An in-between phase

PennysIntoPounds

That's so kind of you to say @Blackcats thank you.
I'm not feeling very inspiring or inspired at the moment but I guess it's okay to have low days, even if they are a few in a row- if it was anyone else I'd say 'that's just being human, don't worry!' but because I consistently feel rubbish about how much I can't achieve or contribute on a personal and societal level, I get the life blues hard when there are prompts to be upset.
But we (I) must remember to keep on keeping on

PennysIntoPounds

So in the spirit of keeping on...

Did a Panelbase survey that was meant to be for £3.50 then £85 if you consented to having TV and internet home installation devices. I'm sure this would suit lots of people and I'd love £85 but I'm not comfortable with the concept of companies monitoring private lives- I don't do anything dodgy, honest! But it's not for me. However they then 'screened me out' for saying no, which was not the survey deal, so I sent an email disputing that, fair's fair

Picked up a couple of seeded loaves from Olio

Entered some competitions- m&s voucher with Christmas books the favourite today

Had no mental or physical energy so did some 'productive reading'

Heard back from my prompt to housing association (nearly two weeks ago) about how it's been almost two months since I appealed their decision to decline succession of tenancy. The response was 'it's with the managers, they'll get back to you when they can'
I know I'm not a priority case, what with being a lone woman who's technically homeless 🙄 but jeez, you'd think a housing association would be a tiny bit bothered about telling someone either way so that person can get on with their life

Had some nice small drinks with mum and family friends for a mate who's been one of my best friends for pretty much a quarter of a century. He's leaving the country for a couple of years (he hasn't done anything dodgy either!) so while I'm very happy for him and his family who I love, that's made me sad too on several levels

I obviously looked so sad after we got in that my mum made me sit on the sofa and have a mum hug. We love each other lots but are not a big hugs on the sofa family. I had a little cry then made myself get a grip. All the !!!!!! things are !!!!!! but how lucky am I to be safe and loved 

PennysIntoPounds

I think the most productive thing I did today was the washing-up! Decided I was due the luxury of a day in bed reading a Discworld book. Mum has cooked a vegetarian spag bol and gifted me a bottle of fancy red wine, so absolutely nothing to do this evening apart from eat nice food, drink nice wine, and choose a new book to read. It's not too bad a life sometimes is it ☺

I did however do a couple of yougov surveys, used up a handful of chips that had been lurking in the freezer for ages, and reply to a client, so a useful lunch break before getting back to the day's work of blissfully doing absolutely nothing.

Off to Mr PIPs tomorrow for a week to avoid us navigating the upcoming tube and rail strikes so will endeavour to be productive in the morning, but, if I need to, sleep in and only attend to the essentials. I am very bad at allowing myself to 'slack' but am learning that it needs to be done every so often or your brain and body do it for you

Hope you all have lovely warm evenings x 

Sun_Addict

A day reading followed by an evening meal cooked by someone else with the added bonus of red wine sounds like a most splendid use of a day. Hopefully your batteries are recharged by the morning.

Enjoy your week with Mr PIP 🙂

PennysIntoPounds

Thanks @Sun_Addict 😊
I often think my ideal life situation would be being comfortable and secure enough to choose to spend days reading and having nice food and wine, and obviously one can't do that all the time but I'm always so adamant that people shouldn't save clothes and homeware etc 'for best' but I utterly fail to mentally extend that to days too. Allowing days to consist of reading and nice food and wine shouldn't be saved for an imaginary future time either if the opportunity arises!

PennysIntoPounds

Thought the mse-ers would appreciate the back of the book I chose to try next, 20p!

PennysIntoPounds

Hello gang, hope you all had fantastic Fridays

I had a shower and washed hair, which is of course always an achievement but felt especially so today what with the general physical and mental exhaustion of this week.
Which was partly explained by the bleed today, I thought I'd got over ovulation bleeding fgs! Also ovulating time is supposed to make you feel energised and sexy, not incapable of getting up and unhinged. Trust my body to be contrary!

