Get a grip !

Skint_yet_Again · 29 April 2017 at 6:20PM

The sun came out this afternoon so it was nice in town when sheltered from the wind.

We parked just outside the city centre so no parking charges and only a short walk to the shops.
I had £9 in my purse and treated myself to a new pair of slippers £4.99 as my old ones were falling apart. I had a cup of tea in star-buks £1.95 and a chicken wrap from Wilko's £2. I didn't know Wilkinsons did sandwiches and wraps, their sandwiches are only £1 so much cheaper than lots of places on the high street.

I got back home in time to see DS for half an hour before he went to work, then I had a snooze

I've unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher (again) and washed down my car - still having problems with the birds ! Throat still sore so I am taking it easy. I think they have forecast rain for tomorrow but hopefully it will be nice on Monday so I can get some washing done.

savingwannabe · 29 April 2017 at 6:35PM

Happy that you went out and had good weather. Well done on having a low spend day and washing car.

Rest voice and chill for rest of the weekend.

Skint_yet_Again · 30 April 2017 at 7:47AM

Last day of April

Plans for April achieved -

saved £100 into long term savings
saved £50 in xmas / birthdays account
saved £100 into bills account
bank rewards - £7.20 total now £14.44

- friends 50th, to celebrate the girls went out for an Italian meal
- met up with ex-work colleagues for dinner wetherspoons
-deculttered and got help from a friend to take it to the tip then went out for lunch using voucher
- DP's came to stay for a week - treated them to chinese
- fence panels now in place
- lost 2lb :j After all the eating out I am really pleased with this

Plans for May -

save £100 into long term savings
save £50 in xmas / birthdays account
pay £100 towards bills on credit card
bank rewards - should be nearer £8 with a full price month of VM

- 2 bank holidays :T
if the weather is nice on Monday I will visit the local May Fayre at the church about half an hours walk away
- will arrange to meet up with another old work colleague for lunch (she lost her job due to sick leave and is still looking for work :eek: ) using vouchers
- more decluttering (that wardrobe is still lurking in my kitchen)
- lose another 2lb
- dentist for filling on Tuesday but already paid for
- no birthdays this month

My credit card will take all my remaining bills account money and my emergency fund this month :eek:
I still have £500 in my long term savings started at the beginning of this diary in case of dire emergency but now that the boiler is fixed & iron / dishwasher hopefully nothing else will go wrong !!
After this month the £100 a month into the bills account will start to build up again and the next annual bill due is my car insurance not due until December.
I am still deciding whether to build up another emergency fund in my isa or just use my long term savings account and put everything into that as it has a higher interest rate than my isa, The long term savings account is instant access just would lose my monthly bonus if withdrew anything

Skint_yet_Again · 30 April 2017 at 9:19AM

Its sunny windy and warm here this morning. I've just hung the washing out as its meant to rain this afternoon, but it should be dry by then.

I've just remembered I have a week off in May too ! :j
Its my annual "decorating week". I am hoping to do

-the bathroom ceiling with some anti-mould white paint. I have paint for this bought last year

- spare room, I will also use the same anti-mould paint on the plaster under the spare room window where we had a leak/damp which is now fixed / dry and then replace the piece of wallpaper removed - there is a spare roll in the loft and some wallpaper paste. I will take the old piece of painted wallpaper that was removed to b&q and get them to paint match a little pot so I can paint in the new replaced piece, should save redecorating the whole room as it doesn't all need doing.

- hallway, this is also painted but some places have got scuffed, so I will see what condition the remains of the tin of paint are in and if no good I will get b&q to paint match a tester pot.

- front of the house, below the living room bay window is peeling so I will sand & paint with masonry paint. I think I already have half a tin of cream so I may be able to use this, I will need to check it.

- my bedroom skirtings need doing. I have paint for this bought last year

So, plans for today are to do more decluttering of the "utility room" and find all the paint mentioned above. I have about 20 pots of paint in there, I just need to be able to get to them

savingwannabe · 30 April 2017 at 6:20PM

OMG I am ashamed. I washed some sheets then helped builder and slept all day. So ashamed. lol.

