The Best Is Yet To Come

beanielou

Glad you had a good time.

slm6002

Back to reality this week as school holidays are over. Work has been ok but I am glad it's Wednesday as the busy evenings are done for this week now.

My food order arrived on Sunday morning, but I hadn't really worked out what I had planned on cooking, so it has been a little difficult working out what is for dinner, the past few days. DD1 also announced that she is on a health kick as she has another holiday in the half term and would like to look good in her bikini. While I admire her, I am not spending a fortune on extra special foods for her, as the money just isn't there.

DD2 is currently doing homework that should have been done at the beginning of the holidays, but she left it too late and is now rushing through it as more is being added to the list to do. I did try to get her to see that it would be better to do it as it comes in, but it's a life lesson.

An expensive day today as I needed to get 3 new tyres, as per my mot (and last years mot). I went after work to see the cost. Turns out both front tyres are actually just about illegal rather just the 1 so I actually needed the 4 new tyres. At least it is done, and because I don't do that many miles each year, I am hopeful that they will last a little while. It does mean that the car fund pot only has £12 left in it, so everyone keep your fingers crossed nothing else happens anytime soon.

Many of the pots are now looking very low, which isn't great, and I don't feel I have a safety net available to me as much as I would like at the moment. I need to look at both car and home insurance in the next month so hoping I can find something suitable at a reasonable price this year.

24ta

How good to have the car fund pot 🙂

slm6002

There are 6 days until my next payment hits my bank account. I have some cash in my purse and £4.36 in the bank account. I do have other savings pots with money in, but not keen to touch those unless really needed. This is the 2nd month in a row that I have been down to the last few pounds, after several years of not needing to worry. I need to go through the bank statements as I thought all of the big payments like holidays and tyres etc were covered by the pots. If so where is the money going. Have I just over estimated the amounts that I can put in the savings pots, or are food etc really climbing that much that it is having a bigger effect on the bank than I thought? Anyway I will have a look and see.

I need to list what is in the freezer and cupboards to see what we can make for dinners over the next week or so, and I will be making a meal plan to try to use some of it up. My inside freezer could use a defrost so maybe I will use bits up and next weekend look at defrosting it. I also need to cut the grass today and look at reseeding part of the turf that we had put down last year. Where there is shade most of the day it has turned into a moss patch rather than grass. I have some grass seed especially for shady areas that I can put down which will hopefully help.

It looks like it might be a sunny day (only a 1% chance of rain) and I have some washing to do too, so that can go on the line. DD2 has another test to revise for. This time next year it will be exam time for her. Scary.

I better go and get dressed or I will just sit here for the day scrolling the internet.

slm6002

Well I didn't achieve everything on the list. I did manage to do the shopping for under £50 which includes everything we needed for this weeks breakfasts, lunches and dinners. I used some of the bits I already had to make oaty biscuits as I didn't buy many treaty bits. I sorted the indoor freezer out and some bits will be used up from there this week. Sticking to my list made a big difference (surprise I know!) to how many extras were added to the trolly and the final cost. I must do this much more.

DS needed taking to work as the trains were out of action. I nipped in to see Dad and have a catch up with him. I am trying to persuade him to plant some more fruit trees (his orchard lost its trees one by one until a few years ago and they had all gone. It is now a space for animals but there is plenty of other spaces for them).

I then went to get the lawnmower from the garage only to find DD1 had destroyed any organisation in there that there once was, as she got the walking pad out. I spent 2 hours in there tidying and reorganising bits as well as getting rid of a few things no longer needed. The lawn was not cut, but I can at least get to it now without tripping over things.

Today was back to work, meals easy to sort as there was a plan and no money spent.

slm6002

Well it has been a while since updating. All is well here and feeling ok - a little tired but better than normal for a Wed afternoon. I think the sun being out since the weekend has helped. The house is a mess and could do with a deep clean but that will need to wait - maybe the weekend.

I took DD1 & DS out for lunch today. I was arranging a work meal there anyway and decided why not treat us to lunch, so I did. Very nice, even if it wasn't really in the budget. Payday tomorrow.

