Flying solo

twiggy86

Oh and the other thing I have done today was add a table to my "annual" spreadsheet setting out what I've spent each month from the various sinking funds. No wonder I have felt like I can't get ahead with them - I've average a £240 spend across all pots each month for the year so far! Although this month (so far) have only spent £103 from the pots. This doesn't include house/diy spending - which I've spent £357 this month already! I did have to re-allocate money that I had set aside for debt payments (don't worry, more than the minimums have already been paid!) to cover this. 

However, it proves why I need to get the pots to the "minimum" amounts I have set myself, so then I just have to top them back up each month. At the moment I'm trying to get them to the minimums whilst also cover anything that's been spent! There is, however, £1,500 in that account - although that includes my car and home insurance, which I save for monthly but pay off annually - so it's not that I don't have money available to me. 

Sarahwithlove

I'm glad it all went OK sorting out bfs dad's stuff. Never nice thing to do. Hope he is doing ok. 

Floss

Could you add a column to tally up what you've spent on house stuff like the boiler, as this is investment in your home rather than just petty spending. I know it helps me to see where my money has gone & how much I've spent (roof repairs, decorating, carpets, some new double glazed windows, new porch doors...)

twiggy86

Thanks for the suggestion @Floss which is something I may consider. 

Well I managed a NSD yesterday and am up to £40 in sales on Vinted. Everything has been posted off so hoping no more issues and a few more sales! I also reached the payout threshold on Shoppix - although for a voucher rather than cash, so will keep going until I can get it paid via paypal. Only £5, but it all helps! 

Oh and the chat with my new boss went well - was more a brief catch up and talking logistics for the first couple of weeks/ expectation to be the office for induction etc. 

I'm in the office today and tomorrow, so won't be able to be productive around the house! I have my knitted jumper with me to work on at lunch - didn't have time to do any yesterday so doubtful I'll get the other sleeve picked up ready to work on tomorrow night! But it's not like I don't have anything I can do at my stitch night, so I'm not stressing! 

Today's bits and pieces... 

• Make lunch to take to work - including some strawberries that have been lingering a while!  
• Update spreadsheet 
• Try for another NSD - do have acro to pay for but comes from a "pot" and I don't count that 
• Work on knitting project 
• Small dinner from stores 
• Pay lowest amount at acro 

twiggy86

Good evening at acro - was tricky as working on the pre-requisites for the workshop we have coming up. Pleased to say that, whilst not the prettiest/ smoothest, I can manage all the moves! I did pay the lower amount (which always makes me feel a bit mean) so I should be left with some money in the pot at the end of the month. I also managed to snaffle some wraps and a punnet of strawberries - a local supermarket brings some bits (usually just bread) that are going out of date for people to take. 

I cooked a packet of chicken before I went, so had a wrap for dinner and have made myself one for later. I'm going to my knit night which is fairly close to my work (although not for another hour and a half after I finish) so doesn't make sense to go home before hand. So I made both my lunch and a wrap for dinner - may go down the beach and eat my wrap. I do sometimes have dinner at the place where knit night is, but needing to seriously watch the pennies at the moment! I will be wearing my knitted top tonight, even though I haven't undone the bind off so have to squeeze it over my face!!! 

Today's bits and bobs... 

• Make lunch and dinner to take to work - including finishing off the strawberries as we now have more! 
• Update spreadsheet
• Park for free 
• Work on gauge swatch/ jumper at knit night
• Limit myself to one (non-alcoholic) drink tonight 

Hmmm, is that really the only MSE things I can get done today?!

twiggy86

I've sold another item on Vinted for £5 - taking total sales to £45! Won't be able to post today though as won't be home until probably about 10ish. I'm working from home tomorrow though, so should have time to go out with it. 

I'm pretty much happy with the organising I've done in the utility area now - although it needs decorating before it will actually look nice! Decided that the next area to tackle is the cupboard under the stairs - camping bits and various other things lobbed in there! We did end up with two hoovers when bf moved - so I offered mine to my parents... which I think they may have given me when my old one broke! Think they're coming round on Sunday morning for a coffee so they will take it then. The intention is to put the camping bits in the loft, but need to decide whether to do that now or at the end of the summer. It's not a big deal to get into the loft so can easily get it down - well I say that, except I can't actually get in the loft as I'm too short to reach the hatch even when stood on a chair! 

Anyway sorting the under stairs cupboard, along with waxing my legs(!) and going back and fixing/finalising my knitted top is going on the list of tasks for next week. I feel I should add them to this week as I appear to have already completed most of my jobs for this week but as we have bf's daughter for the weekend, I actually won't have much time. Noting here now though so i don't forget my thoughts! 

twiggy86

Had a lovely evening last night which I feel was much needed - only way I can describe how I've been feeling recently is "flat". I'm usually a very energetic, positive person but feel a bit emotionally drained. 

