Beating Lifestyle Inflation and Staying Mortgage Free!

beanielou

Blimey, that was a very scary lodger situation.
That would put me right off having any more. 

Positive vibes on the MRI result.

Karmacat

Good to see you back, earthie, sorry you've been through such horrors with the lodgers, and an MRI, though painless (I think?) isn't a wonderful thing to endure.

Speaking to a doctor about what you eat sounds a really good idea, well done you - I'm so glad to see you prioritise your own needs  

earthgirl2

Thanks for the positive vibes! Yes MRI was painless, but my face went numb from being in the same position for too long.

Today I sold an item on v1nted, and posted it. I really like this site its so easy to use. 

I've done the overhaul your finances guide, and I have made savings to energy (don't get me started on this, it should have been sorted by 0v0 automatically as per their messages, but I had to hold forever today to finally get it sorted.)
I've applied for 2 new current accounts (both of them I will need to update with the cards linked to the account I am switching from). Which should hopefully bring in £350 and 6 cinema tickets. I called am3x to cancel my card but they offered me 1.5% cashback which will be good for Christmas and holiday booking for next year.

I've also changed a course I was going to pay for for work to a free one. It will probably have the same outcome for me so £400 saved I think.

I've decided to still keep doing 0li0 collections, and run down the freezer in between, so that I can store 10% of the 0li0 food. This way I should be able to really reduce spends.

I need to look at 'meals I can put anything into' that don't require an oven - just slowcooker or stove.
I saw Jamie do a green mac n cheese with lots of random veg, we have veg curry once a week - I need more meals like that so that I can use the 0li0 veg.

To do:
Sort saving accounts - fund the saving account with nw - 5%
Set up barcl@ys 5% account (including monthly pay in)
Pay into CL account monthly
Sort card for spending abroad
January 0 cancel am3x

apple_muncher

I'm amazed that you have time for any work, with all that you do!!!

savingholmes

Good luck with your health situation. 

Lucky escape on the lodgers.

earthgirl2

Thanks. The health situation is still not sorted and I am awaiting another mri scan head to pelvis this time and this time I need injections before. I think they want to see why the spinal fluid is leaking and if its affecting my brain hence the wierd numbness. I am very lucky to be so well looked after.

In great news though, yoga and eating well are really working for me. Yoga is having an amazing effect. I can start a session in pain and end with no pain and feeling really good. I've been doing about an hour a day and I've gained so much strength which I'm sure in turn helps with keeping the spine supported. I am pretty good at all of the intermediate poses and flows, so when I've gained  more confidence I'll push on a bit more with the advanced. I love the challenge and sense of achievement. I've learnt about 95% of the theory I need to take the test to become a yoga teacher. I will make sure I know and can do everything physically before I think about any teaching, but I just thought it would be good to get this qualification - a good use of the rainy evenings to study and its something I'm passionate about.

We went away in the October holidays - a previously rescheduled break. It was amazing, and all prepaid a long time ago

Since I've come back, I've started to feel a little unsettled by the situation with the government, the economy, our finances, everyone in the world's finances, my job, Ohs job, our spending and lack of extra income, and climate change.  But worrying about it wont help, much better to take action!

TO DO:
Sort our finances

• Sort saving accounts - fund the saving account with nw - 5%
• Set up barcl@ys 5% account (including monthly pay in)
• Pay into CL account monthly
• Sort card for spending abroad - make sure this is paid off
• January 0 cancel am3x

Get a good routine to bring in extra income

• work on passive income
• work on non passive oncome  (tutoring, teaching)
• work on OHs business
• Do surveys
• sell items

Reduce Household spending

-DS1 phone - change to sim only.
-Get bank of easy 'chuck everything in from Olio' veg meals
- use up freezer.
-Don't renew Mr A delivery pass and go to cheaper supermarket.


Reduce 'other' spending
This is mostly to do with the kids. I am going to keep a list of this and hold myself more accountable!

DS1 is quite a talented footballer and is going to represent his country at an international tournament in November. Travel for this, clothing because of the temperature, and an eyewatering spend on football boots brings this total to £850. Ridiculous. He needed specialist boots because of pain he was getting in his toes. He knows that the boots are his Christmas present.

