Why I am stopping shopping and saving instead

 


It is no secret now that I am really pushing towards my weight loss goals and I have a lot of pretty expensive rewards I want to treat myself to when I hit that main goal (post coming up about that very soon) so I have finally realised there is no point in wasting money now on clothes that aren't going to last too long when I can be saving that money for the rewards when the time comes plus I am sick of wasting money for the sake of not coming home empty handed when shopping. 

To be honest though I am really dialing in on my weight loss journey now and my biggest priority at the moment is getting rid of this weight for good which means if all goes to plan I won't be at the size I am now for much longer and I will be dropping sizes a bit more frequently until my loss phase is over and done with. 

As I said before I have realised now I am just spending for the sake of it as I feel like if I am out I need to buy something however, I am slowly getting out of that mindset now as I am starting to realise that saving would hold a much bigger benefit for me all round. Saving would mean I could get much better quality pieces when it comes to that big goal shop and if I really knuckled down with the savings for the goal shop I believe I could realistically save just over £2,500 meaning I could have a very good shop when the time comes. It is not only clothing that I am saving for though I am also saving towards other little bits that will help me on the journey too like cooking devices.  

My wardrobe is currently overflowing with items I never wear or that don't fit right so I really don't need any other items added for the sake of it when I can just wear those items first. By not adding to the wardrobe & cutting back on the pointless shopping trips I could save so much money so from now on that is the plan The shopping trips are going to be massively cut back and I am planning on reducing those new additions until they are really needed. 

The additions are going to be stopped however, there will be some exceptions for the rules. When trousers get to the point where they look too baggy or silly even with a belt I will be allowing myself to purchase a new pair however, it will be one in one out to stop the wardrobe being full of items that don't fit. This is going to be similar with tops too when they start to look silly for being too big I will be replacing on a one in one out basis. I will also be allowing myself to buy new football shirts through this as I can't miss out on the latest ones to add into my collection as the new season begins. These exceptions will be done on a one in one out basis and will be replaced on a budget meaning there will be no more big expense purchases until I have hit those goals.

Now that the weight loss journey is the main focus in my life it is time to knuckle down and ensure that I am using my time wisely so shopping trips will be replaced by workouts and the wardrobe is going to remain as it is until those items desperately need replacing. This will give me a chance to work towards that style I am wanting too as when items need replacing I can add the new style items and begin building that perfect wardrobe. Let's see how this goes...

See you soon, 

Lucy.

The things I would love to do this summer...

It is looking like we might actually be getting a good summer here in the UK with the weather finally improving and mini heatwaves hitting. This latest heatwave has got me thinking about all the things I actually want to get done this summer, I don't want to waste the time especially now Liam is at home more due to his new job. Previous summers have been spent sat at home or playing football but this time around I want to get out and about doing a variety of things just to make the most of the weather before it inevitably changes earlier than it should. So here is what I am hoping to do this summer...

Visit Malham

I have wanted to go to Malham for the longest time possible and I think a trip here on a cooler day would be absolutely perfect. This is something we can do just the 3 of us and either spend a few hours there or the full day depending on how far we actually wish to walk. Malham is somewhere I haven't been since I was little so it would make a nice change and it isn't like it is a million miles away.

Climb on of the Yorkshire 3 peaks

The Yorkshire 3 peaks aren't actually too far away from us and it is on my goals list to walk them (individually) this year. Granted we should have done a few of these in the spring however, time wasn't on our side and I am hoping we an get up and off early one day in the summer on a cool day to climb one of the 3 peaks with the dog. Before we do this though I need to work out which one is going to be the best for me with my current fitness levels and which the dog is going to be able to handle the best.

Go camping

This summer I am going to be making time to have a long weekend camping which should certainly be an experience with the dog in tow. We have been saying we were going camping for ages but kept delaying it however, in the next few weeks we will be going out getting a tent and the other equipment we need and getting a pitch booked for a few nights. This is definitely something I am really looking forward to as it should be a brilliant experience full of plenty of entertainment thanks to the dog.

