June's Debt Repayment

Today is a good day. Today is Pay Day. You know I love a Pay Day!

I made some commission this month, not enough for a round the world cruise, just some. Plus I got an expenses cheque for just a touch over £100.

This lunchtime I really went for the debt. Whooo Hoooooo!

Here is the breakdown.

Credit Card 1

Was £80.71         Paid £80.71      New Balance £0.00 Another debt down!!!

Credit Card 2

Was £582.00       Paid £319.29    New Balance £262.71

Overdraft

Was £300            Paid £0           New Balance £300.00

Car Loan

Was £0.00           Paid £0           New Balance £0.00

I am so delighted, £400 is more than I have paid off before and means that over 6 months I have paid off two of my debts that had a starting total of £980.94.

The End is Nigh Kids!

Starting Debt in January - £1990.80

Debt By the End of May - £962.71

Debt Paid This Month - £400.00

New Total Debt - £562.71

Percentage of Debt Paid May – 20%

Percentage Paid to Date – 72%

Plus I managed to put £200 into my savings account. I really need to try and increase my savings going forward, but that might be at the expense of debt repayment.

I need to have a think about that.

£562.71 left to pay seems really achievable and so today I am over the moon!

Frugally yours

Abigail

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Time & Attendance, Nope Time & Criticism.

Firstly, hello and welcome to my new follower Harriet. I am so grateful you stopped by.

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I got asked this question the other day

“Have you finished X? (a personal project)

“Nope” I replied “Not had the time yet”

The response was a large scoff, by my inquisitor, stating what utter rot as what did I do after I had finished work with no kids and just myself to look after. The sub text was definitely “You are lazy”

I went home and thought about this. 

• Once a month I attend book club 7-8pm on a Monday.
• Every Tuesday I go my evening sewing class from 7 –9pm and get home about 9.20ish I then have to cook and shower. 
• One evening a week I see The Chap, I get home eat and shower and get round to his for about 8pm..
• One evening a week I see my parents for dinner and again get home about 8.30-9pm.

That leaves one evening a week free.

At weekends (fri – sun) I stay at TCs place but often pop home to take washing out and put a new load in. That means, Sunday when I go home I can clean and iron before doing some more sewing and perhaps starting on the new Months book.

Plus on top of this I make sure I see my friends, bake my own bread, and of course take care of my cul de sac’s admin as I am Secretary of our Resident’s Association.

Oh, plus I leave to go to work at 7am and get home at 7pm.

Conclusion, nope not lazy, just busy.

But, after thinking about this I got really cross. I often find people believe they have the right to comment on me. They think that my life is quiet / meaningless / selfish as I do not have children, or sometimes others believe that they should say what they think as it is honesty.

I decided long ago not to cause waves by trying not to get offended, but now I find the criticism is more overt

“People who do not have kids are selfish”

“Of course you have put on bit of weight recently…I am just being honest”

“Could you do x, y ,z for me as you do not have children and so have the time”

My personal favourite in the days before The Chap “Never mind Abigail, someday someone will see past your outside and realize are are beautiful…inside”

I realize now that I am much more aware of how I was brought up – If you cannot say anything nice then do not say anything at all. Is it me or does anyone else suffer from these verbal smacks in a kamikaze style attack whilst your Frenemy smiles sweetly?

Ok rant over, sorry not talk about thrift today!

And finally, pay day tomorrow. This is the total of my remaining cash. £2.98.

Contemplating an ice cream on my way home.

Thank you everyone for your nice comments about my hair. I am pleased with it and have ordered more dye whilst it is on offer for a few months hence. It seems I am not alone is disliking the whole dyeing process.

Frugally yours

Abigail

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Been Dyeing To Do This.

At 36, I have noticed that middle age is trying it’s best to creep up on me. One minute I was in black velvet hot pants clubbing until the early hours. I blink and the next thing I know I am happiest whilst perusing soft furnishings on a Saturday afternoon and know everything there is to know about mortgages. How did that happen??

One of the side effects of “growing up” is that the odd grey colourless hair has started to creep through. Not a lot I hasten to add, just the odd one or two. I last had my hair coloured before Christmas at a discount price of £85. I cannot afford that again for a while.

