We really have to spend on the kitchen

Well, yougest dd (and a mountain of washing!) had a great time skiiing - took to it like a duck to water....

Wee bit of a spend yesterday - the now infamous Friday latte (£1.60) and lunch (£2.95) so not really too bad.

But here's the hard part - we must do something about the kitchen. We only have a tiny kitchen with hardly any work space (or even cupboards for that matter) We managed to get a dishwasher from Freecycle a year ago and its still not plumbed in (I know its a year cos the guy we got it from has bee offering his new dishwasher which is just out of its years warranty and broken!)Our bench is coming away from the wall and water has got into it so its all warped. We have been thinking about what to do with the kitchen ranging from just changing the worktop to putting a whole new one in and never actually got round to doing anything. Trouble is, I will never like this kitchen (its simply too small) so I don't see the point about putting new units in (we only have 3 small units on the bottom and 3 1/2 on the top) As we are a downstairs flat we have the back door and 2 under-upstairs-stairs pantry cupboards. The units are in good nick (need a good scrub with sugar soap) We need a new light, it desperately needs re-painting (last time we did it was 4 years ago!) and new flooring. We put down lino tiles as that's all we could afford at the time and they are now moving away from each other. Also they are textured (never again!) so you have to get on your knees and actually scrub them which hasn't been happening due to my back problems and oh's neck problems. So basically the kitchen has been getting grottier and grottier......

We have acquired a new length of worktop (thank you Freecycle!) and my eldest dd got some back payment of money due to her so she is giving me some of the amount she owes me so I think its now time to actually deal with the kitchen! My son is a joiner and has offered to put units and worktops into the two pantry cupboards to give more working space - might look a bit daft but its never going to be a show kitchen - I would just like to be able to make a Sunday dinner without having to resort to putting the ironing board up to put dishes on!

So I have text him to get me a price list for our local Howdens - I want a smaller sink and new taps - will try and get a plumber arranged and phase 1 is ds can take out the old worktop, plumber do his bit with the dishwasher, ds put in the new worktop and plumber put in the sink/taps. Phase 2 is to deal with the pantry cupboards and the last phase is to get new flooring, light, blind and decorate...

I will be ok when the work has started but always find it difficult to actually start!

I will post pictures of the kitchen as its is in all its glory (when I have washed the dishes and tidied up! lol!

March grocery spend - £120.76 (budget £250)
Holiday fund - £196.76 ( last hol cost £442)
My allowance I have left - £23.05
Clothes - £8.35
Birthdays - £2.97
Household - £32.46
Entertainment - £61.78