However, parked up in a place in town that has free parking and walked to the beach. I just sat there for 30 minutes, ate my wrap for my dinner and then walked to stitch night. I did more chatting than stitching and I'd forgotten my pattern and wasn't 100% sure of next steps, so worked on my gauge swatch for my next project instead of the jumper. Then gave the organiser a lift home - which was good as meant I didn't have to walk back to my car on my own. Spent £2.50 on a drink and that was it! I did however order something from the organiser for her to make me for the festival I'm going to at the end of August - so will need to pay her £70. Expensive but I don't under-estimate how much work will be involved and I know she struggles so I feel good supporting her. 

Today I am working from home again, although have very little work to actually do! So around work I shall try to be productive! Although I did spend extra time sitting in the garden this morning drinking my tea and watching pooch run around like a complete lunatic before I took her for a walk. Bf is currently out in the garden painting the remaining fence panels. We have his daughter this weekend and not really any plans, so will hopefully be fairly chilled (well as chilled as it can be with a 5 year old!) and hopefully frugal! Will get out in the garden and cut the grass if bf doesn't do it today - I am just as capable, it's just he said he intended to! 

Anyway, on to today...

• Update spreadsheet 
• Bf painting fence 
• Pull up a few weeds from the front! 
• Look at email from new employer - have something quite important to question, so hoping it's an error in the email 
• Load of washing in the machine - may do a second lot if there's space to hang it 
• Hang washing on airer
• Glue my shoes
• Work on jumper - once I've done the next bit it is just "round and round" for a while again! 
• Post Vinted parcel off 
• Meals from stores 

twiggy86

Had confirmation back from new employer that it was an oversight - did have me in a slight tail spin as it was for a qualification I don't actually have!!! I haven't managed to get out and post the parcel yet as bf is visiting his mum and he is expecting an important parcel - hopefully will have time later to do it though. Whilst "working"/ waiting I have glued my shoes, so just waiting for them to dry and hope it sticks! They're really comfy sandals so I want them - plus I don't want to have to buy another pair!  

I have worked out that I need to put £271 into my various sinking funds next month to get them "fully funded". However, it is my mum's 70th next month as well and so feel like I should spend more on her than usual, so the present pot may not stretch. I have a day off in a couple of weeks so thinking of taking her out somewhere for the day - entry tickets would cost £30, plus probably buy us lunch. Then going out for a family meal the day before her actual birthday and need to buy her a present - but probably won't go crazy (she genuinely feels uncomfortable with money being spent on her). 

In addition, last year for my brother's 40th I gave him a wordsearch that had various activities hidden in it. Well I spoke to him earlier and reminded him that he's never actually finished it and "cashed it in" (he couldn't find the last activity)! So I may also have that cost to come up with! 

twiggy86

Had a lovely weekend ending with hosting about 30 people yesterday for a bbq! Went really well, although the weather looked a bit dodgy at one point! We provided some sides but people bought their own food to help keep the costs down. So our food shop cost £43 for my half - which included some general bits and stuff for the bbq, so more than usual but not too crazy! Bf had bought plates etc so it was all quite smooth and organised! 

Made me so happy to have friends over - I've lived there 11/12 years and there was quite a few comments about how big the garden was but they'd never been down to the end (where we'd set everything up). So it was lovely to have a house that I'm proud of (yes it still needs work) and a relationship where these types of things can happen. 

It is bf's last week off before he starts his new job next week. And I am down to 11 working days in my current job before I start the new one! So there will be a lot of change soon! 

Payday later this week and will see how much bf gets for his last lot of pay from his old job - possibly not a lot so need to discuss budget etc with him once we know more. Until then, I will be bumbling along with the little I have left for this month! Decided that the £45 I got from Vinted sales is going to go in the "house" pot. I also have a little left for food and fun - need to assess the food that got left behind from the bbq and then see if we need to do another shop this week!  

twiggy86

Few little tasks for this week...

Finances:

• Finalise June budget done
• Find some more bits to list on Vinted done
• Complete on-boarding info for new role done

House/DIY 

• Sort under stairs cupboard small amount done
• Clean up bbq bf did 
• Finish painting fence not done!
• Do some more more sorting/ re-arranging in office/ second bedroom small amount done 

Crafting 

• Progress jumper small amount of progress so far!
• Finish gauge swatch for next project (materials from stash) done 
• Fixing/finalising my knitted top not done!