Struggling along as best I can

nannygladys

So my total spend on Monday was £10.53 yesterday was .55p and today £9.63 so that's £20.71, and some of that was a couple of bits for Xmas (biscuits for cheese), so far so good.l'll now amend my sig.
Today was supposed to be a home day but after I'd done the washing, hung it out and then had to bring it back in as it started raining, I just needed to venture out hence a bit more shopping.i was going to the library and realised I'd left one book at home so I will renew on line and take them back next week.
I made some small pasties using the mini wraps I bought the other day and leftover lentil dhal and a few leftover baked beans, I tried one when I got in and there quite tasty, so the others have gone into the freezer and eaten over the next few days, I was surprised how quick they cooked. I'll have to think up some proper fillings to make some more.
Not much else has been happening, I am having the rest of the stir fry mix for tea but will put it with some rice this time. See you later

Nannyg 

Sun_Addict

I once strayed onto the pensions board but made a sharp exit when I realised they had vast sums I could only ever dream of! I’m still working full time, I’ll be able to retire in just over 4 years with just about enough to get by on. I’ve never been lucky enough to have an inheritance and it won’t happen now. Should’ve saved more in my younger years but that’s easier said than done when you’re bringing up a family and buying a house. Maybe I’ll win the lottery 🤣🤣

cbsexec

Yep I agree.  Should of saved more when I was younger but unfortunately was bringing up a family and paying a mortgage and only had enough for that.  Even so I don’t regard my self as poor though some would think so as I have “enough”.   Which is more than some 🙂

WinterWarrior

Me too with the saving! I wish I could have a do over and have been sensible when young…it would have also helped to choose a first husband more carefully, so I didn’t lose everything and half of my pension, at the time, on top…sigh. I have enough left with continuing to pay in since that happened that I won’t starve, and will be ok once the mortgage is gone and even better when the state pension kicks in, but there’ll be no room for blue rinse cruises 🤔 I do hope I’ll be ok for biscuits though! I’ve never looked on the pensions board, but I’m guessing they won’t let me in 😁 

nannygladys

Ok, indefinitely not going over to the pension board now, don't need the lack of a private pension talked about. I'm ok on a state pension, but that's all, I'm lucky not to have debt and my house is paid off, that's the thing really I was a single mum bringing up 3 DDS and had a mortgage and a low paid office job, I couldn't really afford to pay into a pension scheme and to be honest it wasn't the 'thing' for much of my working life. But.... anyway I manage as best as I can, I don't go hungry, am careful with the heating (most of the time) and try to help elsewhere.

Today I was going to do wonders, but like usual I got bogged down doing just two things! Firstly I finally defrosted the fridge/freezer that took nearly all day and secondly I went through all the food cupboards in between mopping the floor etc (from the freezer) and wrote everything down so I know what I'm missing or low on and moved tins etc around. I just have the shelves under the stairs left to do. Im thinking of looking around for a unit (one of those box ones like you get in IKEA) to put in the smallest bedroom for all the tinned stuff but it will have to wait until dd2 and family go back home after Xmas as dgs will be sleeping in there.

I've been really cold tonight so I've had the gch on quite high and the smart meter has just been beeping like mad!!! I think it was telling me off for using too much gas 😂 anyway I've switched the heating off and it's shut up!!!!!! It's my highest monetary amount I've used this year!!!!

Today was also my swop over day with internet providers, the old ones stopped my internet pretty quickly but I didn't go back onto the new provider until tonight. It's all done now and was pretty painless really  and completed in minutes (fingers crossed it stays that way)

So that's about it, I have friends visiting tomorrow which is always nice and pleased I get to see them so soon after the party I went to the other month.oh and as I didn't go out - no money spent - win win
Nannyg 

foxgloves

I haven't turned the gch up yet, @nannygladys, but when I've been sitting down for a while, I often tuck a hot water bottle up behind my back & it's very effective. 
Re pensions, I will have a decent but not full work pension as I paid in for 25 years, but it's saving I wish I'd discovered earlier. Back in the Spendy Decades I always moaned that I didn't earn enough to save..I now know this was absolutely untrue.....I never budgeted & was too busy wasting money to have any left over to save. 
To any young person now, I'd say that even being able to put aside £20 a month from now would make a little pot of around £250.by next Christmas. I think my attitude back in the day was that I wanted the security of lots of savings, so it was all or nothing because I failed to see that it's the regular habit of tucking small amounts away that builds savings. Ah well, we can't go back, & I did finally see the light!
F x

nannygladys

foxglives - i was the same before I got married spend spend spend!!, then we used an inheritance of mine to buy our first house (well a good deposit) and then had two DDS, no maternity leave or payments in those days so lived on one wage went through hard times like most people did back then but never saved a bean. Roll forward a few years, on my own looking after two dds, working in a low paid job, another child from a failed relationship, another low paid job racked up some debt and paying a mortgage, but then pulled bgk's up managed to get debt free, mortgage eventually paid off and here I am!, A lot older but a lot wiser as well. I don't regret anything as that can never be changed but I have learnt from it all and hopefully my dds have learnt from my mistakes as well. I think I have gone too far the other way sometimes, but at least I know I can manage when 'stuff' is thrown my way and I have been 'preparing' since before CV. So I hope I'm going to come out the other end ok.

