No Spend Day - ish!

All I spent today was postage. 1) sending the cross stitch off, p&p to be refunded. 2) sending off something I sold on ebay - p&p cost already received. 3) sending back an item I bought off ebay as they sent me thermal leggings instead of a thermal vest! P&p should be refunded! Fingers crossed I don't have any more problems with this seller.

Frugal tip (and common sense tip!)
Read the feedback!!!
I was stupid and didn't read it. Having problems. 'Nuff said.

I was gunna have an exchange but instead I'm gunna get my money back (hopefully!) and borrow my friends thermals she took with her when she went skiing.

I finally met up with her (plus bf and bro!) yesterday. Was lovely seeing her again but I didn't really enjoy her talking about how much money spending activities she was doing and trying to get me to spend money too. She was suggesting we all went out for dinner for my birthday - only £25 for a 3 course meal and entertainment. Now, in theory that is a very good price for what you do get. But when there's two of you and the price doubles to £50... OUCH!!! Sorry but sofa and jammies it is. Maybe push the boat out and cook a special meal for £10 at home instead. £50 is soooo much money. That's a big chunk towards a holiday or debt repayment!

Anyway, reluctantly spent £1.60 on a cuppa tea and £1 on a Galaxy caramel bar of chocolate but the rest I spent was on bits for Sweden and semi necessities - travel size plastic bottles to decant shower gel, shampoo etc (not gunna buy full travel size bottles! Pah! Bought 2 sets from Poundland - £2. 200 Muffin cases £1. Set of 2 Microwave "lids" to put over your plated food when reheating rather than using copious amounts of clingfilm £1 (been wanting some for a while and finally found some in Poundland). Paracetamol etc just in case for Sweden. Plastic tubs for freezing leftovers. My friend bought a pair of boots in the sale £5 (a bargain if I needed some new boots for sure! Very proud of myself for not even looking at any :oD ) pair of sunglasses £3 and some rings £2.I found myself wondering why she was buying them, thinking does she really need them? Lol. Some people might see it as quite sad, but I don't care. I see it as keeping my money for more important things and keeping that space free in the house. I still reckon we need to declutter more.

I'm feeling rather smug with myself coz I didn't even feel the need to browse and look for things to buy. I'm learning that I don't need to buy anything like more clothes, shoes, jewellery etc.

Things currently (still!!) on my "To Buy List"
Teapot
Pyrex dishes especially rectangular for lasagne
Cloth napkins
Decent tea towels (we have plenty still usable but not a very nice colour due to a black towel running when we washed them - oops! These can wait until we see some decent ones cheap or get as gifts)
Hankies (must try and stop my tissue habit lol)

I don't think there's really anything else I need or want and all of them can wait until I find them cheap or in the charity shop. We can still make tea without a teapot, still make lasagne - just can't bulk make, we have 6 napkins from Christmas, tea towels are still usable and we have some hankies. It feels so good to not feel dependant on buying things :oD I love it!!! I strongly urge you to try it, even if just for a month :oD be sure to let me know how it goes!

Ooh had a major clean in the kitchen today!!! It felt gooood!! And hopefully worked off that Galaxy I got yesterday lol! Sorted out all the recycling :o) again, it felt gooood! Lol :o) had a mini sort out of the lounge - it's a work in progress lol :-p I think I wanna get stuck into our bedroom again. There are always clothes to be put away! Sigh, perhaps I shud just walk around starkers... Naaah wouldn't wanna scare the postman! Hehe. On that rather creepy and scary note, I shall say good bye and give you hugs xx

Another Day Without Money...

Well, it's only 10:42am so there's still time lol. But I'm not going anywhere, there's food in the cupboards, freezer and fridge so all is well with the world :o)

I'm meeting a friend next week in town and I'll grab the few bits I need to get and have a mooch for a teapot etc that I want, but only at a cheap price, I can wait for it, it's not essential.

Cook from frozen lamb chops tonight courtesy of Aldi. Might do mixed rice and veggies to go with it. Think I might crack open the butternut squash and see what that tastes like. Ooh and the salad leaves too... Mustn't forget them!

Had planned on having a Swedish day today

and do lots of studying and watching of Swedish media such as Wallander (without subs). I'm feeling somewhat lazy but I know I have to do it. Ok, so I don't actually *have* to do it but I want to be as good as I can be at Swedish once we're out there so I can make the most of the trip - through my eyes of course. I haven't eaten yet so I may watch something English whilst I eat - chomping makes too much noise and I can't concentrate very well lol so English is the way to go. Then I shall study and watch Swedish after... Yes, that sounds like a jolly good plan to me! :oD Only 3 weeks to go! Yippeee!!! A little scary but exciting too :o)

Found my toothpaste is 1/3 off in Tesco at the mo' so I'm hoping to find some and stock up! If I bought 10, for example, I would save £4.50 as the last one I bought from Superdrug was 45p more. I think I will only buy 5 though as I don't really want to spend £20 all in one go and on toothpaste lol! If my teeth weren't sensitive I would buy cheaper ones but I tried the whitening version of the same brand which is for sensitive teeth and it made my teeth sensitive again so I went back to the regular version and have refused to change again. I'm very naughty though and only brush my teeth once a day so it lasts twice as long as it *should* do. I went to the dentist last year, first time in about 6 or 7 years and she said I obviously look after my teeth really well so that makes me happy and I feel it's enough, at least for now anyway. She did tell me I needed to have my wisdom teeth removed but that's a whole other scary and fear provoking story! The idea of having a regular tooth removed fills me with dread, let alone this! I don't even know if I could do it... And the cost - £0 as it's on the NHS so it isn't even a matter of money. Sigh.

Anyway, a humble day at home, eating home cooked food, homemade entertainment and homemade love of my family. What more could I ask for today?

Hugs xx

No Spend Day :o)

Yes indeedy I have spent £0 today :oD I haven't really done much else either though so... I have however done a lot of stitching which is always a good thing when you have a deadline creeping closer and closer! Just been looking on ebay for some ski mitts for our trip to Sweden and I'm hoping to borrow a pair too so that will mean only one pair to buy which will be awesome! Picked up some soil found on Freecycle today so I'm hoping I can put that on my potatoes - I saw some little green leaves poking out the top of the compost in there so I'm hoping that they're from the potatoes and not weeds :-s I wouldn't mind having some kind of composter to put our veggie peelings in so that might be worth a look into, although it would have to be quite a small contraption. I wanna grow some garlic and ginger too so I will do some searching around on Youtube once I've sent this stitching off and have some spare time again. I hope to one day have my own home with some land so I can plant oodles of veggies... I think I've said that before but I don't mind saying it again coz I really really want it!! Lol :o) One day...

Veggie garden at Ham House Estate. I have no idea where it is but doesn't it look awesome?!!


Frugal Tip #4 - Free Gift Tags

You need never buy gift tags again!! Just recycle your old birthday or christmas cards. I like to use a scalloped circle punch to punch out different parts of my old cards but you could use decorative scissors or even just plain scissors or a craft knife and ruler. You can either attatch these tags straight onto the gift with sellotape or punch a hole in the tag and use some string/wool/cotton and then tape this onto the gift. I know I've mentioned this before but I just felt it deserved it's own place amoungst my frugal tips :o)

Every bit of frugalness helps :o)

Hugs xx