Cheery's path to fulfilment - finishing the DIY, looking after myself, appreciating the garden 🌻

KajiKita

That’s looking good 😊

What are the red leaved plants in the bed?

KK

Cheery_Daff

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81923072#Comment_81923072

They're straggly leftovers from last year - I was going to say Ruby chard, but I think they have red stems, not leaves. Possibly some kind of beetroot? Definitely something edible - I've been eating the leaves occasionally over the winter 😂

Four barrows done, and now I'm done in, and it started hailstoning of all things so I'm back inside.

Mr C is out working tonight so I need a plan - but not til I've sat down and had something to eat 😂

Baileys_Babe

Well done on mulching 12.5% of the veg patch 👏

Cheery_Daff

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81923106#Comment_81923106

Ooh, that's an excellent way of looking at it, thank you! 😃😃 I confess it felt like it was taking forever, but I think it was just under 20 minds for each load (it's quite a trek across the field, and a bit of steep uphill on the way back!) I did need a sit down between each load though 😬 that definitely counts as today's strenuous exercise 😂

rtandon27

That's quite a workout Cheery - that poundage will be shed in no time! - Dinner and soak in the tub? - that would be my choice 🤣

Cheery_Daff

Ha, tempting, but I've got pottering i want to do! Here we go with an unrealistic plan 😂

6.45-7.15 - WARM UP

⭐ Beechgrove episode 😁

⭐ Nice cup of tea and warm up with a hot water bottle

7.15-8.15 - BANKING

Not filled in the cash book since late Feb so quite a bit to do 😬

8.15-8.45 - HOUSEWORK

House generally isn't too bad after we had visiting neighbours round for tea the other day), so I'm going to do a cleaning podcast and tackle a specific area - not sure what yet 😬

8.45-9.30 -FLUTE

Plenty of practice needed 😬

9.30 ONWARDS

⭐ blog post

⭐ more finding photos for the 10 year photo book

Let's see how we get on...

KajiKita

Just a thought … you are on good terms with a local farmer I think. Could they either move the stuff for you with a tractor / trailer a bit closer, or might they lend you kit for the purpose?

KK

Cheery_Daff

They probably would if I asked, but I've shoved it in such a stupid place you can't get a tractor in, so it'd have to be a mini digger or something, which may well struggle with the hill, and would need something else to dump it into (and you wouldn't get a trailer in where I've shoved it either!) And I'm rubbish at asking for stuff, and would infinitely rather just do it myself 😂 Quite frankly the exercise will do me good!!

February's budget all accounted for, and not looking too pretty (but not as dire as I feared either). Monthly totals:

Food & household: Spent £407.99/£350

Joint treats: Spent £208.70/£200

Diesel & parking: Spent £281.82/£300

My treats: Spent £197.58/£150

Mr C treats: Spent £142.39/£150

TOTAL: Spent £1239.49/£1150

= £88.49 overspend

Could have been worse… But also could have been better.

Food & household

Overspent £58 in Feb, underspent £20 in Jan, underspent £5 in Dec, overspent £100 in Nov, overspent £50 in Oct. Clearly not making much attempt to stick to what is quite a reasonable budget. We really don't eat extravagantly, don't eat any meat, pretty much everything own brand - but we are guilty of many smaller shops rather than fewer larger ones, and I don't think I'll ever get Mr C out of that lifelong habit.

We had 35 transactions for Feb. Six are what you might call 'bigger' shops - £45, £43, £22, £45, £55, £27. Two are middling, both at £17. All the rest are under £10. Clearly we need more planning…

Diesel & parking

Surprisingly, within budget! I don't worry too much about this one - it is what it is in terms of driving, especially with work and Mr C's dad being poorly. We overspent by £123 in Jan, and topped up both cars right at the end of the month, then only topped up 4 times (between 2 cars) in Feb. I parked at work six times (total of £48) which I could get rid of altogether if I add an hour's walking onto my working day (and I'm often reluctant, on top of 2 hours driving).

Joint treats

Will we ever take ourselves properly in hand? Actually only went over by £8.70 so could have been worse. This is 31 separate cafe transactions (!) - not 31 cafe trips, as we sometimes have a second drink in a trip, or go back and buy a packet of crisps separately. Didn't spend the joint treats budget on anything other than cafes in Feb!

My treats

Hmm. Overspent £47 in Feb, £35 in Jan, £55 in Dec. I've had a couple of slightly-more-expensive than usual things - met a friend for tea one night, went to an exercise class with another friend that turned out to cost £12(!) and had tea afterwards, met my sister for lunch. And paid a deposit for my first tattoo (!) - an entirely frivolous nonsense purchase that takes up the bulk of this month's overspend.

Hey ho. My paper cashbook has run out, so I'm now experimenting with a second spreadsheet for these discretionary budgets. Best go and see what damage we've done so far in March… 🙄

beanielou

Let’s be honest life is expensive. Don’t be to hard on yourself.

Cheery_Daff

Tis indeed Beanie, but we could be more abstemious than we are!

We were talking earlier actually, in the light of uncertainties at work, of what we could change, and whether we'd move, and what we miss about living elsewhere and would miss about living here. Would certainly miss the peace and quiet if we moved, and the scenery. But I miss being able to walk places like we could in the city, and I miss the decent wodge of disposable income we had each month when we'd paid the old mortgage off! Clearly we are not deprived - but back then we didn't think anything of going away for the weekend several times a year, plus a fortnight's holiday (sometimes two!). We do still get away, but nothing like we used to.

Anyway, March budget done - much quicker with the spreadsheet so that can stay. Amounts remaining as of today (nearly half way through March!)

Food & household: £227.34/£350

Joint treats: £121.10/£200

Diesel & parking: £125.43/£300

My spends: £118.46/£150

Mr C treats: £125.71/£150

All looking good, and so far nothing drastic planned for the rest of the month.