Skint_yet_Again · 1 May 2017 at 7:28AM

Aw don't worry SW I didn't do much yesterday either. You are probably exhausted from your first week back at work, its surprising how tiring it is and how much it takes out of you.

I got one load of washing dry before it rained all afternoon. I got rid of one box from the utility and tidied 2 shelves. Then I had a snooze and watched tv. Then DS and I had a really naughty KFC for dinner

I have most of the paint for my week off which is 21 May and there is another bank holiday on 29th so that will be a nice long 8 day week off

The only paint I don't have is enough masonry paint so I will see how the week off goes with the other jobs, I can always do that one when I am off again later in the year and have some spare money. I will need to buy a paintbrush but I can get one cheap from tool station.

The forecast for today does not look good. I am going to take it easy today too !! I am going to potter in my garden (between showers) and trim back some of the shrubs. I think it is too wet to cut the grass. It is "green bin" collection tomorrow, so I will get DS to drag it round the front of the house this evening. I also want to finish weeding the other half of the front small garden which should only take about 20 minutes as it's not as bad as the first half was.

Other than that I need to write some notes ready for my occ health meeting tomorrow. DS is off work today and his gf is here so they will need feeding later today. I have taken the last bag of chicken breasts from the freezer to defrost and will make something later for dinner & DS's work lunch tomorrow. The cupboards fridge and freezer look really bare !

I am not looking forward to tomorrow with my occ health and then I have the dentist tomorrow afternoon for my filling :eek: but hopefully I will feel ok after and will pop into aldee on the way home and get some shopping.

Have a good May Day

Skint_yet_Again · 1 May 2017 at 9:35AM

Its pouring with rain here.

I've just read my gas & electric meters and I've actually used less electric this month despite the gas boiler being out of action for over a week with no hot water and boiling kettles instead !!

My guess is that this is because the dishwasher was also out of action for a week !

I will continue to try and reduce my energy use by

- not leaving things on standby
- filling & boiling the kettle only with the water I need
- filling the big oven as much as possible when it is on with batch cooking
- or using the top / small oven if I am only cooking a few things
- using the "half grill" setting where possible
- think more about what is going in the dishwasher & maybe wash a few more things in the sink with tap water (gas boiler heats the water)
- rinse dishes etc with cold water
- sponge down car with cold water (it doesn't get washed, just soaking off the bird poop ! )

Skint_yet_Again · 2 May 2017 at 4:34PM

Did some gardening yesterday and relaxed the rest of the day.

Back to work today. I put £20 petrol in the car after work and bought a meal deal £3 as I didn't have time after leaving work and then going to dentist to go home and make something. I was going to go to greggs and get a pasty but I didn't feel up to plodding round the shops.

Had my filling done, I had forgotten how horrible it feels when your face is numb !!

Called into aldee on the way home and got food £47.21 / £300

Wish this numbness would hurry up and wear off !

savingwannabe · 2 May 2017 at 6:08PM

Glad teeth problems all sorted. Hope it all stops soon. I had a great day weeding and feeding all the bits I missed the other week.

One more coat of paint needs to be done tomorrow. Then the flooring can be done on Thursday Friday I hope.

Roll on my bedroom.

Skint_yet_Again · 3 May 2017 at 3:16PM

Sounds like the work is progressing nicely SW

Wow my jaw hurts

Once the numbness wore off last night I have had to take painkillers ! Hopefully the ache will wear off by tomorrow.

Popped to Sainsbobs after work for sour dough bread and a few other bits I couldn't get for DS in aldee £7.90

total grocery budget May £55.11 / £300

I also had a sneaky McD's on the way home. Oops, healthy eating didn't last long lol. I had a survey code and got a Big Mac and Fries for £1.99. :money:

Get a grip !

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