Afternoon all
I have spent the day helping Owen put the cladding up on his shed with the promise that any spare wood ship lap that he has I can have to make into a raised bed or two to try my veggie growing again.
I was a bit too all in to everything last year so I'm going to focus on 3.4 things and give them my dedication this growing season.
On the grow your own note a fellow blogger that I read is holding a competition for a GYO Herb Garden. Please all feel free to have a look and enter - her blog is also worth a read and its one of my favourites and her chicken raising antics make me very jealous but my jack russell and the 4 weinmeraner's next door wouldnt approve
Here is the competition link
http://wigglywoo-gardeningdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/competition-time.html#comment-form
Many Thanks all and hope you have had a productive day.
Sammy
x x x x
Saturday, 16 February 2013
Some nice news for a change......
Well I have to say , I decided recently that removing negative people from my life was going to be best decision for me. After a particularly difficult few weeks when my best didn't seem good enough and in the long run it was only me getting hurt and making myself sick - I realised that it was their influence and their attitudes that were doing it. As a result I have removed myself from my sister.
Now I know this will probably seem harsh but my sister is a liar and a manipulator, she has gotten thousands of pounds from those around her with no intention to pay them back and then plays the victim and its me who gets it in the neck, I was only keeping contact with her for the sake of her girls. My nieces will always know they have me to turn to as they seem to spend more time with my cousins and auntie than they do their own mother. My eldest niece I speak to weekly when shes at my aunties, my middle niece who lives with her father I talk to weekly, the only one I have little contact with is A but she is only 4 months old and I have informed the health visitor for her that I am concerned of my sisters care level so she is keeping a close eye on her.
So now I have very little to do with that side of the family. My sister is exactly like my mother in every sense and I have not seen her since October 2011 and I spoke to her once last year because my sister told me she was struggling finacially to the point she couldn't feed herself and I thought as the eldest daughter I was obliged to help so I stepped in, gave her £60 for a food shop and never heard from her again, Not even a thank you. probably the best £60 I've spent.
In the last 3 years Ive given my sister maybe £300 , and never once had a thank you or an offer of any of it back. Ive seen her once, when she came down because I had promised to lend her money, she got her £100 and in the process gave the kids the norovirus. Great.
My new outlook on life now means my children and my family deserve my all. They have burnt their bridges on their own and I will no longer worry about them.
If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it. ~Mary Engelbreit
I took bill paying money out the other day only to find that when I went to pay my council tax that I had actually overpaid and so had this month council tax free AND next month! So that left me with £107 in my pocket this month that I didn't expect. I did use some and buy bits and pieces for the house - the rabbits Sawdust and Hay and a big bag of food and I got Holly some Wellington boots because the weather here is ridiculous and she needs some as she only has open top little shoes (typical its been torrential rain, brought her wellys and its been glorious sunshine since!)
But I have hidden away £70 upstairs that is to remain untouched that Owen doesn't know about (which you may think sounds harsh but if he knows its there he will find something to spend it on that's not needed or expect to be bailed out on a bill or charge again and I cant do it any more I need to get some savings together for the kids sake and my sanity.
In one bank account I still have £180 - £150 of this needs to go on bills but it will leave me with £30 that I never normally have.
In my second bank account I have £63.
So I'm happy I normally have like £20 left by now so to be at this point of the month with £163 is awesome. I'm trying my best to not spend anything that I don't need. The only two bills I have to pay are the two I've made allowances for so the £163 could stay untouched unless the kids need something. I'm thinking if I keep the £70 hidden upstairs and let myself have a £50 allowance for food until the 12 / 13th March then I can put the £110 into savings.
****Also I have just realised I haven't had wages yet, so on the 21st I will have £121 left of my £280 wages (should be £300 but I put £20 into my credit union savings account direct from wages) so I should potentially be able to save £230 this month..... I just need to stick to my £50 allowance for the next month.
Fingers crossed this is accomplish-able.
I have also had a nice letter this morning from the council. Our rent is going DOWN, yes you read that right DOWN from £94.94 a week to £88.73 a week.
So we were paying
£94.94 x 49 = £4652.06
and we will be paying
£88.73 x 49 = £4347.77
I make that a saving of £304.29 a year. Owen pays the rent but it will be nice to have spare money there so he can catch up on his other bills and debts.
