My 25 Months Challenge

Options
1…1213151718…31

Comments

  • StripeyTightsSpottySocks
    StripeyTightsSpottySocks Posts: 414 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Options
    Thank you savings and tahlullah for your kind and supportive words :)

    It has been a busy week and i have achieved some things :T Ok, it's small stuff but still -

    the kitchen remains clutter free :T

    I went into 4 shops and in 3 of them bought only what was on my list - in the 4th i spent an additional £1.80 - this got me 2 luxury ready meals, 5 packs of veg - which i'd been hopeful for because i wanted some for a stew but didn't put them on my list because i didn't want a large veg spend this week and 5 lots of fancy bread which i was also hopeful for but i didn't want to spend ££ on so it wasn't on the list ;)
    Food spend £18.98

    i picked up a book on a charity stall in town and i put it back and walked away

    I've been drinking enough water each day

    We've eaten from batch cooking and leftovers all week :T

    I've batch cooked some more to use what we have :T

    Things i'd like to achieve this weekend

    Clear living room

    Start on utility clear out

    Look into item on ebay to check resale price

    Read

    Run x 2

    No food spends

    Continue water intake

    Re-organise inventory of freezer into a book

    Meal plan for the week - i need to try and find a routine i can use - any suggestions welcome

    Update sig to include target £1,000 for EF - thanks to savings

    Decide on next health issue to tackle and book appointment

    Put current health issue on calendar so i am clear on appointments
    Mortgage Balance
  • StripeyTightsSpottySocks
    StripeyTightsSpottySocks Posts: 414 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Options
    i hope everyone is well?

    I thought i'd jot down the things i've achieved and those things i'd like to achieve this weekend. All small things but they will help make a difference :)

    i cancelled all shops this weekend as, remembering how i felt last week i decided my health was more important and this is what i'm prioritising now.

    Extra money will help and help with freedom and choices too so i will be pondering things in my mind. The end of the month isn't too far away and i have a large bill to pay and i want to then look at the target in my sig as well as focus on a proper EF - rather than the one i have now which i see as part of my mortgage payment, although it isn't really.

    Tonight i am going to have some supper - leftovers :) & watch a film. I'm very tired and haven't been sleeping well so a bit of a relax tonight and hopefully, a measured approach tomorrow, will show some results. I will post an update too.
    Mortgage Balance
  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 27,384 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Photogenic First Post
    Options
    I am so proud of you for starting to sort your EF and putting the book you picked up down. Progress! Gold star! Some great frugal food shopping too. I think it is also really good that you are relaxing this weekend and not over-stretching yourself. Hope you manage to improve your sleep soon. I must admit I've just bought a couple of new pillows - really hoping they help me as my current pillows just don't seem supportive enough...

    I look forward to reading the 10 items you decluttered. One of the other diaries I read a while ago - listed every single thing they decluttered including seriously embarrassing items. I think I will just post a number though... it depends... got to do it first....
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality by mid 2030
    1) MFW Nov 21 £201,999 with 237 payments to go - now £184,341 Equity 26.26%
    2) Spend on handyman & external building works & new patio door £12.3K
    3) CC £4.9K on 0% spends card but offset by £34.1K savings (part EF, part future home improvement)
    4) Mortgage neutral by June 2030 AVC £9.6K/£127.5K AVC target 7.5% value at 15/4
    5) FI Age 60 annual income target £13.7/30K 45.7%
  • Moneywhizz
    Moneywhizz Posts: 459 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    Options
    Good progress with your shopping, sticking to your list and not buying more books. Regarding meal planning I have a very simple plan. I plan for the next two weeks according to what I have in the freezer and buy the additional bits that I need weekly to make the meals. This saves me having too much in the freezer and allows me to buy "bargains" when I see them as I can either adapt them into my meal planner or put them in the freezer for the following two weeks. I think some people stick very strictly to their plan but I like a bit of flexibility. My main aim is to make sure I don't waste food and also I am not stuck thinking what we will have for dinner. I also keep a running list of what I have in the freezer on my laptop and add to it after I shop so that it is easy to make up the plan and I don't have to go on a rummage to see what I have. As I say it is a very simplified system, but it works well for me and takes very little effort.
  • StripeyTightsSpottySocks
    StripeyTightsSpottySocks Posts: 414 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Options
    savingholmes wrote: »
    I am so proud of you for starting to sort your EF and putting the book you picked up down. Progress! Gold star! Some great frugal food shopping too. I think it is also really good that you are relaxing this weekend and not over-stretching yourself. Hope you manage to improve your sleep soon. I must admit I've just bought a couple of new pillows - really hoping they help me as my current pillows just don't seem supportive enough...

    Thank you savings your supportive words really help :) The bed is lovely and comfortable - it is clearly the lumpy thoughts in my mind keeping me awake :rotfl: But i do work so much better after a proper deep sleep - i need to find a way to achieve this...
    savingholmes wrote: »
    I look forward to reading the 10 items you decluttered. One of the other diaries I read a while ago - listed every single thing they decluttered including seriously embarrassing items. I think I will just post a number though... it depends... got to do it first....

