One step at a time

seventh88

Hi @sunshineli lovely to hear about your days recently. I hear you on meeting up with a friend and spending a wee bit too much on lunch/drinks. Sometimes we can save a bit of money - looking up places in advance like you say - other times, you know what, maybe those lunches just need to be our splurges if we've had a great day with a friend, and you recognise that it really doesn't happen very often. Easter and riverside walks sound fab, I hope they were sunny ones Take care and all the best for your money saving days ahead

sunshineli

I really must remember to post more updates on here! 

I tend to look at my months based on when I get paid which is around the 20th of each month. Last month (20th April - 20th May) was pretty expensive with the week off work at the end of April and also my friend’s hen party weekend. I’m looking forward to this month hopefully being a bit more frugal and replenishing my bank account.

This weekend has been lovely and was spent going to the library, reading a new book, going for a nice walk, and swimming for the first time in years. My doctor recommended swimming to help my joints. I forget how tiring swimming is, I needed a 2 hour nap afterwards! I haven’t spent too much this weekend although DH and I did go out for a ‘date day’ which we are trying to do once a month now. £18.70 spent on lunch this day. 

I’m starting to get used to working 4 days per week and it’s definitely made me feel like I have a better work life balance. I have also recently cut out alcohol and caffeine. I’m only 9 days into it so far, but I already feel a lot better mentally. 

I haven’t made too much progress with adding to the savings account recently, £4,445 currently. I’m still on track to hopefully meet my goal of £7,000 in it by the end of the year, fingers crossed.

sunshineli

Did a top up shop at Lidl last night and £29.05 spent. We don’t go to Lidl that often so stocked up on soya milk, toilet roll, fizzy drinks, cereal etc which should last a while. Today was a much needed NSD. I have felt very fatigued and brain foggy for most of the day, so I have spent most of the evening reading and relaxing. I’m working in the office tomorrow and hopefully my only spend should be £5 for the train. Lunch is packed ready for tomorrow, to avoid unnecessary spending on expensive convenience food. I actually find a homemade packed lunch is much healthier and nicer.

sunshineli

I’ve completed my office day for the week and I’m feeling quite drained now. I spent £5 on the train and also bought a card, wrapping paper and a book for my nieces first birthday which came to £5.50 in total. This was already budgeted for and came out of my gift fund so all in all a pretty frugal day.

DH made a rigatoni arrabbiata with veggie chicken for tea, which was very nice. 

sunshineli

Yesterday was a successful NSD which is made much easier by working from home. Today I had to go out for a work meeting which cost me £2.75 on the train. I was expecting this to be £5 but as it was off peak times it was less, so that was a nice surprise. 

We also got our weekly food shop delivery today which was £51.75. We got plenty of veg ready for some healthy vegetable packed meals this week. On the meal plan we have veggie Thai green curry and veggie lasagne which will last a good few days. Also planning on having hotdogs, a pasta dish and chicken salad wraps.

We do need to go to Lidl tomorrow to pick up a few extras like bread which we didn’t get in our delivery. I also have a free vegetable to pick up from Lidl for spending £50 (I think?) this month. 

sunshineli

Today has been a ‘simple living’ kind of day. I went for a short walk into town first thing before it got too warm, and wandered around the little market. I bought some incense (£6) as a gift for myself. I bought my friend an engagement present (£19) from a small business. When I got home I had some brunch and a decaf coffee before I went into the garden to do some pottering and a bit of weeding. I was quite tired after the gardening so in the afternoon I relaxed with my audiobook and then eventually did some baking this evening. I like these quiet days of just pottering at home and in my local town with my DH and dog. I feel very blessed for my simple life. 

I have also been watching some simple living vlogs on YouTube which are brilliant and so inspiring.

I have now gone 2 weeks without alcohol and caffeine and 1 week without using social media. I feel better mentally and I’m sleeping better. 

seventh88

Just catching up with your diary, sounds like you've had a good few days with low/NSD - well done! Good to hear the past couple of weeks without alcohol/caffeine is helping. 

sunshineli

seventh88 said:

Just catching up with your diary, sounds like you've had a good few days with low/NSD - well done! Good to hear the past couple of weeks without alcohol/caffeine is helping. 

Thanks for stopping by! I am now at 3 weeks of no alcohol/caffeine and 2 weeks of no social media, and feeling good!

sunshineli

This week marked 1 year of living in our property. Although we haven't made any mortgage overpayments at all in the past year, I feel like we have made some good progress with building our savings. It was only 9 months ago when we got married and used a lot of our savings for that, so I feel like our savings are looking relatively healthy all things considered.

That being said, savings are not looking as healthy as they were a week ago, due to a home insurance payment going out. We have also remortgaged to a new fixed deal, which came with a £499 product fee that we have just paid out of savings. 

In the next year I hope to build savings further and eventually have 6 months of outgoings saved. Only once we have this will we start to make mortgage OPs. 

I also did something not very MSE this week, I spent £59 on a dress to wear for my friends wedding. When I got home I regretted it immediately and started searching Vinted for a dress from the same brand. I found one in the exact style as the £59 one, but just a slightly different pattern. It cost me £16 including fees and postage so I will be returning the shop bought one this week!