General Ranting Time

Because it is Sunday. So: today was also weighing in and I almost made it and lost 2,4 kg of 2,5 kg. Well, I had 3.4 kg lost on Friday, but then it went up again,
because I felt the need for some very unhealthy food. You will not get more information, as you do not need to know more.

So how was my week? On Tuesday I reached goal one: get into Plus. On Wednesday I gained 1.06 Plus. On Thursday I finally used my voucher and on
Friday I had the weight down. Yesterday I had a peaceful and quiet day without any people, so lovely for me. Today I got up before 9.00 am, cooked pasta with Barbequeue? Sauce. BBQ, somehow I never know how to spell it out completely.
Since I had a lot of the Sauce over, I made a poultry-veggie-Stew with that sauce.
That I'll have for lunch on Monday. Because: we may keep the Microwave and only have to store it somewhere else. So I do not have to eat the carbohydrates in the evening. Very nice.

Today I also paid some bills and installed my regular saving to my savings account. Now that I know my IBAN for it. Makes it a lot easier. I went to the bank on Friday to get it and I also was able to lower my account costs, because I don't use some of the possibilities and so they were able to lower it. Only by 3 €,
but every Euro counts. Also I had managed to save some cash from the household-money (20 €) and I paid those in as well.

Since I forgot some things when shopping groceries on Friday (yes, I was very active on Friday, so I rested yesterday), I shall have to hit the store tomorrow after work. Still, I shall have a rest of 10 €, that I shall pay into my savings on
Wednesday. So: everything is fine.

A couple of month ago a friend asked, if I didn't consider to sell socks on the christmas-market my Employer offers and at first I said no, but I reconsidered that. I thought, that I might actually do that. I can widen my offers by some other things, like pulse and leg-warmers. They are very easy to knit and I can knit them as a set and even add a scarf and a cap with it. Though scarfs are really boring to knit. Still. I shall think it over and then on Wednesday I'll ask her. And until christmas, there is a lot of time. But it would be knitting with a purpose, so there.

Next week I shall start to work on getting to work early. So that I can leave early. And that will give me more free time. Though to begin with, I shall use it to clean my flat. But once I got some better ground in, I can get by with just maintaining that. I hope. At least, the washing is done. Friday. You gessed it.

Only a few days, too, until my next holiday. I have two weeks at the end of February, because that is, when we have the hightide of carnival in the part of
the Rhineland, where I work. I prefer to leave the house as little, as I can and so taking a holiday is just perfect for me. And then Lent starts and for this year, I shall participate by not drinking Cappuccino or any drink, for which I would need sweetener. Meaning sugar, honey or artificial sweetener. Fruit is o.k., so I think, that I shall switch to fruit tea or things like peppermint tea or herbal tea or some mixture of ginger, peppermint and lemon. Very tasty.
That's it for me for Lent though. There are limits to my endurance. But maybe next year I might do this and something else. Who knows.

Since the American and the German Banking and general Money Systems are in some parts very diverse, I found, that I can not work with Dave Ramseys "Every Dollar" App. Because it is often better to leave some money on the account and to take off the money, that I shall need for groceries, presents, donations and similar things. I do not go out much, so that is not really an issue, but the other things are better to taken care of this way. The rest I do pay via my account. We do not work with a cheque-system any more and you can not pay with a credit card everyday. Sometimes not even with a debit-card. On the farmers market for example you can only pay cash.
The expenses of the credit card will be paid automatically from the account. Mine is from my bank, so it is all in one hand. The last bill of that was paid last week and so now I am not cutting the card but I put it away from me, where I can not easily get at it.

Anyway: my bank offers a budget book, that is fitted to our banking system and so I ordered that, plus one that will manage ecological saving. Meaning, I think: saving money and doing something for the economy. I like that. I also like, that both are free and with free shipping. Lovely.

They wrote, that it will be in my place within two weeks, but since I only ordered it last Thursday, I do hope, that they shall arrive on Tuesday already. That would be perfect.  This way I can start directly with my February Budget. On the other hand, I can also do it like I did it this month and then just copy it into my budget book. Won't be much of a problem.

And since it won't be, I shall get me some tea now and then play some Sims 4.

