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Winter Wonders
Comments
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Citric acid is the best thing for de-furring a kettle and removing limescale. You can buy it in a large pack and just put a tablespoonful in to the last 1/2cm of water in the recently boiled kettle and watch it fizz off all the limescale. Then lift the top off your toilet cistern and pour the kettle contents over the furred up bits at a trickle. It will give your toilet years more use before the flush breaks. I also keep a solution in a plant spray bottle and spray the bathroom taps, the inside of the toilet round the rim, and inside the shower. I say pah to expensive cleaning materials. I buy food grade as I can also use it to make cordial and things like that too.
We audited what we need to do to be ready for the new bee season today. Most is for Mr Sl who does the repairs, scraping and scorching, but I have a mass of horrid slimy bags to clean, along with poly nucs to prepare, and some frames to make up
Save £12k in 2025 #2 I saved £14,660.97 of £6000 or 244.35% of my target. The 2026 Save £12k in 2026 thread is here
OS Grocery Challenge in 2025 I finished the year at £2880.99/£3000 or 96.03% of my annual spend so I am sticking with a £3000 annual budget for 2026
I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the grow your own in 2026 discussion thread
My keep within our budget diary is here5 -
Today I read a book in bed for a couple of hours - bliss! A proper real book! More of that this year please (I started it last summer then forgot about it).
I used up a Christmas potato to make hash browns. I've dug the carrots and parsnips out of the sand they were stored in and given them a wash. I won't be trying that again. I'll peel, parboil, chop and freeze tomorrow.
I washed the dog car seat cover. I mean the thing that covers the back seats of the car, my dogs don't have actual car seats.
Debts 04/01/25 02/02/26
Natwest2 £6,509.97 £5,100
NatWest CC £7,612.74 £6,535
Lloyds CC £6,112.60 £4,450
1st Direct CC £176.03 £3.53
CC total £20,411.34 £16,088.53
TSB OD £500 £0
1st Direct OD £600 £0
Car loan £4,000 £4,000
1st Direct Loan £10,684.44 £7,655
Total £36,195.78 £27,743.53
EF £1,100.13
HF £101.432 -
Started looking at building regs info and gave up. I need to move the downstairs loo, and turn the garage into an office/boot room/plant room. I think I need to apply for building regs sign off for moving the loo (about 2ft to the other side of a wall), and insulating the garage and extending the heating/electrics into it so it's part of the house. Apparently the actual blocking up of the doors and putting in the window/doors isn't an issue as there is no structural alteration - the roof is held up by a steel beam. I just need to work out what information they actually need.3
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Had a small sort-out of bathroom, decluttered a couple of cute decorative hair clips I'm unlikely to wear again, a pack of black hairbands as I have plenty of brown ones that tone better with my hair, and a can of hairspray that I received to review but am not likely to use.
Also dug out a couple of puzzle books I'm unlikely to use. I like the thought of being someone who does them but in reality I am nothttps://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6466032/an-in-between-phase/p1
'self-blame can be as egotistical as self-praise... any work worth doing is greater than we are... we must not overrate our importance to it, either for good or ill' Margaret Kennedy Lucy Carmichael2 -
I parboiled some of the carrots and parsnips ready for the freezer while I cooked my lunch. I'll finish the rest when I do my tea.
Cleaned and refilled the paddling pool for the ducks. I also moved a compost bin (that's been an OAT for a few months). The chickens are enjoying scratching around in the compost. I'll spread it on the garden bit by bit through the week.
I tried on 3 sports bras hanging on the back of my bathroom door since summer. 2 worth keeping, 1 (luckily the one I've never worn) still doesn't fit so can go to charity or vntd.
But my biggest OAT this weekend has been catching up on sleep! Bliss!Debts 04/01/25 02/02/26
Natwest2 £6,509.97 £5,100
NatWest CC £7,612.74 £6,535
Lloyds CC £6,112.60 £4,450
1st Direct CC £176.03 £3.53
CC total £20,411.34 £16,088.53
TSB OD £500 £0
1st Direct OD £600 £0
Car loan £4,000 £4,000
1st Direct Loan £10,684.44 £7,655
Total £36,195.78 £27,743.53
EF £1,100.13
HF £101.432 -
Catching up on sleep is just the best thing ever @Rhyddid2026 ❤️https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6466032/an-in-between-phase/p1
'self-blame can be as egotistical as self-praise... any work worth doing is greater than we are... we must not overrate our importance to it, either for good or ill' Margaret Kennedy Lucy Carmichael2 -
I feel like a different person Pip!!Debts 04/01/25 02/02/26
Natwest2 £6,509.97 £5,100
NatWest CC £7,612.74 £6,535
Lloyds CC £6,112.60 £4,450
1st Direct CC £176.03 £3.53
CC total £20,411.34 £16,088.53
TSB OD £500 £0
1st Direct OD £600 £0
Car loan £4,000 £4,000
1st Direct Loan £10,684.44 £7,655
Total £36,195.78 £27,743.53
EF £1,100.13
HF £101.432 -
Cleaned out the hot water urn that has been sitting for I don't know how long. When I looked there was still water in it 🤦♂️
This OAT was proudly sponsored by me needing to fill the portable bath, a task that took nearly a full afternoon until I finally cleaned the blooming urn3 -
I'm bored but I don't want to do anything that I should do.
So I've put the tortoise in his hibernation box (yes, I know, months late and he'll be waking up soon).
I've dyed my half white eyebrow.
I've also sown some micro greens. Amaranth, broccoli, pack choi, and beetroot. I've got dried peas soaking to sow tomorrow for pea shoots.
The carrots have all been peeled, chopped, and blanched. Just put the second tray full in the freezer. I didn't bother with the parsnips as there was only 2 left. I'll eat those in the next couple of days. I've been meaning to make Yorkshire puds for the freezer so might do toad in the hole tomorrow or Tuesday and have roast parsnips with that.Debts 04/01/25 02/02/26
Natwest2 £6,509.97 £5,100
NatWest CC £7,612.74 £6,535
Lloyds CC £6,112.60 £4,450
1st Direct CC £176.03 £3.53
CC total £20,411.34 £16,088.53
TSB OD £500 £0
1st Direct OD £600 £0
Car loan £4,000 £4,000
1st Direct Loan £10,684.44 £7,655
Total £36,195.78 £27,743.53
EF £1,100.13
HF £101.432 -
Well that sounds darn productive to me @Rhyddid2026. Sunday evenings should not be for doing things you have to do, that's what Mondays are forhttps://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6466032/an-in-between-phase/p1
'self-blame can be as egotistical as self-praise... any work worth doing is greater than we are... we must not overrate our importance to it, either for good or ill' Margaret Kennedy Lucy Carmichael2
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