Spend Nowt, Buy Nowt, Owe Nowt

Our obsolete and uninsured thermostat has finally given up the ghost and we have been freezing almost every evening for the last couple of weeks. Thank goodness it has been milder these last few days. It has a mind of its own and will occasionally come on for however long it likes (not very long usually) and then goes off. I cant even override the timer and put it on constant. It is going to cost £179 for one of those Hive things with free wiring and installation which is a lot less than the £650 they quoted us when we first moved in. I think we get it cheaper as it is broken rather than an upgrade. We get a free mini alexa what-not too which DS is excited about.

What with the thermostat and the washer I am waiting for the third thing to go wrong. Maybe it's the torrential rain and weather warning for our 12 hour outdoor challenge at the weekend:eek: I hope it's not the cut and colour I am having this evening!!! It's my first salon colour in years.

Food spending is going well after my mega shop last week. I did buy too much in hindsight and there will be enough for the first week of November's main meals at least. I do need some bits for our pack lunch this weekend, some GF garlic bread for a shared meal and I have just used the last of the GF oats to make energy bars so will need some more for porridge and some fruit for next week's lunches.

I have finished paying for my phone so my bill has dropped £15. After our holiday I will look for a sim only deal as I am still paying £23 which is very high and I have a work phone too so don't need a fancy new phone or a super dooper contract.

It looks like DPIL wont be coming to us for Christmas Day tea for the first time in about 8 years this year. I did try and put my foot down last year but it didn't work. I sound very mean but she is so ungrateful and can be quite rude. My DM and DSD and coming and will stay so I think that has put her off. She suffers badly from social anxiety but hardly ever eats in. We declined to go to a pub/hotel with them for Christmas. We've done it twice, once with them and once on our own both before DS arrived, and hated it both times and it's no fun for an over excited 8 year old.

Mum hasn't confirmed that she is definitely coming yet as My DSDad sister passed away last week which has upset them both terribly and they have other things to worry about. It's our turn to have my brother and sister and whatever grown up kids are about/want to come. At least this year we have 4 double beds so people can stay instead of driving 2 hours if they want.

I am working from home today but haven't got much done TBH. I am getting my hair done this evening and then tomorrow evening we leave early afternoon to drive for our walk so have been trying to sort out my kit and have cooked tonight's tea to warm up when I get back and a ginger cake and energy bars for our walk.

I'm struggling to sleep this week. I am worried that the mortgage company will withdraw their offer because we have had to use the CC to cover emergencies and some spends in what has been the tightest month we have had in a very long time when both working. I'm worried about how we will manage if it is. I'm worried about Saturday's walk in the horrendous weather conditions. DH still needs waterproof trousers and I don't know when we are going to get them. I'm worried about how the heck I am going to get everything done next week so we are ready to go on holiday by Saturday lunchtime when I am at work all week and way 2 days. I am stressed that DS still needs flip/flops/sandals and I can't find any and he has wide feet so I cant just order them and he needs a fancy dress costume for Halloween I haven't had time to order. I am stressed out that the house is always an untidy mess and scruffy and that it's all left to me.

A cup of tea, a slice of freshly baked ginger cake and a kick up the ars3 is required!

Treadingonplaymobil wrote: »

Poor you Xspender, it's so awful when you've got dozens of things whirling in your head. Hope you got some sleep last night and it looks a little brighter today (in your head, if not the weather! Atrocious down in the SW this morning). Make a list and divide between what absolutely needs dealing with today and what can be postponed to next week, and postpone what you can.

A list will definitely help. I did get a fair bit done yesterday bearing in mind I left the hairdressers at 7pm and didn't sit down until 10pm. I did sleep though. My living room looks like a branch of G0 Outd00rs with piles of walking gear everywhere (any my stash of Kendal mint cake;))

Honeysucklelou2 wrote: »

If your outdoor challenge is an organised event will it still be held in such awful weather conditions? Can you write a list of what needs doing to prepare for your holiday and show it to your DS and DH? When we visit DD1, my 8 year old is quite happy to count out t- shirts, socks etc and put them in a hold-all. Simple tasks that might make things a bit easier for you.

