Turning Straw into Gold: Creating Long Term Security & A Solid Home

MillQueen

@doingitanyway, it's the start-up charges that are my downfall, as I have a long list of costs that need to happen first and things I need to buy before I can get people in the rooms… Yet no money to buy or fix the things needed. I bought a house specifically with this in mind, but getting if off the ground is a big task!

MillQueen

I've started to receive all those emails from companies that their prices are going up in April. My broadband is going up by 11%. I imagine every other company will also take the pee in the same way 🙄.

My pay uplift I think is less than 1.5%…. 🤔😵

MillQueen

On another topic, I’ve just cut a bit off the bottom of my hair, as the ends were looking dry. I’ve got the type of wild hair where this is fine as you can’t tell it hasn’t been cut by a properly trained person.

I also haven’t had it dyed in months - I decided to keep the grey highlights. That started off as money saving but I’ve now settled into liking the naturalness of it. I used to spend about £100 getting it done every few months before I got the house.

doingitanyway

That is a lot of money to save. Do you have any hair and beauty training colleges nearby? You could get treatments/haircuts for not very much money.

MillQueen

That’s a good point, I will have a look. No one has noticed yet that I haven’t had it cut properly for a while (though I take great delight in telling them anyway).

MillQueen

I have almost earned enough points on Ipsos iSay to get a £10 Asda voucher. I am going to use it either to restock back up on milk, eggs and cheese, or possibly to buy some toiletries like face cleanser. It's the easiest money I've ever made. Is anyone on any other sites that are similarly easy to use?

I'm collecting a TGTG tonight. I haven't had the time and energy this week to do as much cooking as I imagined, but I am going to set aside some time tomorrow to make soup. I have quite a few tasks to do and I'm very tired so I'm going to get an early night tonight.

MillQueen

Returned with my TGTG haul. Got loads of salad, sushi, pack of four rhubarb and custard flavour hot cross buns, big bag of soft white rolls, sandwich fillers, hummus, spring greens, microwave meal, two avocados, kiwi fruits, slices of chicken, pack of bok choi, scotch bonnet peppers. That’s all I can remember, but there were a few more bits. I have just eaten two hot cross buns and the sushi, as the latter seemed best eaten fast as the use by was today.

I wondered about saving the seeds from the chillis, as the other day someone was telling me that they grow veg after they buy it, in whatever containers they have around. They re-grow their spring onions after saving a bit from the bottom so it sprouts again, and they grow potatoes in a bag for life in the back yard. I’ve been considering getting one of those composters for kitchen waste when I can afford it. Felt quite inspired!

MillQueen

Excitingly, I have just got a £4 loyalty voucher in the TGTG app. It appears on your 10th purchase. I am going to set myself a challenge to spend no money at all until I get paid at the end of the month and use the voucher if I need any food.

Just realised it’s possible I may need to put petrol in the car to get to work at some point, so that will be allowable if needed.

MillQueen

Remembered I also got a pack of two veggie burgers in the TGTO, so I will have one tonight in a roll, with some salad, and take the other one to work tomorrow. Going to make some sort of stewed plum thing with a walnut topping to take as well for dessert in a little pot. I quite like the adventure of all this.

I decided to go on a direct debit for the water bill to make it easier to find the money, so I will set this to come out on the 1st of the month like most of my bills do. They give a £5 discount when you do this, which is nice.

MillQueen

A nice thing! I don't have to start paying the direct debit for the water bill until April! Then it's £46 a month, which does seem crazy, but when I have the lodgers in a few months it's better not to be on a meter.