Cheerio and enjoy the new week!

Below you see the pulse-warmer. Even has a whole for the thumb. :)

Little Lord Fauntleroy

In Germany known as "Der kleine Lord" (The little Lord).
Ever since the 80ies, this movie was watched by my family in the version with Sir Alec Guinness and Ricky Schroeder. It was a lovely version. I do know of
course, that there are other versions and that other people may prefer those.
This is my blog though, so my version rules. Here.

I liked this movie very much, because it is a hearwarming story with a lot of kitsch in it. But fun.

The Plot:
The House of Dorincourt is out of direct heirs. The last of the three sons of the Earl has recently died and so the only grandson, the son of the youngest son will have to take over. BUT not only is he only eight years old, he is half american, as his father married an american. The Earl though always hated the americans, especially after "stealing" his favourite son. Still, those are the rules: if the sons are dead, the grandsons are on.
So Mr. Havisham, the stewart of the Earl is send to the States to find the heir and bring him home. The mother as well, but she is not allowed to cross the threshhold of the castle. She is given a nice cottage on the grounds though and an appanage (or some such thing), which she refuses though.

The Mother would not want to part with her son, but for the love of him and her late husband, she is willing to put up with the conditions under a condition of her own: the Earl is never even to hint at the faintest dislike concerning her towards his Grandson. This, so the Grandson, Ceddy, as we will call him, will learn to love him as a loving Grandfather without any bad feeling.

Ceddy leaves behind his friends the Grocer and the Shoecleaner with a heavy heart. Just as the Earl hates the Americans, the Grocer hates the British Aristocracy.

When the family and their trusted friend Mary finally land in (or near) the castle
things start to change. The Earl warms up and even rights some wrongs. Like the paying problems of one of his tennants or the deplorable state of Earls Lane.

Then a shock to the Earl, as his second son seems to have a son by a very common woman, who claims the title for this son.

All people concerend on both continents are in an uproar, especially the grocer, until he shoes the shoecleaner a photo of the woman and the boy and it turns out,
that the boy is the shoecleaners nephew. So they wire to Mr. Havisham, who posts to the Earl. A trap is set for the woman, the friends and brother are gotten to the castle and all ends happily with the mother under the christmas-tree IN the castle and a great feast in the hall.

The End.

I never was a hand in short stories, but I am quite good with the longer versions.
If you get the chance, watch the move. It takes place at christmas, but it can be watched at anytime. So enjoy!!

A little earlier in the day

Hidiho Winslows or whoever you are.... feel welcome

Today I decided to write before nightfall, mainly because a got a bit of tea on my favourite easy chair, and the cleaning solution has to sink in, so I can't sit there. Therefore I sit on my computer.

This is my reflection or "general ranting" day, when I go over the week. So what did I do? I worked off not only a considerable negative on my time account at my employers, which will be in the plus by Tuesday, but I also got a lot more done, than usually. So both good things. Housework was reduced to straightening and cooking, but I can live with that for a good cause.

Than I have found a lot of inspirations for my minimalism and frugal life changes and found two things out.

1.     about a year ago, my parents gave me my Grandmas cherry-stone-picker.
        On Monday I found out, that it is very usable to cut out Olive-Stones as
        well. Now it only has to be able to cut out Gall-Stones and I spare me per-
        haps an op. But I don't think so. :-)

2.     also on Monday I found out, that the cooling mask that I had purchased last
        year (thinking it was a sleeping mask) can actually be used like a cooling
        pad for food. That's great. I had been so annoyed with myself for not only
        buying it, but also for not beeing able to return it, as I didn't take a receipt
        for that purchase.

So that was very good. Now, those are two things I bought, that at least in one case save me money. The Picker not so much, as I still have to purchase the Olives to pick them. On the other end: the Olives I like best have Stones and they are cheaper than others. So ultimately I save too.