Our water is now going to go through the welsh water company as well and it says we may get a slight reduction in that because we have two children under 19 in the household so we will see - we were paying £9.29 a week but I always paid £40 per month so we slightly only marginally overpaid on this too.
So things feel a bit lighter in my little mad house. Keeping the positive attitude going is clearly the way to go.....
To all of you who have taken the time to read my blog ~ I thank you, to all the blogs I read ~ I am thoroughly enjoying them and to all the blogs I am yet to find ~ I look forward to it.
Have a wonderful day all, the sun is shining.
Sammy
x x x
Tuesday, 12 February 2013
February.......a short month so its been busy!
You'd think that a month that only had 28 days would pass by relatively easily.
hhhmmmmm................yeah ok
Where shall we start? My sister and me are no longer talking. Her issues got a bit too much and to top off a very long story I worried about my nieces and their health and safety, she didnt like it and therefore in no uncertain terms told me to leave them alone.
Then I found out the day after through my cousin that my youngest niece who is 4 months is in hospital with a blood infection, she spent 3 days in complete isolation as they treated her for suspected meningitis and then they released her home, and my sister was meant to take her back yesterday for blood results to see what exactly they are treating but she didnt. So now I have no idea what's going and if my niece is even ok.
My mother (who I have had no contact with for the last 2 years) has gotten herself a new job which means my sister may actually need to stand on her own two feet for a change - her and my mother are usually surgically attached so she may struggle somewhat which is why my cousin is keeping me informed about how my nieces are as she lives down the road from them and sees them every other day at least.
My father in law also got a new job, so that is some stress off them for a while. My mother in law is now babysitting her daughters 3 children in the day too so she is getting £50 a week for that whilst her daughter has gone back to work full time. So all in all it is working pretty well
Money wise - I was paid child benefit today - £130.
* £30 into my bank account to get Ben some new school shoes
* £30 spent in Iceland on mainly vegetables and quick bits Owen can cook when I'm in work
* £40 in Tesco on a small shop that should last us 2 weeks
* £15 in Wilkinsons on mainly Hay/Sawdust for the rabbits and dental sticks for Bruno.
* £5 for a cup of hot chocolate and a drink for the kids each
* £6 for the Taxi home
Total spent ~ £126.
My freezer is not far from full though, there are main ingredients in the fridge and enough bits and pieces to make us meals for a good two weeks so we are ok in that sense. The pets have enough food and I can bake if need be.
Ive also been looking into books Id like to read, and have found a few that interest me so I will add them to my reading list.
Hope you are all having a good week, and I am in the midst of clearing things out to make some space and finally get the house sorted.
Sammy
x x x
hhhmmmmm................yeah ok
Where shall we start? My sister and me are no longer talking. Her issues got a bit too much and to top off a very long story I worried about my nieces and their health and safety, she didnt like it and therefore in no uncertain terms told me to leave them alone.
Then I found out the day after through my cousin that my youngest niece who is 4 months is in hospital with a blood infection, she spent 3 days in complete isolation as they treated her for suspected meningitis and then they released her home, and my sister was meant to take her back yesterday for blood results to see what exactly they are treating but she didnt. So now I have no idea what's going and if my niece is even ok.
My mother (who I have had no contact with for the last 2 years) has gotten herself a new job which means my sister may actually need to stand on her own two feet for a change - her and my mother are usually surgically attached so she may struggle somewhat which is why my cousin is keeping me informed about how my nieces are as she lives down the road from them and sees them every other day at least.
My father in law also got a new job, so that is some stress off them for a while. My mother in law is now babysitting her daughters 3 children in the day too so she is getting £50 a week for that whilst her daughter has gone back to work full time. So all in all it is working pretty well
Money wise - I was paid child benefit today - £130.
* £30 into my bank account to get Ben some new school shoes
* £30 spent in Iceland on mainly vegetables and quick bits Owen can cook when I'm in work
* £40 in Tesco on a small shop that should last us 2 weeks
* £15 in Wilkinsons on mainly Hay/Sawdust for the rabbits and dental sticks for Bruno.
