The Best Is Yet To Come

slm6002

Well I had a burst of energy and managed to clear the living room and most of the kitchen.  2nd load is in the dishwasher already.  Still not completely finished with the kitchen but hopefully after work tomorrow I will get it finished.  It is certainly much better than it was this morning.  Washing has been done apart from DD1's as she didn't bring it down before seeing her dad.  I will hopefully get that done in the next day or so, if she brings it to the machine, or at least identifies which pile in her room is the dirty pile!

DD1 said that XH made a few digs about me and she shut him up.  She mentioned the understairs cupboard being turned into a bathroom and he came up with all the bad things about that, and complaining about how I have too much money.  She told him that the house is looking very good now and it is a shame he cant have a tour as I've made it look really good.  That shut him up apparently.  The younger 2 don't talk to him when they go out so he said it was nice to have a conversation.  Must be boring with no one speaking.  Hardly worth it really.  They only seem to go for the Mcdonalds.

Mums bits wrapped although I need some euros for her mothers day card.  Will nip to town during the week to get some and then pass the bits onto my brother for delivering.  I looked in the freezer and really there is not much in there.  Some stir fry bits, parsnips, peas, some chicken and a pack of fruit for smoothies.  That shouldn't take long to condense into the other freezer or eat.  I can then make a start on defrosting it.  Tonight's dinner didn't defrost in time so is still in the fridge ready for tomorrow night.  We just had beans on toast as they had already had main meal and I wasn't that worried.

More surveys completed so only another £3 ish to go.  Trip to the tip booked ready for Tuesday on my way home from work, as I have a few bits that need to go.  Next is showers and getting ready for tomorrow and another week. Need to sew the button back on my work trousers.

I feel content and relaxed this evening.  

slm6002

Yay it is payday.  I will shortly be moving money to my different pots.  I have cancelled my supermarket delivery pass as I was spending almost as much time going to the supermarket for the bits that were missing anyway.  I also felt I bought things I may not need just to make up the basket, so it really wasn't saving me any money.  Back to instore shopping and bargain hunting for me.  I have also made just over £40 this month on surveys although not been able to cash the last £10 out so far as still waiting for it to clear.

I nipped to Tesco after work today and got the euros for mums card, so that is now all ready to pass onto my brother.  First however I nipped to the tip and got rid of a few bags of things that have been hanging around the hallway for too long.

Tomorrow the children off so I need to write a small list of things that they can do while I'm at work.  School have provided DD2 with some suggested work a little like covid teaching but I don't thing it will ever get looked at.  The other 2 I have said they can do the rest of their homework and maybe some revision.  I wont be here to nag them so I doubt they will do too much.

5 ish weeks until the builders get here.  The sink unit was advertised as built when I bought it, but was in fact flat packed.  The seller kindly gave me £35 back for the inconvenience of it.  Still not bought the flooring or the splashback as I've still not decided on it.  I need to speak to the carpet people to ask what the best way to remove lounge carpet is.  As they will need to refit it after the work has been finished I also need to let them know timings.  I will contact the builder in a week or so to check timings are still ok.

DS's first choice of work experiences has said no, so we delivered a letter in person this evening to another local company that looks great from the outside.  He went inside and is now very keen to work there.  It is new and shiny and looks fun - think the film 'The Internship'.  We will wait and see what happens.

Right off to clear away a few more bits

slm6002

Happy February.  I have moved money into the correct pots and some bill payments have gone through.  I have decided to buy petrol and food using cash this month to see if I can keep to the budget better that way.  I had planned to withdraw the cash today but not made it to a cash machine as yet.  I need to find my small purse to keep it separate from everything else, and then start writing a list.  I am still planning to use up what we have a bit more but there are some fresh bits that I need get, as well as some treat type bits to make.
Right I need to go and have a shower after the dance class earlier, and then time for bed.

slm6002

Happy Thursday, its nearly the weekend and then only another week to go before the half term - Yay.  I am tired this half term.

