Eating a Vegetarian Elephant

Chiglepig

Ouch! New council tax bill £270 a month over ten months - up £12 a month.

South_coast

Oof! I thought my £82/month over 12 months was bad 🤣!

Chiglepig

@South_coast, the perils of a four bed detached in a part of Hampshire with a very spendy council -  the biggest part of the rise is the Police and Crime commissioner

FtbDreaming

Ooh I’m dreading mine then it was £105 a month over 12 months. I think our council just line their own pockets and throw money at the nicer areas. They left xmas lights up over the local shops for 7 years... by the 7th xmas there were about 12 bulbs working and they still turned them on. We got new ones this year but they’re still up. It just illustrates a lack of respect for the poorer estates. They wouldn’t do it in the better areas!!! (Sorry for the rant 😳 I hate paying council tax) 

Porridgecat

Chiglepig said:

@Porridgecat, it's not will power - it's just not having it in the house!

That's my problem, we have a lot of it in the house

We haven't had our council tax bill yet but I'm expecting about £155 a month. I also hate paying it @FtbDreaming, our council keep throwing millions ta white elephant projects and ignoring what the community wants. its such an unfair tax as well as it hits poorer people far more than the outrageously wealthy. 

Chiglepig

Morning all, lovely sunny morning here and the wind has finally dropped.

It's Sunday, so that means shopping for the week, I don't budget as such - DH and DD don't make that possible really and I don't have the time or energy to deal with it as the only one currently working. But I am hoping to come in under £100 this week.

Malteezers and Cava from DD for mothers day (diet? what diet? ), I'll call my Mum later, I now owe her two MD presents a birthday present, and a Christmas present, and by the time I see her again that will be two BD pressies! She and Dad live in France, so I haven't been able to see them since Christmas 2019 . But I have my first vacc on Tuesday and will be fully vaccinated by June.

In other DH news . . . he's currently on sick leave and had decided to retire (see previous posts about getting a house husband!) I caught him putting 21/22 academic dates into his diary this week (face palm).

Chiglepig

Porridgecat said:

Chiglepig said:

@Porridgecat, it's not will power - it's just not having it in the house!

That's my problem, we have a lot of it in the house

Wine in the house, @Porridgecat, is drunk wine! Except for DH's collection of reds, which is safe because I have an allergic reaction to it

Chiglepig

Half way through the month - still not getting on top of the shopping, still over £100 - but much less than last week and last week the only top up was 2 pints of milk.

Spent Sunday sowing seeds, potting on things that were sown a month ago (into yoghurt pots - frugal and 'green'), and leveling the patch for the pond - project for next week. I find seeds endlessly fascinating and magical.

This week reinsure the dog (bye bye Pet Plan) and spend money on a parking permit for our local country park, £60 for the year, but at £3.50 per hour otherwise, I only have to go eight or nine times to make it worth it.

Chiglepig

I LOVE my DH!

Without me asking over the weekend he bought my country park parking permit and took over looking for pet insurance, and agreed that we should look more closely at the grocery shopping spend. Then, last night he said "I want three things for my 'to do' list tomorrow". I have settled on:

• Drive me to my vaccine appointment so I don't have to worry about parking
• Go round the house replacing ALL the duff light bulbs.
• Help me put up trellis for my rambling rose and winter clematis

It is so important that partners are on the same financial and practical wavelength. He also knows NOT to get involved in the Garden, his job is just to enjoy!

Yesterday was a NSD - think today should be too.

Chiglepig

So, lovely productive day off;

Dog walked, lots of garden prep/clearing done (with DH's help). DD has started digging the pond and DH saved us £490 a year on pet insurance and improved coverage. And I made 40p on a nectar canvas survey!

Oh and four portions of veg lasagne frozen, plus a fresh one for tonight.