Moving on

Cherryfudge

I don't think I've spent anything today, though DH will have. He took DGD1 to toddler club and while he was out he got ingredients for a chicken casserole which he made in the afternoon. I used up some bread by making spiced bread pudding, which will last us a few days.

Other than that I mended socks again, and I was proud of myself for recognising that one set wasn't worth repair. Usually I have difficulty telling when something is worn out. The other pair is a nice woolly one so I'm glad I rescued them.

I did some prep for the meeting this evening at my friend's house, which is where I also had tea. We're planning a day out so we have that to look forward to.  I walked there and noticed it's got cold again so tomorrow the heating goes on or I'll get absolutely nothing done.

Neither DH nor I can remember what day we have booked our train tickets for! It's not immediately, so we have time to search emails.

Cherryfudge

Another NSD today.

I've laundered the laundry and even got it all ironed, though a few bits aren't dry enough to put away. I also made a big veggie chilli, which will feed both of us for a few days. Having called it a chilli, it didn't taste of chilli, just slightly spicy in a warm way. It's a good way of finding a home for the veg that was hanging around in the fridge, though there's still some of those left. I'm freezing some of the chilli for later.

I had a sudden attack of being able to email HR, so I've thanked them for their reply about the tax they keep refunding, and asked them to clarify that that's what happened in November when I got paid more than I'd earned. I'm fairly sure it is. I've also emailed separately to ask if I can do an exit questionnaire about my last job. I've been putting it off but it's been nearly a year since I went off sick, and glaciers will roll over the whole situation if I leave it longer. I've questioned to myself whether it's wise to stir things up, but so many people have left without bringing the causes to formal attention. There were also some positives that I want to include.

It was quite chilly out when I went to work, but not unpleasant. I gather it's going to be snowy tomorrow! I had a two hour shift again and it will be the same tomorrow. Having done that 'run' the other day, I didn't need to spend so long working out where things were, but even so I managed to forget an entire room. I had a quick look when I remembered and it didn't really need me, which is good because I ran out of time. I've been asked what I'd like to work next week and explained I need to pace myself as it's a busy week, so I'm getting the two hour shifts again. After that I think I'd better take on some longer shifts if they're available, or I'll lose income.

Walking home, I resisted the supermarkets! There wasn't anything we need, and dropping in on the off-chance is an expensive hobby!

Cherryfudge

A cold, wet day, but I'd promised to meet a former colleague for coffee so that's what we did. She and I are in similar situations: working reduced hours and getting something from our new jobs but keeping an eye open in case the 'perfect' job crops up. I paid for my coffee using loyalty points, so nothing spent there.

On the way home I called in at the supermarket for a couple of bits. Annoyingly I'd brought my credit card but not the card for the account we buy food through, so there's a small payment to sort out or ignore...

I did a couple more hours at work this evening, still working in what feels like a very overheated area (probably okay if you are sitting at a desk) so I stayed warmed up all the way home. No extra supermarket trip though.

Meals today have been the veggie chilli (which I like but DH didn't, so the rest is mine) and before work, banana and custard which used up some milk and the banana. I also had crispbreads with cottage cheese, honey and walnuts for supper: I learned that combination from a sandwich shop in Soho nearly 40 years ago.

Expenditure:
Housekeeping £3.65

Floss

Ooh that cottage cheese combo sounds scrummy. One of my fave sandwiches is tuna with chopped apple & celery in mayo with some curry powder - sounds weird but it's really nice.

Cherryfudge

Floss said:

 tuna with chopped apple & celery in mayo with some curry powder 

I think I might try that! Tuna goes with some strange things - a friend used to like tuna and banana pizza.

The original 'Soho sandwich' was cream cheese instead of cottage cheese, I just happened to have cottage cheese in the fridge.

Cherryfudge

I've been fairly stationary this morning, but mended a pair of slippers while I was sitting at the computer so I wasn't entirely unproductive. Darning takes ages, but I will probably get better the more I do, and the slippers should be good for a while now. (Why do I get slippers that wear out so easily? Some are more or less glorified socks! Warm and soft, but not good for moving about in, and I'm sure they have a special corner in the waste fabric mountain).

Six 'paper decisions' in the form of old receipts have gone in the recycling, a lost leaflet of Cath K!dston patterns has been added to the sewing books and a medical note has gone in the medical file.

Lunch involved turning half a punnet of mushrooms and a damaged onion into soup. The added benefits of this include that elusive wonder - room in the fridge.

The Mr T vouchers have arrived. To my astonishment I have £9 in points this time around. Sometimes I'm doing 'well' to get £1. (Inverted commas as I realise that only spending enough in Mr T to warrant £1 in points is actually much more of a win than spending enough to get £9). I think it's largely due to paying for the boiler installation on the CC, plus the hotel bookings for April. I'll probably save them up towards our next Railcard, not that we've used this one for months. There are also two shops' worth of double points so I need to sit DH down and decide what to do with them. Most of our Mr T shopping seems to be his mini trips to spend £1.38 or so, which would be a big waste of double points! I don't shop online with them as we live very locally, but the app suggests they are keeping track of our favourites (no surprises there), so I'm going to go through that to make a suggested shopping list. I'll also look at the coupons on the app, which I rarely use but there might be something there.

There is only till 3rd March on the extra points vouchers which in terms of me buying a significant shop at Mr T isn't long. It would be good to do at least one planned spend, but I need to remind myself not to get too excited: there isn't much I want from the Clubcard offers, and spending for spending's sake is not going to make nine or ten hours' work a week stretch too far. (Not that food comes out of that pot: I'm paying Council Tax and gas/electric under the new regime).

Looking on the suggested shopping list has its down side - now I want a custard slice! I most certainly don't need the calories.

Footnote: having looked through the entire tab kept on our spending - we actually buy loads there! It's just that while I'm cooking from scratch most of the time and trying to use up the backlog and not spend on 'wants' as much, I've not bought them recently.

Time to make another spreadsheet, I think, but probably not until I've got everything ready so I can go to work.

badmemory

Are you saying that your receipts say double points until 3rd March.  Only asking/checking because mine say 25th February. which is a whole week before, exactly.  Do you use an app or a clubcard.  Age discrimination here we come.  No seriously I would be interested to know if I have misunderstood.

Floss

Tesco website says 25th Feb.

redofromstart

Double points till 25th Feb but then I also have two 'personal' vouchers for double points that run to 3rd March. I got more than usual for buying some spend X and get points offers on things I would have got anyway. 

Cherryfudge

badmemory said:

Are you saying that your receipts say double points until 3rd March.  Only asking/checking because mine say 25th February. which is a whole week before, exactly.  Do you use an app or a clubcard.  Age discrimination here we come.  No seriously I would be interested to know if I have misunderstood.

Yes, it's double points till 3rd March and the extra points for buying particular items are also till 3rd March, across the board. I use the app but DH has the same clubcard and he uses the plastic version.

Age discrimination? I will be 61 the day after the promotion finishes.  

I wonder if they are issued by area, alphabetically, or something else. Am thinking perhaps they spread the load somehow. I only received mine today, perhaps ones issued earlier have a different date - though I signed in to my Clubcard page and as @Floss says, the website says 25th February. Then again, @redofromstart, you seem to have a hybrid offer.

Very odd.

DH is theoretically on board with my plot to maximise points, but I don't think he's worked out that could mean quite a big shop.