On YouTube there are Vlogs in which people tell of the ten things they bought, that save them money. I am more of a blogger, so I write my 10 down. No particular order:

-  the picker
-  the cooling mask
-  my tea egg, because I use my tea leaves for several loads of tea and I don't use
   so very many tea bags that way
-  my battery charger, as I can charge and recharge my batteries for years
-  my energy saving lamps, as they lower my electricity bill
-  my fridge/freezer-combination. I bought it with cash late 2014, it has 3 freezer
   compartments so I can buy normal-sized packages (that are sometimes cheaper
   than the smaller ones) and freeze half of it.
   Also it has a special compartment in the fridge for each produce and fish/meat
   and that means, that I can do my shopping every two weeks and the food stays
   super-fresh. I only use up ground-beef on the day after buying it at the latest.
-  my prepaid handy, that I have recharged, when it gets under 5 €. That will take
   me about three month, because I only have it for emergencies or for my family
   to write in a What's App Group
-  my i-Pod because although it was way to expensive, I can use it to watch You-
   Tube Videos, research online, calculate costs, listen to music and audiobooks,
   check the weather, use it as a calendar or notebook and a lot of things I do not
   need, but they don't bother me. So I do not have to switch on the computer so
   often and that saves a lot of engergy as well
-  my blood pressure- measure, as I do not have to get it done, I can do it at home
-  my Brita-like water-cleaner or however you call it, because I do not have to by
   as much water, as I used to do.
-  my to go cups and bottles and boxes, in which to transport hot and cold drinks
   and food for the office

That's already 11 and a bit and there is one more, that will save me money: on Thursday I have to go to town to get a couple of things and I thought to reward
myself with a cappuccino and a carrot cake at Starbucks. BUT only yesterday I found a carrot cake recipe on www.AndreaMills.tv and so I will not spend about 7 € on a drink and a cake, but bake it at home. As far as I could see, I have everythings I need for it at home, so I do not have to buy the ingredients. Or only those for the frosting, but that'll still be under 7 €.

So, I am getting on better. Also on Wednesday the technical devices in our offices were tested and now we keep the Microwave and the fridge and that means, I won't have to eat my warm meals at home, but can eat them in the office again. I just have to walk a little further, but I don't mind that. I had lost almost
3 kilos and due to eating warm in the evening, which I am not used to really, I gained some of it back. So this way, I can eat as before and won't have to worry as much about gaining weight.

My parents have been on a winter holiday and they had a grand time, but they sure took a long time getting home. BUT they got home save and well and happy and so everybody is happy.

I have found a "Total Money Makeover" Audiobook and now I am listening to it while knitting. I had it as an e-book, but stupidly deleted it. Not even, because it didn't help, but because I thought, that a paperback would be better and I'd by that. But I found, that Dave Ramsey has a lot of his tools on his websites. Those are featured in his book as well and so I can still use them.

Also I found, that my bank offers a budgeting book and since that is organized in a way more fitting to the german bank system, I shall be using that. I can do it on my computer or - as I prefer - with pen and paper. So I'll do it that way. I have to go to the bank anyway so I might as well do that in one go. For January I shall be using my selfmade budget-book and from February on I'll use the other one. So this is going up.

Other than that I have almost finished the first of the six books I mean to read this year. The one over Georgian London. Now this took so long, because I do
not read much at home, as I like to watch videos or knit and then an audiobook is more helpful. So I read while commuting and in my lunchbreak. But ever since I decided to read six books (or more) this year, I read for an hour before I got ready to go to bed. Thus I got it finished earlier. Next up will be a paperback by
Penelope Fitzgerald called "The Bookshop". I will write a review, when I have read it, but not before.

On Thursday I will use my giftcard and buy a book by Ben Aaronovitch, with the title "The Hanging Tree". This is out of a series I like a lot about a London Wizard Copper and it is great fun to read even if you are like me: not into thrillers or Science Fiction. It is Fun. Ben Aaronovitch even used to write for the Dr. Who Series, that you might know and like.

Also I will buy some paper to go on in decorating my style of Bullet Journal. I need some paper, maybe some extra pens or decoration gadgets. Now I have a
giftcard for 20 €. The book will cost me 7,99 € which leaves me at least 12.01 € for other things and I won't even have to use it entirely in that bookshop, as I can also use the card in other shops of the mall. So I might get some things from the drugstore as well. :-) And I do get points in both shops that will add to the 857 I have left from using points for shopping. Plus I have multiplier vouchers, so that I might even get over 1.000 Points without having spend one Euro. Great.
Then I can go shopping on Friday morning, print out a 10 € voucher and hopefully reduce my costs in the grocery store. It's a win-win-situation, as my boss would say.

