Currently clueless...aiming for awareness

savingholmes

I sympathise on ASD on birthdays. I didn't know others had same issues...

Good luck with budget balancing

canvascamper

Thank you 💕 yes birthdays/Christmas can be huge trigger in our house. So much anxiety about expectations, huge hatred of routine change and surprises, different food/sounds/smells etc. We try to keep it low key especially Christmas but it's very hard when not in control of the external environment, like school, the shops, family...

So, halfway through half-term here. We've just got back from a weekend away with family, thankfully my parents booked and paid for the accommodation and it was self catering so I did a food shop for £70 and that was pretty much it, there was lots to do on site for free so nothing spent over 2 days. Today we came home via a park with a small animal farm/butterfly house so spent £21 on a family ticket. The kids enjoyed it although 10yo was quite difficult today, he hates transition from any kind of holiday. The drive home was awful, he was just winding 7yo up constantly and we had to pull over 4 times (it's only an hour drive!). Eventually all 3 fell asleep in the car so I think too many late nights watching the jubilee stuff hasn't helped. I've let him watch marvel movies all afternoon/evening which seems to have got him back on track and he went to bed very happily.   

My bank account looks fairly healthy today but the mortgage is 3 days late coming out because of the bank holidays so I have to keep reminding myself that's not the real balance!!

Hoping to list a load more on eBay this week - 10yo needs new clothes as he's grown, so will be buying stuff too, I've got £45 in the clothes pot but keeping in mind he will need sandals in summer too, he wears 'barefoot' shoes as they really help with his sensory processing but they aren't cheap, can't just buy whatever is in Asda unfortunately, so that £45 won't go too far. 

I'm going to a formal awards dinner on Thursday for work, I had been looking for something on eBay but nothing I liked in my price range. I'm not certain anything in my wardrobe that's suitable still fits as I've gained quite a bit of weight, but my plan tomorrow is to try on the options and if no joy, I'll have a look at the charity shops near me. Will try not to find the whole experience too soul destroying and see it as motivation to lose some weight! 

savingholmes

Hope you find something nice to wear

Squirrelz92

Great going on the no spends other than the necessary food for two days whilst away
Bank holidays are awful for payments coming out later than normal. Always have to remind myself that its still not my money to spend! Enjoy yourself at the formal dinner!

[Deleted User]

It sounds like you've had a really nice weekend! I read your post re clothing and you reminded me my DD needs new shoes but I'm wondering if she can manage with her pumps, sandals and trainers for the last term lol we usually get her clarks as she has narrow feet but they cost £££ and if I buy now she def won't fit in them in September. Its never ending isn't it!

Well done for looking at alternate ways to get a new outfit, hope you find something affordable and manage to have a nice time at the dinner.

Losing a few pounds is also on my agenda lol I'm trying to move more! 

Xx

canvascamper

Morning MSEers! 

Last day of my annual leave today 😭 when I finally feel relaxed, obviously. 

Got all 3 kids on my own today so it's a basic one, will head to the local park late morning, might nip into the library on the way home. I'd be doubtful it will be a no spend, might require sausage rolls or ice lollies at some point! Definitely low spend though. I've got money in the budget for it.

Managed to cobble together an outfit for Thursday night, I nearly got stuck in one dress and looked like a sausage in a skin in another. Not a good look! My outfit isn't fabulous but to be honest no one will really be paying any attention to me and most people will be drunk within the first hour anyway! Maybe next year I will get something fabulous! I have realised though, when I was much thinner it was much cheaper to dress well, I could buy something that looked cute off eBay in a size 10 and it would look good. Not so much anymore. Anyway, back to boring old calorie counting for me, just had my 2 rice cakes for breakfast 🙄 boring but necessary. 

I was very organised yesterday and booked our holiday for 2023 - our favourite campsite in Cornwall for 2 weeks. It always books up really quickly for summer and they only opened bookings last week so well done me! Paid the 20% deposit (£160) on credit card for protection, and the balance is due on arrival so have 14 months to save. I've set up a locked holiday pot with roundup going into it, but will need to use some of it for holiday this year - that's all paid for from savings but will need spends. 

Rest of this week is a bit busy, tomorrow OH is off with the kids, 10yo is at a friend's to play and OH is taking 7yo and 3yo to his mum's for the day. Thursday my parents are having 10yo and 7yo and taking them to a local woodland playscape thing, I've never been as it's really pricey but it looks fab. I've got my awards thing. Friday 10yo and 7yo are both at holiday clubs, different ones which is not helpful but they have different interests. So lots of ferrying about and logistics! 

Catch up soon x

bigbeff

Sounds like an organised day. How do you set up a locked holiday pot? I'm trying to work out ways of sorting my accounts. 

Squirrelz92

Sounds like a wonderful holiday for 2023! I have only ever been to Cornwall once as a small child but I hear so many great things about going on holiday there. 

canvascamper

@bigbeff if you select your pot and chose 'manage' it gives you the option to lock the pot until a chosen date. 

@Squirrelz92 Cornwall is beautiful and my kids' favourite place but I will be honest, we went last year and it was so very busy compared to the time we went 3 years ago, there were places you just couldn't park or get a meal! We put it down to covid and not being able to go abroad for lots of people, so hopefully everyone else will have gone back to Spain by next year 🤣 because it was a bit stressful!! 

savingholmes

I have had that dressing room experience so can relate