* £5 for a cup of hot chocolate and a drink for the kids each
* £6 for the Taxi home
Total spent ~ £126.
My freezer is not far from full though, there are main ingredients in the fridge and enough bits and pieces to make us meals for a good two weeks so we are ok in that sense. The pets have enough food and I can bake if need be.
Ive also been looking into books Id like to read, and have found a few that interest me so I will add them to my reading list.
Hope you are all having a good week, and I am in the midst of clearing things out to make some space and finally get the house sorted.
Sammy
x x x
Tuesday, 5 February 2013
Right, come on February
OK, so Owen paying me back never strictly came but he did give me £20 to go out with girlfriends and enjoy the Wales Vs Ireland match - being that I'm Welsh it was a good day out if nothing else.
I was reminded exactly why I don't eat MacDonald's.
And managed to still somehow come home with £15 in my pocket - and since Id had drinks, food and travel is somehow miraculous and I would love to know how that happened!
Anyway,
on the news front.
Owen has a new job. He is now a sprayer/painter for a gym (hes refurbishing exercise/spin bikes) which means each week on a Friday he should bring home £260 plus this week he will have an extra £150 hes hoping from his training he did last week. So this week he should get about £400 which is nice. Plus we have no rent now as his payment was taken on the 1st so we should be OK. Also he only works from Monday to Friday from 8.30 until 5 so he is home to have the kids on a Sunday and I have enquired about the after school club for Holly and am waiting to hear back now from Sue the childminder.
Not so good news - My father in law just paid out £300 for wood to finish Owen's shed with (it was his Xmas present) but its complicated. Owen had a quote for £200 which I agreed to pay half of a) to help lessen the cost for them and b)it was going to be my main gift to him and c) the shed can finally be finished which in turn means I get my dining room back! He wanted ship lap panels, his dad got him tongue and groove planks, hence the price difference. They ordered it on Friday and told me that day it needed paying the day after (Saturday) and could they have my £100 contribution? No notice and I have no money after giving Owen everything I had, and I'm not paid until the 12th February. Told them Id try my best.
Phone call Sunday morning from my mother in law. My father in law lost his job.
So I had to take out a Wonga loan for the £120 and then on the 14th (I gave myself a day or two to make sure for definite money is in my account) I have to pay back £135.
Needless to say it has curbed my spending. I have not been to town or shopping in almost two weeks now and I don't miss it. I have been living off the freezer - which is now really in need of a refill! but that will happen when I'm paid next. I have been baking and have finally perfected a chocolate cake recipe that the whole family love. I think I will be making some flapjacks etc though as they are obviously more filling than cake.
I did today look into selling a few old DVDs on Music Magpie and have been pointed in the direction of a few other sites so I will see what the best offer is and maybe offload a few there - trying to do a car boot sale is pointless because I have no way to get it to and from a car boot sale and with two children would be torture.
Other positive things ~ I joined the library today. I have decided too that I think I will take out one book for me, One for Holly and One for Ben. Mainly so it keeps all our brains active, but we can all have reading time which means the TV will be off for a bit as well as helping them both in the long run as far as development skills etc are concerned. Also it keeps local places open and used because I think with the discovery of kindles etc that libraries may be the next dying breed along with fruit and veg men etc. Plus if I have more than one book for myself then I tend to get lost in one and forget about the other which isn't going to be productive.
**On a side note I mentioned fruit and veg men above - have discovered a fruit and veg man has opened in town so I will be using him from now on - he also does fruit/veg box delivery's which is always handy to know but I'm hoping this year will be my year of growing my own. I was a bit gun ho last year and tried everything rather than one or two simple things that I could give my full attention too so I think this year I will try again but with only a few things. I'm thinking carrots, potatoes, lettuce and peas. These seem fairly basic but they make up the most of our diet at the minute......plus anything that is left over as far as pods, peels, etc can be given to the rabbits or put in the compost bin, and lettuce I can barter somewhat with my mother in law with as she is also a large salad eater and Owen and the boys tend to go to hers for BBQ in the summer so if I provide the fresh veg then she can provide the meat :-)
Wins - I won a family garden book. It has simple how to guides as well as plant information and ways to encourage wildlife in the garden so I will be browsing through that at some point.
