An in-between phase

PennysIntoPounds

@foxgloves yes survey providers can be a right pain- I emailed Yougov the other week asking for extra points as it was meant to be a one minute survey but the video embedded in it was nearly two mins itself. They declined, and must have thought 'who is this saddo getting uppity over 40p' but it was the principle of the thing! 😂

Your Christmas preparations sound most organised and sensible. I also try to save nectar points for then but spent mine a while ago when I was feeling particularly skint- it was shocking seeing how quickly all those lovely points squirreled away for so long disappeared! Back on saving them up again now though so hopefully should have enough to at least lighten the load come December

PennysIntoPounds

@EssexHebridean not having the right books accessible is very anxiety inducing! Glad you've got a distracting one on the go. When I was moving my stuff out and splitting it between my mums and Mr PIPs and charity and resell, I was like 'I can probably make do without pretty much everything I own for now, but not that book. Or those. Or that pile. Definitely not that box. Or that one' 😁 Most life situations can be got through as long as one has the right books for company imo

PennysIntoPounds

Today:

A necessary late sleep after being woken up several times by upstairs. I was not a happy bunny

A few surveys, including one for Y*ugov that will be of no use to the company that commissioned it as there was no 'none of the above' option on any of the questions so you had to pick an untruthful option to proceed

Laundry and general tidying done, including in the to-do diary (where as far as I'm concerned if tasks have been shunted to a future day they've definitely been progressed)

A good walk with a good friend, and she's understanding enough that it was okay to walk the bus route in case of a joints/tummy need. We walked to a favoured pub which has good cask beers and is also a florist so has lovely plants and flowers to admire

Resisted spending money on plants and flowers

Bus back and a cheap dinner of chips and beans with Mr PIP. I'm such a fan of baked beans, so easy to scoff for different meals for a portion of your five a day (see also; hummus- fairly cheap, feels fancy, half a standard tub is a portion of five a day, marvellous)

And going to bed in a particularly pleased mood as have just read @EssexHebridean has exchanged on her gaff, good things happening for good people is the news we all need 😊

EssexHebridean

I LOVE the idea of a pub that is also a florist - how fantastic! And as I think you are probably aware, good cask ale is also a definite win!  And also delighted to hear that my news gave you a good end to the day as well - that's very cheerful! 

I'm so with you on hummus too - bought or home made, either is great as far as I am concerned, and I can polish off more of it than I probably should in a sitting too! Just so tasty and versatile as well! 

PennysIntoPounds

Woken up at 3.30 in the morning/night by upstairs

Had multiple horrible dreams. Unusually for me I'd had no cheese so I'm putting it down to the reverse of common wisdom

Was trying to catch up on some sleep around 7.30am when a labourer decided he had to conduct his conversation at full volume

Trying to close the window, I broke a slat off the blind

My client call that was lined up got cancelled

Not a great start to the day.

But I blanched and froze some broccoli that needed saving

Used up a mushroom that needed saving by just bunging it in the oven for a few minutes and having as a small side to lunch

Got back to mums before peak fares kick in. My shoulder is really suffering now though

Can't really complain though as found out a family friend's partner died during heart surgery today. I think he was only in his early 60s.

I hope you're all enjoying the nice things and people and places available while we still can (within reasonable budgets) x

EssexHebridean

Oh how sad about your friend's partner - they must be completely devastated, you can only begin to imagine the shock can't you.

Good work on emergency mushroom salvage, and your reference to not having cheese being unusual made me smile! 

PennysIntoPounds

Today I happily had an actual job for a client. I was saying earlier I was jealous that everyone I speak to apart from me seems to have or be getting a Masters. Having spent two hours looking at a short presentation, I am fine with everyone else being clever and achieving the intellectual things, thanks all 😁

Quite a few surveys today

Lunch time walk and got some essentials in at Ald! prices

Proofread a complaint letter Mr PIP is sending about the non existent house progress

Some more steps meeting Mr PIP for an important integrated financial planning meeting (having a couple of pints and checking the lottery numbers)

And we won £50! So we're very pleased with the outcome of our strategic weekly investment consultation 

PennysIntoPounds

Did a couple of client jobs for actual money (hooray!)

Entered some competitions- I'm particularly looking forward to winning a £100 M*jestic wine voucher

Changed the blade head on my razor and noticed it gone a bit rusty in the connection bit. Thought 'well I should replace it then' but then thought 'a bit of WD40 will get rid of that', which it did so that's a few quid saved and a chunk of perfectly fine plastic not going in the bin unnecessarily

The mozzie bite that's still driving me mad a week on has had TCP applied to it- mse because TCP sorts out many things people think they have to spend money on, and because it increases your standing in society and therefore your earning potential if you're not scratching away madly like you've got fleas

I do love the Sanctuary stuff I get for Christmas but I am also rather enjoying the bathroom smelling of WD40 and TCP 😂

Got £18.70 combined from Z!ffit and V!nted so that's gone to the flat pot

Excited that it's September so officially Autumn (to me). Dug out my chosen autumn perfume from gifts/odds and ends of fragrances people have given me because they didn't like them. My sample perfume of Ralph Lauren is very lovely (though no WD40/TCP 😁) and I am feeling most smell-inspired for the forthcoming months

I really really really must prioritise doing some basic exercise and self upkeep tomorrow. I am writing it here so I will be shamefaced if I don't.  Many other things on the to-do list but steps and wussy sit ups and shower/hair wash need to take priority otherwise why bother doing the other things if you can't even maintain yourself. Right, I have given myself a stern talking to!

Happy Friday and September and Autumn everyone! Hope you're all happy to be where you are and feeling like more is on the horizon x

PennysIntoPounds

Started today very productively by going to an Olio pick-up for some books. Unfortunately the person had gone to work and forgotten to leave them out. But at least I got some steps in!

My Mum wanted me to order her something from Am*zon so I got a few things in for Christmas to get free delivery

My cleanser was also cheaper on there than in other places (thanks Trolley website!) so I got a few of those too

I used my £10 Am*zon voucher from opening a Kroo bank account and the remaining voucher I had from a birthday gift, so a very cost effective shop

Now to spend the next four months trying to think of anything to get Mr PIP...

Got another (closer) walk in getting some Olio fruit and veg, feeling most virtuous

Realised I'd forgotten to add 20% of earnings to tax pot. Duh. 'Fortunately' I haven't earned very much recently so it's not a great loss to take it out of the general budget now 😂

Did my wussy sit ups and lots of admin but hair wash will have to wait till tomorrow as I'm absolutely knackered now. The only activity I'm planning for the rest of the evening is working out how best to get through a big pile of leeks. Maybe a leek surprise. The surprise being that there's nothing in it but leeks

foxgloves

Well done on the sit-ups whether 'wussy' or otherwise, because I'd take the hair-wash over those any day!
F