I don’t feel as if I’ve done much this week at all! I am still off work and not exactly getting out much. However, as ever, it is the little things that add up to a few achievements.

Firstly though – I have news! The results of my MRI scan finally came back and the spinal clinic rang me. As I thought, I have bulging discs  pressing on my nerves. I knew this was the issue and it explains the terrible pain I have been suffering for months now. Not one, but two discs are prolapsed. I don’t do things by halves! I should get an invitation soon to go in and discuss treatment options, but the chap I spoke to seemed to think surgery could be involved. It’s not the best news, but actually I feel that I am moving towards getting it resolved, so I am happy.

Anyway, here are my five frugal things for this week.

Darned my socks

I haven’t darned a sock for ages. If you buy cheap ones it hardly seems worth the effort. However, a couple of my really good bamboo ones developed holes in the big toes. So I actually darned them! Well, I sewed them up and did a good enough job for them to still be wearable. I am no seamstress but I remember a few things from my sewing lessons at school last century :). As the saying goes, every little helps when it comes to saving money.

Home made soup

My mum gave me her recipe for pea soup recently and I have made it a few times. It is so easy and cheap. I can’t be chopping up loads of vegetables at the moment and this requires very little prep. The recipe is here if you fancy giving it a try.

Buying second hand

I was really delighted the other day when Mr S found us a fully working Dyson vacuum cleaner in the charity shop for £40. I gloated a bit about it in this post about buying second hand.

It works fantastically well, even coping with the cat hair that my Henrietta just doesn’t pick up. I know – it says a lot about me that I am this excited about a vacuum cleaner! It’s so hard to understand why it had been thrown out.

Hoodie

I also spotted an almost new black hoodie in the same charity shop. It was only £2. As I am living in jeans and comfy tops at the moment, rather than my office attire, I realise I need more casual clothes.

Got my eye on a pair of jeans on Vinted too. This is a new second hand clothing site and worth a look.

DIY exercise

I have been reluctant to do a lot of exercise over the past couple of months as  I was worried I would cause more damage to my neck. However, last week I began a regular daily routine as I feel my muscles are turning to jelly. Having spoken to the spinal clinic I have been assured that the exercise I have done won’t cause further damage and can only beneficial.

I do 20 minutes of gently yoga based stretching followed by a two mile (minimum) walk. I definitely feel better for this, and it costs me precisely nothing. I can’t lie to do the yoga as I get more pain, but I have devised a plan that I can do standing or sitting.

What have been your five frugal things this week?