Living the Good Life - mortgage free and living in line with our values

themadvix

EssexHebridean said:

I shall simply say that the thought and care you put into the party planning was very evident on here (well, on your old diary really!), even if not to you! I think sometimes the MSE habits of ensuring  we get value are so ingrained we overlook how much we just do them unconsciously! 

😳 well, thank you. And you're right about the ingrained MSE-ness - it is totally second nature - I'm sure people think some of the stuff we do is weird, despite it just being normal to us! And it was the MSE-er of the two venues we looked at, but then there was no way I was hiring a room suitable for yp to 175 people and then paying £17.50/head for a buffet! I couldn't quite believe how good value our venue was, but was very happy to opt for it! The only downside was that Niece couldn't stay later (they only have a children's licence to 9pm) - but this was also a great way of avoiding the party becoming a creche due to childcare issues! (It was lovely to see so many of our friends in 'adult mode' rather than 'parent mode' for a change - and I think they enjoyed it too!)

powerspowers

Party sounds great and very MSE! Happy birthday xx

Watty1

Party sounds wonderful.  Nice planning (just caught up)    Happy Birthday

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Thanks @powerspowers and @Watty1 !

I have been making progress with the large (non-urgent) project for my main client this morning. Dear oh dear, it's an interesting one.... I hope he's already got the money from the client! (I'm sure he has, and/or the client will pay - he's not a new client for us). I'm glad it's not an urgent project... I can only manage a bit at a time before my brain turns to mush!

Planning on heading down to to town in a bit - I need to get some cash out, pay some cash in, pop to library and buy a card and maybe a present (this might just turn into some cash). I'd like to get there and back before school kicking out time really as then the cycle paths get busy and it slows me down!

Dinner last night was the leftover fish pie, with carrots and the last of the Christmas red cabbage. Tonight we're going to have (veggie) sausage and squash bake, which was delicious last time. I will probably make sufficient to have it again for dinner on Saturday. Tomorrow we'll have curry from the freezer and rice (easy for after the pub). Small supermarket order delivered this morning, although I have to say, I seemed to get quite a bit for my money today, which is an unusual feeling! About to treat myself to a fried egg sarnie for lunch.

In good news, we've had the car insurance renewal through and despite the ongoing claim (the service is dire, but we'll gloss over that), the premium has gone down by £20 and was £230 cheaper than anything that came through on the MSE Moneysupermarket tool, so we'll stick with them! 

The having 'pending' pots for my CCs is a game changer - every time I spend I'm considering which pot the money is coming out of (not that I've ever been profligate, but it's definitely sharpening my focus). I'm aware that next month I may not have the same ability to budget for food and personal spends initially as pay will be down, so I may have to top up from Cambridge pay (mid-month) - and as some of this usually goes to paying off the cc, without categorised spending, this is fine!

MS things:
* S&S scanned and submitted (we have £100+ (again) in there, so considering what vouchers to get - BnQ seems like a safe option)
* RM survey items scanned and CD survey submitted
* Used up red cabbage
* TV survey
* Allotment rent has been paid (via CC of course, for points)
* PA survey
* Cat food and flea treatment order done and came in under the amount in the cat pot, so that's all good - and obviously got TCB and a savings plan reduction on it too
* Used Ebay earnings money (£5) towards a new bed sheet - both of ours have recently developed holes - I replaced one, but not the other and I've had enough of catching it with my feet. I know RT was very virtuous and bondawebbed hers but I think the surrounding fabric is too thin to do it in this case. The sheets aren't cheap as they're organic cotton - I'd be happy with a CS one if it was 100% cotton, but don't want polycotton for microplastics reasons.

Gratitudes:
* The fog has cleared, so cycling to town won't feel quite as damp and miserable!
* Mr MV came for a walk round the block with me last night, despite not really wanting to
* The last bit of birthday cake (well technically Mr MV has the last bit - I've had my fair share!). Cousin makes a very yummy cake 😊

Have a good afternoon all!

themadvix

Cash paid in and re-distributed - there was more than I thought (aside from the birthday cash). Mr MV has had £7 delivered back to him; £13 to me and the remainder (and the birthday cash) put in the joint presents fund - for as yet undecided adventures. I got books on Ireland and Amsterdam/the Netherlands out of the library, hoping for some inspiration! (Also tempted by Morocco by train - with Byway.travel - seems reasonable and what an adventure! Not one for this year though.)

rtandon27

themadvix said:

...Used Ebay earnings money (£5) towards a new bed sheet - both of ours have recently developed holes - I replaced one, but not the other and I've had enough of catching it with my feet. I know RT was very virtuous and bondawebbed hers but I think the surrounding fabric is too thin to do it in this case. The sheets aren't cheap as they're organic cotton - I'd be happy with a CS one if it was 100% cotton, but don't want polycotton for microplastics reasons...

