Follow the Yellow Brick Road 2023

savingholmes

You can usually work out the rate yourself using a spreadsheet. I take meter readings monthly and submit them whether they use them or not. Now my smart meter tells me my elec use with BG but the one with Sh311 for gas still not working. I therefore work it out myself.

SandyShores

Good thinking savingholmes.  I've never thought to keep my own tally as I go - I've always done regular meeting readings though.  Now I've got the smart meter I never go out to the meter box, but I think there is something online where you can see the meter readings - not on the BG website as they only show the readings used to produce your bill (although there are at least monthly readings but definitely not a monthly bill!).

I didn't think I'd worked so much today, but had a bath and a bit of a snooze this afternoon and couldn't wake myself up afterwards I was in such a deep sleep.  There has been a lot going on at the moment though, with work and running around after people.  I probably just needed a rest - its good to start the week with a full tank.

SandyShores

End of the week look back:

1. Spiritual / Personal Growth / Inner Peace - still finding yoga helpful, and just appreciating life
2. Financial - another OP planned for payday next week.  We've also started planning our shopping a bit more.
3. Career - on hold for now, but never say never to a change or new challenge.
4. Learning - large pile of books to tackle, have made a very small start.
5. Physical Health - gym and running, but need to up this a bit and have made a start on the healthy eating.
6. Family / healthy work-life balance - starting to slot into place, making time for family and not focussing so much on work.
7. Social - I am a definite home bird, maybe as I get better at my hobbies I could look for a group(s) to join.
8. Environment e.g. decluttering your space - very pleased with the house decluttering, now moving out to the garage. 

This seemed like a huge list when I started looking at it, but the little improvements are really making a difference.  Its funny how they all work together - e.g. being more mindful and decluttering both make me feel calmer and being calmer helps me to separate work and family time more easily.

I'm also keeping a list of recommended plants for the garden and will keep my eyes peeled at the supermarkets as well as visiting the garden centres.

savingholmes

Yoga sounds good. It sounds like tracking your goals is helping you appreciate your progress more.

SandyShores

It really does savingholmes, so many goals and only small bits of progress, but they are starting to make a huge difference.  Having it set out like this helps me to keep going with them.

SandyShores

My fleebay item arrived safely at its destination, turns out I was worrying about nothing, or maybe they had as much difficulty measuring it as I did.  It was well under weight though, so that may have helped.  My other item is listed and will hopefully sell this weekend, I've already located the replacement item so my craft space will be full up at the weekend, especially if my listed item doesn't sell.  Will be great when its sorted though and my crafty workspace will be ready to use.  I love it when I can 'exchange' bits of furniture and it hasn't cost me anything apart from fuel for pick ups.  

SandyShores

So all the furniture exchanges have taken place and the crafty workspace is now in place and ready to be organised.  More than enough space and storage, and it has really only cost petrol and time as the sold items covered the purchases.  

Payday is nearly here, and I've managed to spend some of next month's money already.  There's probably going to be no overpayment this month due to some large house/garden purchases made, but will keep a bit back for savings.  Will start in earnest again next month.  Managed to make a £20 voucher from Sh0ppix, but sad to hear the other receipt scanner is closing.  

We are trying one of the food box deliveries this month - we've a 65% off voucher so its worth trying.  It will mean around a £200 spend just on 5 days main meals, plus the other days/meals and cat food.  Will be interesting to try and it will be good to have a week or two of not having to think up a meal plan.

SandyShores

So, payday today and all the money is transferred and in place.  £20 Shoppix voucher to spend at Asda, and I've £40 cash leftover from the weekend sales, but I've got £30 of that earmarked for H0bbycraft.  I also need 4 cube boxes for a shelving unit but I'm not sure where to get those from as the swedish place ones are too big.  No OP this month, well not a huge one but I am going to start making smaller ones - they all add up.

savingholmes

I think small. regular ones can be satisfying. I find if I do it in one big hit in a month - I'm kind of disappointed the rest of the month.

SandyShores

Made a £30 OP yesterday and another OP made today almost £270 total and stuck £300 in savings too.  I know what you mean savingholmes.  Ideally it would be one big payment and several small ones too

I left us with no pot of money for home spends last month, so have allowed £100 of the savings this month for gardening stuff.  I'm also going to do a sweep of the home to find anything to go on the bay of flea.  Although now we are becoming clutter-free it will be a harder task (which I'm not sorry about ).