Complete the back garden work

Granted this won't be fully completed as we aren't going to pain the decking until the dining room has been plastered however, we can get the majority of the back garden finished before the weather changes if we knuckle down and crack on with it. The main things to do in this area are finish converting one planter into a bench, build a new fence & gate and reorganize the decorations whilst giving the grass and decking area a tidy up. This should be a good few days work to get it up to scratch but then we can enjoy it for the rest of the summer. There will be little additions creeping into here over time and I can't wait to see it all start to come together at long last as it has been a long time coming.

Late night drinks in the garden

Once the garden is done I really want us to make the most of it by having late night drinks in there whether it is just us two and the dog or family come around to join us. If it drops cold we can light the fire pit but either way we can just enjoy relaxing in the nice space we have created rather than being sat inside the warm house all summer.

Have a BBQ

We will need to actually go out and buy a BBQ for this one but I want to enjoy a few BBQ's this summer a few with just me and Liam and then invite the family around for some. You can't beat a good BBQ when the weather is nice and it is just a chance to eat some good food and enjoy each others company whilst enjoying the outdoors. Let's hope we do manage to have a fair few of these.

Have a picnic

It has been a long time since I have packed a picnic basket and headed out however, I am hoping that changes this summer. My plan is to combine this with that Malham trip or maybe head somewhere local with the nephew in tow during the summer holidays as I think it would be something nice for us to do together but we shall see how this one plays out.

Have a theme park trip

My nephew is getting braver and is happy to go on more rides at theme parks now so I am hoping that I can get to a theme park with him this summer & enjoy the rides with him. I am having a week away with him in August and all being well we will be having a day or two in a theme park so this is something I should definitely get to tick off the wanting to do this summer list. 

If I manage to get plenty of these things done it should set me up for a very, very good summer indeed so let's see how it plays out.

See you soon, 

Lucy

The items I want to buy for the dining room

We have finally completed the hallway which unfortunately drained our bank accounts however, we are in the stage now of rebuilding the funds and planning our dining room makeover. This room has always been one of my least favourites with wallpaper coming off the walls and a fully bare wall where we had patio doors installed last year. We are hoping to knuckle down and get this room completed by my birthday party on the 6th of September which has meant we have sat down and worked out just what we want in this room going forward so we know how much we need to budget for the makeover. The plastering and decorating is going to come in at just over £1,000 so we are hoping to keep costs down in other areas, we are lucky to have received a dining table from my parents which has reduced what we need money wise by quite a bit but there is still a fair bit too pick up so here is what we are looking at getting...

IKEA Skruvby Sideboard £129

We are going to be having a bar area along one wall in the dining room and this unit is going to be ideal for the space. The plan is to use the exposed side for fancier bottles & cans whilst the draw will be used for little accessories such as straws & bottle openers. As for the actual cupboard side we will be filling this with bottles we don't want on display and glassware that will be used with the alcohol within the bar area. This will just keep everything together in one space and will hopefully look really nice once it all comes together. 


IKEA Skruvby Cabinet £75

We have a corner that is going to become a cosy little coffee corner in the dining room. This is something I have wanted for a while now so I can't wait to get creating this. The plan is to have a coffee machine on the top of this cupboard and then on the inside have some nice mugs, coffee pods and even a few of our cook books just so that we finally have them to hand rather than upstairs. I can't wait to get this done so that I can get up on a morning make a coffee and just sit outside with it or up to the table whilst having breakfast without having to move everything out of the way to access the coffee machine like we currently do.


Basket 

I am going to be looking for a cheap basket that we can pop into a corner of the dining room and fill it with some blankets. The plan is to put this by the patio doors so that we can grab one with ease if we are sitting outside and it drops a bit colder. This is going to be a cheap basket as it doesn't need to be over the top but it is going to be super handy to keep things tidy.



Blankets

To go in the basket I am just going to get a few blankets from B&M as they are only £3 or £4 each so it doesn't matter if they get ruined in a short space of time. As I say these are just for if we are outdoors and it drops cold so they might not get used too often but they are definitely handy to have. 


Ralph Lauren Decanter

This is possibly going to be one of the most expensive items for the bar area but I really want to treat myself. I have had my eye on this Ralph Lauren decanter for a long time now so I think it is time to make the purchase as this would look great on top of the bar area with a nice whisky in it and a bottle to the side of it. 