Recently I have noticed that the grey colourless hairs have started covert action again taking up strategic positions ready for a full head on attack. I don’t think so Sunshine!

So yesterday evening I got home from work and opened Avon’s Advanced Techniques Medium Brown Hair Dye after of course a 24 hr test patch. Price £6. I have not dyed my own hair for about 3 years. It is not a job I enjoy or am any good at. My aim is to hide the grey and try not to change my own hair colour too drastically.. oh and to try and keep the bathroom undamaged.

So what do we think? It does look a bit patchy in this picture as the sun is shinning only on part of my hair.

£6 is a lot cheaper than £85, plus in Brochure 10 (Fergie, Black Eyed Peas on the front) Page 24 they are selling them for £3.50 each on special offer. (I ordered another for stock today.)

So my hints for dyeing your own hair

1)    Take 2 old towels in with you – 1 to stand on and 1 to have for after the rinse off.

2)    Take a big crocodile clip in with you to the bathroom so longer hair can be put up to stop dye getting your neck during the development period.

3)    Have an extra pair of plastic gloves. You need 1 pair (supplied) for applying the dye and I prefer to have another pair for rinsing my hair after.  TOP TIP I ‘borrow’ gloves from the petrol station forecourt.

4)    Have cotton wool and an astringent cleaner (toner works very well) for after application to remove dye from forehead ear and nape of neck etc.

5)    If safe to do so, do it naked. That way no dye gets on anything that cannot be cleaned.

6)    Oh yes and open a window, the stuff reeks!

Frugally yours

Abigail

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P.S. 48 Hrs until Pay Day.

May's Monthly tasks

It is Monday and I am on the countdown to Friday and the long weekend.
This weekend is the Queen's jubilee - 60 years since she commenced her reign. As part of the celebration the government have given us Brits an extra day off work tagged onto a normal bank holiday weekend. 4 days off work, here I come!
More on that over the weekend.

May finishes on Thursday, however our sales period finished on Friday 25th, so I am already in "June mode". Pay Day is Thursday and I am so looking forward to it.
I thought you might be interested to know what happened with the May Tasks that I set at the beginning of the month.
Here, they are
- Finish my second wrap dress. Done you can see a picture here
- Make some different type of bread. Done, I made cheese Focaccia. Here it is again.

- Bring Food shopping in at under £80 for the month. This was tough, as May was a 5 week month for me and some items that you only buy every few months went together e.g. washing powder, polish, anti bac spray etc. Final spend for May £87.27. Mmmm I think I can live with going over by less than 10%.
 - Pay off an extra £40 from credit card during the month.
Credit card 1 in my last debt post was £159.00. This month I bagged up coins - £60 and then went through every single online account I have and discovered another £15, plus small bits of random pence I came across as I checked my online banking. So I managed to pay off an extra £79 over the course of the month. I am  really pleased with this, as it is about 50% of a normal monthly payment I would make on pay day. Credit Card 1 New Total: £80.17 (the .17 is interest)
Perhaps it is time now then to set June's Tasks
- Pay off an extra £40 from Credit Card 2.
- Try making a French loaf or other rustic loaf
- Bring supermarket shop in under £80 between today and 25th June
- Sell 2 items on Ebay (The one item I put on did not sell)

And finally, do you remember The Chap and I were having an afternoon out on Saturday, followed by dinner and a movie? Well, it all went beautifully until we took a look at films to watch. Nothing caught our eye and the evening was so beautiful we just decided to go home and wait until the new Alien film comes out next weekend.
Anyhoo, I have just bought tickets lunchtime today after TC decided he would like to see it at the IMAX next weekend.
I am never booking tickets through them again! £5.50 booking fee, plus another £1.50 for P&P for two tickets to the cinema! Final cost £28.80 (posh seats). Ok it is 3D and on a huge screen. I got them as TC  has been looking forward to this film for months. It had better be AMAZING.

Frugally yours
Abigail
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Food Waste Friday. It Is All Soft.

Afternoon.

Food Waste Friday again.

Unfortunately 2 things to report.

First of all 4 potatoes, all soft and sponge like. I cannot think of a thing to do with them. So into the bin they had to go. Damn

On Monday I went into work with a whole cucumber I had bought last weekend to have on toast for lunch this week.