- Ive also won a flashing dog light which clips to his collar for night time walks and outings in the garden. Handy with a Jack Russell Terrier.
Right , anyway Im off for the night now, I will set an alarm to remind me to sit and write this blog every night! I will remember, I will remember! Anyway I best get the baby to bed as she has been a complete little madam today and I think someone is past tired. Also I need to catch up on other blogs that Ive missed reading.
Lots of Love
Sammy x x x
I was reminded exactly why I don't eat MacDonald's.
And managed to still somehow come home with £15 in my pocket - and since Id had drinks, food and travel is somehow miraculous and I would love to know how that happened!
Anyway,
on the news front.
Owen has a new job. He is now a sprayer/painter for a gym (hes refurbishing exercise/spin bikes) which means each week on a Friday he should bring home £260 plus this week he will have an extra £150 hes hoping from his training he did last week. So this week he should get about £400 which is nice. Plus we have no rent now as his payment was taken on the 1st so we should be OK. Also he only works from Monday to Friday from 8.30 until 5 so he is home to have the kids on a Sunday and I have enquired about the after school club for Holly and am waiting to hear back now from Sue the childminder.
Not so good news - My father in law just paid out £300 for wood to finish Owen's shed with (it was his Xmas present) but its complicated. Owen had a quote for £200 which I agreed to pay half of a) to help lessen the cost for them and b)it was going to be my main gift to him and c) the shed can finally be finished which in turn means I get my dining room back! He wanted ship lap panels, his dad got him tongue and groove planks, hence the price difference. They ordered it on Friday and told me that day it needed paying the day after (Saturday) and could they have my £100 contribution? No notice and I have no money after giving Owen everything I had, and I'm not paid until the 12th February. Told them Id try my best.
Phone call Sunday morning from my mother in law. My father in law lost his job.
So I had to take out a Wonga loan for the £120 and then on the 14th (I gave myself a day or two to make sure for definite money is in my account) I have to pay back £135.
Needless to say it has curbed my spending. I have not been to town or shopping in almost two weeks now and I don't miss it. I have been living off the freezer - which is now really in need of a refill! but that will happen when I'm paid next. I have been baking and have finally perfected a chocolate cake recipe that the whole family love. I think I will be making some flapjacks etc though as they are obviously more filling than cake.
I did today look into selling a few old DVDs on Music Magpie and have been pointed in the direction of a few other sites so I will see what the best offer is and maybe offload a few there - trying to do a car boot sale is pointless because I have no way to get it to and from a car boot sale and with two children would be torture.
Other positive things ~ I joined the library today. I have decided too that I think I will take out one book for me, One for Holly and One for Ben. Mainly so it keeps all our brains active, but we can all have reading time which means the TV will be off for a bit as well as helping them both in the long run as far as development skills etc are concerned. Also it keeps local places open and used because I think with the discovery of kindles etc that libraries may be the next dying breed along with fruit and veg men etc. Plus if I have more than one book for myself then I tend to get lost in one and forget about the other which isn't going to be productive.
**On a side note I mentioned fruit and veg men above - have discovered a fruit and veg man has opened in town so I will be using him from now on - he also does fruit/veg box delivery's which is always handy to know but I'm hoping this year will be my year of growing my own. I was a bit gun ho last year and tried everything rather than one or two simple things that I could give my full attention too so I think this year I will try again but with only a few things. I'm thinking carrots, potatoes, lettuce and peas. These seem fairly basic but they make up the most of our diet at the minute......plus anything that is left over as far as pods, peels, etc can be given to the rabbits or put in the compost bin, and lettuce I can barter somewhat with my mother in law with as she is also a large salad eater and Owen and the boys tend to go to hers for BBQ in the summer so if I provide the fresh veg then she can provide the meat :-)
Wins - I won a family garden book. It has simple how to guides as well as plant information and ways to encourage wildlife in the garden so I will be browsing through that at some point.
- Ive also won a flashing dog light which clips to his collar for night time walks and outings in the garden. Handy with a Jack Russell Terrier.
Right , anyway Im off for the night now, I will set an alarm to remind me to sit and write this blog every night! I will remember, I will remember! Anyway I best get the baby to bed as she has been a complete little madam today and I think someone is past tired. Also I need to catch up on other blogs that Ive missed reading.