Bar Set 

To really set the bar area top up I am wanting a nice little bar & cocktail set for on the top of the sideboard just to make life easier if I am making special drinks. I have found some really nice ones in Dunelm so I think a trip is going to be needed once work gets underway.

Tray

I love the look of trays on top of bar areas and this wooden one (maybe in a lighter colour) would look great on top of the side board with that Ralph Lauren decanter sat on top of it. I am hoping I can find one around £10 that looks as good as the one above so the hunt is well and truly on. 


Glassware

Getting the room done means I have finally had permission to replace the glassware that I have currently. The plane is to spend a little more than previous to get some whisky, gin, white wine, red wine & maybe champagne glasses so we have a glass for every occassion. I may get a few tumblers for in here too but I will definitely be having a shop around to find the ones I really like. 

Mugs

Just like with the glasses I want to upgrade the mugs too. I think my days of novelty mugs are over and I have found myself looking at the Le Creuset mugs which will be slowly getting added to the coffee station and other mugs will be thrown out at long last. The plan is to not have half as many mugs as we currently do so let's see how that goes.

Nespresso Machine

Finally I want to add a new Nespresso Machine to the top of the coffee area. Our old one is very dated now and doesn't always respond so I feel an upgrade is definitely required going forward. I am setting a £200 budget for this so it is time to shop around to find the best deal for when we get around to making the purchase. 

I really can't wait to start buying things for this room as it has been on the list of jobs to do for so long. I think it is going to be fun to buy different bits for in here too but we need to get saved up first.

Let's get things moving shall we...

See you soon, 
Lucy

Aspects of my life are finally going to be changing

 
I have had a bit of a break recent from creating content, football and just life being 100 mph in generally and it has been a breath of fresh air. I have put my feet up and switched off properly which has left me feeling refreshed but also motivated to get back to things however, this time around things aren't going to be as chaos as they used to be. Things are going to be changing for the better in so many aspects as this break has taught me to go at a slower pace and also to look after myself as I am feeling better than ever. The break has got me thinking about the sort of life I want to create for myself going forward and here are some aspects I am going to be putting into action going forward...

In the Kitchen...

First up I really want to opt for a more ultra processed food free diet. I have reduced the amount of junk food I eat currently and overall I have more energy & my skin is slowly starting to clear up. If I stuck to an ultra processed free diet then I think overall I will get more done in a day, my body will thank me for the more nutritious foods I am feeding it and my skin condition should massively improve. Gone are the days of junk food for convenience and it is time to eat the foods that are going to help me in my life and keep me feeling energized and healthy. 

I also want to change the amount of time I spend in the kitchen, at the moment I spend very little time in it and that is why we just end up with the convenience food. I want to spend a lot more time in there though making meals from scratch so I know exactly what is going into the foods I am eating on. I also want to take up making bread as we go through a lot of that but could easily make healthier alternatives which would probably work out cheaper for us in the long run too. I am also planning on making time each weekend to do some baking, again this is something I have wanted to do for a while now but have never made time for it... that is going to change though and baking will take place once a week. 

Shopping & fashion...

Going forward the plan is to cut out all the useless shopping trips that I have been going on for the sake of it. These trips are costing me a small fortune and it is money that can be spent elsewhere on other aspects I am wanting to work on. I also want to work on nailing my personal style and sticking to it when getting ready every day and when shopping for new in pieces. Going forward I no longer want an overflowing wardrobe like I currently have as it is far too overwhelming currently and it is why I am going for convenience clothing each day. I want to ensure my wardrobe is filled with curated pieces that create that smarter look I am hoping to go for in the future. If I get this wardrobe sorted out as I am losing weight then this should all work nicely and that perfect wardrobe should soon fall into place and getting ready on a morning should become much easier than it has been.

