Let's get this sorted then!

flamingo22

Rhyddid2026 said:

I think it went ok. Nobody fell asleep despite it being warm and dark and a Friday afternoon! I feel better now I've met the class and I have a better idea of how to do things for the next 2 lectures. I think. 
I picked up a dine in meal deal in the Azdas, 2 goats cheese tarts, two steak pies, cauliflower cheese, and two lemon cheesecakes for £11! That's pretty much my food for the weekend sorted. 
I also opened a bottle of red wine when I got home, and felt pretty exhausted as soon as I sat down, so I've had an evening in front of the TV with good food and wine.

Sounds like a perfect night 😊

doingitanyway

That is a good deal! I might go and get one too.
Good TV, good wine, good food. I agree @flamingo22 sounds pukka

Rhyddid2026

I did my weekly finances last night. The credit card balance is looking good, I've managed to pay quite a bit extra off this month.
I'm a bit of a pie snob (NZ pies spoiled me) but the azders steak n ale pie was pretty good! Not a ton of meat in it but really good meat. 
I used one of the Christmas potatoes to make hash browns for brunch. With two freshly laid eggs, thank you Myra and Claire. Tea was one of the goats cheese tarts with pan fried celeriac and (Christmas 15p) red cabbage.
The carrots and parsnips that I tried storing in sand haven't done well. The carriers are starting to turn black and the parsnips are sprouting. I'm going to get them out, salvage what I can, and whatever I don't use tomorrow I'll chop, parboil, and stick in the freezer. There might be enough for another two meals. It was still worth buying the cheap veg and it's served me well through January. The potatoes should be ok for another couple of weeks.
I've had a lovely lazy day. I stayed in bed til 11am (fed the animals at 8 and got back in), went out for poultry food, made brunch, then went back to bed to read for a couple of hours. An actual book too, not an audiobook. I started it last summer and forgot about it til I sorted the pile near my bed 😂
I've done the dishes and put a wash on, but I think working 3 jobs this week was quite enough, my body needs a rest so house chores can wait til tomorrow.

Dakota_Rose

Rest and resets are so important at the weekend when you’re so busy during the week. Sounds lovely 😊 

Rhyddid2026

I think I've had 10 hours sleep! I was worried I might not sleep well because of the napping but I did. It's not been the fatigue/exhaustion I used to battle with though, it's felt like a choice and it's felt very restorative. My sleep hasn't been great the last few months, even when I've slept long enough it hasn't been decent deep sleep. I think I really needed this. 
I think I'd better give the dogs a decent walk today, and get a few things done.
My timberland boots have just started lightly falling apart, so they're relegated to dog walking now. I might get a new pair on payday for work. I like having a new pair of shoes to start a new job. Timberland have some I like on sale for £65 and although that is a lot of money the recently relegated pair were bought in spring of '21 so I don't mind spending that on boots that last me 5 years.
It might also be a kick up the bum to list some stuff on vntd.

doingitanyway

Your Christmas veg is lasting as long as mine. I still have potatoes!

Rhyddid2026

doingitanyway said:

Your Christmas veg is lasting as long as mine. I still have potatoes!

I still have soooooo many potatoes!!🤣

Rhyddid2026

Last few days of the month. I have £25 left in my account, which is enough if I need a little top up of any food or a little fuel. I think I'm only driving to work 2 days this week so I should have enough fuel already. 
I unfortunately misjudged the animal bedding. I'm going to need to get some tomorrow I think. £10 should cover it.
So it's tight but I should just about do it.
On reflection this is probably the best January I've had in many years. I've lasted the month without using any emergency fund or debt. I've even managed to pay quite a bit extra off the credit card.
This payday should be my last before my payrise. I'm excited to start my new debt attack plans! 

doingitanyway

Well done on a MSE January with no credit or dipping into savings 

Rhyddid2026

I had my fuel bill and it's extortionate. My electricity use has remain pretty stable each month but my gas usage from Christmas til now is ridiculous! I was a few hundred in credit at the end of the summer so my DD remains the same, but it still needs sorting out before they ask me to increase it.

I've been really lazy, not using the log burner much. The logs I had delivered at the end of 2024 are a bit of a mixed bag and some are too big so need to be cut down. A lot of the wood is stored in my alleyway, so involves going out my front door and gate to get it, and often when I think of it it's dark and cold and wet. The wood store I have in my back garden is falling apart and often surrounded by a pool of water from my crappy drains not draining well. So lots of excuses, but really I've just got lazy and out of the habit. There's no reason why I can't store a few days worth of wood in the conservatory when it's not being used to grow veg. And I can cut/move wood on the occasional dry day.

I've brought some wood in today and lit the fire at 2pm between meetings.

In better news because I've been showering downstairs and it's freezing, my water usage is the lowest it's been in a few years 😄