Don't hit me with those negative waves Moriarity

Blackcats

Car washes round here were busy today too, unless of course my here is also your there. 🧐

really good achievements on the money management stuff and even better it seems like you are making sustainable changes for yourself and the family.

could you do some cooking with the kids at the weekend to make a fakeaway so that they have fun and you save money whikst still having a treat.  We make a deliberate effort to cook a weekend brunch with good coffee, posh juice etc.  if there's an olio person near you, they usually have loads of pastries to give away.

Enjoy the cake.  Even if it's a bit flat I bet it tastes nice because it was made by Team Lzzy

LzzyIsGod

Blackcats said:

Car washes round here were busy today too, unless of course my here is also your there. 🧐

really good achievements on the money management stuff and even better it seems like you are making sustainable changes for yourself and the family.

could you do some cooking with the kids at the weekend to make a fakeaway so that they have fun and you save money whikst still having a treat.  We make a deliberate effort to cook a weekend brunch with good coffee, posh juice etc.  if there's an olio person near you, they usually have loads of pastries to give away.

Enjoy the cake.  Even if it's a bit flat I bet it tastes nice because it was made by Team Lzzy

Funny you should say that fakeaway is on the menu for tomorrow after I found some burgers and rolls whilst hunting through the freezer last weekend!  Did have to add some Ed Sheerans (cheesy singles) to this week's shop but i can stretch to those.

We used to have Takeaways atleast once a month pre COL crisis (and when the kids would share a dish. Ha, those days are gone) but I wince at the price now. Eating out is another thing we don't really anymore which is a shame. I always have fond memories of Dinner Out with my parents but when it costs the same amount as a weeks shop it's hard to justify and that was before my debt busting mission. 

I should do more cooking with the youngest - sometimes it's tricky when it has to be ready to make sure everyone is fed before rushing off in an evening but he does enjoy it though- eldest just likes eating it 🤣

LzzyIsGod

Hopefully the cale will be OK with some jam in the centre and some icing 🤣

LzzyIsGod

Kelly watch the stars

The title is purely because tonight , whilst eating our fakeaway (which went down a treat), we watched the film that inspired the diary title  (I'm saving Burning Bridges for the day I am debt free, we may be waiting some time yet).

Today was not a NSD but that's ok because a) it was budgeted for and b) less than it would have been pre Mindful Spending Days.  I also worked at one of my side hustles so I did treat the yoofs and myself to (reduced to half price) cream doughnuts from the local shop though as a treat but I think for £2.34 for 4 that was well worth it. 

I was watching and waiting for the "opportune moment " to jiggle that pesky £284.67 that runs out of 0% by the end of this month. That moment arrived today and I have applied - I did find a random 10 pound note today so have saved that into the EF with a view at next pre pay day of shuffling it off towards that Virgin balance which needs to significantly come down in the next 7 months. Also just waiting for my £7.50 Vinted sale to come through too which will also go off to Virgin too. Small things but as Kelly says ... noone is asking you to be a hero.

I also realised today I have not ordered a single thing through that popular online shopping site (referred to on here as the Big River company) for over a whole month which is outstanding 🤣 Online shopping is both a blessing and a curse sometimes and just too easy really with a simple little click.

Day off working tomorrow so will need to catch up on house jobs before work again monday. Best get some sleep.

 

LzzyIsGod

Easy Like A Sunday Morning 

Nice quietish Sunday today (well about as quiet as ours ever are!!) Other half was on sporting duties today with eldest yoof so I did not freeze (did enough of that yesterday!) and I spent it pottering round getting prepped and sorted for the week ahead. All meals planned and prepped and  youngest yoof and I iced our "flat cake" - Mary Berry wouldn't be impressed  but everyone dutifully had a slice and noone (dared!!) complain. Tasted alright and we compensated with lots of jam and icing.  We also made ice cream together which we haven't done for aggggeessss - I got quite into it in lockdown when everyone else was baking bread, never was one for following the crowd.

Today was almost a no spend day except the youngest now requires indoor shoes for school (new thing apparently) so I did have to order some slip on 🐊 imitations. He did say they didn't need to be posh named ones (which was a good job as I wouldn't have spent that amount for something that might go missing within a week) and managed to get some for 7 quid.

Still waiting for my Vinted buyer to press the all okay button so now I'm.worrying all is not okay 🤣 but I guess I can't directly influence that so I shall just temporarily forget about it. 