Other parts of my life

There are plenty of other aspects in my life that I want to change and one of them is all in aid of sorting my skin and overall appearance out. Thanks to eating rubbish and not drinking properly breakouts have happened all over my body and I am not happy with it so the plan is to add a skincare routine in every morning and evening in the hopes of getting my skin under control alongside the diet changes I am making. I also want to create a routine on a Sunday where I sit and plan the week ahead with clothes to wear so I take out the guess work daily, plan my workouts so I know what I am doing daily and am not skipping sessions and then finally on these Sunday's I will work out other things I would like to do that upcoming week like what content needs working on & what events I might have coming up. This will just help me have more control of my time and keep me on track to working towards my goals. Something I really want to work on is my ability to stay in the house and not feel like I have to go out, currently I can't cope just sat in on a weekend so feel like I need to go shopping which means I am wasting so much money. I am going to work on decluttering the house to create a stress free environment where I am happy to spend plenty of time at home. This will mean saving money, playing games, reading books and working on content without feeling overwhelmed and like I need to escape. Finally I want to change my relationship with money, currently I am just spending for the sake of it and I don't want that to happen anymore as I am wanting to save for jobs doing in the house and a fair few pretty expensive purchases. If I want to get these jobs done and purchases made then I really need to stop spending for the sake of it. I have created a budget to stick to and I have a clear goal of what I want to achieve so those overspends and wasted spends are going to be stopping once and for all. 

So there you have it those are the aspects of my life I really want to work on and changing to ensure I am working towards my goals and pushing myself to create a better quality of life for not only me but Liam too as he will have a much happier & healthier Lucy to live with if these things change. 

Let's see how this goes, time to get to work...

See you soon, 

Lucy

My Goals For July 2025

How are we in July already? It seems like two minutes ago that the year begun and now here we are into the 7th month of the year and what could be potentially the busiest month of the year so far for me with the Women's Euros taking place, changes happening at work and plenty of things taking place on weekends meaning very little free time in the grand scheme of things. That being said I am determined that I am going to make the most of the month and make it one of the best of the year so far. So here are the goals I am setting for myself this month... 

Fashion

Ditch the backpack 

Currently I am taking a backpack to work with me everyday however, I am getting sick of it and with the changes that are taking place I think I am going to be able to make the switch from a backpack to a handbag I have had sat gathering dust. The plan is to pop my diary and laptop into the bag and see if I have enough space for the other bits I need to take up to work with me. I am sure I will have plenty of space and I am looking forward to making the change. 

Buy a Loungefly bag

I am honestly surprised that I haven't bought a Loungefly bag yet, somehow I have managed to resist the temptation however, I don't think I am going to be able to for much longer. They have recently released a gorgeous Pokemon Lucario bag which I have fallen in love with. This bag would be great to use however, I feel like I have a space in the games room where this would be perfectly displayed. 

Rotate the footwear 

I have fallen back into old habits and I am back to constantly wearing the same footwear for days on end. The plan for July is to really mix up the footwear I am wearing and to really try not to wear the same pair for a few days at a time. I have plenty of nice shoes that I just don't wear so it is time to change that and get some wear out of them. Some will go much better with the outfits I am planning than what I have been previously wearing. 

Finally get started on Vinted

I have a bag of items ready to list on Vinted and potentially a whole lot more to list once another goal has taken place so I think it is about time I stopped delaying and started listing. This will free up plenty of space in the house and should also bring in some extra money which would be greatly appreciated at the moment with all the jobs we have got going on. Let's see just what happens with this one I am hoping it is a goal I can tick off and helps other goals progress nicely. 

Sort through the rest of my clothing

There is no kidding myself anymore there are some items of clothing that I am never going to wear again as they have become too big for me so I need to sit down and have a proper clear out of the clothing in the bedroom that hasn't been worn for ages and is never going to be worn again. Once this has happened I should have plenty more to list on Vinted too so it helps that goal above and hopefully brings in some extra money. 

Fitness

Get as close to the 100 kg mark 

I am really hopeful that in July I can dial in and really start making progress towards my weight loss goals. I am sitting at around the 106 kg mark at the moment so I want to try get as close to that 100 kg mark before the end of the month as this will give me plenty of potential for a good August which is my final preseason month and with a target of 95 kg by the first of September I really need to get pushing as much as possible. I know if I nail the basics and stick to things daily I have the potential to hit this goal so let's see at the end of the month check in.

As much football as possible

Training resumes in July so I want to attend every session possible and I want to make sure if there is a friendly I am attending that too unless I am away. Not only that but I am also wanting to having some solo training sessions just to work on my technique and finishing a bit more. By hitting these sessions I should see the weight drop too if everything goes to plan.

