NST March 2023 LIONS and LAMBS

Starlight_at_Sea

A long few days away for work, greatful for the opportunity to catch up with a good friend and have dinner partially covered by expenses. An added bonus, that they bought me the excess garlic bulbs that have been accumulating through their meal kit deliveries - enough to stock my house, my cousin's house, and my cooking at my parents for a couple of months I think! It's definitely good to share resources like this, and I hope I helped them out with a tricky problem in return! 

Also very greatful for coincidental meeting with not one but two colleagues who I recruited in the past and have gone on to great things, and touched to be remembered by them for the small stepping stone I provided. And to meet a new addition to our current team who seems perfect match for the gaps we have, and has left me feeling hopeful about some things that are key for us to progress together. 


Returned to a (unusually) calm house with everyone's needs broadly met, have put a couple of washing loads on, watched an old episode of Vera with my dad, and enjoyed 'free' snacks in that they were leftovers from fruit (complimentary from hotel) & rice cakes bought on expenses today.

I do really, really need to nail expenses submissions tomorrow; also need to pay solicitor which is going to take my current account to the brink - my fault for moving a little too much into the savings account. It's a few weeks from salary payday and lodgers rent and am feeling the stretch of this 6 week month (as payday is later in new role). 

Tomorrow am WFH; and have an early olio collection..I don't usually do wednesdays so am hoping it might offer more variety than the weekends mainly bakery haul! 

ldee2111

Forgot to post yesterday:

Stayed on 5 NSD yesterday because I bought milk and peppers in TezCo after dropping DS at school. 

I was back at the sm later with OH and DS to get items for packed lunches… DS is not eating his school dinners most of the time because he doesn’t like them most of the time (apparently he didn’t eat it yesterday too). He comes out of school hungry and hangry. 

And yesterday his teacher called me to say he’d broken a classroom resource (measuring tape) apparently out of frustration that a classmate was not helping to tidy up. She called because it was so out of character. I felt embarrassed as did OH. 

After putting DS to bed I went to 3 different sm in search of a replacement measuring tape but none had any. Ended up ordering one online… another spend. 

Anyway hopefully we don’t have anymore outbursts but will give packed lunches a go and see if it makes a difference to his hanger and will replace the broken item. DS has a few light consequences like a ban on playing with any digital devices for a day. 

Grateful for having a decent sleep the night before (the first in a while and thank goodness because I was able to deal with DS more rationally/calmly than if I was sleep deprived), for friend texting me about a lunchtime walk (I needed it to get me away from the laptop), for lunchtime walk, for no meetings, and for reading in bed with my wee boy who was fully engrossed in his bedtime story Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

grandmanerd

Downstairs quite early yesterday as DS3 was in bed so I occupied the couch (some bits of me aching/  creaky/ wobbly). A gentle restful morning but an active afternoon making things disappear into the craft drawers and the bureau (one full bag of craft stuff remaining from the day before and 3 more brought down - usual stuff plus a trawl of shelves, bed and drawers for any craft, stationery and other bits) and some file boxes. Used my new garden bag to take  some of the things down and have started to add garden bits (hand tools, gloves, twine) as I find them.

I wanted to go to the library (finally found my purse which has been missing since the middle of last week) but it rained/ hailed every time I thought about it. Finally got a chance at 3 pm, returned all 5 books as I didn't know when the newer ones were due (and couldn't check because the library card was in the missing purse). Found 11 new books (all  large print and several easy reads) but it wouldn't  let me check them out. Went to the desk and the system says I haven't returned one overdue book. I remember skim reading it -  it was only a 'quick read' and most of it was covered by my CBT course materials and thought I'd taken it back.  The librarian fixed it so I could take out my books. I had a quick look round the shelves but couldn't find it (think they may have a special section) and my legs were aching so came back home. 

More resting, more putting away and then I listed the contents of each drawer and the bureau sections. Several items from the big bookcase went into the bureau - I'd brought down the desk lamp instructions, then went to get the spare light bulb and another couple of things that logically 'belong' in the bureau (they were only on the bookshelves to keep them safe) and with recent book culls I probably have enough room to take another shelf full of books downstairs. The bedroom is looking more 'bedrooomy'  by the day and I feel lighter (still areas to tackle but feelings of joy and contentment are building). 

Emptied about 2/3 of a basket of random stuff (all the things that were on top of bits of furniture or on the floor under chairs when I cleared up to be able to move the couch 2 weeks ago) - some stationery and craft items, 2 things to come back upstairs, 3 to go to the kitchen. Asked DS3 about a pack of propelling pencils and he claimed the logical place for them was in the bureau.

Found my latest address book (an A6 indexed hardback - I hate the fashion for address boxes being divided into little boxes) Any longer addresses/  extra details take more than one box and any entries with just a number (trades people quite often)  have lots of wasted space. Anyway  that is staying by my side, so that any contact details or passwords can be added as I find them.

Rubbish and recycling were gathered as I found them. Noticed the level of water in the outside drain is 3" - 4" lower so the big nasty cleaner I put down appears to be working it's way through slowly (breathes sigh of relief). Amongst the things I found to bring downstairs was a compact expanding file soft cover and only 10 -12 sections. Unfortunately it's got a lot of remnants of information from old notebooks, things I wanted to keep but weren't urgent so I set them to one side. However the file itself could usefully hold some of the 'hobby'  stuff - embroidery patterns,  toy sewing patterns, seed  catalogues and holiday brochures - and not be too heavy  to handle. The bits of paper are out of control so I'll  do some of that at times when I'm not fully awake, not  well or incapacitated and perhaps set a regular amount to do each week/day. Some people on the declutter thread are doing 23 minutes at a time for decluttering - that seems like a sensible amount of time to deal  with the bits of paper before it gets too tedious.

