Five Year Fix, Five Year Plan

FlacosFloozie

Impressive total for the surveys and good that you've booked some stuff for the year ahead.

I don't think you're supermarket shop is that bad. Working the hours you do there isn't a lot of time to shop around and you need quick options available. It's much better to do that than get a take away on the way home (something I've been far too guilty of).

Viking_mfw

Just popping in to second your admiration for Becky Chambers - absolutely brilliant series, and all very different from one another too. 

Merlin's_Beard

@Viking_mfw - absolutely blitzing through these by my standards, well into book 3 of 4, very sad there isn't more.

@FlacosFloozie - I think the thing that annoys me about the food is that I used to make £100-120 a month on average work for me.... I need to remember that a) things have really increased in price since 2019 which is when I'm thinking of, especially in the budget ranges b) I've moved house since then so my local shop is a C00p and not a T3sco xtra and that makes a massive difference, and c) but related that my nearest 'big shop' is a 20 minute drive away. It all makes a difference and all adds up.

Have spent the weekend in front of the TV, pretty much. A lot of motorsport to watch (F1, FE), a lot of horse sport to watch.

In a very MSE move, I realised my 12 month subscription for the horse sports from last year only ran out at the end of this years competition, so I've managed to nab 2 years for the price of one. Very pleased with that one.

Have also managed to dodge the rain and dead head my daffs. Attempting a no-mow may but my tiny lawn seems to grow like it's trying to encase the house Sleeping Beauty-style, so I might end up mowing by the end of the month. Grape hyacinths still going strong, no sign of the fritillaria so maybe they are dead?

I've semi sorted the printer out! It's a very convoluted work around, and it only printed out the bits I need in blue, but HMRC will just have to deal with that if they won't take an email like a sane person. All  enveloped and addressed and ready to go in the post tomorrow. I need to go  to the post office anyway to do an Amazon return for a phone case - nothing wrong with the case but I might have forgotten what sort of phone I have (oops?).

In better news, it's been warm enough to crack out the expensive new shorts and they are comfy as anything.

And I've managed to clean the house, which was generally just quite grotty after a week of me having covid then a week back at work with no energy.

Still no sign of the Prolific £10, it either shows up this week or I kick up a stink as the 35 days they say to wait is up on Thursday.

redofromstart

I would say that our standard food spend has gone up 25% despite being more careful etc. the co op is swings and roundabouts for me - £1 for six medium free rang(ish) eggs is a great price and they often have stock here, unlike the big players. The cheese on the other hand is stupidly expensive.

savingholmes

Merlin - have you looked into the cost saving of getting most of your food delivered. Sometimes you can get cheap deals if you don't want to pay monthly - and it could pay back. 

Glad the grape hyacinth and daffs worked for you. The F one can be trickier. I'd give it another year / a bit longer to see how things go.

Merlin's_Beard

@savingholmes I normally do a monthly delivery of the big stuff, but top up shops wouldn't be worth it after the extra charges.

and if I get 4 types of flowers out of 5 I guess I'll call this  spring a success - two types of daff, crocuses, and grape hyacinths all came through really well so I can take the knock of one failure.

The Prolific money has returned to my prolific account! Successfully cashed out and with me now. Had a few good days on the surveys.

Spent yesterday wandering around a garden centre staring at plants and deciding that I still don't know what I want in my garden (except a solar powered bird bath, spent far too long looking at them). Seating I'm going to wait and see how big the patio actually looks - I want something I can sit and eat at, but also be comfortable enough that I can sit and read a book for ages, but a lot of the rattan sets look huge and like they'd overwhelm the small space I have. Actual plants... who knows. I know I want some tall greenery to create height in such a small space but I'm not really sure how I want to achieve it and fit into a small garden and still stay wildlife friendly. More looking and thinking needed!

Made a trip to the tip to get rid of things that have been sat around the house since September when I moved. As everything, I'd been putting it off for 8 months and it took me an hour, tops.

redofromstart

ooh a winter flowering honeysuckle up a fence panel, great for early bees and sometimes we get the Stupid Pigeons nesting in it. Doubles as a cat climbing frame and light snack bar sadly.

I have fragratisima and winters beauty, both white and evergreen. 

Morrisons usually good for young and cheap climbers if you are ever near one

redofromstart

Best advice I was given when I first started planting a garden was to buy something in bloom every month so there is always something to look at

savingholmes

I like plants that do double duty with flowering and potentially being evergreen. I therefore love azalea and evergreen and have evergreen climbers. I've told you before I love the bush red robin. I have a spiky mahonia plant with yellow flowers in the winter - and berries now. 

Dandytf

I've slightly Delayed 5 yrs Fix Plan.
Need access to OverPayments reserve to cover Dimplex Quantum storage heater.
I called Mortgage provider with intention of returning to overpayments from Sept.