We will get this debt down & the savings up

Sun_Addict

We were forecast snow but it’s pouring with rain at the minute. 

Makingabobor2

Sun_Addict said:

We were forecast snow but it’s pouring with rain at the minute. 

We had rain all afternoon. Its just stopped snowing now & saying sleet all night. 

Makingabobor2

What a cold day, but at least the snow is thawing and we have had sunshine.  
Mr S delivery arrived on time this morning with just 1 sub, which I accepted as actually worked out better value and I will get a voucher for the difference anyway.  

We  nipped out for a quick coffee and sandwich for lunch, something we never do, but I was just so fed up with being indoors just lately with the bad weather....I hate going out in the cold and scared of slipping on ice etc, and as DH was home to drive on the bad roads, I thought it was a good idea. We had £7 in the fun pot this week, and spent £10.50, so the remainder is being split between our personal spends....much to DH's disgust as he thinks I should pay for it all as it was my idea.....mmmm....well I had a £1.75 tea cake, and he had a sandwich deal, so don't think so.....LOL  Will start the fun pot up again now it has been drained. Not put anything in it yet this year, so intend to start with odd bits from main acc as well as some bits from my surveys.  Oh I also got Mr M points in the cafe and then we nipped to the bakery section to look for reductions and found a packet of YS'd  tiger rolls at 59p, so that was a good find. 

When I was putting stuff away in freezer, I found half a banana cake I had frozen last month, so that will come in handy at some point. At the moment we still have some sweet treats left over from Christmas, as well as an unopened box of savoury crackers, plenty of sherry and beer, as well as a bottle of prosecco. Also still got at least 2 portions of turkey in freezer, a joint of pork and some sausages, so doing really well.  

Did a wash on economy this morning and managed to get it 90% dry in the sunshine. Sent DH into the cold to retrieve it when we got back and it dried on the airer in front the radiator in no time.   Other than that I have cleaned the loo, hoovered, washed the dishes, stripped and re-made the bed and done a survey.  

Don't know if anyone saw it, but just caught up on a program from Ch 4 that DH didn't want to watch, about being over medicated and reliant on drugs in this country. Dr Chaterjee.  Very interesting, and something I have always believed in. we can heal ourselves 99% of the time and don't need to rely on drugs. 

Well, think that's about all there is to report today. Think I'll have a glass of sherry and think about starting dinner. Its stir fry tonight and going to try some broccoli and cauli rice....won't tell DH until he eats it, as he will only complain....LOL

Blackcats

We watched that programme and found it interesting.  I would have liked more time with each of the examples to get a bit more detail on how they did what they did.  Dr Chatterjee has written a few books and you might find them on your audiobooks.  I found the 4 Pillar Plan very inspiring.

Makingabobor2

Blackcats said:

We watched that programme and found it interesting.  I would have liked more time with each of the examples to get a bit more detail on how they did what they did.  Dr Chatterjee has written a few books and you might find them on your audiobooks.  I found the 4 Pillar Plan very inspiring.

I hadn't thought of looking for his books on audio...good idea. I'll have a look. 

Makingabobor2

Another soggy and dismal day today, but a day nearer Spring, so we shouldn't complain.  

Finally reached the £50 cash out on YL!v*, so will wait the money with baited breath. They are quite slow at sending due to only having one cash out run a month, so should be sometime next month.   
On P/fc news, that continues to be going well this month, cashed out over £35 so far and waiting on about £11 to approve. Had a couple of good ones today, so all looking good there.  

Debt total down by another couple of hundred ££ this month, so not a bad start for the beginning of the year, but must do better. 

Nearly at the end of week 2 on the 4 week budget cycle and still got 54% of the grocery pot left. Due to how much we have in freezer, I don't think I will be spending much next week, so we may/should come in with an underspend. Freezer is still full and I still have to do my list and make meal plans. Today we have some Christmas turkey, think there should be enough for tonight and then sandwiches for DH tomorrow.  I am also trying to make smaller portions when I cook to save money. I think I have always been guilty of over portioning. So far it seems to be going well. If I can work it so we can put less in the grocery pot each month, I can put a bit more towards the full and final settlements of the debts.

