Prosperous & Creative Soul & MFW Year 3

EssexHebridean

Well done on the return!

Yes - once we’d been here a few months I sat down and worked through what I wanted to re-jig on our budget - so we now have “garden” and “fuel” pots - both get a nominal amount monthly but I’ll also top those up a little from surplus or other means here and there - right now for example I’ve dropped the 🐙 DD down by £20 so that’s being diverted to fuel (ready for a coal/logs purchase later in the year).  I have also had to up the “household” pot contribution - which was expected - and may well increase that a touch more yet. Generally for the more critical pots I prefer to budget a set amount and just keep letting that go across rather than topping up from surplus - as that helps to give a clearer picture of how our budget is working for us overall. 

One thing I do still need to do is to account for the change in MrEH’s pay thanks to the changes to his tax code and due to the NI change. I want to make sure that gets taken account of properly, and made to work for us, rather than just disappearing into the regular monthly run of things. Again - that might be something to think about for you? 

lucielle

All valid point peeps have made. Well done on getting the return label, now make sure you go actually return them. 

Hope your sisters visit is less stressful than your parents. 

L

Blackcats

You are very good at keeping records of your spending which helps with analysing categories of spending and that will help with forecasting future spends or saving for planned spends.  I always disliked budget forecasting at work but it does make sense and I'm going to have a go at doing my own budget forecasting for the next 3 months to take account of our new monthly payments in and out.

savingholmes

Thanks EH, Lucielle and Blackcats

Still need to do the returns but having the labels ready helps. 

Had a good weekend. Binge watched a series from a decade ago - while also painting a complex painting. Pleased with it so far - but still not done. Had family over for about 8 hours yesterday. Which was lovely and utterly exhausting. I was so over-stimulated it took until dawn to get to sleep!

One nephew mowed my lawn with a battery operated lawn mower so no wire. He loves doing it. I got all the kids to do planting of annuals as part of getting them into gardening including a basket for sis to take home. My niece and nephew assembled a bird feeder stake and then put a lot of meal worms in it. I got my niece to refill the hanging egg chair feeder with some bird seed. We hung some more coconut feeders for the birds. The kids got to see a robin feeding closer than they normally wood so that was worth it. 

My sis assembled a storage  box I'd bought that can also double as a seat. I played tumbling monkeys and throwing rings on targets with the littles. I let them play with my hose pipe - so all my pots and a lot else got watered! My BIL made my patio door open enough it can be used as a window and could be made to open in a fire escape situation which made me feel a bit better about it pending its replacement early June. A couple of the kids started painting a mural on my shed.  The older one didn't want to as it was using acrylics not spray paint! We'd agreed what they could eat ahead of time - as they have food intolerances - but I'd managed to get what they needed so that was all good. Managed the odd chat with the adults when the kids left us alone but it was only brief snatches or in code.

After the kids had gone I scattered a load of the meal worms on the lawn as they'd kind of over done it the bird feeder flower stake. Magpies, wood pigeons, robins, thrush, great tit, chaffinch, starlings, blackbirds so far. The baby birds that are newly fledged are loving that today. I've seen more birds than ever so definitely pleased I set up a feeding station. Mixture of starlings and blackbirds so far today. The other day I saw a chaffinch at the coconut feeder directly in front of where I was eating and just now a couple of starlings did. A robin just ate from my flower feeder and a thrush just arrived on my raised bed where I'd also scattered some meal worms.

Today I hope to continue my art painting. Also need to send the review form to my sis to look at. I may also paint a bit more of the fence. The family yesterday could see the changes I (and the handyman) had made and loved them. The kids also wrote or drew more on my blackboard so that will make me smiles for weeks to come. Ideally return the shoes too - luckily I chose a garage so should be open longer than a normal shop.

beanielou

I challenge you to return the shoes by tomorrow at the latest! 

savingholmes

beanielou said:

I challenge you to return the shoes by tomorrow at the latest! 

It'd help if I even got dressed 😽

jwil

Sounds like you had a really positive day with the family, even if exhausting!

SandyShores

Sounds like a lovely day and you are making good progress.  I've a few things to post tomorrow too - Bank Holiday Monday has been about relaxing.

I'm a bird feeder too, but I've just been reading about starlings - they can arrive in hoards and eat up all the food.  I'm going to reduce the amount of food I put out and probably purchase a feeder in a cage so the little birds can have a go - need to find somewhere quiet to put it as the starlings are so noisy.  The amount of bird poo the starlings leave is getting a bit problematic too - I don't mind for the winter as the rain washes it away but summer feeding will be reduced to encourage them to look elsewhere after their morning feed.

Blackcats

That sounds like a lovely family day.
good that people can appreciate the changes you are making to your home.

lucielle

That’s sounds like a very full on day and you were very organised keeping everyone happy.   I think a very slow paced day is called for. 

L