But I dragged myself out of bed after a mere ten hours sleep and did usual household and admin tasks

Did a small client job

Felt guilty for lack of activity this week so attempted some wussy situps, didn't manage many but at least an effort was made

Entered some competitions, today I'm mostly looking forward to winning a hundred pounds in the Galaxy daily competition that runs for October

Am absolutely knackered from bringing laptop and clothes and body over to Mr PIP's but en route I went to the local Sains and found two large 'three cheese pasta bake' reduced from 4.25 to 1.04. I did wonder about the merits of buying ingredients to make pasta bakes instead but reasoned that for occasions when we're tired or rushed, feeding two adults for 52p each seems a good deal

Was down to the last £8 of the monthly budget with two days to go but remembered that I'd just ringfenced that overdue pay without looking at the details- happily it turned out that the pay minus the LPAs money still left me with enough to include having a couple of beers catching up with friends in Mr PIP's area, and getting a ticket for the Euromillions which apparently is a daft amount jackpot tonight

I obviously wouldn't buy lottery tickets if it impacted on my ability to buy necessaries but me and Mr PIP do enjoy our 'financial planning sessions', and £2.50 for an hour's entertainment for two people isn't a bad rate.
It's interesting though that when there are silly money amounts (I think today's was £124m) we struggle to theoretically spend it- after you've got a normal house in London and a seaside place and a country place and sorted your loved ones needs, you then either have to make it your job to encourage societal change or buy a yacht. I'm much more a societal change person but that comes with a whole load of headaches, and guilt if you can't continue or succeed. But I'd also hate being part of the yacht crowd, as well as just seeing money burnt through. No wonder rich people mostly seem completely mad

Oh and Mr PIP got some of the M&S re-used baguette with garlic butter to have with dinner so we're feeling happily full *and* like we've contributed to saving food from waste, what a yummy win

PennysIntoPounds

Today's efforts:

Admin and sorting lots of emails

Coop and yougov surveys

Organised vinteds and requested withdrawal

Small bit of work

Replied with information asked for about the Maltesers packet tear

Entered the Galaxy daily competition

Provided moral support to Mr PIP in his ISA choosing and transferring. Was tempted to decide not to open one as it all seems very complex to my poor brain and as it wouldn't be much tax I was thinking that would be an acceptable rate to pay to not have to think about s*dding ISAs.
But I was a bit disappointed in myself for not making the most of every pound AND THEN (der der der...(that's suspenseful music btw 😁))
Like an absolute muppet I'd not transferred the large sum of money I'd sent from one account to my main account (that has no interest) back out to the account with the best interest rate. Had a moment of panic that 10k had gone missing; I would not recommend this sensation. Fortunately it was quickly rectified and had only been sitting there for a week but it was a useful kick up the backside as I now want to make amends to myself by sorting out this ISA nonsense: all pounds in the pot add up and I need to not be intimidated out of trying

This was only discovered because I was checking my account to see if there was a referral code for Mr PIP, so it's a good blimmin thing I'm hot on chasing the odd fiver 😂😭

Got paid for a job, put a share into the tax pot, and the remainder can be added to the new month budget tomorrow for a healthier start, which will especially help if there's more Christmas stocking up (pun not intended but pleasing)

A longish gentle walk with Mr PIP. Nice to feel capable of strolling for pleasure again, though I'm definitely up for an earlyish Saturday night (by my night owl standards)

On the way back we went into Sainsbo and took advantage of their 25% off 6 bottles of £6 or more wine by getting some in for us and a couple of Christmas gifts, all the while sticking as closely to the £6 mark as possible!

PennysIntoPounds

Very achey and still needing lots of sleep but a gently productive day

Usual work/life admin
Entered some competitions, today I'm mostly looking forward to winning a case of champers

Also did the daily galaxy comp

Did a couple of receipt surveys

A small bit of work

Went to Sainso for bits and bobs and remembered to use the extra points voucher

A little stroll and a small bit of community gardening

Found six McMo tokens

Treated ourselves to the Sunday paper and a pint, over which we enjoyed choosing which posh property to buy 😁

Mr PIP signed up to the Greggs app for their free hot drink and pizza slice offer, so that's a free lunch when he's at work

We've (okay, Mr PIP) prepped a use-it-up veg sauce that we'll stick in a sheet of pastry for a very autumnal Sunday sort of dinner 🍂

beanielou

Great news on being awarded PIP at a higher level than you thought. Another chronic pain person here.