tracking

well yesterday I discovered google reader.  and my posts right back to my second or third (not my first, bizarrely which is a bit of a shame) are all on it.  It was really cool to browse  back and see how far I have come.  also bizarrely it seems to me that I am also back at that beginning again.  I guess that happens in life, it sprials around and we circle past places we have been before. 


This January is a back to basics tracking and no spend month.  Am not alone in this, and its a good time to start with all that menu planning and keeping track sort of stuff.  Am feeling more heartened by having looked at the worst of things in the face and done some thinking, some sorting and finding out, that we are OK.  Its not that I would rather we were in a slightly different position and it is a bit gutting to have to use hard won savings.  But, hey.  At least we have them.  And work will come, for both of us. 

Healthy January has rather gone out the window yesterday and today as a glass of wine and things like toast have been used to  bolster up morale.  Not great in the long run that sort of bolstering.  In fact it all feels rather like the excesses of Christmas are still hanging around getting eaten up.  But it will happen. 

I must say I am pleased by my Yoga everyday effort.  I have been getting up and getting at least something in every day.  Today it was just 20 mins.  But that is 20 mins more than nothing. 

Perhaps my word for this year will be YOGA.  Union.  Bringing together. Joining. 

And a little anatomy study every day too.  Its going a lot better. 

I spent most of today in town battling the elements.  Oh it was blowing a right old storm.  Taking things back to M&S and Debenhams, trying to get a hat that fits my Hub's enormous nuggin.  He is size 7 and 3/4.  Bigger than anything M&S or Debenhams have to offer. I got Bub a few shirts as I had an H&M voucher for xmas and I couldn't really see anything I wanted and the shirts were too cute.  

So for the record.  Oh 3rd of January
Food spend = £11.18
other = £7.35

I made it back to Brighton.  Even thought there were 'severe weather' disruptions and absolute chaos at London Bridge station.  I got myself another £150 tonight for going to talk about printer apps.  Slightly odd to be honest.  Not sure that they are barking up the right tree but hey ho.  I am just glad to be paid and to be back home.  There still isn't hardly any snow here by the sea.  So I am not entirely sure why there is so much chaos on the rails. 

Team Next Level / Step It Up  is going OK.  I have garnered Thursday as my day of work.  Tomorrow is playgroup and Bub's French class. I have ordered some overalls online and I hope to be borrowing some tomorrow (in case the online purchase take 2 weeks to get here (adverse weather conditions dontcha know)  And I have changed the bank account.  Which should actually save us about £20 a month.  Bit of a shocker that really.  We were paying £17 a month and it seemed to have obvious benefits at first (eg RAC cover and holiday insurance etc etc) but presently we only need phone insurance.  And the £17 went up to £25 because we ended up having a 'premier life' account (which was offered to us for the same price as something else) but they have since changed the eligibility for.  I don't know why we even had it.  But there you go.  And me sposedly being a frugal and all.

Sadly the no sugar and 5 mins yoga / meditation mallarky is just a total FAIL.  I think I may rebrand that as having done at least 5 mins in the whole week.  Bums. 

And its the end of no spend November.  It didn't turn out like that either.  I was definately under until the last week when I went crazy for thermal base layer clothing for the family and other cold snap stuff like snow boots for Bub.  I also bought overalls, and a new toilet seat as our (actually pretty new) one's hinges just rusted to shreds in our  damp house.  I am sure I bought other stuff too, but all I know is that I didn't spend more than I had earnt on ebay in the month and it all seemed worthwhile and bargainous.   I think I stuck to about £260 all month.  Food was definately down (though there was untracked spending while I was away last week) and we are definately under £50 a week for the whole month.  And I earnt a massive £1356.  Which is the most I have earnt in a month since forever.  Its so sadly not really really masses.  But still.  Not bad considering the general enjoyable and part timeness of it all.  Bring on December and lets see how much bacon I can bring home!

no spend november week 2 day 2

well its week 2 of no spend november. And I have had 2 days of Zero Spend. When I say zero, that's just what we call 'personal spend'. I did spend £8.77 on food yesterday. And Hub bought some oven chips (grr) today for £1.79. But apart from that its seriously down. goes to show what you can do when you try. Last week the food bill was under £30. I haven't managed to do that, like, ever.

And I got a commission for a portrait today. Yaay. Its a friend and she has 2 children and wants one with both of them in it. I would normally charge double for that. I am not sure how she will take it. I guess I have to ask and back down if she baulks. Is that how you spell baulks? Balks? hmm.

I had quite a nice day, woke up at a leisurely pace, went to boob group, where I helped a couple of new mums AND had a nice chat with some mummy friends of mine who also volunteer. In the afternoon I minded J (my friends wee boy - we do a swap every week ish) Baked biscuits (cookies) with them, it was really fun.

I have also had porridge without milk both of these mornings, and mostly had soya milk in my tea. I have woken up and drunk hot water rather than the usual PG tips (strong black tea) and I have forgone my extra strong latte all as promised. I have eaten too many biscuits however. And I did have a glass of wine. ah well. its a semi detox.

I did manage a good walk down and up the hill this afternoon. Mainly in a vain search for Cream of Tartar. It seems that the dual Bicarb of Soda and Cream of Tartar, has been usurped by Baking Powder, which mixes them together. I need said C of T to make playdough and I am hoping that a bigger supermarket is going to come up trumps for me. Anyone else noticed this? Its like the old fashioned things are dissappearing from the shelves. I wanted to get some citric acid to make Elderflower cordial a while ago, and no chemist in our area sold it. Apparently junkies use it to mix up with heroin. Nice. hmm am now rambling.

Art Retreats

I just had a lovely chat with Cindy O Leary who runs the Artful Journey retreats in the US. What a really nice lady. It was inspiring talking to her and also interesting to realise how she got to where she is now took her such a long time. Working with the bigger retreats, getting to know the artists she liked, and wanted to work with, that are the really good teachers. Again it seems that to know how the whole artists retreat thing works, is to go on lots of retreats.... which all seem to happen in America... I am not sure how to progress. I feel I do have the right skills to do it, but I certainly do not yet have the contacts... However, the idea of starting up as a group of friends maybe with a tutor or two to give some creative shape to the proceedings....

So inspiring and informative a chat. And she is so lovely. Made me just want to go on her retreat immediately. Dang. And made me think that organising a creative retreat really is something I want to do.


No Spend November - at the end of day one - I spent £3.26 on milk and £18.96 on postage. Postage was work / ebay so covered and the milk, kind of sort of necessary.... bit annoyed as could have used the soya. Am still on normal mode. Earnt £27 baby sitting. No other spending. WEll done me.

November No Spend day 1

Does it count that we are only half way through day one? WEll, its all going very well so far. WE went to a party yesterday and spent £10.35 because of it. But I did take 2 things back to the shop which I might not have bothered with other wise, so I got £4.29 and £2.50 returned so it wasn't too much of a stretch and in fact we still have 4 cans of guiness, a pack of Doritos and some salsa dip left over - as they weren't used.

Its nice to have Hub on board with this mission. We are a team. Which is just the best thing ever. WE are also both on an earn money quest too. This week I am doing some babysitting which will bring in £75. Playgroup will bring in something - probably about £20 ish.

We all went to a friends house last night to a halloween trick or treat street. We dressed up, we frightened children who came to our door and doled out 288 mini mars bars. Bub had a ball dressed as a dalmation and roaring at trick or treaters. And it was so nice to socialise as a couple, nay, as a family! Hurrah!