Dilemma, Dilemma, Dilemma

Queen_of_the_Hive

Hello bank holiday saturday! 

Where has the summer gone? It feels pretty autuminal here and has done all week. 

Well I had grand plans for the bank holiday weekend and tbh its arrived and I feel really tired. Last night and the night before my mind was doing that overthinking middle age woman thing...! Its meant I started the day feeling tired and sluggish. But so far have achieved a bit of cleaning and tidying downstairs.. we have a mini oven which we use an LOT and its been crying out for TLC. That is now looking a bit more sparkling. The fridge and microwave also need a good wipe over before bedtime. We had some balloons and birthday stuff up, both kids have their birthdays relatively close together so we'd kept the decorations up but the birthdays have well and truly passed so it was time for them to go. 

Since the kids went back to their dads 2 weeks ago we have been laying low at home and I have been really trying hard with 'cards down' with the credit cards. Total spends upto this morning was £35 plus shrapnell which I was really chuffed with but as we are nearing September I really needed to start booking accomodation and trips to the city to see the kids again. I'm mentally finding this a bit harder as the cost is so painful but currently I can't see any alternative. Anyway we have a camping trip in a wooden hut coming up early September. This trip doubles up as relative cheap accomodation for the weekend. OH is starting to join us again for trips as he is in a much better state of health. I've paid for the camping accomodation and he is going to cover the accomodation cost of the following trip so that will help me a bit. I have quite a bit of annual leave to use before the end of the year, its quite tricky though as we are very busy at work but am trying to book use some of my annual leave so that I can make the trips and take trains / coaches at cheaper times of the day for some of my planned trips. Hoping this will help with the cost. I must make an appointment with my boss to agree some of the dates.. i'd emailed her but no reply so far...! 

Our neighbours surprised us this morning by having the builders in for an inpromtu masonary work on the back of their house, they were having re-pointing done. The houses are typical Victorian terraced houses that are close together. No dust screening or anything was put up so a huge sea of rubble dust has spread into our garden etc. Its like a snowstorm in narnia... bit annoyed that they didn't let us know beforehand. Wishing for rain now...!! 

Queen_of_the_Hive

Hello Saturday, 

Its an easy day here in the hive. We were meant to be going out for breakfast with mum & stepdad but our cat disappeared on Thursday which is out of character, for him to return 36 hours later not looking his normal happy cat self. He's been checked over by the vet, prescribed some pain relief and he's seems a bit brighter. 

I'll be the first to admit as furbaby owners we have made a couple of rookie mistakes when it comes to financing pet care. We had good intentions of taking out pet insurance when he came into our home last year but other life stuff got in the way and it didn't happen and secondly we don't have any kind of pet care sinking fund and this situation has prompted me to get these in place so we now have cat insurance set up for £22.75 (via Quidco & have £18 pending cash back) and a pet care sinking fund started with £5. The vet appointment & meds were £67 and sadly went on to CC. Its not much but a start. 

Well I was paid this week and for a day I felt rich! But alas had to distribute to pots and bills & now back to feeling poor  . Monday is mortgage day and yay another £55.34 overpayment and a bit more equity paid off. 

Paid a bit off the credit cards, added £80 into holiday fund and was able to invest a little bit more into S&S ISA. Nothing earth shattering but made some small top ups in general. 

edinburgher

Having spent a few thousand on one of our cats, I wholly endorse insurance, we took are back in the saddle after a few bills we had to pay out of pocket

Queen_of_the_Hive

edinburgher said:

Having spent a few thousand on one of our cats, I wholly endorse insurance, we took are back in the saddle after a few bills we had to pay out of pocket

Oh goodness @edinburgher that sounds expensive I think we got off lightly with just pain meds and a consultation today. 

Queen_of_the_Hive

Hey Saturday Evening, 

Kitty has been calm and restful this afternoon to the point I put on a movie on Netflix and nodded off. Then I found a bigger series to watch so that will be my guilty pleasure for the next few weeks.

Went for a walk on the beach, it was a bit too blustery but we did get to see some large ships that are not normally in our part of the coast so that was exciting and the walk was topped off with a Mr Whippy! 