At the end of the day (7 pm?) I sat and listed the contents of each drawer and the different sections of the bureau - I have cubby holes, I love a cubby hole then got ready for the trek upstairs. Took me over an hour as I was sitting down between each item added to the bag (lots of food and drink to avoid eating the wrong things - I had a few thin crispbread during my middle of the night wide awake hour). Luckily DS3 came back downstairs when I had the 2 heavy bags at the bottom, so asked him to take them up. I picked out 2 of the large print books, plus my purse and the list of borrowed books and trudged up one step at a time, first one foot  then bringing the other up beside it. 

I was out earlier as DS3 had not taken the bin for collection - he knew about it earlier but I think he came back to bed soon after I did and he's still sleeping.

Grateful for getting lots done, finding my purse (I knew it was in my bedroom, not lost or stolen but I haven't  been able to check my bank account and several  other tasks), making it to the library during a break in between downpours, feeling optimistic (I am reconciled to things that cannot be changed short - term and working on improvements that I can make), having a companionable time with DS3 (he put 'Going Postal' on and then asked if it would be better for me on the big screen - yes and a lot louder, with subtitles and then played spot the actor). Progress by shuffling, making a space and then deciding which items should make their home there.

grandmanerd

Wednesday 15th March 2023

Well  we'll  skip the 70 things not to pay for when you're broke - I went through the list and there are 55 things I've never or hardly ever done (I buy clothes but usually only when the ones I have aren't fit to be seen in outside the house and even then they get used as painting/ mucky jobs clothes)

10 Things I learned from my Thrifty Granny (quite a few of our favourites but some well worth repeating)
Cook from Scratch
No Food Waste
What is on the table matters less than those around  it
When things break, repair them
Think twice before buying something

Posting now as battery is low 

grandmanerd

Things I learned from my Thrifty Granny Part 2
Buy Quality things that last 
If you buy, look for a bargain
Be Creative with your outfits instead of buying more clothes
Don't complain - find a way
Find enough money for what is important to you

Want versus Need
Ask 3 simple questions
1   Can I live without this?
2   Can I work without this?
3   Would other people classify this as a want? (not sure about that one)

NEEDS
Rent or mortgage
Transport
Gas and Electric
Water and sewage
Phone
Basic Toiletries
Childcare
Groceries
Loan repayment

WANTS
Cable or satellite
Internet, computer and smart phone
Fancy Food (extras, eating out)
Subscriptions
Holidays and Gifts
Charitable donations

Strike a balance
There's nothing wrong with buying fancy bread or subscribing to Netflicks. If you choose the things you want to spend money on, you can choose not to buy if money is needed elsewhere

Shrewbie

Hi turtles
I forgot to check in earlier so I’ll update for yesterday and today now.
I like the lists @grandmanerd thank you!
Still on NSD 5. Bought flowers yesterday online for my mum, made a chemist purchase and donation to the earthquake appeal through work.  Went for a walk at lunchtime today to shopping mall to look at potential notebooks. Didn’t find any suitable but bought two yoga blocks from d3c@thlon for my splits exercises. Bf is off to Seville today for the football and I shall be running down the food cupboards. Yes! Hopefully an NSD tomorrow.

Grateful for warm weather, for nice chats with work colleague, for ticking things off my to do list!

ldee2111

After yesterday's incident with DS at school, he seemed to have a great day today... even got picked to be "line leader" (a much coveted position of 5-year olds from what I've witnessed).

Staying on NSD 5. DS came home with a party invite so I ordered a gift right away because the kids' card game that sprung to mind was half-price, and I also got a colouring book of the characters that school friend likes. And since I spent anyway, I bought OH's birthday gift too. 

Received a payout from V!nted which was swiftly transferred into a mortgage OP. 

I heard the Chancellor name drop Mr Lewis in his budget speech today. I was talking to my Mum about him (Martin, not the Chancellor) and we both agreed he needs a major award of some kind. I was saying to my Mum that Mr MSE has literally helped me save thousands over the years from providing his budget sheet to help me manage my money since my 20s, to telling me about Tcashback, bank switches, best savings, to teaching me how to haggle and how to question my choices... to setting up this forum where I've been spurred on by all the inspirational people/turtles! I would love to thank the guy personally... maybe I'll write him an email. 

Grateful today for a better day than yesterday, for Mum making me lunch, for DS eating all his lunch at school, and for OH coming home early to spend time with DS and I.

f0xh0les

NSD 8, again, again, again!

Kids off school on strike, went to the freezer but all the sausages had disappeared, so had to go on a little shopping trip, just a 20 minute round trip. 

Came home, all the biscuits made at the weekend were gone, so was the cake, so melted some nasty chocolate and made a fridge cake - everything went in, marshmallows, dried fruit, nuts, rice pops, whatever, all in and mixed and chilled.  It will appear tomorrow as a ta-dah!  Unless they find it in the night.  All from stores.

Got offered a few more days work in Autumn, and got booked for next year January already,  but I didn't have a diary for that, so have repurposed a spare academic diary for 2022 - 23 and changed all the date numbers    Cost to me £0

Finished my book, bought 2 more second hand ones with survey voucher winnings for the big ol' river store. Cost to me £0

Kids off school on strike tomorrow as well. DH is on strike W/T/F this week, but negotiations are progressing.

Nothing for me in the budget. Anyone surprised? Nope.

beanielou

Thank you so much @Thrifty_Taylor for my lovely surprise    xx

apple_muncher

Today I am grateful for getting to the gym, for a superb chat with dc's HOY- he's a genius!, for DH getting better, for 85% choc, for having a flushing toilet!