nannygladys

Today has been a good one.
1. Youngest called in for a coffee, a bag of rice and gave me an unfinished advent calender that she has been making, she's made the front and I'm going to back it etc. It's for dgs so he won't get it until Tuesday,dd has done the bulk of the sewing but her partner used the sewing machine as well sewing the last pocket on, first time he has used a sewing machine and probably the last 😀😀
2. Just after they had left my good friend (who's party I went to the other week) and her hubby called in on their way to see their eldest DD she lives a bit further up north than me, for a toilet and coffee break, so we had a quick catch-up and exchanged Xmas presents. It's always good to see them. 
It was getting dark when they left so I closed the curtains and hunkered down, so no money spent today yay!!! Over the weekend I will be clearing some more of my small bedroom out, I've nearly finished now so my dgs will at least be able to have a room of his own when they're staying over Xmas. Then I've got space to put some more food & stuff!!🙂 I find it harder to create room than filling it up! 
I put the heating on this morning whilst people were here and turned it off when my friends left, it seems to have warmed the house pretty well, it's still warmish and feels dryer somehow, so I haven't had it on again.i try to not go over a personal amount that I've chosen, it makes me feel better if it's below but it doesn't bother me too much if it's occasionally above. I've kept it a little below my monthly amount so I know it's covered by my DD and the gvt money and I still have credit in the account so when it gets really cold I have some backup and can set the amount higher, but I'll be keeping a close eye on it to as I would like to save the cold weather payment for oaps towards next year's g&e bills.
Some neighbours are at the moment cruising on the QE2, and here's me worried about heating 😂, it's a very small close where I live but there always seems someone from here abroad on holiday, they must all have good jobs!!🙂 Or come into money or actually they may all be super frugal!!
Anyway I'll close, I've been reading the book I bought from £land, and finding it a nice easy read, even if it is as murder mystery😀 so I think I will snuggle down in bed and have a read. Nite nite.
Nannyg 

nannygladys

Unfinished advent calendar finished and delivered yesterday as I was dgs sitting so he is having advent calendar like his big sister, it looks pretty darn good and made me realise how much I enjoy sewing so I'm going to carry on making a scrappy door curtain, so today I've been cutting out squares from odd bits of material, as long as I take my time and don't do it everyday the wrist arthritis should be ok for a bit.  
It was lovely to see dgs yesterday but I did upset him by not letting him do something he wanted to but he'll get over it🙂 he's growing at such a speed at the moment I'm not sure how DD keeps up with clothes buying etc. 
I did call in the sm on the way back and bought some leeks, sweet potato, mushrooms and lemons on yellow sticker (mostly 10p) and the a couple of bits for the pantry so only spent £5.87 and it looked like I'd spent much more!
I've had a quiet day today, it's getting colder here now and I've bubble wrapped the front door window and one half of the French window in the back door. I still have a lot of bubble wrap left so I think I'll do the upstairs window tomorrow and maybe the small front bedroom as it's the coldest room oh and the other French window. Oh I've also put some foil covered cardboard behind the bathroom radiator and I'm looking for some more cardboard to do the same with the only other radiator that's on an outside wall which is iny bedroom!
That's about it really, tomorrow is going to be a bitty day as I have a few small jobs and errands to run that don't involve any money😀
Nannyg 

nannygladys

So since last update I have had to put another £30 petrol in the car, I was hoping to get away with £20, but I upped it to just make sure I don't run out before I get paid, I've also bought a loaf and and some mince  pies = £2.25, so I will add that into Sig after. I haven't been out much at all. I sat with youngest dgds this afternoon whilst DD and hubby nipped out, I've just been doing the usual type stuff and I have more or less finished getting the smallest bedroom ready for oldest dgs when they come here for Xmas which is a good feeling mind you it's just as well as Xmas isn't very far away now. 
There are definitely less outside lights up the close at the moment so perhaps they are waiting for next weekend! I have not put my small tree up yet but I'm hoping eldest dgd will come and do it next weekend as she likes doing that sort of thing 😀
Eldest dd came up for a tea and a present wrapping session, I have some of the dgds presents here which I don't mind but as I really dislike wrapping presents she came and did it - I am storing them for her. We also talked about the Lottie and what to grow as she really wants to help next year, it's in her name and DD to wants to keep it on when I can't manage it anymore.  When youngest dd still lived at home she would do it all as she loves that job🤣 wrapping presents that is 🤣 going off on tangents here with the lottie lol.

Oh and I think I have received some pension credit into my bank account, although they never phoned me up before 29/9/22 and I haven't received a letter either, but the ref on it ends in 'pc' so I reckon it must be that but I've put it aside just incase the want it back!!! As far as I know I have received all payments owing to me from DWP and that's the only thing left. If it is I'm really pleased and although it isn't much it all helps, that's the problem as I don't know how much it will be going forwards as I'm thinking it may have been backdated a bit! I may phone up at the end of next week if I haven't had a letter through just to make sure. 
That's about it really, just tootling along as best I can, still looking around for a very big/jam saucepan so I can have a go at water bathing, I used to preserve tomatoes like this back in the day, all the old ways seem to be coming back I think it's just in case the electric fails and the freezers all defrost!! Anyway I'll go and update my signature. I have one pay day before Xmas and need to use that money very wisely, I'm determined not to overspend over the Xmas period, even with guests staying!! 

Nannyg