What a busy month it's been - festivals, a weekend in Lynmouth and lots and lots of running. And not much frugality I am afraid. I have been saving a little each month - almost £400 in total now, which is an improvement, but not the strict frugality I was intending. Hopefully things are looking quiet and inexpensive between now and Christmas, and I can get my head down and save.
Its not all bad though - I have been doing a little eBay shuffling, and sold these:
Also, the focus in our household has shifted from frugality to weight loss and training for the half marathon. It's hard to do both at the same time! So far, I have lost 11lbs and am now running about 16 miles a week and swimming for an hour. We have bought more expensive ingredients as we reduce carbs and eat more protein. We are now spending under £150 a month each on food.
The running has been fantastic. I have found myself drawn to the trail rather than road running, and have really enjoyed the hills for the first time EVER! It's hard work, but the satisfaction of getting to the top and the fun down hill makes it so worthwhile. Here are some snaps I took during some recent runs:
Up on the hills near my home town.
Lynton and Lynmouth, up on the top - beautiful. Yes I ran up through the forest from the bottom!
That was a sore leg day.
I even found a heron, fishing...
It's hard to think about the pain when you are around such breath-taking scenery. I am going to really focus on trail running once the half marathon is over.
I am shocked at how easy it is to slip into old habits just be relaxing a little and taking your eyes off the frugal ball. Although our recent trip to Lynmouth was to stay in a cottage rented by LB's parents, I still splashed the cash buying drinks and food out. We stopped at a retail park on the way home and I succumbed, spending £60 on a jacket and more in GAP. I have had a (terrible!) haircut and have been thinking about having my nails done. Who do I think I am FFS - Kim Kardashian!?
But here I am, pulling myself back into line - just, can you believe, as my finger hovered over the mouse to buy a brand new SLR camera from of all places....Littlewoods! I know, I know. I seem to have been possessed by my evil twin temporarily.
No more! Its time to be sensible again and I need to remind myself of why I set out on this frugal journey in the first place - to save enough to be financially comfortable, provide some financial security in my life and to enable me to make choices - like a career change - that I wouldn't have otherwise. Also, to escape the hamster wheel of consumerism and find some peace.
So here I go, more posting and more grafting from now on.
Well done for your weight loss and fitness regime. I have lost 6lb so far to increase my fitness levels. But as you say take your eye of the ball for a moment and the old ways slipity slip back. I'm scrimpy too but sometimes a little bit of a spend is thrilling, as long as you don't carry on and on and on.
ReplyDeleteJean x
Absolutely nothing wrong with a bit of a slip! I have them occasionally and I point blank refuse to beat myself up about it, because it somehow seems to re-focus me! And omigiddyaunt I am so jealous of your new handbag, I had one in the eighties and have regretted getting rid of it ever since!
ReplyDeleteWhere are you, Bonnie? Worried that you might have lost so much weight that you've disappeared or maybe run off into the sunset!
ReplyDeleteHello Frugally Challenged, sorry! I reached a bit of a blogging impasse - and then the thought of re-capping the last months felt too intimidating... but here I am! Not much chance of disappearing or the other sadly :-( Plus side lots of lovely blogs to catch up on :-)
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