Currently I'm trying to beat those January Smonday afternoon feelings by doing a new hobby, it's a course put on locally all free of charge. Youngest is coming along too and taken to it like a duck to water, although it is most annoying when your offspring are better at picking new things up than you are!! But so far it's been really good fun and that's the main thing plus it's not something we'd get the chance to do every day.

Bit more of a regular week at work this week - weekend and payday still seem months away, but it'll soon roll round, stay strong everyone 💪 

LzzyIsGod

Life is a Rollercoaster.

Today started off really really well (waking up is always a bonus! Sorry thats my dark sense of humour coming through). Bit on the cold side here (it is still Never-ending January) but sunny and I wasn't about to let so called Blue Monday get me down - oh no not me, no Tales of the Unexpected Credit Card bills here this year. 

Vinted money came through - woohoooo!. Instantly clicked download to my account so that's ready to pop across to Virgin (just want to get to pay day in case of Anything Unexpected popping up) and the 0% balance transfer has gone across. I've started thinking about what else can now go up for sale , I'd forgotten how addictive declutterjng and selling can be.

So generally all good until the rain came tonight and with it an unpleasant discovery of issues with the less than pleasant type of drains. Blue Monday took on a different meaning as I muttered several unrepeatable expletives under my breath at this news. Hopefully the issue is covered by the water people otherwise this will need to be a case of the EF springing into action again, possibly before it's been replenished after payday (I suspect my £7.50 Vinted sale will Not cover a drain person coming out). Joy of joys.

So Good Day / potentially Bad Day. Ups and downs of life unfortunately sigh.

LzzyIsGod

Monsters 

(Good old James Blunt doesnt half make me weep with that song, i need to have a word)

Struggled a little today with any debt busting so everything is pretty much the same as it was yesterday - Other bits of life were more urgent and pressing so took up the majority of my emotional energy and attention. And biscuits. I did spend some money on biscuits and I really needed some because in Lzzys world, difficult situations usually require something crunchy to soften the blow and lets face it, biscuits help make most things seem a little better. 😅 This has not helped Operation "Lose a Stone" but tbh after today that wasn't top of the priority list and I was past caring!

Part of me was disappointed with my lack of debt busting efforts today so to try and make up for it I downloaded the mse app for a bit of continued motivation. Pay day is almost within breathing distance and I'm still clear of the OD and not used a CC so taking some comfort in that. Mind you it's the chuffing dentist tomorrow so that could change - hopefully I shall be back tomorrow with my teeth still intact atleast.

I am convinced  that  I am most definitely NOT old enough to deal with "adulting" and yet here I am having most definitely Adulted today. 😅  (The nineties were only a decade ago right?)

Ps send more biscuits. Any kind will do. I am not fussy.

browneyed_girl

Hi Lzzy!

A bit freaked out by some of the similarities when reading your diary thus far!  I have the same problem with motivation when nothing seems to be changing dramatically - I can stare at my spreadsheets for hours on days when I haven't been able to make any satisfying headway and try all sorts of different calculations to see how much better off I could be in 1, 5 or 10 years time!  

I am also very much of the opinion that biscuits are the solution to many of life's problems - the chocolate hobnob of course being the white knight that has saved me on many occasions.  Accept no substitutions.

We seem to have a fairly similar amount of debt - if I can also get mine cleared in 4 years then I will be a very happy bunny!  Despite my frugality with day to day things, I find my generosity with friends and family is my downfall - I just love buying presents for people and making them happy or being able to spoil my kids with a nice weekend away (something my own parents could never afford for us). 

Anyway, I've bookmarked so I can cheer you along - it sounds like you've made some really great progress so far!  

browneyed_girl

Oh, also meant to say that I'm sure you're right about the Raynaud's but always best to check in with your GP as in some cases it can be associated with underlying autoimmune conditions.  There are also medications to help if it's really bothering you and I've heard anecdotal evidence of some supplements that can also improve symptoms. GP can always tell you more

LzzyIsGod

@browneyed_girl thanks for your posts!  Just read your diaries and yes we are very similar even down to the writing styles! I've booked marked your diary and I shall follow enthusiastically!

Ugh yes I am super impatient now I've decided to take action - 4 years is my time line although secretly I hope to do the cards in 2 years and then batter the loan in year 3 but life does have a horrible way of getting in the way sometimes. But together we can and will do this!