Beating Lifestyle Inflation and Staying Mortgage Free!

earthgirl2

Thanks tallgirl and LWAP. 

I'm not feeling as focused right now as I'm relaxing in the sun with a glass of wine! But it's so gorgeous I just have to take time to enjoy it ☀️ 
visited my parents and £60 spent on fuel. For less carbon footprint I wish the train or bus were possible but the cost was extortionate. When I was there I took my mum for a big shop which I wouldn't have been able to do on public transport. Next time I'll try to get a bus as I've got a bit more info now. 

Money saving
Got £30 cashback on £5 spend -doing my Xmas shopping so aside from the OH and teenagers I have my Xmas shopping done 🤦‍♀️ 
Grocery weekly shop keeps going down, budgeted £100 per week but it's been hovering around £50, spent £37 this week. I'll pay the rest to savings at the end of the month. 

Neighbour who I pass my boys clothes and football boots etc on to gave me a huge bag of skin care goodies free from her job- so kind! 
Did free online forest yoga class and loved it! The mental health charity who run it are going to run more free online, 6th May at 6.15. Link below if anyone else fancies free online forest yoga? I slept so well after it! 

https://blackdogoutdoors.justgo.com/Workbench/i/r/EventsAndBookings/details/9AA0552B6C001DFC5F9337B979E32970AC812841

Money making 
summer student homestay confirmed I should earn £3125 in May/June. (Need to check if the tax room rental break is still available? If not I'll pay tax) 
Tutoring online twice per week 

I've done some task from my big list, walked to the library this morning to use the much better wifi, but the rest can wait until after this spell of beautiful weather! 

earthgirl2

Continuing my frugal existence with a walk from home with a friend today. We came across a lamb basically dead on arrival but I put my son (who helps with lambing) on speakerphone and he talked me through ways to get it back, and I managed to get it breathing again and back to mum. We let the farmer know and passed it on the way back a couple of hours later and it was fine. A bit more hands on than I'm used to though!! 

Collected olio and handed out.

Cat sitting client paid me for cat sitting Saturday to Sunday,  and I'm going straight to a camping/walking trip on Sunday to Monday. 

I need to bring food water stove hot water bottles and water along with all my camping stuff so that I have zero spends there. 

ladybird1106

What an amazing experience to bring that lamb back to life.
love 🐞

Watty1

Incredible with the lamb.  Kudos to you and your son.   I love the sound of the forest yoga.

apple_muncher

Wotcha Earthie!

Shame you missed going to Australia. We were there last summer, so might have seen you!

We're currently in Canada staying with dh's firstborn and her family. They have such a good lifestyle. She writes (and related things) from home, he's a chippie with his own company, their son has a great teacher, they have 2 dogs, a cat, 2 goats and a gorgeous mountain view from the lounge/dining area. I love it here!

Will you reschedule going to Australia? We'll be staying in blighty for the next few years, having spent so much recently. But it has been totally worth it 😎

teapot2

How lovely to rescue the lamb, fortuitous for the wee one that you were passing.  Well done on the grocery spends reducing too.

I've done some outdoor yoga too and really enjoy it [in the outdoors that is]

earthgirl2

Lovely to hear from you Apple and teapot2!
Your travels sound amazing Apple, although I don't think I'll go to Australia in the near future. And teapot2 I've been doing a bit more outdoor yoga too, it's definitely so good for you! 

I've been camping it was very mixed weather, but good to get the hiking practise in and see another area of the highlands. £6 spent on parking and took  own food. 

Income

Since getting back I've done lots of cat sitting £350, got all of my course filmed, and most of the Vinted stuff uploaded. Maybe 2 more hours to finish this. I've completed a couple of online tutoring classes as well.  I've got £13 on PA and a few bits pending on Vinted. 

£140 returning poor products 

Spending 
£20 kids pocket money
£85 night away on island on sunday
£47.50 train tickets for a walking event in august 

Weekly shop included Easter eggs and Easter food to take away and some treats, so slightly higher at £76 this week. 

Still really enjoying being frugal and enjoying a lovely relaxing Easter break. Looking forward to a night away with the family in a few days. 

earthgirl2

Camping photos -wet - Loch Achray

ladybird1106

Still looks stunning earthgirl2.
love 🐞

earthgirl2

Thanks ladybird! I enjoyed it even if it was wet half of the time. 

Went on a lovely family break to Isle of Arran. Used a coupon from @irbnb and stayed one night for £80. It was a bit crazy as we had two dorms to ourselves and it wasnt very luxurious but we had a great time away together.  £70 spent on lunch and drinks out. OH spent the same on drinks snacks treats etc and I cooked the rest of our meals. 

Back to school and work this week and feel like it's taken me a few days to get back on top of things. DS1 was recovering from illness and I had to run him to school and back a few times to conserve energy. I've started a new cat sitting including lots of eggs so that's fun! And  can walk to it. 

Spending 
£46 on groceries and £3.55 on cooking ingredients for ds1 yesterday. One more month of buying really expensive ingredients for school cooking class. 

 Big olio request so that's why grocery is so low. I've worked out only £217 spent on food so far this month. Used to be £125 a week before I came back to my diary! 

Petrol will be higher due to running after ds1, stopped today, he is much better. 

Income
got paid from YouTube £139. 

More cat sitting bookings
tutoring 10 hours in April which will be payable soon. 

General
another written complaint into Amex about them keeping the balance of my credit card. 

Need to do lots of work for OHs business and catch-up on marking at my full time teaching job 😞 will try to make a start on this today