    :eek: I never thought of that :eek: But i'm not sure i've got anything that embarrassing :p Hope all is good with you savings? i shall pop over and 'see' you soon :)
    Mortgage Balance
  • StripeyTightsSpottySocks
    StripeyTightsSpottySocks Posts: 414 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Options
    Moneywhizz wrote: »
    Good progress with your shopping, sticking to your list and not buying more books. Regarding meal planning I have a very simple plan. I plan for the next two weeks according to what I have in the freezer and buy the additional bits that I need weekly to make the meals. This saves me having too much in the freezer and allows me to buy "bargains" when I see them as I can either adapt them into my meal planner or put them in the freezer for the following two weeks. I think some people stick very strictly to their plan but I like a bit of flexibility. My main aim is to make sure I don't waste food and also I am not stuck thinking what we will have for dinner. I also keep a running list of what I have in the freezer on my laptop and add to it after I shop so that it is easy to make up the plan and I don't have to go on a rummage to see what I have. As I say it is a very simplified system, but it works well for me and takes very little effort.

    Thank youMoneywhizz This morning i took my scrap of paper which detailed the contents of each shelf of the freezer and transferred this into a notebook which is easier to find and the food we have is now easier to 'see' too :)
    I have a page each for each shelf - and if appropriate in the margin i put an L or B next to the item to denote if it's specifically a breakfast or lunch item. I also make a note next to some of the items to tell me what else i need. eg 2 portion Chilli - need rice & garlic bread - this note is to tel me whilst t's 2 portions they are on the small size but padded out with other things results in a more varied and substantial tea :)

    I think i'm like you - i don't want to be struggling to think 'what can we have for tea' i also don't want waste and often have leftovers for lunch or tea the next day. But i also don't think i'd work well with a very 'fixed' meal plan so something flexible is definitely key. I would like some space in the freezer but at the moment have been guilty of lifting out an item to batch cook with - resulting in 4 items going back in the freezer :o Also, as i don't like waste i'll often turn things into a meal to freeze rather than it being thrown away. I am trying with meal planning, to find a method that suits me. This week, at the end of the shopping list i wrote each day and meal plan to help keep me focused :D
    Mortgage Balance
  • StripeyTightsSpottySocks
    StripeyTightsSpottySocks Posts: 414 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Options
    Today has been ok. I haven't been for a run :( but i have been under the weather and as i'm focusing on well-being i am just going to take the time i need at the moment.

    So it has been a slow day with a mixture of good things - & possibly bad too?

    i have drank enough water

    Eaten from stores - albeit only 1 meal due to being a bit poorly today.

    Washing is up to date and moved

    Pots done dried and moved

    Some time spent with Mr Socks :smileyhea

    Read a little

    Moved some things from the living room - i am going to combine this with the utility activity because it's mainly paperwork and hard and slow going

    The possible bad?

    Today hasn't been an nsd

    £18.53 food budget

    £10 a pair of new work shoes. These were reduced in the sale and i have been looking and reluctant to buy for almost a year now. My last work shoes were a cheap pair and damaged very easily so they looked really tatty and not at all professional when going into meetings - they couldn't be repaired. Wish i'd realised how easily they'd scrape when i got them :mad::o As it's no longer summer my sandals won't bear up in the rain. i nearly didn't buy these shoes and left the shop but then went back. I can't buy online because my feet aren't very mse as they are oddly shaped. Also i figured online there is usually postage too as well as not being able to return / return for free (the bay) so i think this is ok - or am i just trying to justify the spend :o

    Decluttering
    A book
    A pair of shoes -

    I should probably aim for 11 things having just bought some shoes - i am trying to sell a pair of shoes on the bay - x3 attempts and then charity shop so they are definitely going and they are leisure shoes; so not a like for like swap :p

    Oh and the food spend Because i meal planned and wrote next week's shopping list today i knew what i needed. I also have a sort of shopping wish list too - the things i know i need but aren't urgent this week and to check and see if there are any offers. £9 of the spend was on toiletries and household - reduced to half price of what i normally pay so i bulk bought :money: This will be very moneysaving over the coming months :T The remaining £9.53 was for some sauces which i knew i wanted and today they were the lowest in price ever so i nabbed just what i needed - one jar will last me a long time so no bulk buying there ;) i then, totally unexpectedly hit a little bit of shopping gold - bacon was on next week's shopping list - in the ys section :money: 4 packs bought and as i looked in another aisle something which has never happened to me before - a lady appeared laden down with a small tray which she placed in front of me - it was deli discount :) I got 3 huge wedges (too big to be a slice :rotfl:) of pie, some fancy sausage rolls, some turkey and some ham - these were all priced at less than 30p each :T i was delighted :D i also got some veg which was on my list for Monday. The other meats weren't too our taste and some seemed quite expensive in comparison - a single slice of ham for 30p?

    So, i said no food spends but bought things :o Some off next week's shopping list - toiletries and bacon; some off the wish list - sauces and some bargains which will be used.

    Oh & i was going to buy some foil trays but took them out of my basket as i have plenty of tupperware which is reusable :)

    Remaining on the list is cat food, potatoes, milk and wine.