Lots of Love
Sammy x x x
Sunday, 27 January 2013
Quiet for a while.........
Apologies for the lack of blogging, but its been a bit mental here.
The kids have both been poorly,
Ive been run down,
My sisters PND got much worse and she has been put forward for mental health assessments because she was having suicidal thoughts,
So there's been a councillor sticking their nose in our business, trying to get us to undertake a joint counselling session together which has brought up some horrid memories that I don't care to relive.
Owen hates his job and that situation has gotten worse,
His dad lost his job,
We had our NTL cut off in the cold weather so we had no TV, phone or Internet for about 5 days.
Wow its been cold
and amongst all that I have been just carrying on, as I always do.
I really should look into whoever it was who suggested freezing cheese - I have found this an amazing money saver - in work we reduced down cheese but it hardly ever sells so I brought home last week two blocks of mature welsh cheddar, which I divided each block into 3 and so had 6 mini blocks of that, and I brought home 4 large blocks of red Leicester cheese which again I divided into 3 each so I now have 12 small blocks of that as well frozen in the freezer. I tend to take it out, defrost it then chuck it in the food processor and grate it up as and when its needed because I find it went clumpy when I froze it pre grated.
Still a very good tip and I promise to give credit where its due when I find out who it was!
Aside from that we are struggling this month with Owen being paid December 16th and then nothing until the 31st January. It is a long month for us so I have had to lend him money £160 to be precise because it was Josh's birthday (his eldest son) and the £60 for fuel but he has assured me I will get this back on the 31st which is his pay day.
Also March cant come quick enough - we are in a council property which means March for us is a rent free month and also a council tax free month - so altogether we will have £537 which would normally cover these two bills. Owen pays the £430 rent and with his he is going to pay off a small debt he has and one of his credit cards (£200) so he will have about £40 left I think but he will be almost debt free. My £107 I'm not entirely sure what to do with yet but I think I will pay it into my credit union account and let it fester in there for a rainy day or towards the summer holidays so I can get out and do things with the kids.
I'm also considering in September when Holly starts school - putting her into an after school club - she may be mornings 9-12 or afternoons 12 - 3 but if she is in the mornings I may ask for her to go to an afternoon club and then I can pick up a few extra morning shifts from 9.15 until say 2.15 then I can pick her up on the way to collect Ben which may help our financial situation a fair bit again.
Anyway I will now be about a fair bit more again now that everything seems to be sorting itself out.
Hope your all well
Sammy x x x
The kids have both been poorly,
Ive been run down,
My sisters PND got much worse and she has been put forward for mental health assessments because she was having suicidal thoughts,
So there's been a councillor sticking their nose in our business, trying to get us to undertake a joint counselling session together which has brought up some horrid memories that I don't care to relive.
Owen hates his job and that situation has gotten worse,
His dad lost his job,
We had our NTL cut off in the cold weather so we had no TV, phone or Internet for about 5 days.
Wow its been cold
and amongst all that I have been just carrying on, as I always do.
I really should look into whoever it was who suggested freezing cheese - I have found this an amazing money saver - in work we reduced down cheese but it hardly ever sells so I brought home last week two blocks of mature welsh cheddar, which I divided each block into 3 and so had 6 mini blocks of that, and I brought home 4 large blocks of red Leicester cheese which again I divided into 3 each so I now have 12 small blocks of that as well frozen in the freezer. I tend to take it out, defrost it then chuck it in the food processor and grate it up as and when its needed because I find it went clumpy when I froze it pre grated.
Still a very good tip and I promise to give credit where its due when I find out who it was!
Aside from that we are struggling this month with Owen being paid December 16th and then nothing until the 31st January. It is a long month for us so I have had to lend him money £160 to be precise because it was Josh's birthday (his eldest son) and the £60 for fuel but he has assured me I will get this back on the 31st which is his pay day.
Also March cant come quick enough - we are in a council property which means March for us is a rent free month and also a council tax free month - so altogether we will have £537 which would normally cover these two bills. Owen pays the £430 rent and with his he is going to pay off a small debt he has and one of his credit cards (£200) so he will have about £40 left I think but he will be almost debt free. My £107 I'm not entirely sure what to do with yet but I think I will pay it into my credit union account and let it fester in there for a rainy day or towards the summer holidays so I can get out and do things with the kids.
