Towel Transformation :-)

Hello,

A bit boring this post but something I'm quite proud of and a post to get me back in the swing again! 

So, I'm by no means as good as I could be financially  I read a lot of blogs and feel very inspired, I've made some significant changes and have started seeing some real progress with debt busting! We renovated the bathroom on a reasonable budget but even using reduced tiles, auction site suite etc it still added up.

I really wanted new towels to go with the new bathroom but I have expensive taste in towels and I couldn't justify £30 for a new matching bath sheet ( x 3 and hand towels!) 

So, what did  I do? 

I went to Dunelm Mill! And look what  I bought! 

£4.50 a packet and the cost of running the washing machine et voila!

And inspired by these I did some others as well!

The towels were all M&S and still in good condition despite their age and now I have new looking towels for around £10.

So I am learning! ; -) 

Bathroom Renovation (be prepared!)

Hello,

Welcome to my new readers, apologies for the lack of welcome, it's been  a  hectic month :-0

We've renovated our bathroom, hurrah!

So it's gone from this:

what we inherited 

To this

                                                                                     

To this 

To this......

TA DA!!! 

I'm thrilled it with it! My design inspiration was Art Deco and it's all been done on a budget! 

Apparently pink bathroom suites aren't fashionable anymore ;-) 

I'm so fed up with seeing the same plain white suites in everyone's bathrooms that I wanted something different for ours. I started looking on auctions sites and came across this suite, brand new and had been stored in the owners garage. It came with a bidet as well as all the matching taps and a soap dish all the for the pricely sum of £125!!! We did have drive through 5 counties to collect it however ti was definitely worth it. 

I sold the bidet for £25 so our suite cost us £100 not including diesel. 

The tiles all came form the reduced section for various branches of a diy store in my area and came in at £ a box/1/2 metre, total £180.

The majority of the budget went on labour costs and the taps! Who knew they were so expensive! 

It won't be to everyone's taste but we love it and why be  the same when you can be different?!

x

Fabulous Birthday Week Part 1

Hello,

Hope you're all well and coping with Stoptober!?

I've had a fabulous birthday week, the weather couldn't have been better at each location and the time with Mr M alone and with our son has been much needed.

Last weekend Mr M and I went to Somerset. Mr M has wanted to go to Stourhead, a National Trust property with beautiful gardens forever, so that was out first outing.

We then went to Wells and saw the Cathedral

**On Monday we went to gorgeous Bath. I felt very pleased with myself as I had allowed some money for a treat but despite the huge temptation from all the lovely shops; I didn't buy a THING!! **

A surprise birthday treat basket from my best friend, she knows me so well!!

My actual birthday was Thursday and it was off to London with Mr M and our son. Buckingham Palace, London Eye and Madame Tussauds.

My birthday present from our son was this fabulous blanket

It was a made by a  lovely lady called Sonia, she has learning difficulties and attends a local centre where they can learn new crafts and meet friends. Samuel spoke to her and chose the colours as they mean something to me and him. I was thrilled and it's my favourite present ever.

I have more photos to show but I'm sure this is enough for tonight!

How have you been? x

Financial Failure : - (

Hello,

This month has been a dismal frugal financial failure hence my silence!

We've replaced  our porch roof  and paid out for a new composite front door, some serious outlay but  the pay off should be a watertight, warm hallway!

Secondly our rotten old bathroom is being ripped out and replaced, like all jobs this started off small with a reasonable budget  but has grown exponentially despite buying our tiles half  price from a well known DIY chain and saving 10% on several purchases with a discount  card!

On top of that there was car tax, car insurance and a hugely expensive book for work, phew!

The only saving grace is  that I'm aware I've been rubbish whereas before I just carried on regardless.
It's my big birthday next week and we have some lovely things planned, they are expensive but have been bought via various money saving websites so the cost is somewhat reduced. I'm going to enjoy my birthday week and my  financial sensibilities will resume October payday!!

Please don't be too harsh on me!

x

Grown Up Gap Year

Hello,

I'm in a quandary!
I have a milestone birthday coming up! I know age is just number but sometimes you just feel old!

Although I'm desperate to pay off our  mortgage and look to my new career I can't help feeling there are lots of other things I want to do as well ...... I'm not the sort of person to just go off travelling, and Mr M isn't particularly keen on overseas travel so what to do?!

One of the things I've always wanted to do is to volunteer  in an overseas orphanage. There are lots of companies offering these sort of volunteering  experiences and there are a lot of orphanages crying out for volunteers. One of the  projects I'm particularly drawn to  is in Ecuador and involves basic childcare of children up to the age of 7 whose parents work on the rubbish dump, sorting the rubbish ( they don't sort it like we do) It's basic childcare and then playing with the children.


From the website:

• To love, educate, and give the children hope. We want to see the generational cycle of growing up and working in the rubbish broken.

What do you think?