The ginger cake sounds delicious...will add to my list for baking this weekend. Thank you!

They will only cancel in very high wind so it will be a very soggy walk.

Great idea of getting DS to put his own clothes together. We have sorted out everything that fits so it is just a matter of lifting it in to the case and adding a few other bits. Another list will be prepared

apple_muncher wrote: »

I've just ported my phone number to p1usn3t and have a £5 monthly payment for unlimited texts and calls. Not sure if the offer is still running, but I think it comes and goes.

I had a look at that one and the £7 one which has more data. Hopefully it will still be available when I come back off my hols.

I think my 3rd bad thing has arrived! I was trying to be efficient and pay the LLoyds CC early so that I could balance YNAB following the recent spending only to receive a text saying thanks but we will still take the DD. Previously they have taken this as the payment as it is after the statement date so I now have to find another £93 :mad: I also took some school swimming trunks back to M&S but managed to leave the receipt on the mantlepiece so have a credit note rather than a refund.

The engineer couldn't set up the h1v3 account yesterday so I haven't paid for it yet! We have heating and hot water but not the app. She is coming back today to set it up on DH email.

I managed to find some flip flops for DS in n3xt which fit. I bought 2 pairs in different sizes and a pair of sandals to ensure I got something so I have 2 pairs to go back.

All the food for this weekend and milk and fruit for next week has been bought. I need to update YNAB but have gone a little over the food budget but there should not be any more spending unless DH wants some beer when he breaks up from work next Friday. If I come in under £400 I will be chuffed to bits. I'm at about £370 now.

I certainly needed my waterproofs as Storm Calum gave us a right old bashing. Biblical rain and 60 mph winds, the worse October weather seen in the area for over 20 years :eek: It meant we did almost the whole distance but not every summit for safety reasons. We had a great weekend (no TV, no phone signal = bliss) and are organising a 2nd attempt for next summer.

I've checked the Ll0yds CC and it doesn't look like they are taking a second payment so that has left a bit more in the account. I've also cashed in my pots and piggies and have £129.50 to pay in most of which I had been saving for my holiday and the rest will go to paying off one of the small debts which will remain after the re-mortgage.

No news on the re-mortgage. I may give the solicitors a ring just to advise we are on holiday next week in case they need us for anything but really to get a better idea of when it will complete.

I still haven't paid for the thermostat as they can't set my account up at their end. It works but I haven't got access to the app.

The good news is that DH has been awarded a quarterly bonus on top of his guaranteed bonus so will be paid 3 times the bonus we were expecting at the end of the month :T:j This will clear the emergency spending this month, give us a £1000 emergency fund and pay for Christmas which is the point I was hoping to be at when the re-mortgage went through before all the emergencies happened.

Food budget is at £375 and I am hoping to limp through to the 1st of November on £20 for milk, fruit and lunch stuff when we get back. Under £400 will be a good reduction for us but the challenge will be keeping it under £400 when we are at home another week. I really must focus on this as overspending on food will throw out our whole budget going forward.

DS has been chosen to represent his school at a sporting event this week (thanks school for the 3 days notice!) and the only way we can get him there is if I pay for FIL to take him in a taxi there and back. It's not far but is a bit of a faff on for FIL. With more notice I could have rearranged my appointments and taken him myself.

I have made a list of everything I need to do before Saturday!

1) Work to do list
2) Buy euros
3) Print off tickets
4) Buy travel insurance
5) Buy suntan lotion
6) Take DS sandals back
7) Buy waterproof trousers for DS school trip
8) Order fancy dress costume for DS for Halloween - done
9) Drop off cash for taxis to FIL
10) Pay change in
11) Buy shed roof felt for FIL to fit when we are away
12) Clear laundry mountain
12) Wash our duvet
13) Change our sheets
14) Use up fresh stuff and clear out fridge
15) Suitcases out of loft
16) Sort our clothes, find various items, iron and pack
17) Buy sandwiches to eat on plane as arrive late (no GF ones at airport:()
18) Book taxi to airport
19) Check I have enough reading material for holiday and download if not (personal spends)

I'm sure there will be some more to add!