MeandO's money-shuffling

liselle

Sorry if I missed it but have you been tested for an under-active thyroid?

MeandO

Thanks @liselle, that’s a good shout. I was tested for that a couple of years ago and it came back negative, but they did identify that my B12 was very low instead. I had a course of B12 injections, got told I definitely had pernicious anaemia, then was told that I definitely didn’t have it 🙄 and then mo more was done. Perhaps I should go back and ask about the B12 levels as that could account for the pins and need,es I’ve been getting in my hands and feet for some time, although no doctor has put those two together yet. I have started taking vitamin B complex in the past month so I wonder if that would help my levels anyway. I know what I really need to do though, I need to start looking after myself again and lose weight. My weight has crept up again since I had to quit the lovely gym I went to and I’m feeling really fat, unfit, achy and rubbish about myself again, I need to stop grazing during the day, mostly through boredom and feeling rubbish, and start eating proper meals again. It’s my own fault.

in_need_of_direction

it might be the fault of those who messed up with b12 results. I got my quarterly jab two weeks ago and DH commented yesterday about the difference it makes

MeandO

Thanks @in_need_of_direction, glad you are feeling better after your jab. I didn't actually feel any different after the loading course I had a couple of years ago, which was disappointing as I was told I would feel like a different woman! I think I will get in touch with the GP and ask for repeat bloods though if nothing else.

A miracle has occurred in our household… it's Tuesday and there's not enough washing to justify putting a wash in the washing machine! 😮 It's a lovely drying day, albeit a bit of a chilly wind out there, so I've hung out a couple of towels which were wet after DS's shower this morning.

The Asda gift card is now down to £90 odd after a quick shop last night. I was hoping to make it to pay day with at least £100 on there but completely ran out of DS's vitamins which are 3 for 2 there so that was £13, plus milk, mushrooms and raspberries. I'm still pleased with a £90 underspend though and it will go towards the cost of paying the plasterer in around 4 weeks. That will be £190 saved of the £270 remaining cost. I have a few bits to put on vinted so I will hopefully make a bit more towards it. I'd love to not have to use funds from the House pot as there is currently only £380 in there and the home insurance is due mid June which will be around £250-£300. £300 should have been added to that pot by the time the home insurance is due (2 x pay days before then) but it would still be a boost not to have to dip into it as I'm trying to build both that pot and the car pot up to at least £1500 each to cover insurances, tax (car), maintenance and any repairs/new appliances needed etc. There's currently £300 in the car pot after last month's MOT, service and new tyres.

Yesterday I had to pay £102 out towards DS's possible sporting competition this Summer where he will (hopefully) get to represent his country again as he did last year. If he isn't selected for the team, the money will be refunded. This is a 'Euros' event, so is deemed to be at a higher level than last year's youth competition.
The ex is supposed to pay me £50 extra at pay day to cover half, apparently he doesn't have the money now despite overseas holidays last month and expensive gig tickets/trips this month 🙄but I expected that to be the answer from him. Hopefully I don't have to remind him on payday.
I save £100 a month towards DS's school uniform/clothing and sporting costs so it has been paid from that pot which is now down to £200, but will be at £350 again by the end of the month after I'm paid and if the ex does pay me back on time. This year's competition is closer to home and won't require overseas travel costs like last year so should cost less, although DS has already managed to lose his kit bag he had for Christmas so that needs to be replaced. 😫He definitely struggles with executive functioning issues with regards to organisation (constantly loses things), initiating tasks (revision) and planning and prioritising things (homework & coursework). I'm hoping this will improve as he gets older, for his sake. I've tried to suggest tools to help him but you know what teenage boys are like - they think they know it all - so he has dismissed the need for help presently.

I have taken some HM soup out of the freezer for my lunch and a portion of stew for my tea. I have some salady bits in the fridge that I will pad that out with if I'm still hungry. I'm trying to eat better to make myself feel better, this is day 1 of logging my calories and protein again and trying to make better food choices to stop myself picking all day. DS will be having a garlic chicken and potato dish which can be batch cooked and frozen so I will make extra and freeze for him for another day. I bought some leeks and peas last week with the intention of making soup but haven't got round to that yet so will try and get that done tonight. I'd also like to hoover through and dust if I get time.