I have decided to book an appointment at the local mortgage company. I am concerned that come the summer when I loose income from various sources for DS (as he will officially be out of school) I may not qualify for the mortgage that I would need to move. I would still be able to afford the repayments I believe as I have always worked it out as if I was only getting my actual wages and nothing else. If this is the case there isn't much point in me being on the market as by the time it might sell I will not be able to move. Anyway I will wait to see what they say and then go from there. It may be a case of moving agents or coming off the market, at least until DD1 moves out (she hopes to within the next year or 2), as we will then not need so much for a smaller house. Anyway we haven't had any interest for quite some time or even heard from the agent.

DD2 has work experience in 2 weeks so we need to get her clothes sorted out and ready. She is off shopping with DD1 and BF on Sat but while they are both technically the same size clothing, they are both very different shapes and while DD1 can bare all, it doesn't work for DD2. Both girls seem to forget this, DD2 then buys clothes and then doesn't wear them as they don't look right. Will have a tactful word with DD1 before they leave.

At the weekend I bought a few more strawberry plants and a few other bits and bobs to grow in the garden. I am longing for green spaces to just sit and think and listen to the birds tweeting and trees rustling. The local museum is great for outdoor spaces and I may treat myself to a basic yearly pass for under £20. I am feeling the need for a little focus on me time. My boss has given me a few puzzles that I can do to relax too. In previous years I have done craft workshops but I have tried most of the ones available around here.

slm6002

We made it to the weekend, and I am off for afternoon tea in a little while, all paid for by the wellbeing budget at work. I am organiser so I guess it will not be totally stress free but I am looking forward to some nice treats.

Loving the bright sunshine and warm weather. It is just so much better than grey and miserable (sure it will return soon mind you). Feeling quite content at the moment but that makes me a little anxious in itself as it normally all goes wrong after that. Fingers crossed it lasts a little while longer.

Nothing planned for the long weekend other than DD1 & DD2 off on their shopping trip and DS working Saturday. I will need to buy some food at some point but we have bits in currently that should do for the next couple of days.

Right off to make myself look presentable before heading out :)

beanielou

Enjoy your afternoon tea.

slm6002

Thank you Beanielou, it went very well and I have plenty of goodies to bring home to enjoy. I think everyone was happy with their treat.

Currently trying to get DD2 up and ready for her day out as her lift will be arriving soon. No urgency being shown by her!

Plans for today are to clear up downstairs so it looks presentable as currently there is clean washing all over the place and kitchen needs a good clean. I am going to get the washing done (first load in the machine already) and on the line providing new neighbours don't have a bbq midday again! If time I may get the bed sheets on the line too, as there is nothing better than fresh sheets to climb into after a nice shower and might even treat myself to a face mask tonight.

Tonight will be simple jacket potatoes which I am really looking forward to - picked up some lovely ones from the farm shop yesterday. Simple cheese and beans will be on top, so nice and easy with a little side salad. I need to make my meal plan and shopping list for this week. Hoping it will be a low spend one as we had our bulk order of chicken and so already have that and mince.

Right time to go and encourage DD2 again and then to put the washing out.

slm6002

I was home at lunch and enjoyed the final afternoon of being home alone. Today is the last day for DD1 at uni for this year. She will have until Sept off now before year 2 starts. DS is also on his last few weeks and that is them both done for the summer. Both intend to ask for more hours while they can to earn a few extra pennies, but they are likely to be home a lot more.

I had a very calm and chilled day Saturday with a mixture of cleaning, washing and puzzle which worked well to relax me. Sunday was a little busier and yesterday we went to renew the children's phone contracts. DD1 now has her own contract with her new phone. DS has decided to buy the phone outright and I will pay for a sim (£1.34 a month for the first 6-9 months) and DD2 will have DD1's old phone and treat herself to a new case and a new sim which I will pay for (£1 a month for the first 6 months). With all of this I have more than halved my phone bill each month. DS could have kept his phone but felt he wanted a new one. At least they should be sorted for a little while now.

Just sports club to run tonight and then I can come home. I do need to help DS finish his new job application - it was put on hold last night as a big chunky spider got too close to the desk then scuttled away really fast! Will finish it on my laptop in a different room I think. I also need to put banking bits on a memory stick ready for my mortgage appointment tomorrow afternoon.