This evening its been nice to be able to catch up on some MSE diaries. I am impressed by the amount of things that have been experienced and achived over the summer, I just feel I have been quite lazy in contrast!! Well, i've been pushing for as many as possible NSD's in August as possible as this period when the kids go back to their dads and its just me and OH with no regular travel plans we have tried to be frugal. Work has been intense though so its helped with the quiet times. 

I'm not in contact as such with my dad, he can be mentally draining at times and I just have got to a period in life when i need calmness. Anyway through family I recieved a letter from a well known bank that I must have had a dormant account in my old name and registered to my dads address so must have been from young adult. Well it had the large sum of £2.08 and was about to be sent to charity if I didn't action. Luckily for me there was still a branch of said bank where I live. So Friday myself and OH toddled off to the bank and sorted out the prized pot and closed the account. I honestly wasnt sure how it was going to go because I haven't used my premarried name for 20+ years and moved out of my dads at 18! Well it was sorted quite quickly but thought it might have been difficult. Said money will be transferred into my Investment ISA. 

This coming week marks the start of school and for little ole me back to the regular travels to the city. I've made a bit of start on buying travel tickets in advance and trying to book hotels in advance whilst not spending too much on cc as the balances really do need to come down. Have everything crossed the TFL strike is cancelled as this will really cause problems for our upcoming weekend camping plans. May have to take a half day on Friday to avoid the start of the strike. 

My goals though are to try really hard to make sensible choices and keep spends low as possible. I really do struggle with making it work. First thing on my mind is thinking what meals can we prepare in our hotel room without a kitchen. 

LadyWithAPlan

Yeah to the extra £2.08 in your isa & loving your goal of being sub £100k by year end 
there is always so much one can do with one’s money but you seem to be balancing it well

i suggest for your hotel to buy Lidl or aldi nuts and maybe pot noodles etc you can add water too plus cheese and bread wont go off too quick in a hotel room 
Could you smuggle in a small
microwave or air fryer !! 

dawnybabes

When I used to go to the caravan all the time I took a small slow cooker with me - could you do something like that ? 

Failing that - my sons just done his gold d of e - he took coffee sachets, babybels, microwave rice, boil in the bag meals, Nutella wraps, porridge pots plus protein bars (and a  disgusting protein pudding from Lidl that you just added boiling water to. Pots of custard, rice pudding.

Queen_of_the_Hive

Hello Sunday, 

@dawnybabes & LaPlan. Thank you for the suggestions. Its really tricky tbh as I'm trying to eat healthish. I've put on weight and it feels like its going on quicker than I can loose it. The bathroom scales nearly got chucked out of the window this morning   

I have a small electric pan to heat up soup and smallish meals and have thought about having a steamer as they are quite compact and light. I'm travelling on public transport and have to balance what is feasable to carry and 'not embarrase the kids!' Ah joys of having a teenager and a pre-teen. We did make it work last year and will work my hardest to push through again! 

Kitty is now looking much more back to normal and doing all his tricks to get back outside which is a very good sign. His tail is still not in happy cat positon but we did see some movement yesterday afternoon so hoping this is a good sign its not perm damaged. 

I seem to be failing myserably at trying to loose weight - have put on 3kg in a short space of time if the scales are to be believed. I have been going to the gym so maybe a little bit of this is muscle building? Who knows. Feeling pretty deflated this morning but going to get up and out and fight the good fight at the gym again. 

Plans for today: 

* Make soup for work lunches. 

* Pack for this weeks trip.

* Look for a steamer.

* Gym / pool 

* Prepare for half year work review. 

powerspowers

Do you ever stay in youth hostels? They usually have their own kitchen and plenty of private rooms. I like YHA when with the kids. 

Glad you all enjoyed the Italy trip and good luck on the continued money juggling 

Queen_of_the_Hive

Morning @powerspowers, 

Love YHA and try to stay in them as much as I can. During the week can be tricky though as we stay relatively close to schools. Thanks for the words of support, they are greatly appreciated.