<<<out of cheese error>>>

Progress review - while I still have time to do the end of Jan things!

Aims
January:
Do the accounts and tax return before the last possible minute! Draft done, ready to send. Needs re-checking just to be sure. Far less than I thought hence the need to re-check. If I am right i can trickle another few months wages out of the business account too which takes the find a job fast pressure off
Try and cover at least half of the dentists bill from income - shopping from store cupboard, and no alcohol purchases out of grocery money. Done- should be able to transfer enough to savings out of current accounts before salary goes in. Alcohol has greatly reduced anyway but is from personal spends. Really cut the spending all round this month.
Going to run out of teabags as a result of less alcohol though

• To make an over payment on the mortgage every single month - no matter how small. From saving on spending if income not available. Not done yet, will clear any balance over and above the dentists bill to the mortgage pot. have been reading MFW diaries - really inspiring,but also depressing given the huge mortgage and general lack of spare income.
  Priority has to be building savings in case work dries up again.
• To not buy any skincare products at all before Christmas 2018, no matter how good the offers are. Nothing at all bought, and what I have got tidied so I can easily see that I don't need to spend.
• To not buy any more 'it'll do' clothes, and to re-home the things that are tatty, don't fit or don't suit me. Clear out by end of January. Bought two jumpers in the sale (merino, thick slouchy v necks, very me) and two pairs of fur lined fitflop boots (Cloggs have some chocolate brown mukluks for £44!). Two jumpers and one pair of the boots funded by me returning the Christmas present cashmere cardigan that I sadly didn't love.Lots cleared out,
  but more to do.
• To take better care of myself - use moisturiser every single day, and do something more focused weekly. Done, putting tubes in the right places has helped.
  To eat a more balanced diet that helps my problems rather than hinders. Proper plated meal, including veg, at least five days a week. Not done.
• To develop the business, including the books. Skeleton of book 1 by end of January. Some development done but needs more work
  

Waily waily waily - no broadband till at least Friday. Vodafone are a very rude word in this house as a result. A cautionary tale of poor communication and misinformation. Far too much time and emotion has been wasted on trying to sort this over the last fortnight. The boys are not happy.

Anyway, food shopping done. Was naughty and frittered in MrM - 3 x large christmas cactus (£3) at 15p each, 2 x white hellebores at 30p each, and 2 x large shrubs (hebe at £5 originally) at 15p each. I am not supposed to buy plants because I just kill them but they were all hugely reduced. Cactus do ok in this house as nobody waters them. ::p Repeat after me: It's only moneysaving if you actually needed it, anything else is fritter, even if it is just pennies.

Yesterdays effort was meant to be pot roast beef but the joint was full of gristle and unpleasant even after three hours on low (MrM - 'roasting beef') so a last minute substitution of leftover turkey in gravy and an attempt to transform the beef into casserole. It still looked chewy after an hour on the hob on low but we will find out later. The highlight of dinner was a potato gratin, finely sliced some shallots (MrL for 29p before Christmas) and gave them ten minutes in the oven in a little oil while I par boiled some pound coin thickness potatoes. Added the potatoes in a layer on top with some mixed herbs and garlic powder, then tipped over the last of the cream and some milk, covered with foil and then left them in a low oven for 40 minutes or so then I took the foil off and added some grated parmesan and another ten minutes.

Made chorley cakes, and jam tarts with the last of the flour and fat. All gone into hollow legged teenager. He has made (and eaten most of) pasta bake at school today. I bet he still expects dinner. I wish I had his metabolism.

All of the ironing done last night :cool: I do hate ironing.

Gave in and bought more fat, eggs and flour today. If I leave us with none someone (me!) will crack and go to the co-op.