Spend Free Twenty Twenty Three!

x_raphael_xx

Yesterday was NSD #7

Today I decided I needed to splash out on a little oil heater for the Zoo Room. Most of the animals need the room to be no lower than around 20/22 deg, and it's dropped as low as 17.5 on some days.
I don't want to heat the whole house, and with my door shut it should keep it nice and toasty in here. Luckily the BF gets 20% employee discount, so that saved £11.20.

I also nipped to the local shop and got milk for work (I'll be reimburst from the tea kitty) It's super icy here, as I imagine much of the UK is, and I slipped and fell on the ice, slamming my wrist into the floor. It's very sore now, but I don't think anything is broken. I'm not even working today, I popped over on my day off!

x_raphael_xx

Dec NSD #8

Not much to report, wrist is still hurting, I think its just bruised rather than broken thou. Me and bf have decided we could do with getting booties for the dog, cold pavements are not kind to puppy paws, but we shall take him to the pet store on saturday to try some on, so not a spend yet.

x_raphael_xx

Dec NSD #9

Dentist appointment today. I walked the 35 minutes into town as it was cold but not icy (would have taxi-ed in if there was ice as I hurt myself walking to the corner shop lol)

The plan was to taxi home as it was dark when I was due to come out, (appointment was 5:10) but bf finished work at 5, and I pursuaded him to swing via the city centre on this drive home, so £10 taxi fare saved.

Wrist is a little better today, I've borrowed bf's gym lifting strap and the extra support is helping.

I also found an old pair of gloves in the pocket of a coat I haven't worn for 2 years, I needed new gloves, so win!

x_raphael_xx

Yesterday was a spend day.

I had my monthly physio (which I consider an essential spend as it's health related), it was £10 cheaper than normal as he was running a special December deal, so pleased with that.

I also bought new boots for work. I've had mine a couple of years now, and they are falling apart. The side has come away from the sole. I've been wearing them like that for months now.
Mum sent me some money for Xmas, so I thought it was about time for a new pair.

Today was also a spend day.
Pet food and groceries. I needed prittstick as mine had dried up (I did look to see if there was any in the office cupboard I could borrow, but alas) I asked bf to pick some up while he was in the supermarket. Very frustrated to find 2 sticks cost £5!
I'd been in the local co-op/postoffice earlier (for work purposes) and almost bought a stick for £2 but put it back as I assumed it would be cheaper in the supermarket.

So £5 of un-essential spends today, everything else was essential.

x_raphael_xx

Dec NSD #10

Nothing spent today

I was going to make bf a banana bread as promised today, however our oven is still out of commission and my loaf pan doesn't fit into the air fryer.
We are off to pets at home tomorrow to get dog booties for the pup (with his xmas money from 'granny'. So I think I'll pop to the home bargains next door to see if I can find a suitable pan.

x_raphael_xx

Yesterday was a spend day as predicted.
Duncan the pup spent his xmas money on his new booties & a couple of treats (£22.38) this left like £12 and change each for me and bf from the christmas fund.
We bought washing powder (just a small box to test the brand as I'm allergic to some) and some tissues packets as I was out. So £3.50 from the Grocery fund.
None of the shops had a suitable pan, so we had to go to Amazon in the end. If it wasn't for the fact we have already bought all the ingredients we'd probably have just left it.

Bought bf a pasty for lunch and a costa hot choc while we were out, these were out of his advent calender so out of the gift fund - £27.28

No spends planned for today, so claiming Dec NSD #11

x_raphael_xx

Dec NSD #12

No spend today. It was also payday, so budgets have been shuffled and pots refilled.

LadyWithAPlan

well done on the NSD's. I havent given up entirely on my budget  but its very easy this time of the year what with meeting up with friends, going to parties and also home cooking etc...
That tarantula is tiny!

x_raphael_xx

LadyWithAPlan said:

well done on the NSD's. I havent given up entirely on my budget  but its very easy this time of the year what with meeting up with friends, going to parties and also home cooking etc...
That tarantula is tiny!

Not as tiny as my green lynx spider that arrived today! (The seller found a good weather/postal window) I didn't expect it to be sooo small, it will get bigger lol

This is a close up...its so pretty.

The order also included a free mystery mantis,

Today was Dec NSD #13

Forgot to say I won a raffle prize on Saturday in the invert advent charity draw. I won a taxidermied mantis (3d pinned on a stand) and a Ghost mantis (my favorite) so happy with that!
Also, sadly one of the baby scorpions passed away yesterday morning, the problem with inverts is sometimes they just pass without any warning. It looked like it was doing well like the rest of them. But 2 passing out of the 14 babies isn't bad.
Unfortunately it was one of the pair that I was going to swapsies for a tarantula, but just the single scorpling wouldn't be a fair swap so the guy is just going to buy the scorpling. So while I won't get a new spider, I'll at least get some pennies.

x_raphael_xx

Dec NSD #14

Made our first mortgage overpayment today. Exciting stuff. (Not classing that as a 'spend' as such, as not spending to overpay the mortgage is the whole point of this diary)
I was showing bf my goals and he told me they were not lofty enough lol. So mortgage total goal for 2025 Target is now £99,999.00. Will feel great to drop a digit
The aim for next year is an overpayment of £10,000.

Very pleased with my efforts so far this month. Apart from a little bit of pet food, I don't think I need any other spends by the end of the year.