Thursdays are always a bad day for food as the children have an earlyish club but then I am too tired to want to cook.  Today I told the children that I have taken £x cash out of the bank and that needs to pay for a food shop.  They wanted Maccy D's or Chinese.  I told them we do not have enough to spend £30 on takeaway as well as for food for the rest of the week.  They we not impressed but have all had a nice filling dinner (various quick meals that could be ready in half an hour).  DD1 has also just made them all a smoothy which is a bonus as it came from the freezer I am wanting emptied first

As I said I withdrew my money for the weeks shopping while in town and made a small purchase on the fruit and veg market stall.  I got some meat out this morning for tonight but it wasn't defrosted in time (cold house) so that is in the fridge and hopefully defrosted by tomorrow.  I will make this weeks budget work and I am determined not to spend anything not in the budget this month.

slm6002

Good morning everyone.  Not much going on here really, just daily bits and bobs.  Declined a curry takeaway with next door.  He always offers to order for me at the same time so the delivery driver only needs to make 1 drop.  We then go into our own homes to eat it.  We had chicken enchiladas instead as I had the defrosted chicken in the fridge that needed using up.  I asked the children what they would like for dinner this week and 2 out of 3 said how much is left in the purse lol.  They still didn't come up with any ideas.  I am putting off the shopping and finding bits to eat from the stocks we have, but will need to look at getting some fresh bits soon.

Todays jobs:
Make some flapjacks
Washing
Make the pizza dough
Measure shelf needed and let dad know so he can cut the wood (already measured several times but not let dad know!)
Hoover downstairs
Visit brother and deliver bits for him to take

Other than that there is not much else that needs doing.  I might see what can be transferred to the other freezer.  The sooner it can be defrosted the better.  Surveys seem to have dried up a little and I am still unable to withdraw the last £10 as not all of it has cleared.  

Have a good day

slm6002

Forgot beef was defrosted so that is now in the slow cooker, and the planned pizzas will be for tomorrows dinner instead.

I have looked at my money spreadsheet and bank account and decided I needed a couple more pots.  One for fuel and another for personal spends to use for lunch out etc.  I have set another couple of bank accounts up and transferred the money for the month.  I am hoping that the money I withdraw will then only be for food rather than being convenient to dip into.

Text my dad with the width of my shelf I am needing, and the first load of washing is in the machine.  Not looking like the sun is going to make an appearance today so will be costing us as no power left in the solar batteries.  I might leave the hoovering until the next sunny day.

Going to have lunch and then try to put a rough meal plan together and maybe write a shopping list.

joedenise

 It's forecast to be sunny but colder tomorrow so hopefully you'll get some solar gain in your batteries tomorrow!

slm6002

Thank you @joedenise, I will concentrate on the washing and hoovering tomorrow maybe then

DD2 is in an organising mood so is playing Tetris with the freezers and trying to get it all the one.  We are not quite there but certainly making progress.  She did comment that she has found 3 bags of peas in the one freezer.  When we get our food parcels they always come with peas.  We eat them but they seem to multiply lol. There is no meat left in there now, just vegetables, taking up 1 and a bit drawers.

Also I just managed a good survey for £4.50 plus bonus. That will add a nice chunk to this months total.

slm6002

Sorry for so many posts but I keep doing little bits and don't want to forget where I am up to.

I have just amended our Netflix account so that we are not on the highest amount.  I knocked £5 off the bill each month, but as DD1 tends to watch her own thing I couldn't move to the basic package as first thought.

I have finally cashed out £10 and still have another £7+ left to clear.  Bought milk and a few small bits earlier but still a good amount left in the purse for food

slm6002

I haven't stopped today, I am worn out and feet hurt but have achieved a lot.  The last few bits from the freezer were squished into little gaps in the chest freezer so we could use the sunshine to defrost it.  It worked and is now sitting in it temporary new position to test out if what is in my head will work.  I have also repurposed one of the sets of drawers from under the stairs.  I had to chop a bit off with my new saw but it now houses our shoes over the cats food (plenty of head room for them, although they are not 100% convinced of the change as yet.  All washing has been completed and the last lot is just being finished off in the tumble dryer as I type.  The dishwasher has been on several times.  Plastic containers have been matched to lids and put in one box (might need to reduce this a little) and back into the cupboard.  Jars from under the stairs food stash are now in the kitchen cupboard where 1st aid bit / medicines were kept.  These are now nicely all in a box (already had this box) on top of the cupboards.

Pizzas made and now in the oven, as well as a cheesecake for pudding as had a greens cheesecake box that needed putting somewhere but we had no space, so decided it would do for pudding.  I have some jars that don't fit, so they will be added to the meal plan for this week to be used up.

I wasn't going to tackle this until half term but as it was such a lovely day and things fitted in the freezer, I thought why not.  It means that we will have longer to use bits up and get sorted.  It also means that the bulk of things has already been started so I can rest on my holiday.  So far it has cost nothing to reorganise bits, but if my plan will work I will need a few bits from the DIY store unless I manage to spot it on free sites (I am looking).  I also need to try the old table to see if that works better or not.

Anyway I am off to eat dinner as it is smelling good, and then early to bed for me.  Have a good week