Decluttering and sorting out is still continuing, but at a slower pace at the moment...think I can't get as motivated in the bad weather. I do have a list of cupboards etc to go through, but keep carrying it over to the next week in favour of other jobs.  I really must try and get started on them next week. 

Went to the library only to find that it was closed, as they only have staffed hours a few hours a week now, and the Smart Access they have wasn't working. Really annoyed about that, it happens such a lot. I'm determined to read as much as I can from the library this year and not buy books....although I only buy cheap CS ones anyway, but they don't make it easy when they don't allow you access.  The audio books I got from Borrowbox, are a bit hit and miss it seems. The first one was fine, then the 2nd one wouldn't play when I downloaded it, and I got so fed up with it and returned it.  Then I tried loads of titles from my wish list, only to find they didn't have any of them on audio. Then when I did find one I wanted, it is on loan till March, so I had to reserve it.  How can they only have 1 copy of an audio book??  Surely it should be able to be downloaded by many people at the same time.  Anyway, at least I still have some stuff on my Kindle to finish, and also I am still ploughing through Ultra Processed People in paperback.  I really want to finish it, but its not relaxing reading so I have to be picky with when I read it, can't do it at bed time that's for sure. 

Thinking of going back to optician and  getting them to check my prescription. Had them since November, but really struggling with phone and laptop and sometimes they make me feel a bit dizzy. Also distance isn't right I don't think. She said it was a big increase, but I'm wondering if its too big and that's what's making me feel weird, a bit to strong maybe. 

Well, need to get on and finish a few chores and then a nice shower and hair wash before dinner. 

Stay warm everybody.  

foxgloves

Re the library. It will be the expense, I should think. Under the austerity years (I am not allowed to be political on here & name the culprits), local authorities lost between 40% & 50% of their funding from central government, so the budgets of yesteryear just aren't there any more.
Well done on your PA earnings. I did try today, but the surveys available to me were all v short low paying ones. Still did them though. It all adds up.
F

badmemory

I suspect the library thing will be about the cost of royalties.  A few years ago they had to close over two thirds of our libraries down.

Blackcats

Great work on the grocery budget.  I'm having a good month too so hopefully we will both come in under budget to start the year.

Makingabobor2

Just a quick update today.....I finally managed to get into the library as it was staffed between 10-1. Turns out the reason they had to stop the Smart Access at the moment is because they had a break-in over Christmas, stole a PC monitor and tried to steal a router as well, but didn't manage it. So now they have to put different processes in place before they can re-open the Smart Access.  It is so useful as you can just go in when its not staffed, by scanning your card and entering pin number and just use the machine to check books out.  Anyway, I managed to find 5 books that look interesting, one that had been on my wish list on Amazon for ages, and there was no way I was going to pay silly price for it. So pleased with that.   
On my way to the library, I dropped off a bag of donations at the CS, and found a lovely king size duvet cover for £3 that will match the wallpaper beautifully. I was only saying to DH the other day that we needed a new one, as I discovered a rip on one of ours, and another one is now over 20 years old, so really in need of a couple of new ones.   Also got a lovely pair of fluffy bed socks, brand new still in packet, for £1. That was another thing I was wanting to get, so all good there. 

Managed to get the washing about 75% dry, so just finished off indoors. Cleaned upstairs and down...hoovering, damp dusting bedroom, cleaned loo & basin and bathroom floor, hoovered stairs, lounge and kitchen and gave kitchen sides a good clean.  Hate our kitchen worktops, they are old and never look shiny, no matter what I use on them, I know they are clean, but just look dull.  

Just waiting on P/fc to approve. Currently got £5.13 in the pot, with another £12 waiting to approve. Been a good month so far. Long may it last. 

Not had time to do any of the financial stuff I had on my list for this month yet, so that is carried over to next week.  

Off to get the dinner on now. Have a good evening everybody.