On that happy note I leave you to check the offers in the grocery store to make a meal plan for the next two weeks and to make a shopping list from that. :)

Cheerio!!

A song tonight

Lyrics

You'll be better off, I know
With another kind of man
All I've got is what I feel
And what I feel is what I am

But let me take you in my arms again
Let me take you in my arms and then
Let me see behind your smile
Let me love you like a child
Let me take you in my arms

I'm like a train that's rollin' on a track
Like a train that's got no turnin' back
Let me keep you from the storm
Let me make you safe and warm
Let me take you in my arms

You'll be better off, I know
With another kind of man
All I've got is what I feel
But what I feel is what I am

Let me take you in my arms again
Won't be easy, but I'll learn to bend
Like a ship without a sail
On a sea without a trail
Let me take you in my arms

You'll be better off, I know
With another kind of man
All I've got is what I feel
But what I feel is what I am

Let me take you in my arms again
Won't be easy, but I'll learn to bend
Like a ship without a sail
On a sea without a trail
Let me take you in my arms

But let me take you in my arms again
Let me take you in my arms and then
Let me see behind your smile
Let me love you like a child
Let me take you in my arms

Let me take you in my arms again
Let me take you in my arms and then
Let me see behind your smile
Let me love you like a child
Let me take you in my arms

Let me take you in my arms again

Written by Neil Diamond • Copyright © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group

Obviously I own neither the clip, not the lyrics. So that's cleared up..

I have found this song by accident, but I have liked the songs of Neil Diamond ever since I heard "What a beautiful noise".

This is obviously a love song, but that is not the reason, why I like it. I like it mainly because of the melody, so if  you have no access of sound for the video, it won't make much sense to you.

Especially after the sentence of the title, there is melody I like a lot. It first really appears after "I'm like a train, that's rollin' on a track". And then of course, there are the strings in the opening and throughout the song.

I am not actually talented in music, but I like melodies a lot and he has some very nice ones in this one...

So I am a fan and I like to listen to that very often. I have the same with a song sung by Hildegard Knef (or Neff, as I think she may be known in the United States). That song is: "Ich hab' noch einen Koffer in Berlin" (I still have a suitcase in Berlin). There are not only strings, there is a harmonica in that, too. You don't have to understand german to like it, my oppinion.

Unfortunately I only found the above version (that I don't own), which has Marlene Dietrich in it as well. But, at least she is not as horrid, as - I personally find her - usually.

So, there you have the main song and an idea of my liking for string music. And Neil simply is the deal. Check him out!

Cheerio!

Another Sunday

.... and cooking day it was. Very meaty, too. But back to the week.

So on Monday I went off to work and not really late, well for my record at least.

I did not get a lot done, but I got some things done. Tuesday was washing day, Wednesday was for the next blog and I think I knitted a lot. Also I put my washing, that had been hanging to dry into the dryer to have it fluffy.

Thursday I had planned to iron, but I was so knackered from the day, I was just glad to be home and have nobody but myself around. Thursdays are Team-Days. That means the whole section is in. All part-timers and those who work from home and we had a team-meeting to boot. So: it was really very full and I do not like those kind of days. But after a while most people have left and so, by staying on until 4.50 pm, I got a lot of stuff done after all.

Friday I was very lucky and just because I decided to take a later train. Now, my trains come in a 20-Minute Rhythm. I was there for the 6.44 am. The announcing board said, "train late 30 min. approximately". First I thought, ah well, bad luck. Next I looked at what train was meant and it wasn't mine at all, it was the one for 6.04 am. That was a piece of luck, but then, Friday 13th has always proven to be a good day for me. Thursday the 12th though: not so good, as demonstrated above...  Whatever. As you will have cleverly deduced, a train that is supposed to come every 20 Minutes, cannot really be 30 Minutes late. So actually one did not arrive at all and the other was 10 Minutes late. But that's the German train system for you. If they do inform you at all, they formulate it in a way, that sounds more positive, in order to not make the travellers cranky. They fail, because we're not stupid, but they are lucky, because there really is no other practical public transport. And they are not in general late, even in very bad weather. So it is not all that bad. But annoying at the time.