    Hope you've all had a good day - i should get off to bed soon x
    Mortgage Balance
  • StripeyTightsSpottySocks
    StripeyTightsSpottySocks Posts: 414 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Options
    Today i managed to go for a long, very slow walk - good thing i hadn't gone for a run as i wanted to as my body just isn't up to it yet - too many aches and pains - it was still good to get out in the fresh air :)

    I decluttered 1 more item but think i need to increase my target to 12 due to some spending :o

    So yesterday i bought some new work shoes - most definitely a need.

    Today i popped into the charity shop as i do need a new bag. Organising some of the things i have is making me identify some things i need and a new bag is on the list. I've actually been looking for a new bag for most of this year and i have found one in the sale but i don't want to spend that amount of money - £20 - though it is a very lovely bag and perfect for my needs. There weren't any in the charity shop - however, i didn't leave empty handed :o

    £5.28 spent - this bought me a new outfit which still has the tags on it :T and a book - but not for me :naughty: it's a birthday present :) I received a gift for my birthday from someone i don't usually get gifts from. I haven't budgeted to buy them anything. Anyway the book along with a small item from the gift stash i have will be perfect (small item on it's own has always been intended as an 'along with other items will make a suitable prezzie' as it's a filler sort of gift). prior to seeing the book i had been researching items i believe they would like for a gift and they were priced at £10 - not to be miserly but i didn't really want to spend this as it isn't in the budget at all. I don't think a gift from them will become a habit and was really quite surprised to receive something :o

    I am also very chuffed with the outfit - i usually find this shop far too expensive for clothes and to find something new with labels on and at such a good price was brilliant :D - to put it into context they had a primarni dress next to my item, clearly had been well worn and loved and was £6.99.

    So my target is 12 and i'm at 3 items gone - 3rd item is vase surplus to requirements in our wee home.
    Mortgage Balance
  • StripeyTightsSpottySocks
    StripeyTightsSpottySocks Posts: 414 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Options
    I think i may need to change the title of my diary :o

    However, i am going to confess all that is ALL of my spending this weekend and i would really like some sage advice, a stern telling off :naughty: or whatever it takes to get me back on track please :o Totting up is in process and also in categories. But i really do need something to wake me up to myself - i am also going to be honest on the needs v wants front too..

    £15.96 food spends - includes £10 cat food and will cover next few weeks of treats as well as actual food. Plus, we're feeding 3 now as a 'friend' is popping in for breakfast and supper and literally clearing the plates :rotfl: Also we have a high quality lunch for one 2 x 2 starters for 2 people and a beautiful jar of jam to last a good few months. Rest of stuff was on the 'staples item - if it's the lowest price i've ever seen it i'm buying it'

    Back after looking at items for prices..
    Mortgage Balance
  • StripeyTightsSpottySocks
    StripeyTightsSpottySocks Posts: 414 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Options
    Decided to post mid adding up - i am *so* very exhausted :( awake most mornings now from about 2-3am onwards - typically finally feel i can sleep again just as it's time to get up :( and no motivation to get up :eek: Work just isn't doing it for me and i pride myself on a strong work ethic. Ridiculously busy day today and i do prefer to be busy but not for the reasons i was busy today. Added to that the attitude of my boss today was :eek::mad::mad::mad: so i've not been able to switch off since coming home as i think i should have quit there and then and just upped and left - except i have this pesky mortgage to pay :o & a life i do so deperately want to live rather than exist in... However, i can't guarantee the next time i am treated in such a rude manner i won't just walk :o Am i being pathetic? I don't know. According to advice i've sought there isn't really much that can be done about someone either completely ignoring you or speaking to you like you're utterly beneath them :(

    Anyway - sleepless night :wave: Hello menopause - i guess. I'll get booked in at the doctors in the next few weeks and then they can tell me i'm wrong and in a year tell me i'm right :rotfl: Yes, it's early but hey, it happens and what i need right now is a bit of support and to be able to sleep please! Other obvious contender is stress - but i've learned i've lived with a fairly high level of stress all my known life - it's all relative. So we will see and i have decided on my next ailment to tackle.

    Good things

    Because we need them ;)

    Currently drinking water to hit my quota for the day

    Made lunches for the week from stores

    Saw a beautiful skyline :)

    Had the unutterable pleasure of being reminded by good people that we beat ourselves up over things far more than others

    Enjoyed the company of good people who make me want to be a better person

    Treated friends and family for a low cost to me - said gifts already in use :T

    Agreed to take part in a charity event

    I am sure there are others but literally fighting to keep eyes open

    Spends tally thus far :eek: £34.82 3 new work dresses, 1 with tags; 2 new coats 1 brand new autumn and 1 winter – both WANTS and already worn gifts for family and friends both already using, a dress being sold on as it didn't fit me well enough, 2 casual day dresses - 1 with labels on skirt and 2 cardi’s with labels on 4 itemsfor my hobbies a phrase book for our holiday and 2 stunning framed pictures for our home.
    Toiletries tomorrow as i'm beyond exhausted

    Hope all are well - i meant to pop round diaries but so very tired x
    Mortgage Balance
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 608.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173.1K Life & Family
  • 247.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards