From debt to freedom...

Had a busy week at work. Having the menu planned out and shared with the children helped as it felt like we were more organised this week.

I had a day off on a Friday which was lovely. I went to a local NT property and enjoyed wandering around looking at all the Spring flowers. My lovely mum treated me to lunch which was delicious. I was interested in the salad we had. They served salad leaves with long shavings of courgette added. Never thought of doing that! Must get some salad leaves sown!

Also got to the beach on Friday evening with the children. We went for half an hour before sunset and had the whole beach to ourselves. Bliss! The whole day off really helped. I try to keep focussed on keeping spending down and paying debts down but can get very worried about it all. I find getting outside and walking across a beach or around a garden is very calming (as well as free!) and helps me to feel focussed about the debt reduction without the panic.

Yesterday got taken up with household jobs. Spent the afternoon pricking out lettuce seedlings. Sowed some more calendulas of a different variety and potted on some parsley seedlings that have overwintered. Also sowed some Rudbeckia and annual chrysanthemums. They are good for colour and hardiness. Need to get more lettuce sown and some beetroot in the coming week. The toddler really enjoys pottering around outside as I'm gardening. It's lovely to see him enjoying life!

My oldest DD is 18 at the end of this month so am wracking my brains to think of a frugal way to celebrate. DD2 and I went to a Woolworths like shop and bought some 18 balloons and a banner. We also bought an A3,sized frame so that we could make a photo montage of her 18 years and frame it to give to her on her birthday. I have a present idea, so just the celebration side to carefully think through.:think:

Had a busy day today. Made the most of the beautiful Spring weather and got a couple of loads of washing dried on the line. Spent a couple of hours pottering around in the garden. I sowed Beetroot, 2 types of lettuce (Navara, a red leaved variety and Little Gem), 2nd sow of Cornflowers, Tomatoes, Scabious and a type of Sunflower called "Vanilla Ice". The sunflower is beautiful. I grew it last year for the first time. It's not a sunflower that grows 6 feet tall but a smaller multi branching type that bears lots of flowers so that at first glance it looks like a sunflower bush. I inspected the seedlings sown a couple of weeks ago and the sweet peas have germinated and are growing steadily. The first sow of lettuce that I pricked out has been partly demolished by a snail or slug:mad: So frustrating. The same thing has happened with the cornflowers. The seed leaves have been well and truly munched. I have one of those small 4 tier mini greenhouses with the plastic cover which works well for keeping plants sheltered but the frame does give hiding opportunities for snails and slugs.

Have also pricked out the Nigella seedlings (Love in a mist) and hope they will survive. Sowed some Bells of Ireland today too. I've had the seeds in the freezer for a week or so, so now sown. The flowers are an amazing green colour, quite unusual. Did a bit of recycling today in reusing some old trellis from the garden to create a frame for a plant to climb. Last year I bought this tiny Jasmine plant. It has pale pink flowers rather than white and did well in its first year to grow long wiry stems but they need training. I repotted it into a larger pot and put the trellis behind. Will tie in tomorrow.

Made a menu plan with DD2 and went shopping strictly for menu ingredients and fruit, butter and milk etc.

DD1 is 18 in the coming week. I bought her a present. Someone locally runs a jewellery business, making her own designs so have got her a silver pendant and chain. It does look beautiful. Still struggling with how to celebrate on a budget. DD2 has offered to help me make a cake. DD1 loves red velvet cake so am hoping to be able to do a cake. I used to love making birthday cakes for them when they were little. I did a ladybird for her third birthday which looked quite good. Had more time then...! We'll see what we can do. DD1 is keen to see the Beauty and the Beast film so have suggested that we all go to see that and have a meal together afterwards.

Have paid the water bill today and hoping to have NSDs this week, other than DD1's birthday.

Have spent time tonight (or rather this morning) updating transactions on my spending tracker app. I do find it so useful to see clearly in visual form where the money is going. This month a whopping £760 in nursery fees. A little more hefty than usual as it has been a 5 week month if you see what I mean. Food spending has crept up again:mad: which is so frustrating. Fuel was slightly higher but did include a trip to the accomodation open day so was expected and planned. Plenty of scope for improvement I feel. I do find if work gets busier than usual, that's when I'm slipping on the food front which is having a knock on effect on the figures.

The 18th birthday has gone well. DD1 liked the silver necklace . Spent last night making the Red Velvet cake. Never made one before so found a recipe on Good Housekeeping website and made that. The icing mix made a huge amount of icing , half of which is still in the fridge so might end up making red velvet cupcakes to use up the icing. Found some red hundreds and thousands like things so sprinkled those over to make an 18. It looked OK...homemade and basic but at least a cake and she was happy with it which is the main thing. DD2 finished the photo montage and framed it and it looks great. She hasn't given it to DD1 yet until we've had her birthday meal tomorrow night. Tomorrow will be spendy with the meal but intend to have plenty of NSDs after that.

Two weeks away from work so hoping to get plenty of gardening in. Also want to get some bits and pieces round the house done. My bedroom is in desperate need of painting. I have a couple of tester pots that have been waiting to be applied since December so will try and get the walls cleaned down on the next couple of days to allow for painting it next week. Was never allowed to get involved with the painting before but I actually do like it so am looking forward to making the house look fresher.