I've also spent some money on books for them £25. The last 2 books were bought second hand. I can't keep up with their reading and they have read most of the books for their age in the library.  What age can they read adult books? I guess not aged 12. I'll need to take them to a bigger library or order books online for them from the library. I also got them reading free kindle magazines and books. The positive of this is they are doing well at school, and I hopefully won't need to fork out for tutors.

Other spends are sports tape - but I'm going to try to encourage them to use reusable straps.

My diary for 2023 - I'll get it for Christmas.

Protect current Job

• make sure current work is on track
• get science qualification and experience

Karmacat

earthgirl2 said:

Thanks. The health situation is still not sorted and I am awaiting another mri scan head to pelvis this time and this time I need injections before. I think they want to see why the spinal fluid is leaking and if its affecting my brain hence the wierd numbness. I am very lucky to be so well looked after.
I'm so glad you're actively working on this, and they're working towards a diagnosis.

In great news though, yoga and eating well are really working for me. Yoga is having an amazing effect. I can start a session in pain and end with no pain and feeling really good. I've been doing about an hour a day and I've gained so much strength which I'm sure in turn helps with keeping the spine supported. I am pretty good at all of the intermediate poses and flows, so when I've gained  more confidence I'll push on a bit more with the advanced. I love the challenge and sense of achievement. I've learnt about 95% of the theory I need to take the test to become a yoga teacher. I will make sure I know and can do everything physically before I think about any teaching, but I just thought it would be good to get this qualification - a good use of the rainy evenings to study and its something I'm passionate about.
That sounds wonderful!  I really need to get my act together.

We went away in the October holidays - a previously rescheduled break. It was amazing, and all prepaid a long time ago
That sounds wonderful too 🌞

Since I've come back, I've started to feel a little unsettled by the situation with the government, the economy, our finances, everyone in the world's finances, my job, Ohs job, our spending and lack of extra income, and climate change.  But worrying about it wont help, much better to take action!
So, so true.  It's extremely unsettling - I write to my MP, by email, and this time she replied, I woke up early because I was so angry.  That means one more email and then stopping altogether, as you say, focussing on activity to safeguard ourselves and our family is crucial.

Reduce 'other' spending
This is mostly to do with the kids. I am going to keep a list of this and hold myself more accountable!

DS1 is quite a talented footballer and is going to represent his country at an international tournament in November. Travel for this, clothing because of the temperature, and an eyewatering spend on football boots brings this total to £850. Ridiculous. He needed specialist boots because of pain he was getting in his toes. He knows that the boots are his Christmas present.
I know it sounds a lot, but he'll never get his childhood back.  And congratulations, representing his country is a wonderful thing!

I've also spent some money on books for them £25. The last 2 books were bought second hand. I can't keep up with their reading and they have read most of the books for their age in the library.  What age can they read adult books? I guess not aged 12. I'll need to take them to a bigger library or order books online for them from the library. I also got them reading free kindle magazines and books. The positive of this is they are doing well at school, and I hopefully won't need to fork out for tutors.
Adult books ... well, it depends.  You'd probably have to oversee the choices 🤣 Older books could be good - Agatha Christie, HG Wells, even Jane Austen (she's a bit wordy even for older children, much as I love her).  If they like science fiction, Larry Niven has some good, earth shattering but ultimately humans-are-great stories.

How about non-fiction to leaf through?  Big science books, or art books, the coffee table type books.  Very, very beautiful.

My diary for 2023 - I'll get it for Christmas.

Protect current Job

• make sure current work is on track
• get science qualification and experience

I think I'd like to see you with more than a diary for your Christmas present - some nice lotion would be good!  But you're doing so well, as ever.

themadvix

I think I started on Agatha Christies at about that age, good call KC. And classics generally - Black Beauty was a favourite, but it might not be for the boys! James Herriot books, if they like animals - I read them at a young age too. Have they read Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, Swallows and Amazons etc.? All good books, regardless of age in my opinion!

Glad to hear you are getting your back sorted. I need to follow your example and be doing yoga for an hour a day - I've been told to go to Pilates for my back, but yoga at home sounds much more appealing!

badmemory

I don't see why they shouldn't read adult books by the time they are 12 or even earlier.  Just steer them away from Lady Chatterley and the like.  I was certainly reading Agatha Christie before I got to grammar school.  You may need to okay it with the library though.  If they are capable of reading them & actually want to read them then I can't see why not, with the lady C proviso of course.

savingholmes

Glad you are following up on health side of things