Stick to my calories daily

July is going to be the month where I really get into my calorie deficit to ensure that 100 kg mark is approaching. The plan is to not go over my calories at all in July & hit my protein target daily to ensure maximum benefits towards my weight goal. I am out a fair bit in July but with the planning around meals and what options are available to me I should be able to nail this goal. 

Hit the gym 3 times a week   

To tie everything together I want to ensure I am in the gym doing a weights session 3 times a week. I feel great after these sessions and even with weeks becoming busy once again I should be able to hit this goal if I actually sit and plan my weeks out properly. I have seen the benefits of hitting the gym so it is about time I became consistent with it.

8,000 steps a day

Most people aim for 10,000 steps a day when trying to lose weight but so far 8,000 is working for me however, I am not consistently hitting my target so in July I want to ensure that I am not under 8,000 at all. This just helps me lock in the habit and hopefully give me a base point going forward to improve upon.

Life 

Make the most of our free Saturday's

Granted I only have 2 free Saturday's due to going to my parents one weekend & being away for the other however, me & Liam no longer have plans on Saturday's so we can go on adventures or play games. For July I am hoping we can make the most of having no plans and be spontaneous before the football restarts in August. I am just grateful we are getting more time together thanks to the changes taking place.

Enjoy the extra hours we get together

As I say changes are taking place in July and this means me & Liam are going to have more time together during the day & on weekends and I can't wait. There is no more mornings or evenings waiting for him to arrive home as his commute is going to be reduced massively. This means we can sit and game together, crack on with jobs or just relax together for a change rather than barely seeing each other.

Finish my book

I have been reading the same book for over a year now and it is about time I set aside some time to complete it. I just don't make the time for reading like I used to and I know really should start to again. I am hoping that just half an hour of reading most nights will help me finally get this wrapped up so I can move onto my next read.

Complete a game

I set myself a target of completing 10 games this year and currently I am on 0 as I just don't make the time for gaming. I am putting time aside in July to sit and complete at least 1 game in the month just so I know I am taking some time for myself rather than being on the go constantly. Hopefully this helps me stay in and save some money too.

Enjoy family time

There is plenty coming up in July. My sister is at Silverstone with my dads so I am going to stay with my mum & nephew for the weekend which should be loads of fun. I am then heading to the coast the weekend after for a few nights in a caravan & a McFly concert. The fun doesn't stop there either as towards the end of the month me & my sister are taking our grandparents to see Il Divo which should be a brilliant evening. It is a family filled month which should be a whole host of fun.

Home

Save enough money to get a chunk of the dining room done

If all goes well and that Vinted goal gets underway & I stay at home not spending where possible then this one could be very close to happening. I am hoping that by July's payday towards the end of the month I have enough for the plastering doing in the dining room & then I can use what I save in July's pay towards the decorating so we can finally get this room underway. This will require a lot of saving but I am positive I can make it happen.

Plan what to buy for the dining room

If we are planning on starting the dining room by the end of July then we need to sit down and work out what we need to buy for this room. We need to work out what furniture we definitely want to add, a new light fitting and accessories. One side of the room is going to be a bar area so we need to ensure everything is planned for on that side too, this will give us chance to see how much extra money we need too. 

Cut the grass & trees

The front of the house is a mess right now as it has been neglected. The trees are overgrown & so is the grass so the plan is once the weather changes again we are going to get out and crack on with these areas. Once the trees are done they shouldn't need doing again for a few months which is a bonus and as for the grass well, once that is done we have a good base for other bits we want to do in those grassy areas. 

Start on the back garden

We have decided not to do any painting in the garden until the dining room has been done as this will be the access for the plastering and decorating so we don't want the paint ruining. The plan though is to get our planters finished and turned into seating, weed the area, plant some nice plants and get rid of bits we no longer want in here. We also want to start sorting for the hot tub out here so we need to get some prices for some electrics running outside. 

Finish changing the games room around

Towards the end of June we begun changing the games room around a bit and now in July we just have a few bits left to sort in here. Hopefully we can get this done nice and early in the month so we can just enjoy spending time in the room for a change.

So there you have it those are my goals for the month let's hope it is going to be nice and productive.

See you soon

Lucy