I dream of a MF home for my plants

Idreamofplants

thanks sensiblesaver - I'm hoping for ours to be gone in the next 4 years too - nice to read someone else is on a similar journey.  
Another NSD today - actually having a pretty good week at work. Only one more day then 3 days off. Car service and MOT booked Friday for both cars - have saved £750 so should be within budget including the cost of a new tyre.  On track to make an OP before the end of the month - still have enough for food/petrol but leaving it another week before working out exact amounts. I have been working out the reductions for taking my public sector pension earlier - I can claim it from next year and if my maths is right the reductions are worth taking the hit on. I could use the lump sum to pay off a huge chunk of the mortgage and then use the monthly pension as an additional OP. Pensions are something I need to learn more about before I make a decision. 

Idreamofplants

Another NSD spent mainly working. Couldn’t face getting myself to the gym so settled for a little lunchtime stroll and a mini workout with DSs hand weights. Day 9 of dry January and so far so good. Only once thought about having a drink and that was when I was dreading a meeting at work. The meeting went as well as it could - made me see my boss in a completely new light - in a good way! Then by dinner time the urge had past. Three days off to look forward to now. Planning on baking some bagels tomorrow and getting out to the gym. I still have a couple of bags for the tip to sort but it might be too cold for that. My spider plants are freaking out at the change in weather. I’ve banged on to OH to leave the heating on as I’m not convinced it’s more expensive to let it get as cold as he does plus the kids were permanently moaning about it being freezing. He’s got the bloody energy monitor out and put it on the counter for my benefit 😆 I don’t care what it says as long as I’m warm right now!

Idreamofplants

Enjoying a nice chilled weekend - spent a fair bit on food as treated friend to breakfast out on Friday, then paid for take out Fri night and pub lunch yesterday - total spends £105. Things I’ve been thinking of buying that I haven’t spent money on include fancy new wellies (£95), gel nails (£36), new gym leggings (£45 in sale). Taking DS to spend his Xmas money today so hoping I manage to resist any impulse purchases. Before that off to gym to make the most of my membership and to get some stretching in. £700 left in joint account until end of month and only one more shop needed before pay day. A couple of policies still to clear and we need to pay the council recycle charge (about £60). Looking promising that I will get an OP in before payday. 

beanielou

Looking very promising on the OP. 

Idreamofplants

thanks Beanielou - I reckon somewhere between £100-£150 should be do-able.  We had a couple of unexpected costs this week - had to take one of the dogs to the vets and DS needed new glasses.  I also spent some of my separate savings booking a little mini break to the seaside for me and OH later in the year when I am planning another running race.  It will mean we get 3 days away.  DD has agreed to stay home with the dogs and DS and eldest will probably still be back from Uni when we go so no dog sitters to organise.  It has added up to being quite an expensive trip but I am very excited about it.  Also without paying for a holiday for all of us plus dog care this year holiday spends are massively reduced.  
On the money saving front I have continued with my using up all cosmetics before repurchasing through this month.  I have finally reached the bottom of my moisturiser and still have a few small tubes of varies serums/eye creams from a beauty advent calendar I was bought a couple of years ago.  I have resisted buying any new clothes although I am seriously tempted to have a look around S*insburys later as a few bits caught my eye when I went in last week.  My plan for today is to get off to the gym in a minute and then come back and sort the ironing.  I have a new book to start.  If I can manage to stay out of S@inburys it will be a NSD.  
Will wait until Tues before making mortgage OP.  The pay day at the end of the week and will send another £2000. Looking forward to colouring in the bricks on my little house chart as I can finish a row - there has been one little brick left and it's been bugging me every time I look at it (I have it stuck above my desk at home so that is quite often!). 

beanielou

Any nectar points you can use in Sainsbugs? 

Idreamofplants

Unfortunately not Beanielou as I tend to use them up as they stack up rather than save. 

Treated myself to a coffee after the gym £2.90 but otherwise avoided the shops and the pull of new clothes.  Realised I need to change the booking for the mini break I booked last week so have emailed the hotel to see if they will allow me to cancel the booking.  Keeping my fingers firmly crossed. I can't believe I have made a mistake with this - I spend lots of time counting the pennies and then literally will have wasted hundreds of pounds on a booking I cannot use -

Other than the gym the rest of the day has been spent doing jobs. Pile of ironing sorted, DS bedding changed, fixed a hole in OH fav jumper, helped DS with their homework, mopped the floor.  Spent far too many hours this weekend thinking about someone at work who I am finding it very hard to be around.  I'm going to try and focus on not getting involved in their dramas this week.  

Idreamofplants

Had a good day at work - zero drama - hooray! Also NSD - hooray! Hotel have offered to move the dates for mini break - hooray!! so just need to sort dates out with OH when DD about and can have the dogs and make sure DS gets up for school.  

Went out for a long run after work in the cold and rain.  Feel good for doing it. If I get out on a Monday I find I'm more likely to stick to exercising all week.  The rest of the week at work doesn't look too bad at all.  Fewer meetings than usual in so plenty of time to get on top of the to do list.  Going to send £50 to the mortgage for first OP of 2025 - was going to be more but need to pay the recycle bin charge which I hadn't factored in, and OH still needs fuel for his commute tomorrow.  I could just do with a few more hours to the day - after work, exercising and eating the evening is pretty much done.  

SandyShores

Fab for the zero drama day at work.  And also hooray for the hotel moving your dates.  I've made a couple of tr@inline bookings on the app lately and immediately realised I'd made an error.  But I found out you get a period of grace to cancel them (is it 10 mins?) and so I've not lost the money.  Huge relief

Well done on the long run.  I've been getting out for my walks so far this week and completing my 7500 steps.  I'm slowly building up my running again too.  Hard to get out there at this time of year, but feels great when you come back.

Idreamofplants

I agree Sandyshores - there is not much in my life that I enjoy more than the feeling after going out for a run, especially when it has been grotty weather.  I managed to get in a short run yesterday in the hail by dashing out between work meetings WFH. It transforms how I feel about my whole day when I've run, even if just for 20 minutes. I think in part it is being uncontactable and focused on just that activity.  My job involves being available to others the whole time I'm working & home life with the kids and dogs is a pretty long to do list most of the time.  Running is like a bit of freedom even though I find it really hard!
Today I'm off work.  On my second cuppa and wondering what to do with my day.