Apart from that, I decided for this year, not to think so bad about people and situations I do not like. As for people: I don't generally even know them, so who am I to judge or criticize? And situations: there is a saying: If life gives you lemons, make lemonade (or you could make a good cleaner, if you do not like lemonade). So I will try out that. As well as living more in the now and less in the yesterday and tomorrow. As a matter of fact, I can't do that anyway, but I have a habit of letting my thoughts, ideas and wishes stray there. I shall work on not doing that anymore or at least far less.

Then on Friday I found out, via a YouTube Video, that Sims 4 has brought in the Toddlers again and that is lovely. I missed them. And they just sort of tossed them in. There was a big annoucement of Vampires and I thought to myself, that was great, as I am not interested in Vampires and so I would be "saving" at least 9,99 €, if not even 39,99 €, I do not know how big a pack this is supposed to be.
The Toddlers though are free!!! So I got something I wanted for free.
Yuppie And they are cute...

 

They also can learn a lot more and even with a little tablet. Great fun. I have played them a lot recently.

Apart from that, I did a lot of food preparation today and yesterday as well. Yesterday I made a Salami-Pizza "from scratch" as they say and it was very nice. Half I ate and half I freezed. The other half I freezed into three parts, so that's three meals with a side dish.

Today I used up the groundbeef I bought on Saturday. It got used with pancake-batter and cheese in the oven, as meatballs and as an addition for a pasta-dish I am eating on Tuesday. The meatbals I tested, because I really had to... So two got eaten and 10 got frozen in 5er bags, that's a side dish for a potatoe-salad I planned. Because, on Thursday night I did make a mealplan for the rest of the month. But I think, I did it the wrong side around. One is supposed to see, what is on offer and plan around that and I planned my meals and bought accordingly.

On the other hand, I alread have a lot of the things. Still, I used a 10 € off coupon and had some bottles on which I got 1,15 € return so instead of 35,68 € I paid "only" 25,68 € (the 1,15 € are already factored in). That is still 5,68 € more than I had calculated and there as to be added a bread at the baker for 3,10 € still: I will not have to go shopping again this month because I have all that I want. I did not buy one or two things on my list and in one or two things I chose the bigger package, because then I will not have to buy that product again for quite a while.

So even though I did pay more than I wanted, I will not have to go shopping again on the 28th and that's fine by me. Next time I go shopping will be on the
first Saturday in February. Until then I will be well fed.

Due to a new decree in my office-building, we're not allowed to have fridges or microwaves in the offices, so I will only have a snack at lunch and do the "big meal" after work. Since I work reduced hours, that's not so very late and o.k..

We have communal tea-kitchens, but since there a really some pigs working on my floor, I wouldn't want to use machines, that are open to everyone.

Whatever. We are getting into the dirt and we don't want that. :)

There really is not much more to write about. I have set up a web-site, but it is not yet running, for some reason, so I won't even give you the name. Especially, since there really isn't anything on it. I blog here, I won't blog there, I don't think.

So the next week... mainly I will work on reducing Minus on my time-account, work off some things in my piles and cook at home and clean after me and cook again and rest and read.
Another goal for this year is to read at least 6 books. That may not seem much, but I am a slow reader and I often read big books. The book I started last year counts, e-books and paperbacks, but not audiobooks. That's not reading, it is listening. And I have at least 4 paperbacks and about 10 e-books to read. So I can turn that goal over into the next year.  But I will read more, sleep less and we'll see what comes out of it.

Actually, I do not have any real plans for the coming week. I will write a post about a book or a movie or some song I like, haven't decided yet. I will wash and clean and cook. Try to be in the office early and out of it likewise.

Right now I will read a bit more. Or I might knit a bit (a rhyme, a rhyme...)

