Beating Lifestyle Inflation and Staying Mortgage Free!

apple_muncher

I love it when a plan comes together!!!

And well done you on losing those pesky 16lbs

earthgirl2

Thanks apply as you could probably tell that was me getting my ideas all down and ordered. I have moved my first of April camping trip over to the end of May as I'm pretty sure by then we will be able to camp. I won't have a definite booking with the student until nearer the time as I know he would perhaps return home if he could so I can't bank on that Money. 

Karmacat

Wow, earthie!  Loving the logs and olio combo - I'm going to download that today, even looking at it would be better than not having it.  Having the same student back sounds good, especially when we're still needing to stay close to home, though that one sounds a bit challenging.  But you're really up for the challenge!  Well done on the weight loss - I'm sure the sugar/biscuit thing will follow.  Is it any sugar at all, like dried fruit too, or just processed foods like cake and biscuits?

earthgirl2

To go cold turkey on sugar is difficult, but possibly gives your tastebuds the best chance of resetting! We don't have processed foods at all (or that is the plan, sometimes people bring them to our house and of course we eat them!) we are avoiding dried fruits, fruit juices and even some fruits that are high in fructose, and replacing with veggies and lower fructose fruits. This is because the fructose gives a big spike in blood sugar, followed by a low where you may crave sugar and the cycle continues. I'm trying to break this cycle for us all at the moment! It's going pretty well this week.

earthgirl2

What a busy few days. My head felt totally full with a million different things. This morning for example I was up early cooking for a lunch for my MIls birthday, at work by 9, back home to do some homeschooling at 10.30, 11 am teaching online, 12.30 -1.30 hosting birthday lunch (we are her bubble) plus zoom family call, 2pm someone looking at our rental room, a bit more work and home school, 3pm - 4.30 teaching online, more home school, cooking tea and organising the random extra book day things the kids have to do tomorrow. I went for a walk on the beach - started doing my morning routine at 5pm tonight! and I started to relax, the water looked lovely, so I stripped until I was still decent and went in for a swim! OH thought I had finally flipped but the freezing cold water really calmed my mind and body. Lovely. Only 7 more days of trying to homeschool, work and still survive
My rushing about could have been made much easier by buying in the lunch, or not having it at all, but I did it and it cost about £3.50. MIL was happy and it was the right thing to do. I could also not be renting out the room, would be much easier, but it is easy income. The person didn't want to rent it anyway - she wanted full time rental not mon - fri.

Karmacat

Wow.  I'm slightly horrified at the idea of coping with a day that busy but absolutely in awe of both your ability to do it **and** go sea swimming!  In February!  Fantastic **jumpy happy smiley**.

apple_muncher

I had to have a little sit down after reading about your day! Yay to skinny dipping in the sea!

earthgirl2

Thanks for your replies, not everyday is like that, hopefully a bit quieter today. Definitely not skinny dipping though, more random crazy lady running into the sea with clothes on!
I've done some work and I'm about to do my workout. In terms of money:
Money Saving
Sticking within budget for food. I am getting quite a bit from olio, but far too much bread, but it's hard to refuse as the people are saying that it is going in the bin. I need to make sure that I am not crashing our healthy eating by having bread around. I'll just have to say no.
Both boys need school shoes and trainers so I have decided to combine and save some money. I'm trying to convince ds2 that he can have ds1's that have hardly been worn, but I know it's not great for their feet. I doubt school shoes will be big on the rules agenda when we go back, and the kids are only in school here till mid June.
Lots of birthdays this month, I've managed to source things out of store
Spending on getting outdoors last month - £65 on 3 new sleeping bags. March - £80 on a new air bed, 3 new pairs of walking boots (oh, me and ds1). 

Money Making
I made £880 net last month last month from tutoring. On track for saving for a reasonable cheap holiday when it is allowed (although I've already started syphening off to my 'getting outdoors fund')
I've started with a new client 2 hours per week, I am up to about 15 hours a week extra at the moment.
I'm getting hardly any surveys, but I am checking every day so hopefully it will pick up soon.

apple_muncher

Impressive tutoring amounts!

And impressive purchases for sleeping bags + walking boots.

Well done you!

beanielou

That is indeed an awesome amount on the tutoring.
I agree on the shoes.
They will hardly back & then off for easter & then hardly back & then off again.