Oh dear @themadvix - the saga of our fitted sheets has developed since my virtuous intentions!  Another of our sheets developed a hole (again where OH bicycles his feet) and the one that I mended then decided to wear through on my side at foot height which is 1 foot less than his side!  OH looked at me one evening and asked if I could just do some sleuthing and buy us some affordable new sheets.  So thinking I found a deal, I ordered one online and it has arrived as a King & not a Double!  I'll be requesting a refund, as it was their error and have now ordered the correct size which is two pounds more than it was during the boxing week sales!  We currently are using the warm jersey fitted sheet which I love for the extra warmth but reminds OH of t-shirt material so he's not a fan!

Watty1

Another fan of jersey sheets.   A pal once said they were for "old ladies" but I disagree. The warmth and cosiness cannot be beaten.

Greying_Pilgrim

Watty1 said:

Another fan of jersey sheets.   A pal once said they were for "old ladies" but I disagree. The warmth and cosiness cannot be beaten.

Thing is, 'old ladies' know a thing or two, and have earnt their wisdom and grey locks.  Jus' sayin....... 🤣  Yer pal is...... wrong 🤣 We too have brushed cotton sheets - they make all the difference.

Signed, An auld 'Greying' lady 😉 X

themadvix

Afternoon all,

Ah RT, what a pain about the replacements. I have to say, in one of my super-thrifty past moments, I tried repairing sheets and it just wasn't worth it as they'd go elsewhere or be too uncomfortable to use. Would work if they were flat sheets, but they're not. I'm the same as your OH, so it's entirely my fault we need new ones 🙄 I think jersey sheets would be too hot for Mr MV - and he feels ill if he gets too hot - but they sound wonderful to me!

The next installment from UK client has arrived, so I've been focusing on that - she'd like it back at the end of Monday ideally, so I've got a fair bit to get through. Good progress has been made though.

It has occurred to me that we might want to prioritise a trip to Oktoberfest sooner rather than later (if we want to go with companions of choice before they decide to start a family) - which requires yet another lengthy train journey (if possible - timing wise, it may not be). Discussions to be had there....

My second WF dress arrived this morning and is as lovely as the first (which I'm currently wearing). I'm now considering a clothes buying ban. I don't think I generally need one, but I might try to avoid anything for a few months now - my jeans are OK and I have plenty of winter/spring jumpers etc. Not included would be shoes - I have no specific need, but buying shoes is such a nightmare for me that I never do, so should something that's right come along, I would make an exception (it's highly unlikely given I'd actually have to want to buy some). It might help me save some pennies (from my £15/month budget) for the main European train journeys I want to make this year! 😂

Made Cranks potato soup yesterday evening for lunch today, thinking Mr MV would be out at site and need something cold. Turns out, he wasn't due to be there until 2pm, so ate with me! The soup was quite nice, given it is very basic and therefore cheap to make - key ingredients are potatoes, an onion and 1/2pt milk, so not exactly luxurious. Would make again though, which is good. It was eaten with the last of the loaf. Another two portions (ish) available for lunch tomorrow. Dinner tonight will be parsnip dal for me, turkey curry for him and rice in the IP so it's ready when we get back from the pub. Will only be a quick drink as BIL and SIL are off on holiday in the early hours.

Tomorrow we've got my cousin's son's birthday party 🙄 (so only small portions of soup for lunch will be fine) and then Sunday we're doing an escape room with Mum and Sis (voucher was mum's present two years ago - she's right on the last week for using the voucher!). May go out for lunch afterwards to celebrate Mum's birthday (Monday), but not sure yet. In all of this, we *need* to sit down and do some year planning and I need to order seeds!

MS things:
* Clicks and HW
* Thrifty soup
* Lots of motivation to not spend!
*RM survey item posted
* Monies all sat ready for my Amex bill which has arrived today

Gratitudes:
* Appreciation by text message of my ancient postcard reuse for thank you notes! 😊
* A quick walk around the block to post the RM survey stuff - it's cool and grey but dry. We'll be walking to the pub later too, of course
* I braved the scales for the first time since all the merriment this morning and was pleasantly surprised. Now just to improve on that.

Have a lovely afternoon/evening all!

beanielou

Flannellette sheets all the way in the winter!