Resourcefulness: The budgeter's friend

foxgloves

That's worrying about your friend, @badmemory. I don't have much practical experience of people with dementia, except for senile dementia with which my Grandma was affected in her last couple of years (she lived till 96) & those Alzheimer's sufferers with whom I'd come into contact while I was working in the community. I do know that younger people can have it though. You might remember me talking about an elderly relative who died earlier this year? She had dementia & couldn't live by herself any more - no family any closer than my sister & I, & we were not closely related by any means as she was cousin to my Nan. She really did not want to go into a care home & was extremely vocal about this, but when it became obvious to her GP & carers that she was utterly no longer able to live at home, my sister (as nearest relative geographically too) had to sign the deprivation of liberty order for her own safety. Even though she was regularly falling, extremely immobile & no longer able to run her own affairs, she still thought she was fine to be at home. If your friend is 'in the system' & has Drs & carers who are aware of her, she may well find that the matter is taken out of her hands too, I don't know? It's sad for such a relatively young person though, as she is only my age. Life can be very cruel.
F x

foxgloves

Honestly, I don't appear for 2 days, then post 3 times in a row! 
A pleasant & useful weekend. Enjoyed an autumnal walk around a big house/estate over the borders into Lincs on Saturday & garden jobs/relaxing today. Budget-helping activity as follows:
*Had my hair cut at favourite little local salon - £13. Will do my colour myself this week or next.
*Bought several Christmas presents in the shop at the aforementioned big house. There were some lovely foodie items & we kept saying, "Oh wouldn't that be useful for finishing off so & so's Christmas bag?", etc, then I remembered I actually had the Christmas present list in my handbag where I thought it would be useful when we are out & about, so I fished it out in the shop & we were able to source 6 gifts. I shall update the list tomorrow while I am up at my desk doing my Monday morning budget updates, but I think we have made good progress.
*Garden pickings - a big bunch of cavolo nero.
*Autumn garden progress this morning: Composted rotty old rhubarb stems & got the resident caveman to divide both crowns in half to reduce crazy triffiding. Planted out 3 redcurrant bushes. No bonemeal for the planting holes, but plenty of comfrey so chopped a good few handfuls of that in, instead. Pruned the blackberry to remove old fruited canes & tied in the new ones for next year's crop. Cut back & weeded the lorry tyre in which we grow our mint (the only piece of rubbish left by previous owner of our house which was actually useful!). Mr F also mowed the lawn & planted the garlic.
*Two baths from one lot of hot water. Made sure I went in first as I reckon I was less muddy!
*Entered a competition.
*Started knitting a pair of randomly striped socks for my current TV knitting project which will make good practical use of some of the leftover sock yarn from my stash & be warm & funky.
*Started another bargainaceous book from local charity bookshop - a Hilary Mantel novel about a medium - which I am already enjoying.
In other surprising news, the generally germ-resistant Mr F has a cold!!!!! It kicked in on Friday. He couldn't believe it & initially went into denial mode. Then he had to accept he was definitely lergyfied. We were trying to think when he last had a cold. I haven't had one myself since the end of December 2019, but he didn't get it, & we reckon it is actually a good 15 years since his last one. So far, I don't have any symptoms, so I am wondering if I am going to avoid it. I hope so, although I am bound to get something at some point & tbh, I'd rather have it now than over Christmas. Despite sounding very gravelly & not having his usual amount of energy, he's enjoyed being out in the fresh air & is now busy roasting a big piece of that whole pork loin we bought recently. And yes, you can bet I am eyeing it up for plenty of tasty knock-on meals! 
I am aiming for a really productive week ahead, especially on the money saving front. Anyone else feeling as though they could do with one of those? Let's see what we can do. Loins girded, please!
F x

KajiKita

Yes, I need both a productive and MS week! I’m in … 😉😊

KK

foxgloves

Excellent, @KajiKita! I will aim to post every day this week & we will see what we can get done. I need to do quite a lot of budget updating tomorrow, so I am going to start with that so that new up-to-date figures can help inform various decisions & festive plans. Am raring to go, so I do hope I am still in the zone when I wake up tomorrow morning. I think I will be though.
Let's kick some serious bottom!
F 

badmemory

Poor Mr F, I hope this doesn't mean I am likely to get one as I too haven't had one for some time, must be a new type.

I too had my hair cut last week.  Another new learning experience as I have been whinging about my hairdressers for months.  My previous hairdresser left hairdressing to work for her husband & I have to say that none of her replacements actually seem to know what they are doing & frankly I have become a little tired of saying a bit shorter on top no a little bit more blah blah blah.  My boyfriend got a little weary of it & last week took me into his barbers.  A bit short at the sides but I really hope the hairdresser takes the hint or I will save a fortune colouring my own & having the barber cut it.  I seem to be having issues with everything at the moment but as they say the only way is up.

KajiKita

foxgloves said:

Excellent, @KajiKita! I will aim to post every day this week & we will see what we can get done. I need to do quite a lot of budget updating tomorrow, so I am going to start with that so that new up-to-date figures can help inform various decisions & festive plans. Am raring to go, so I do hope I am still in the zone when I wake up tomorrow morning. I think I will be though.
Let's kick some serious bottom!
F 

I picked up the good food vegetarian Christmas edition this week. Soooo many lovely options in there! I am determined to have a proper, cooked from scratch, no UPF, Christmas dinner this year! (Every year I compromise and feel miserable that Mr KK is eating well but I’m not! Not this year - my ability to juggle two parallel / partially integrated meal types is now such that I am confident that, with some forward prep, I can have a really good meal 😊). 

I should probably do a financial update too … 🤔
Definitely need to chase previous mortgage company for the return of the extra payment they took after they issued the settlement statement! 😊
Bottom prodding (have to be slightly gentler and polite than full on kicking) of various recruiters …
Make a start of reviewing the recipe books! 

Garden work would be a bonus 😊

KK

amber03

This afternoon I have wrapped a few Xmas presents I have got for my DS3. The others have money and a supermarket savers card with about £50 so they can go buy whatever they want, usually food. Not got much more to buy and want it all done by the end of this month. Determined to have a quiet run up to Xmas. Say this every year but never achieved it yet.x

Cheery_Daff

I am in for a week of bottom shifting too! 😂 Don't mind it being kicked (virtually, of course!)

Very impressive sourcing of Christmas presents there, well done you!

Makingabobor2

Hope you don't catch Mr FGs cold, and hope he feels ok & recovers soon. 
I need to have a good week MSE wise as well, lots of money shuffling & amending transfers hopefully.  We are going out tomorrow as I am desperate for a new winter coat, not had one for at least 8 yrs  & getting a bit desperate now. But after that, hopefully a week of not spending much. 

Baileys_Babe

amber03 said:

This afternoon I have wrapped a few Xmas presents I have got for my DS3. The others have money and a supermarket savers card with about £50 so they can go buy whatever they want, usually food. Not got much more to buy and want it all done by the end of this month. Determined to have a quiet run up to Xmas. Say this every year but never achieved it yet.x

I say this every year as well and never manage. Amber this will be our year. Good luck.