet non eventful day yesterday. Did manage to get out for my first run in 3 weeks - it was tough but felt so good!  I’ve signed up to run 1000k this year and am also taking part in a virtual Lands End to John o Groats challenge, so definitely need to keep active. 

I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to achieve this year, there’s so much but need to be realistic! 

Financial:
Pay off Next account (by February)
Pay off Very (by March) 
Emergency fund to 1k (by June) 
Pay off a total of 5k (by year end)

Get food shop budget to £370 per month

Health and Fitness:
Run 1000k by year end
Lose 2.5 stone by June
Drink more water

Personal

Complete online course (January)
Take more time out for self care
Implement the organised mum method for keeping on top of house work

Right that’s all for now - have a good day x 

savingholmes

Good luck with your goals.

Adjusting_the_balance

 Morning!
Not really had a great deal to report. It’s a long month as OH got paid at least 10 days early so January seems to be lasting forever! 

I’ve been experimenting with lentils, firstly to try and get more protein in my diet (I’m veggie and often struggle protein wise) and secondly to try and bulk out meals a bit. Popped a quorn bolognese  in the slow cooker the other day and from one small bag of quorn mince with added lentils I’ve managed to make a huge lasagne (cut into 4 generous portions) and 2 servings of bolognese. It was really tasty too, so very happy! May try a curry later.....

Managed to sell an item on fb for £25, so I’ve paid this straight off the next account.

Things aren’t going well on the exercise front at the minute. I’m an early riser anyway but at the minute I’m unable to sleep past 4am, so I’m permanently exhausted. The whole Covid situation is really getting me down at the minute and I’m feeling increasingly anxious over it all. Need to try and take control of it a bit as I’m finding myself in a cycle now of waking ridiculously early, so I’m going to bed early and then waking again early and lying there worrying about the way of the world, it’s doing me no good 😔

Anyways enough of the doom and gloom, need to get focussing on the positives! Have a good weekend all x 

savingholmes

It is very hard to switch off worry. Perhaps find positive youtube channels to listen to instead like marietv

Adjusting_the_balance

Thank you savingholmes, I’ll take a look. To be honest I’ve never thought of looking in YouTube for that sort of thing. 

Managed to do 5k on the treadmill yesterday and feel so much better for it. Very grateful for the treadmill at the moment - I treated myself a few years back with some birthday and Christmas money and whilst I still prefer running outside, the icy conditions and freezing temperatures aren’t too appealing at the minute! 

A quiet weekend of muddy dog walks, keeping DS entertained and general pottering. After last weeks on budget food shop, this weeks has been more expensive. Hopefully I should be able to even it out again a bit next week. I’m trying to get control over my diet again. I want 2.5 stone gone by June and have set myself an interim target of 1 stone by end of March. Will add my weekly weigh ins to my diary to help keep focus.
Just a 2 day working week this week as am taking annual leave carried over from last year to try and get to grips with this home schooling business! I’ve really felt for teachers and schools through all of this, they’re in such a difficult position. 

Dinner tonight is batch cooked chilli and jacket potato - must pop another batch in the slow cooker this week. 

Right best go and get myself organised for the day. Have a good one and stay safe x

joedenise

Good idea to set an interim target - about lb a week will get you to your 1 st off by end March (well almost 13 weeks to go!).  Good luck.

savingholmes

Our dog walking has been very muddy too