Three Good Things August 2015 Week 1

Hello. Here is my Three Good Things diary for the first week of Agust 2015.

It's not all bad after all!

Saturday 1st August

1. Starting my next stripe on my knitting. It's starting to look really good now. I have no odes how long it is going to take to become a blanket but I'm really enjoying the process so I guess that doesn't matter.
2. Making peppermint and laughing hysterically when they started going wrong.
3. Birthday tea with friends. Not my birthday I hasten to add. It was Misty's birthday.

 

Sunday 2nd August

1. 12 mile walk around a reservoir - I did not realise it was going to be a 12 mile walk when we set off. I was tired.
2. Picnic in the sunshine. Unexpected sunshine I might add. We thought it was going to be cloudy! Bonus!
3. Lazing in bed with podcasts - always a good way to round off a day.

 

Monday 3rd August

1. Deciding which bike to buy - the man in the shop was so very helpful, it turned out the best bike for me wasn't even the most expensive one in my budget zone! Yay!
2. Making a birthday cake for a friend.
3. Rose passing her driving theory test!

 

Tuesday 4th August

1. Getting the boots points from a friends shopping trip. I need those points!
   
2. Everyone enjoying the birthday cake. Always nice when your work is appreciated.
3. Booking an afternoon off work! Self explanatory.

 

Wednesday 5th August

1. Achieving 67 words per minute on a typin test. My best score!
2. Buying a new bike. I've only ordered it at this stage, i won't get it for a few weeks but I a, really excited to have finally made the commitment!
3. Bake Off is back. CAKE!!!

Thursday 6th August

1. Afternoon off work. Only working 3ish hours in the morning felt like such a guilty pleasure!
   
2. Trip to Ilkley. This included lots of nice little shops, lunch and a tea break with my mum and sister. Just lovely. Even better when it stopped raining!
3. Meeting a target. Who doesn't love that satisfaction of gettin to the bottom of a pile of work?

 

Friday 7th August

1. Beating my step target on Google Fit.
2. Sharing Cookies at work. It cheers everyone up!
3. Watching The Original Star Wars for the first time.

 

 

So there you go. I'll admit that in this week there were a couple of pretty pants days but even in those there were still good things. It's just a case of trying to focus on those.

 

See you next week.

Charlotte xx

Loyalty Lunches (#midweekmunchies 4)

As much a I believe in packed lunches there are occasions when I am running late or feeling lazy or don't have much in and fancy something from a shop. This is absolutely fine, it's totally allowed to buy a lunch every now and then. I just personally can't afford to do it everyday and, to be honest, I like my packed lunches. But, when I do buy out, I like to get something extra if I can.

I have what some people have described as a slight obsession with loyalty cards. At the moment I have a total in my bag I currently have about 20ish (that doesn't include my two library cards).

A small sample of my loyalty collection.

 

I also, am not loyal to any of these places. Today's lunch was kindly supplied by Subway, but that doesn't mean that I exclusively buy my lunches out at Subway in order to earn those points. That is ludicrous. According to Subway's website if you have registered your card you get 10 points per £1 and a 'free' 6" sub costs 500 points. Doing the maths that means you would have to spend £50 to get that sandwich. It's not really free is it?

One 'free-at-point-of-purchase' Subway.

Spiced Italian. Mmmm.

 

But... I like an occasional Subway, and while I would never go there deliberately with the idea of earning enough points to get a free sandwich, I might as well get the points when I do go. I was going to spend that £3 anyway so it might as well be earning me something!

 

 

I know people who struggle to use a voucher or loyalty scheme because it makes them feel embarrassed and to these people I say 'Get Over It'. Recently I was able to use my nectar points to have a meal out for two for a grand total of £4.85. I don't earn a fortune and the restaurant will be able to claim the money back from Sainsburys (I assume this is how the offer works) anyway so why should I feel embarrassed. And, bonus off the back of this I got two vouchers for 2for1 on main courses plus a free portion of dough balls because I did a survey on the receipt. 5 minutes work for a free starter. It's a no brainer to me!

I appreciate that Sainsburys is not the cheapest supermarket but it the nearest to both my home and office so I earn my points by scanning it every time I buy even a small thing such as a punnet of tomatoes or box of crackers. They all add up. It might take a while but while I don't exclusively shop at Sainsburys (as this would go against my earlier policy of not actually being loyal for the sake of points) quite often it is the only choice available to me so as before, I might as well get something out of the transaction.

 

So, to summarise. Yes to loyalty cards. No to shopping exclusives in those places. Just shop as you normally would and if you happen to earn a freebie enjoy it!

 

Pip pip for points!

Charlotte x

 

 

Three Good Things Returns.

Hello all. I've been having a funny couple of weeks. Nothing is particular has gone wrong, but things haven't necessarily been going right either. And it's left me feeling a bit blah.

So, for August, I am bringing back Three Good Things. The challenge where everyday, no matter how pants it is you have to think of three good things from that day. For my previous entries from October last year, please click here, here, here and here! (For weeks 1-4 respectively).

 

I have alreday made a start, and as with last time I will be doing a weekly update. Expect week one on Friday 7th!

Hopefully this will kickstart some positive feelings and get the second half of 2015 back on track!

Pip pip

Charlotte x