Cheerio to all of you and thanks for reading my rantings.... you've got some patience, let me tell you... :)

First Wednesday

And on this first Wednesday I thought I write about the book, that I am currently reading on my e-reader. The Title is "Georgian London" by Lucy Inglis.
It is - unsurprisingly about the way London was in the period of the 4 Kings named George (I-IV). The last George in the row is the one, who was Regent during Mad King Georges  erm Madness. From George the IV. was coined the Regency Period. This is the time, when Jane Austen wrote and the time about Georgette Heyer wrote all her Romances.
It is also the time, that interests me most and therefore the reason, why I bought this book.
Miss Inglis has a very nice writing style. Not too intellectual, but also not too easy going. I find it easy and a pleasure to read.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0670920134?tag=georglondo-21&camp=1406&creative=6394&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0670920134&adid=0VVZ34VSV5ZQ1A1T8R63&

Above is the Amazon-link by the way.

Now back. Miss Inglis does neither infer, that you know everything about this time, nor that you know nothing about it at all. So it is very nice to read for someone like me, who is somewhere in the middle of those two sides.

The book is ordered into the different parts of London and in those parts it is ordered into smaller quarters. There are references to other parts of London and where neccessary she goes back or forth in time, but in general she sticks to the time she is in the narration. There are also pictures of the time in the book but those I found hard to see on my very simple kindle. It may be better on a laptop or a higher-end e-reader, I can not say. In a paper-book of course the pictures should be great.

So anyway: if you are interested in London and its history, but don't want to fight through tomes of knowledge in hard to digest language, than this is a good choice. You get a lot of information, entertainment and aha-moments out of it.

I am neither affiliated with the author, nor with Amazon. This is just my point of view of a book

A little background about my reading-habits: I have for a long time loved the books by Georgette Heyer. My Mother has them in German and so I first read them in German and over the years I bought some in English. They are both nice and from time to time I turn back to them. One can learn a lot about the times from her books, mainly about the Regency-Period. Georgette Heyer had a very big library about this period and that at a time, when you couldn't just browse the internet, but really had to search for real books. I also think, that is must have been harder to get those informations, but I do not know. Perhaps, if this is something, that you are very interested in, you'll find it easier to get material and once one gets started, it becomes even easier. Just like learning a new skill.



To make it easier for you to find the book in bookstores, here is the cover. Enjoy!

Announcement.... sort of

Hi Folks,

I have decided to write more often. That means, every Sunday and Wednesday. Sundays will be for general ramblings about everything in the world (except for politics and religion, as I consider these personal subjects and I do not want to force unhappyness on anyone)... So a lot of things in the world and how my week went, how I am getting on with my

My personal spending freeze is definitely different than others and it is under constan constructions.

I will also write about my version of minimalism and how I hope to reduce my ecological footprint. And whatever else comes to mind.

On Wednesdays I will write about books or movies or music or knitting or whatever else. Favorite TV-Series from the past for instance.

I thought about a Money-Monday, only since I am writing on Sundays, that was to close together and I am not really in a position to write about money. So why do it? Exactly. Right now I have to take care of my potatoes, so we put a little break here...

Of course, I do not own this video. The Link is: https://youtu.be/Sv5iEK-IEzw

And after the break, here I am again. I am making potato-Salad for tomorrow. As everyone know, the recipe requires potatoes. They have to be cooked. Which is, what I did and they were just ready and with this less than elegant swoop we are right back to my spending freeze in January.

I got myself into the vicinity of financial difficulties. To avert them, I decided on a spending freeze. Now, in my book, I have to eat and I have to pay my bills. All my bills are paid automatically from my bankaccount to the various receivers. Since that is already cleared, I reduce the Freeze to th remaining mony, mainly the money I take at the first of month.

In January, as I wrote, I had a lot of things to pay. But there are changes: I had to buy the present for my sister, so I paid that with my credit card. That meant, that I did not take the money out of my 200 € for household expenses. So I had 30 € "more" for January, als my brother and I "exchanged" payments. He bought the present for our brother, I bought the one for our sister and so it was an exchange without actual money.

Also, I decided to skip the office-party and dinner and so saved another 20 €. This makes 50 € that I won't take from my account next month. All in all I will only take 50 € off, as February is very short and I have two weeks of vacation at the end of it. There are no birthdays and not other events to take care of, so I should be fine with 100 € this month. Maybe even just 50 €. I'll see...

