Prosperous soul embraces creativity & mortgage neutrality

savingholmes

 In a more traditional MSE post

DD and I enjoyed a takeaway last night. Very tasty - £20. Some leftovers   I also filled up with fuel - £60 - but that should last me to beyond payday. I found a £10 discount voucher on Am**** and ordered a second pair of trainers - so new cost £43. The pair that came yesterday - while a snug fit - are really cushioned and supportive. So much better than wearing trainers that were over 6 years old!! My next challenge is to bin at least one of my old pairs. I also need to get out and actually use my new trainers. I may start by mowing the lawn as it's grown loads...

I've been shuffling some of my debt across onto 0% spending cards that last longer (for free) so yesterday paid the target CC £222 to compensate so my overall debt doesn't rise. I cancelled a Mr A delivery slot for January. I may cancel a second but keeping it for now just in case we end up stuck in isolation. I have plenty of food in - so really it's just fresh veg, fruit and milk and the odd bit of meat I 'need'. I cut a joint of beef into 3 and froze it on Xmas Eve - so still have two 'joints' in the freezer, chicken, a small turkey, some pre-cooked meals and some frozen veg. (aka 2 rammed half F/Fs and a full to overflowing 'pantry' tinned cupboard). I'm calling them 'stores' LOL then I feel less guilty and as others have said it's inflation hedging I described it to DS as my tangible EF - to have at least 1 month's food in at any one time in case of emergency. It gives me peace.

Today I will make art and do some decluttering. I am planning a healthier food day to include fruit and I may make some soup. I may make a cottage pie - I have the base - just need to add the mash. At some point before the 4th I will fast - even if it's a partial one - to reset my body and reduce my sugar cravings.

The pension people have said they can take the costs of the sharing order from my pension rather than me having to fund it upfront so going for that option. This is a big relief - I'd have had to find over £800 otherwise.

Have a lovely day you all. Happy New Year if I don't 'see' you again before then.

savingholmes

badmemory said:

It does make it difficult though when there are children involved, but more so when the children are younger of coourse.

It does. Thankfully my kids are young adults so while there's some impact it's not too bad. MIL and others are still seeing  and including them so it's okay for now. It's just some of the moods and comments after those visits that are hard...

It's just started raining so the lawn will have to wait - so I'm going to get the masking tape I bought yesterday and create art.

MovingForwards

Totally agree with keeping a food store, if you can slowly build it up to 3 months over the next year it will bring greater comfort.
- I'll admit having a pantry has enabled me to do it as it's takes the pressure off my mortgage and bills EFs. 

Great news about the pension payment.

As things settle the kids will start to see what's going on and things will calm for you.

Here's to an empowering 2022 🍾

jwil

Great news about the pension.

I'm another that likes to have a store of food, it helps not only for isolation, but also for those months where things are a bit tight and I want to spend less.

Enjoy your creative day

badmemory

I got back from doing the shopping & realised that I forgot to buy the extra chopped toms & red kidney beans that disappeared last year.  They didn't make the list so they didn't make my pantry also known as the porch.  My username is truly appropriate!

savingholmes

Hi MF, Jwil and badmemory

You are encouraging me to store even more . No seriously - I need to find the right balance - particularly as I am on a tighter budget now. My sympathies BM on getting home without the high value items... 

So I've had a lovely day and created 4 of the paper art / sketch type pictures - and just done 2 on canvas using a similar approach. I have beautiful tapes from pulling them off - but sadly the tape itself was on the too sticky side and tore the paper underneath in parts. I'm now at the point where I'm leaving my canvases to dry before removing the tape - but love the 'before' and worry that I may not like the after as much! If however that proves to be the case - then I know to use pencil lines next time to divide the spaces instead of tape. It's all a learning game.

I'm listening to a free book on the connection between clutter and your organising style. Really enjoying it so far. Am about half way through - I'll let you know if it changes any of my habits!! She's certainly explained some of them.

I've been invited to a friend's for coffee tomorrow so that should be nice. Not seen her in probably a year. My sis has invited me tomorrow evening. DD is going clubbing and staying at a friend's house. I'll try not to worry about that but it's hard. I've invited sis's family over on Monday - we're going to save the (still frozen) turkey until then. I may need a few more veg though.

Currently making soup and cooking potatoes ready for a cottage pie. Then I need to have a shower and wash all the paint off me and then perhaps see about going for a walk.

MovingForwards

De-sticky the tape as it will retain enough to stick, not enough to damage when removing.

Slip an extra packet or tin in your shopping, it will soon build up. 

Coffee and family visit will do you good, as would a quick walk round the block.

Fortune_Smiles

What tape are you using SH?  I use artists tape which is low tack and less likely to damage the paper.

Fortune x

savingholmes

Thanks Fortune - I was just using masking tape - I hadn't realised I was supposed to use special tape... I will look into that then

doingitanyway

Is the book A Slob Comes Clean?

Good news on the pension.

Hope you enjoyed your walk.