Mrs. P's Savings, Paying Off CC, being more organised diary

MrsPorridge

Thank you AC - Merry Christmas to you and all who read this x

joedenise

Merry Christmas Mrs P and everyone who reads this thread.

Here's to a better 2022!

MrsPorridge

NSD 10/18

I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas Day.  I certainly did.  I am now knee deep in leftovers!  Some good news, DS went to the football club on day before Christmas eve - I gave him £2 towards the raffle.  He won a very large gammon!  We cooked it yesterday to go with the turkey

So today I have made two quiches using the leftover gammon plus some pea and ham soup.  We had eggs benedict for breakfast on oatcakes and using the gammon.  I think we will skip lunch or just have Christmas cake, choccies, etc., (how unhealthy).  Dinner tonight will be leftover meat with some bubble and squeak cakes (as I type DH is busy with the mincer and all the leftover veg).  We also have some roast potatoes left so I think I'll just refresh them in the oven and we can have them too.

I've also got a load of washing on in the machine.

Just checked my CC balance and updated the total in my signature.

MrsPorridge

NSD 10/18

Well, I’m not going to hit my NSD target this month.  However, its made me realise how much I do spend on frivolous bits and pieces and its something that I can work on over the coming months.

DH and I went to a local garden centre and had a festive afternoon tea for our lunch, was really nice and rounded off our festivities.  After that we went to the supermarket and I bought a fresh turkey crown for half price – its gone in the freezer.  Just got a few basics as well.  Our fridge and freezer is well stocked up and I don’t think I am going to need to do a big delivered shop in January – so hopefully can save some money.

DH and I have decided to try and do dry January and be as frugal as possible – we will have a self imposed semi lockdown.  We also want to try and eat more healthily.  I am not going to use that four letter word (diet).  We could both do with being a bit healthier and losing a few pounds, so have decided to set that as our focus for next year – we also aren’t getting any younger and DH’s knee is suffering.

The plan is for us to be in charge of our money – at the moment its in charge of us - before May when DH gets his state pension.  The idea being that this time next year we will be much more budget savvy. 

Now, I feel its back to normal more or less as it will be just the two of us (as DS is going out with his mates, Boris permitting), so I think we will just watch TV and have some snacks and prosecco.

We will just have some pea and ham soup for supper tonight, perhaps also some cold meat from the leftovers.

MrsPorridge

NSD 11/18

NSD today.

Done lots of tidying up and put some of my Christmas decorations away.  Rest will be done over the coming days - I like to wake up on New Years Day to no decorations

Breakfast was eggs royale - pikelet with some left over rocket, salmon, proached eggs and hollandaise sauce.  Lunch is pea and ham soup and dinner tonight is quiche with bubble and squeak cakes - all made from leftovers.

MrsPorridge

NSD 11/18

Popped out to get some fresh salad bits.  Have started using the local co-op which is in the next village – a saving of 16 miles round trip to the nearest town.  I joined the Club for £1 and you get offers each week which you can choose.  This week I chose 25p off fresh veg and salad and 25p off milk.  I didn’t need milk but got cucumber, reduced spring onions and reduced tangerines.  All for £1.90. 

Took the fairy lights down from the hall.  Tomorrow will do the dining room and following day the living room. 

Done some washing too.

Breakfast was porridge, lunch will be open salmon sandwiches with salad and some leftover meat, dinner tonight is mince cobbler with veggie gratin and jelly for pudding.

MrsPorridge

NSD 12/18

Took down the decorations from the sitting room today. So only the dining room left, we are using that tonight and then tomorrow will take those down.  The house looks really big now!  Given the sitting room a really good hoover, moved furniture etc., and dusted and polished all surfaces.

Breakfast was porridge with banana, lunch open tuna mayo sandwiches with fruit and tonight its slow cooker sausage casserole with jacket potatoes.

I’ve meal planned for the next 7 days.

This afternoon I’m finishing off the jumper I was knitting, just sewing it up and then its done.  I have some wool left over and found a couple of free patterns online for fingerless mittens, so I think I will start those later on

MrsPorridge

NSD 13/18

Well I finish the year on an NSD.  But really I didn’t hit my target.  Thinking about resolutions by this time next year I want to be in control of money, at the moment money is in control of me.  I have worked out my budget on a spreadsheet and am using a semi-YNAB approach.

Resolutions:

Budget and stick to it

More NSDs

Be more healthy – eating wise and also try and exercise more.

Today we had scrambled eggs on potato farls for breakfast.  Late lunch will be pulled pork baps.  Supper tonight will be prosecco to usher in the New Year plus snacks.  It will be just DH and myself.  DS has gone out with his mates and will be back tomorrow.

Trying to print some things and the printer has run out of ink – new cartridges in (not pukka ones for the printer but they have worked before), still not working.  I HATE printers.  DH is on the case, so fingers crossed he can get it to work.

Happy New Year to all who read this.

MrsPorridge

Quick update - printer is now working!  

another_casualty

Don't beat yourself up too much about the targets mrs p 😼
You have done very well in a short space of time imho . As I say, the odd coffee ☕️and croissant 🥐 here and there is not to be frowned on . Don't cut out things too much .
You have a good social setting but don't stop using things too much. 

As for printers ; they are still handy to have. They have improved over the years.
Ive had a couple of bulky ones which were cheap but ink expensive .
The one I have now ( recommended by mse ) is a wifi one . I pay £2 a month and the ink is sent to me at various times of the year . Much less hassle .

Happy new year !