I'm also considering in September when Holly starts school - putting her into an after school club - she may be mornings 9-12 or afternoons 12 - 3 but if she is in the mornings I may ask for her to go to an afternoon club and then I can pick up a few extra morning shifts from 9.15 until say 2.15 then I can pick her up on the way to collect Ben which may help our financial situation a fair bit again.
Anyway I will now be about a fair bit more again now that everything seems to be sorting itself out.
Hope your all well
Sammy x x x
Tuesday, 8 January 2013
Food Banks are struggling.....
So I have had a busy few days de-cluttering the house in preparation for Benjie going back to school. In fairness as much as I love and adore my son - my poor house needs to find its floors again.....its amazing how large a tornado a 2 year old and an 8 year old can make if left alone for 2 seconds!
Although I did wake up to this posting this morning
( if anyone would like to read the article I read its here )
It does really make you wonder what is going to happen in the future but I think it has made me more determined than ever to make sure my food stores are stocked and in order.......having learned the hard way as well this month....Owen was paid early in December to cover him for Christmas. He currently has £30 to last him until the 31st and I have £28 in my bank to last until the 15th....which is only a week away and to me that is completely do able but I was thinking about it - what if I needed money? what if there was an emergency? If Owen needs money for fuel for work then what will we do? well we would be stuck is the only answer because we have no savings at all.
Another scheme I saw that was linked to from this story was that local food banks are struggling to feed people now because the demand is so high, that deeply saddens me and makes me all the more aware that the world is changing and so has many peoples mentalities towards food storage/preparation and sensible buying.
My parents divorced in 1999, me and my sister stayed with my dad whilst my mum left. She found a place with her friend but was later abandoned by her friend to take on all the bills herself. After 6 months I was told by a family friend that my mum was literally living on hand outs from neighbours - she was living on biscuits basically - and had been for months. I hadn't spoken to my mother since she left but bit the bullet and decided to leave my dad to move in with her. Knowing full well my mum would get child benefit for me and that she would at least have a little bit more money coming in that she could claim and therefore feed herself. I had many cheap/make do/ leftovers from the pub meals (my mums second job was in a pub) and they never did me any harm.....in fact they probably toughened me and my sister up a bit.
Now my mum is back in the same position. She is relying on my sister to feed her (my sister has 3 kids to support) because my mum simply cant afford to feed herself.
This has given me something to think about and ponder for the day.
Although I did wake up to this posting this morning
( if anyone would like to read the article I read its here )
It does really make you wonder what is going to happen in the future but I think it has made me more determined than ever to make sure my food stores are stocked and in order.......having learned the hard way as well this month....Owen was paid early in December to cover him for Christmas. He currently has £30 to last him until the 31st and I have £28 in my bank to last until the 15th....which is only a week away and to me that is completely do able but I was thinking about it - what if I needed money? what if there was an emergency? If Owen needs money for fuel for work then what will we do? well we would be stuck is the only answer because we have no savings at all.
Another scheme I saw that was linked to from this story was that local food banks are struggling to feed people now because the demand is so high, that deeply saddens me and makes me all the more aware that the world is changing and so has many peoples mentalities towards food storage/preparation and sensible buying.
My parents divorced in 1999, me and my sister stayed with my dad whilst my mum left. She found a place with her friend but was later abandoned by her friend to take on all the bills herself. After 6 months I was told by a family friend that my mum was literally living on hand outs from neighbours - she was living on biscuits basically - and had been for months. I hadn't spoken to my mother since she left but bit the bullet and decided to leave my dad to move in with her. Knowing full well my mum would get child benefit for me and that she would at least have a little bit more money coming in that she could claim and therefore feed herself. I had many cheap/make do/ leftovers from the pub meals (my mums second job was in a pub) and they never did me any harm.....in fact they probably toughened me and my sister up a bit.
Now my mum is back in the same position. She is relying on my sister to feed her (my sister has 3 kids to support) because my mum simply cant afford to feed herself.
This has given me something to think about and ponder for the day.
Friday, 4 January 2013
A busy few days.......