Now on Monday I did my grocery shopping and had to go again on Tuesday, as I forgot something. And then found, that I forgot something else. Well, it wasn't all that important. I can buy those things on the 16th. I'll have a list.

This month I can not try out my customer card, as there is a technical problem. I have to call someone and I don't know, wether I'll have the time. So I'm not sure.

At any rate, if I find the time and they a solution, than I can use the card on the 16th. I paid almost 20 € and I don't plan to pay more next time. There are a lot of groceries already in my flat I I shall only have to buy fresh stuff, yoghurt, milk and bread. That should be it. Some salad perhaps. 

At any rate, I am getting on. I have really not spend money for more food, than I needed and I have not once bought food for lunch, but cooked myself. Since I have to be careful of ingredients due to allergies and a gallbladderproblem, it is the best way. It does not only save money, but also is good for my health and weight. So far I have lost - since the first of this year - 2,6 kg. That makes me happy. Also worried, as I am a worrier. I lost that weight so fast. So I shall have to watch it closely in order to nip any health-issue in the bud.

As to worrying: I tend to worry shortly before going to sleep. I found though, that I do not have that problem, when I get to sleep at about 8.30 pm. So I did that lately and it did me a world of good.

And that's it for now. I want to do my dishes and get in some knitting as well.

Therefore: cheerio you all!! Things for reading... 

New Year, New Post

Well, I thought, I might as well. Seeing, that this new year starts on a Sunday, when I have more time, than during a week, I thought, I might try to write every Sunday. This Blog-Writing may be old-fashioned and Vlogging the thing to do, but: my abilities in the technical field are very, very low-key.
I can however write and so I stay with what I know. Though, if I do manage somewhere in the future to improve my technical skills, I actually might turn to Vlogging. This isn't a promise though.

This year I decided to try some new things out. Like switching off W-Lan and my computer, when I go to work as really nobody needs it at those times. So why waste the money? Also I pull every plug, that is not absolutely needed, until it is. I am not using as much lamps as I used to, I am not using electrical appliances as often as I used to. This includes Computer-Usage. That will now happen mostly on Weekends and on days off, but since I am working with computer-progrs all day at my job, I give myself a rest. Except for my i-Pod and my e-reader, which I will use.

Then I have decided on a spending freeze, after reading about it and hearing about it and thinking, this might be something I'd like to try out. Last year I have been spending a lot of money and though I am not broke, I want put myself a little more ahead in that area. So I thought, that I might as well start on January.

Spending Freeze means, that one only spends money for the things really needed, like food, means to get to work and other things to keep going or things that have already been planned and calculated for the month in question.
In my case have some expenses already fixed in my budget. Now I should say, that my budget, living in Germany is in Euro. If you live anywhere else, just turn it into Dollars or whatever your currency is. Also keep in mind, that food costs in Germany are very low.

So: fixed already are:
the money for my parents christmas present, that I have to give to my sister,
46  € (it was a tablet with cover)

an English Afternoon Tea with a friend, a birthday present for last year, but she had an accident and so we couldn't do that for a very long time, 45 € with tip included (15%, more I can't afford)

the birthday presents for my sister and my older brother, which are 15 € each so 30 € all in all

an evening out with my colleagues, as we don't have a christmas-party, but a party at the beginning of the year. It is only food though and I calculated 20 €.

a donation for the new organ in my congregation = 10 €.

finally about 6 € for my walking group: 4 € for drinks and 2 € for the flowers we give to every birthday girl (we are only women, no men).

That comes up to? You there, in the last row, talking to your neighbour: add up.
157 €. Now I gave myself a budget of 200 €, so I am left with 43 € for 31 days.
So, 1,39 € a day. Does not sound much?

Well: I usually only go shopping for one time in the week. This month obviously only twice. For that I calculate 15 € at most. I do not get softdrinks or convineance (? probably writtten wrong) food and I buy not a lot of meat or fish. Not, because I don't like it, but because that really is expensive, because when I buy meat and fish, I buy good quality at a butcher or fishmonger. My veggies and fruit I buy seasonal and regional. For January however that highly depends on wether our local farmers market is already open or still in winter break.
This month I have the help of some shop-card-points that I can use up, so that would be about 20 €, that I can add all in all.