Unfortunately though by Wednesday I had run out of bread. I meant to make some Sunday afternoon, but I went to see The Chap. Then I meant to make some on Wednesday, but I went for tea at my parents instead. Then last night, I was absolutely postively going to bake 2 loaves.

The Chap was ill and off work last night, so I went round to his instead to give some TLC. Result no bread to put my cucumber on, which means the cucumber went soft and yucky (technical term) as well.

So this afternoon I am blogging about 2 different fridges, both of which were holding dirty little secrets. Bum!

On a more positive note, next week I get paid and I am really excited, be prepared to see a big chunk coming off the outstanding debt I have. I managed to pay off extra over the course of May from Credit Card 1, plus this Pay Day looks to be a good one! I cannot wait for Thursday.

The sun is shinning here in Staffordshire, this weekend is the official weekend The Chap and I have chosen to celebrate 12months together. So tomorrow afternoon we are off to Tamworth for a little bit of shopping, then dinner and a movie. He is lovely, and I am lucky.

I should of course weed the communal area in my cul de sac or sand the bathroom skirting board, or sort through my clothes. But I shan't. I am going out. Thrrrrrrrppppppp! to chores.

Frugally yours
Abigail
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When Is Thrift, Really Thrifty?

I often deliberate when is being frugal really thrift?

An example.

Earlier this week I was in Stoke on Trent at the end of the day and was walking back to my car when I happened to walk past the factory shop for Royal Stafford.

So I popped in.

It is full of beautiful items, like all the factory shops for ceramic ware in Staffordshire. Visiting any one of them is a lovely day out and you will get a good deal compared to high street stores.

I especially like the “seconds” which are imperfect goods sold at a fraction of their perfect siblings’ price. E.g. perfect price for a plate £29.95 seconds price £10.50.

In Royal Stafford they had a section of items on the floor, baskets filled to overflowing with mugs, cups, saucers, plates etc. All seconds and end of lines. And, all reduced to 50p. Yup 50p!!!

I saw these

And fell in love immediately.

So I bought some……..umm, actually I bought 10. Total cost £5.00 yes they have almost imperceptible marks (I went though all 50 or so plates to find the best) but I like them a lot.

So is this frugal? Surely the thrifty way, would have been to not buy them at all and keep my £5.

And, why the hell did I buy 10? When there is only little old me at W Towers.

However, I did reason that I could give them as gifts with a cake.

Actually, all is not lost my friend K at sewing class fell in love with them too and said she would have them off me if I decided to sell.

Currently they are in the halfway house of my car boot awaiting a decision.

What do you think I should do?

And, did I save money by buying the plates at 50p, or spend £5?

I am not sure, but I do still really like them.

Frugally yours

Abigail

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Frugal Feasting!

Morning!

Blogging lunchtime today as I have a work meeting all afternoon, then a doctors appointment, rounded off with my sewing circle this evening.

I have written before about how I like to turn off the radio on the way home from work in the car and just let my mind wander. It is often in this 6-7pm hour that I remember chores or plan projects etc. Last night as I drove home I started to think about what I could eat for dinner.

Ages ago I bought some fresh vacuumed packed ravioli stuffed with mozerella and parma ham. It is delicious and was on offer 3 packs for £3 (not to mention a BB date 3 months in advance) and each pack does a meal for 2 people. It does need a sauce though. Hmmmm…

So I got home and started through the cupboards, 2 large mushrooms were sliced and fried with half an onion and a teaspoon of garlic granules. I added a tin of Tesco value tomatoes (31p you do need to chop them). A stock cube, tablespoon of mixed herbs and then a huge splash of balsamic vinegar, which makes the sauce really rich.

I then allow the pan to simmer for 3-4minutes to thicken.

Finally took the pan off the heat and stirred in half a carton of left over sour cream from the weekend. Do not do it on the heat as the cream will separate.

Result? A really delicious sauce for my ravioli that will also feed me this evening for pennies. Sorry forgot to take a photo, far to hungry!

Following recipes is good, following your gut is better for this frugal feaster. It was so yummy.

Frugally yours

Abigail

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