Hello lovely MSE angels.

I've been around for a while and know the small MSE ways lead to big changes in lifestyle. I'm so lucky I found you all when I did way back in the beginning of time!

I had started a new 'adventure' diary but this years events have shifted the focus from those for now to a bit more of a 'primal' focus on living very frugally, to accommodate unexpected and unavoidable shifts in expenses for the foreseeable.

As today is 'housekeeping budget day' I figured its a good a day as any to start this month afresh and try and move my mindset.

I have a fair bit of debt still but the main issues for me are pesky over drafts and a credit card which crept up whilst I was otherwise occupied. Its in the signature below.

This diary is to focus and hone my rusty MSE skills to the front and really live with what we have, make do with what we can, borrow or beg favours where needed, and barter ourselves where we can, there's no shame in asking for help once in a while!

We've two in our household both working f/t, plus two grown up flown the coup for now younglings - off adventuring (uni and gap year type shennanigans), a lovely DH, two pesky mutts (one quite unexpectedly terminally poorly) and a severe lack of chickens in our lives right now. Must sort that in the new year. My mother is quite poorly with an unexpected, terminal diagnosis, so I'm looking to juggle my very accommodating job with helping with her care and treatment.

We live well, but we could live a whole lot better with less, and support others more in the process.