Earthgirl's Final Battle

earthgirl · 6 May 2018 at 6:48PM

Sounds good apple. I think I just need to get up at the same time every morning so I don't feel tired on the days i have to get up at 6.30.

Although ds1 cried his eyes out at the party for a couple of hours because there were games etc he said he enjoyed it. It's excruciating to watch I feel so helpless. I went to check out the wine offers and the minimum unit prices have made it impossible to buy my normal level of wine, it's gone up by £1.25 per bottle. Nanny state gone a step too far in my opinion. Hope it doesn't put the pubs etc more under pressure. I can bulk buy when visiting Mum but I don't like having lots of alcohol in the house.

I could just do with nothing else going up in price now!

Had a lovely day. Bought a few bits for a family bbq tomorrow so £58 spent on groceries to last me from Friday to Friday. Shopping day going to be a Friday now. Kids have just played all afternoon in the garden. Picnic tea outside using up odd things was great and I'm going to do this every week. Didn't go to mil for tea in the end.

Veg patch jobs half done, rhubarb and strawberries looking good. Fingers crossed!

Karmacat · 7 May 2018 at 9:37AM

Have a lovely time at the barbecue today

like you, my rhubarb is looking good, I meant to pull a stick yesterday, must do that today.

earthgirl · 7 May 2018 at 12:03PM

Mine is no where near picking but looking healthy. Such a late start this year!

I have decided to take action with ds2 and his anxieties over taking part in things. I've broken down the things he is scared of into 4 and made a star chart. He is so petrified of taking part he wouldn't even think about doing it but I've talked him round to trying. I'm just going to start with a board game. Star for taking part, not worrying about losing, staying happy and a star for having fun too. He is saving up for football stickers and a new school bag (I'd have to get him that anyway but he doesn't know that!). Feeling much more positive about this now that he feels we believe he can do it and we have a plan - hopefully he'll be on the road to success soon poor mite. It's a phase that's lasted about 3 years but is now worse than ever. Not even thinking about sports day yet

New bbq cover bought with amazon vouchers from Shopndcsn. Ds3 needs a new ps3 controller but he'll have to save up for that.

Money saving/making:
Switched all heaters off apart from Lodger's.

To do
Going to make crispie cakes, pasta sauce and my lunches.
Wash car and tidy
Cleaning tasks for week (saves on paying a cleaner)
Ditto gardening and gardener
Finish planting veg in veg patch

earthgirl · 11 May 2018 at 9:25PM

I've been busy doing a lot of research into travel, one of the important parts of our not to distant future I hope!

I have done a lot of research into different cites/counties/ places and temperature and weather conditions. Places to visit with children at which ages etc. I have spreadsheets with approximate budgets and preferred accommodation ready to go now!

It looks like we will go for an australia road trip Easter 2021. I'm so excited about this!

I'm not sure if we should be looking at doing some European trips before brexit?

In other news:

Wealth- have a new tutee this week do £50 in from tutoting this week.

Life well lived- when will the rain go? We have had some nice family time, a games night and a sports night.

This weekend I plan to have a cheap day out at the free tennis/swimming at a local leisure club that normally costs a lot. Sunday I'm taking my Fil to a football match.

To keep things moving in the right direction:
-do 2nd job sat and sun
- clear to do list
- get back to good routines

Weekly shop was £28. Will still need a top up shop but should come in under £40 this week.

beanielou · 11 May 2018 at 9:32PM

Enjoy your weekend

earthgirl · 13 May 2018 at 9:47PM

Thanks beanie, I hope yours was good too! Makes a difference having people willing you on.

Very cheap weekend had. £7 spent on the boys haircuts.tsther than buying bbq good I made koftas on Saturday, they are lovely and I'll be making them again!

Today - Taking Fil and kids to Football match was free as it was with season tickets going spare. Nothing spent on snacks as I packed some.

Have been through cupboards and freezer and have a list of random things to use up. I've started today and have made lunches that Include a cauliflower sweet corn and peanut salad, a Dahl with broccoli, and some rescued salad and chicken wings.

I've just decided that making salads every day, whilst it suits me because I have them ready to go each day, isn't helping me lose weight as I'm still not feeling full. I am going to try and have a concerted effort to cut out more of the bad stuff (sugar and alcohol) but have s diet that's a bit more filling. Might go some wraps /sandwich thins instead of just salad so I'm not ravenous by 3pm. I'm going to weigh myself every Monday -I have 1srone to lose- I'm 8 st 7, but 5ft.

Also big push on the exercise, gave my gym clothes and weights ready for the morning as my back is a little better.

On money news, we have decided not to go away in October, but to get s new garden fence. Still hoping to go away at Christmas 2018, summer of 2020, and Easter of 2021.