I hope everyone has a lovely Tuesday, at least Monday's out of the way! x

MeandO

Hoovering and dusting was achieved and I tackled some really big frog-like jobs at work that I’d been putting off for ages, so a productive day,

I made the chicken dish for DS and there’s a big portion for the freezer too. I enjoyed my soup at lunchtime and stew this evening and padded the latter out with some roasted butternut squash. I didn’t get round to making the leek soup so that will now be done tomorrow when I’ll have a portion for my lunch.

I’ve placed an online grocery order with O-card-do this evening, to arrive the day before pay day, but will come out of next month’s grocery budget. I received a 25% off the total order and free delivery code and it had to be delivered by a certain date. Afterworking out the price of most things compared to @sda, it has saved me some money and enabled me to stock up on chicken at a really good price (DS’s staple food!). I’ve ordered lots of fruit, veg and supplies to last us for a good while and will just deduct the amount spent from the usual @sda gift card purchase I do monthly when I come to purchase a new one.

We’ve had a bit of a stressful incident with my parents today which, without going into details, has caused quite a bit of distress and stress. I feel for my sister who has had to deal with the brunt of it. Hopefully things are calmer this evening and everyone can get some rest. My watch has been telling me that my stress level has been high today though. 😐️

OH kindly gifted me a plant which he ordered online and has arrived today. It is an unusual type of fruit bush - I have had one for several years and we only realised last weekend why it’s never fruited - it needs to be cross pollinated so another needs to be sited within 4-6ft of the first. I’m not sure if it’s sturdy enough to plant out yet as we had a frost this week so will leave it in the sunny windowsill for now. Hopefully we get some fruit next year!

MeandO

Morning all,

Another deceivingly chilly day outside despite being sunny, The wind is really strong and cold with it but at least it's good to dry the washing.

Lots achieved already this morning. Breakfast cooked for DS who had a slightly later start to school today, porridge & fruit for myself; dishwasher stacked and finished its cycle; one load of washing done and hung on the line and four portions of peak & leek soup made and decanted into containers, all before 9am this morning. :)

I've taken the last portion of steak out of the freezer to cook for DS this evening, with some baby potatoes and veg. I'm going to have a tuna jacket with some veg or salad. Fruit and yogurt supplies are running low but we have the grocery delivery coming tomorrow so I won't be topping up today.
No spends needed today, other than my hair appointment for which the money is already saved into a different pot.
Hope everyone has a lovely Wednesday x

MeandO

PAYDAY! woohoo!

The money shuffling has been done this morning and I am pleased to say I have enough to cover the full amount needed to pay for the plastering job next month thanks to the huge (for us) grocery underspend this past month of £90.89. 😁 I won't need to dip into the House pot after all, so I'm really pleased there'll be no dent made to that.
I was hoping to have a little spare for a mortgage OP but unfortunately ever penny is needed elsewhere presently. I will send any money made/saved this month towards that instead. I've sorted a couple more items for vinted so will try and get those listed this weekend.

I've advertised a couple of items in the shed on the local freebie site and they're being picked up later today. That's a bit more space in the shed and some items saved from landfill/recycling. I have advertised one other item for £5 but will donate or give it away if it doesn't sell soon.

Today's washing is on the line to dry. Today I need to go and pick up my prescription, pop some £'s back in the bank as I ended up paying the hairdresser electronically rather than cash and I'm going to pop to HB to pick up a couple of packets of wildflower seeds as the yonks old packets haven't sprouted unfortunately.

Enjoy the sunshine everyone x

Newstartforme

You are doing so well with all life throws at you financially Meando . I think a lot of us are similar in being happy to meet costs from wage rather than savings even though that's what they are for lol xx

MeandO

Thank you Newstartforme, I am so pleased, but I do always think 'imagine how much I would have left after being paid if I didn't have to cover these extra costs! It never seems to happen like that though!

MeandO

I forced myself to upload the pile of clothes I'd earmarked for vinted and am glad I did as 3 items sold almost immediately making £35! All packed and ready to be sent out today. Fingers crossed a few more items sell over the weekend too. There's two items left to upload, one I need to give a quick was as I always like to wash things before I upload them, the other needs an iron.