I do not use coupons, that is due to the coupon-system here in Germany. Mostly the coupons on offer are for stuff, that is more expensive than the products I buy and I don't like them as much. So I wouldn't really save. Sometimes I do use a coupon, when it is something that I want to try out, but in general, I just don't.

My lunch I take to work and when I cook, I make two or three meals at once, so that I can freeze up the rest. Starting this year though, we can not have fridges and microwaves in our offices, but have to put them in the communal kitchen. I really wouldn't want to use these appliances there, they are often looking disgusting and who wants that? Exactly. So I have decided to take a sandwich or things that do not have to be kept cool or heated and eat my main meal at home.

I will also not buy water from the Water-Merchants, only return the empties I have. That will give at least about 6,60 € in return, so I can add them to my expenses.  I am winning... :)

I also have a giftcard from christmas for our local mall, that I can turn into a giftcard for my grocery-store. saved again, though I think, that I will do that next month or in march perhaps. Next month will be an easier month: no birthdays, no parties, actually only the drinks (tea or water) for walking. And then it is of course the short month. I might even get through with one shopping trip. Well, we'll see.

Anyway, I have one particular stand on the farmers market, that has good quality produce and not so high prices. I buy there and get something tasty to eat. Also we have a good butcher nearby, where I can get quality meat at not too high prices and I know, that the meat is from either his own farm or a friends farm, living nearby.

I do not have the proverbial green thumb, rather the (very dark) grey index-finger, so planting my own veggies is rather a no go for me. But since I have
access to a good market, it is not all that bad.

Due to some health issues, I am also restricted in what I can eat and comfortably digest. So fried is a no go for me, pork does not work, spinach, but most other veggies. Too much sugar is not good for me, bubbles in water or softdrinks cause me to well, the not so nice word is belch, I think and I am sorry, I do just now not know the nicer word.

Anyways, those are my spending freeze-month plans. Tomorrow I will do my first shopping. Since I just found out, that Saturdays Market will not happen, I shall buy my veggies in the grocery store. I will not buy meat, because I do not feel like it. Also: I need eggs and some other things, that I can get on my way home. I have made some sort of plan for my meals in this coming week, but not for the next and since I am buying for two weeks, I shall have to make a plan for two weeks. Shouldn't be all that hard, though I shall have to be inventive for tomorrow. No eggs, no potatoes, no pasta in any form. Since I plan on making sushi for Tuesday (we will then still have the fridge) I do not want to have rice tomorrow. That pretty much limits tomorrows choices. I might make a sandwich with Avocado-Cream though, I still have the Avocado from last week.

So this week:

Monday    Avocado-Cream-Sandwich and an Apple for dessert
Tuesday    Sushi and a Muffin for dessert
Wednesday  pancake with a Pizza-Seasoning and an apple or a yoghurt for after
Thursday  potatoe-Salad and a Muffin
Friday I eat at home and that will be baked fish with brokkoli

Saturday is my lazy day, so manly sandwiches, I think. Sunday I am invited to brunch.

Monday is the day of the Afternoon-Tea, so I will only have a sandwich or a Muffin or something of the kind

From Tuesday on, it will be something light for lunch, since I only work until 3.30 pm, I shall eat in the evening. That'll be a red beet soup
Wednesday I'll have a brokkoli-potatoe-stew
Thursday I shall have Tortilla wraps, so maybe I will buy some chicken after all. I can bake it, slice it and then put it in the wrap
Friday I think I will eat the last of my baked fish, I have to pieces left to bake in the freezer. I can have that with rice.
Saturday will be glas-day, means things out of glasses, I do not eat tinned food, because I have an allergy and it also not good for the environment.
Sunday I may have a brussels-sprouts-Soup or something I bought on Saturday on the market. We'll see. And for the following Monday I shall have to make up a new meal plan.

So now you have read enough ranting, I should say, remains to write:

have a good and peaceful, happy, healthy, lovely 2017!!