Life well lived- I'm using the time when I normally flop with tiredness after I've got kids to bed to do one more hour of "something" ( cleaning, weeding, decluttering, making myself look more presentable etc) which makes me feel like I'm not drowning in "stuff to do". It's going well.

I love living here so much. Summer makes me see it with fresh eyes. When I can I'm going to try and take my first cup of tea with my planner on the patio. Love feeling so connected to the world (doesn't happpen in winter as I want to hide away!)

earthgirl · 17 May 2018 at 7:18AM

So things feel like they are changing very fast, and not for the good always!

Positive things that have happened:
- realised how much I love my job
- glorious weather
- doing something between 8-9 has made life much better (one night just chatted to oh, had a great time, would normally just zone out)
- 3 exercise sessions completed
- emailed a questionnaire for a £10 amazon voucher which I've already applied to my account
- 10 year anniversary on mse!

Negatives/areas to improve
- one fall out with oh which got me so mad I couldn't sleep. Need to walk away early when he is like this. He may be argumentative more due to more stress with his business.
- oh business a shell, selling assets this week and oh resisting any talk of future income.
- realised we can't spare the money to go on holiday this year. This smarts as I am working so hard for this (love travel and holidays). We have a lodger, I work 7 days by teaching at weekends but it will now mostly be used for monthly family expenses.
- tiny bit aggrieved that oh gets a holiday with his pals but it's already paid for. He has been stressed out so it will be good for him and me and the kids can plod on.
- my favourite tutee has moved, she'll be back in October, so I'm £100 month down.

I've booked a 3 night caravan holiday near inverness to see the highlands (£220) as we always said we would go, at the end of the summer holidays.The beaches and dolphins up there are supposed to be great and free, and the theme park up there is good and grandparents can buy the ticket for their birthday present.

So I'm going to have to reduce my goal of paying off 1000 off the mortgage and saving £400 per month. It isn't feasible with all that is going on. Instead I need to focus on building on the positives and having as much fun and making as many happy memories as I can.

- all of us staying healthy and happy (incl MH, this transition to one wage will be tough)
- having fun with good value and free activities - do some holiday activities here!
- focus on what is going well - enjoy the garden, the weather, I love my job etc

I was crossing things of my to do list I've had forever, one was a life book with funeral plans etc. I am mse through and through as I could understand all the questions about the type of coffin handles etc and said, just get the cheapest one. Then when it came to food after I thought a potluck buffet would be so much easier and cheaper!

We will kick this year into touch as I'm just naturally penny pinching!!

Pooky · 17 May 2018 at 7:34AM

Is OH looking for another job now or will he take some time out?

We've opted for direct cremation when we die, neither of us are religious and both hate the enforced timescales with burial and cremation. So our bodies will go to which ever crematorium has availability and there will be no service, no one attends and no ashes afterwards. They do that with a cardboard coffin which really appeals to my thrifty side too.

beanielou · 17 May 2018 at 8:39AM

Pooky wrote: »

Is OH looking for another job now or will he take some time out?

We've opted for direct cremation when we die, neither of us are religious and both hate the enforced timescales with burial and cremation. So our bodies will go to which ever crematorium has availability and there will be no service, no one attends and no ashes afterwards. They do that with a cardboard coffin which really appeals to my thrifty side too.

Blimey.
I did not know that you could do that.

earthgirl · 18 May 2018 at 7:25AM

Thanks for the funeral ideas - yes just want simple and cheap. I know its morbid, but my friend passed away recently and I've had sorting everything connected on my list for ages.

Slight breakthrough with OH, pooky, he wasn't wanting to talk to me about anything career or finance related. Yesterday he put a big business asset up for sale, and says he feels like a weight has been lifted. He seems much happier. I have asked him for a proper business/financial meeting (just talking doesn't work) and we will do that in the next few days. I'm presuming he will not want to get a job.

I'm feeling really chipper too - probably connected. So what if we have to have a firmer eye on spending? it will make us more efficient. So what if we have to work harder to bring in more? We are still young enough and healthy enough to do this.

So what if we can't go on luxury holidays - we will still enjoy budget trips and if we don't have a kids club, we'll play with the children, if we don't have all inclusive, we'll cook etc. We can do most of what we want to do if we work hard enough - even on my wage plus extras.

We are SO lucky that we are healthy, I have a job and I house I love and we have savings in the bank.

So MSE things:

Decided not to book lots of summer camps for the kids when I am having students here. DS1 will probably want a football one - this can come from his birthday money. The rest of the time we will just be creative and invite people to play here too.

I have bought the mse beauty box to divide up as presents for xmas. Hope its not a let down!

I've been doing surveys and think I'm all caught up.

Doing free exercise every day.

To do:

Do a proper budget
Do a meal plan till tues as im changing my shopping day till tues.

Earthgirl's Final Battle

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