Struggling along as best I can

nannygladys

cbsexec -  If you have good tips ref money saving they would definitely welcome here. 
Hoping you have had a lovely Xmas so far.
Nannyg

nannygladys

Moorviews - The candles certainly heated the front room up!!! but I don't think I'll be having anymore dgc so it'll stop at the same next 
I never seem to follow a recipe all the way through, I'm always adding bits or taking bits away  :
The savings has started already!!
Enjoy the rest of the holidays
Nannyg

nannygladys

I've had a lovely day with family this morning and then cooking for dgd and me for our dinner this afternoon. We also managed a good dog walk and dgd went to visit my ex (her grandad) for a while, so it's been pleasantly busy!
So time to relax with a bit of TV with a g&t which is a complete change for me as I usually only drink coffee
So that's it for the time being, I'll probably be in again over the weekend.
Enjoy the rest of the year and welcome the New Year in.
Nannyg

nannygladys

I have been going through my accounts and I'm worse off now than I was at the beginning of 2024, I have been using savings to shore up higher costs as there's only so much I can do, and it saddens me that it has come to this, so with a deep breathe I really have to pull my BGK's up even higher and pull some of it back. I was hoping to have completed the front room, and also a few more smaller jobs that need doing on the house in 2024 so I must work to achieving some of these in 2025.
I'm having a no spend January, which actually started a couple of days ago and I have noted what I have in the freezers and cupboards but I will have to buy the pups food later in January as I will need more meat for him, but the money has already been set aside, the only other foodie item I may have to buy is milk, I have quite a bit frozen but I don't think it will last until the February, but I will eek it out as much as possible. 
So that's my depressing post, I must admit it has affected me as I didn't realise how much I had taken out of savings, but the good thing is I'm sure I can claw some back, but not much if I want the other work doing but at least it'll be a start, that's assuming the economy doesn't get much worse.
Nannyg

cbsexec

Dont be hard on yourself as you have achieved so much over 2024.   You have done especially well considering the rises in prices.  I know i am worse off this year so I will be cutting back and trying to save too.  I am going to try and sell a few things on Vinted so wish me luck 🤞🏻

kayannie

Don't forget that if your savings are less now than when you were awarded pension credit, you need to contact DWP to be re-assessed. 
After all, it works both ways, as they decrease the amount of PC when savings go up! 
KA

Cherryfudge

There might be ways you could top up your income: as you are keen on growing things, if you plant twice as many, you could sell young plants, perhaps. Another side of that could be to look into joining in with any communal gardening, so you could take some produce home. Local to us there are a few tiny plots of land been turned over to community efforts and producing fruit and veg.

nannygladys

cbsexec - one of my dds sells quite a lot of baby stuff on vinted, so I might ask her how you do it and then see if I
can find anything to sell  I've never sold anything online before!
Nannyg

nannygladys

kayannie - thanks for that I hadn't thought of it like that  A January job I think.
Nannyg

nannygladys

Cherryfudge - We have a local community type hub down in the small town where I live and you used to be able to get free veggies etc from there. I did use it at one time but once the summer came I grew quite a bit and the other items they give away are bread etc and I don't really eat them and the little shop there which used to be 10 items for £5 doesn't really cater for people who don't eat UPfood etc, as its all donated from different sm's. I'm turning into quite a picky eater aren't I, but I try to eat healthy for keeping healthy in my aging years. Although I would join the queue if there was nothing else to eat!!
Nannyg