Sorry all
The last few days have been busy
Wednesday I went shopping, I had £100 of New Look vouchers from Christmas to spend so I decided to make use of them whilst Owen had his last day off work and I would be child free to bargain hunt and browse for a change.
I got a lift in with a neighbour and treated myself to lunch - a jacket potato with butter and a hot chocolate - which cost me £2 in the little local cafe.
As for my shopping trip - I came home with the following
So I did have a productive shop. I still have £50 to spend on it if anything ever comes up - or as gifts etc or if I need an outfit for an occasion I needed shoes desperately though as my work ones are worn to the point my toes are going to come out of them soon and so they needed replacing and tops I have I tend to buy things I can swap between.
I think I literally own maybe one pair of jeans, two pairs of legging and 2 pairs of work trousers, and maybe about 6 tops. Oh and a dress and I will possibly buy a new top if I have to go out somewhere but even then they tend to be sale items and I rarely if ever go out. I have 3 hoodies, two were gifts and one I brought with a load of vouchers from my last birthday. I'm useless at shopping though but I liked the things I had this time round
Other things I have gotten done the last few days
- I baked a chocolate cake using my new food processor again - minus the almost amputating a finger, it didn't last the day though but have finally found my perfect cake recipe.
- made myself a bill book (my mum had one of these and she recorded every penny meticulously) so I decided to do the same and have already looked into just what I could have left if I am strict with myself with money and spending.
- planned a food shop that will stick to my new food budget and take into account some store cupboard stocking up items
- I have been to work and did come home with a good few items that were 'labelled waste' that I rescued because I didn't want to see them in the bin
I've since frozen the cheddar, the pies and the wraps. I will spend tomorrow blanching the swede and getting that frozen as well.
I will post pictures tomorrow of my new bill book and will put up a draft list of my shopping plans as well. I'm hoping I will be able to use a few vouchers as well to save a few pennies here and there.
I've also enlisted my mother in law as well, and we have decided that we will be taking a trip to Aldi or Lidls to have a look there too together. I'm thinking too that pound land and the 99p store in town might be worth having a look in for cleaning stuff and a few cheaper food bits.
Right until then, I will bid you all goodnight
x Sammy x
The last few days have been busy
Wednesday I went shopping, I had £100 of New Look vouchers from Christmas to spend so I decided to make use of them whilst Owen had his last day off work and I would be child free to bargain hunt and browse for a change.
I got a lift in with a neighbour and treated myself to lunch - a jacket potato with butter and a hot chocolate - which cost me £2 in the little local cafe.
As for my shopping trip - I came home with the following
I think I literally own maybe one pair of jeans, two pairs of legging and 2 pairs of work trousers, and maybe about 6 tops. Oh and a dress and I will possibly buy a new top if I have to go out somewhere but even then they tend to be sale items and I rarely if ever go out. I have 3 hoodies, two were gifts and one I brought with a load of vouchers from my last birthday. I'm useless at shopping though but I liked the things I had this time round
Other things I have gotten done the last few days
- I baked a chocolate cake using my new food processor again - minus the almost amputating a finger, it didn't last the day though but have finally found my perfect cake recipe.
- made myself a bill book (my mum had one of these and she recorded every penny meticulously) so I decided to do the same and have already looked into just what I could have left if I am strict with myself with money and spending.
- planned a food shop that will stick to my new food budget and take into account some store cupboard stocking up items
- I have been to work and did come home with a good few items that were 'labelled waste' that I rescued because I didn't want to see them in the bin
- 3 packs of 6 mini fajita wraps
- 2 swedes
- 2 blocks of mature cheddar cheese
- 3 Peters Steak and Kidney Pies
I've since frozen the cheddar, the pies and the wraps. I will spend tomorrow blanching the swede and getting that frozen as well.
I will post pictures tomorrow of my new bill book and will put up a draft list of my shopping plans as well. I'm hoping I will be able to use a few vouchers as well to save a few pennies here and there.
I've also enlisted my mother in law as well, and we have decided that we will be taking a trip to Aldi or Lidls to have a look there too together. I'm thinking too that pound land and the 99p store in town might be worth having a look in for cleaning stuff and a few cheaper food bits.
Right until then, I will bid you all goodnight
x Sammy x
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