Suprised by how much!

MissMuppet · 15 December 2005 at 4:05PM

I haven't posted much on here so a bit of background... Last year the **** hit the fan and I couldn't afford to pay my debts any longer! I was in a job in Coventry paying £13k and I just couldn't cope... I handed my car back which was on HP but still owed £600 on it. I moved back down south (as that's where I come from) and managed to get a well paid job. At the same time I wrote to all my creditors explaining my situation. All of them accepted reduced payments and completely stopped the interest on my debt... :j

This time last year I was just over £17k in debt (more than my annual salary)! I just received statements from all of them and I have managed to get my debts to under £15k. I know it doesn't sound a lot but considering I was only paying £72 on a £14k loan and then anything from £5 - £10 on other loans and credit cards it's gone down quite well.

I now have a £21.5k job and hoping to start budgetting properly and paying more off my debt in the new year!

I have one downfall in budgeting, that is lunch! I don't have the motivation to make sandwiches for work, I just buy lunch... any ideas?? When I do buy food for work it always goes off before I eat it... :mad:

:xmassign:

skintchick · 15 December 2005 at 5:04PM

Here's what I do for lunches.

I have a packet of crisps.

Two bread rolls

Some fruit

Fillings-wise, I usually choose from:
cream cheese
pate
grated cheese
tuna mayonnaise (mix a tin of value tuna with mayo, add black pepper)
egg mayonnaise (boil eggs hard (ten mins) cool, chop up, add mayo and black pepper)

These are all cheap and easy.

Buy rolls when they are discounted (my Tesco has one night a week they cut prices) and then freeze them. Two mins in microwave in the mornign and they're good to go.

HTH x

novice_money_saver_2 · 15 December 2005 at 5:06PM

Sandwiches are a pain because if you make them the night before, they go soggy and I have never yet met anyone who has enough time in the morning to make them!

I make big stews and thick soups (dead easy, honest!) and split them into small portions to take in to work in a microwaveable plastic lunchbox. Buy a loaf of bread at the beginning of the week and that's me sorted. In the summer I do salads but that does take more effort!

I worked out the other week that even a £2.99 meal deal from Boots or similar works out at over £750 a year!

Good luck - if you need recipe ideas, just shout. :santa2:

skintchick · 15 December 2005 at 5:16PM

novice_money_saver wrote:

Sandwiches are a pain because if you make them the night before, they go soggy and I have never yet met anyone who has enough time in the morning to make them!

You've met me!!

I do them while I boil the kettle for my cup of coffee - it takes two minutes.

But I have been known to grab two frozen rolls, tub of cream cheese and a knife, and make them at lunchtime if I oversleep!

It's just about getting into a routine.

Mine is 7.20 get up and shower/wash hair/dress
8.30 go downstrairs, make coffee and sandwiches
8.40 go upstairs and blow dry hair/put on makeup
8.50 practice piano
9.00 leave house

Go on - you can do it!! I find the cooking extra thing more hassle TBH cos I end up eating it!!!

black-saturn · 15 December 2005 at 5:34PM

When I make casseroles in the slow cooker I deliberately make more liquid in them than you need. Then I put the liquid in a freezeable container and eat it as soup. It's lovely.

redballoon_2 · 15 December 2005 at 5:38PM

supermarkets often reduce thier sandwiches every evening, you could buy these on your way home from work each night? I have seen sandwiches from as little as £0.10p and they are still in date!

You could buy the frozen sandwich wraps/subs/meals from supermarket every now and again as a treat, especially good for lunches in winter.

Jaymz · 15 December 2005 at 5:49PM

I totally agree, I could never be bothered in the morning to make my lunch so before I go to bed I make it and stick it in the fridge. Saved myself a fortune!

black-saturn · 15 December 2005 at 6:33PM

In the summer put them in the freezer. Then when you take them out in the morning they will be defrosted and really fresh by lunchtime.

DebtDude · 15 December 2005 at 6:41PM

Ah, my first post...

I've had my share of sandwiches. Here are a few things I like to do.
1. Vary the type of sandwich.
2. Heat the sandwich up at work. Melted ham and cheese...mmmmmmmmm.
3. Add something like ramien noodles to accompany the sandwich.
4. There are a lot of frozen meals that are cheap. That makes for a nice change of pace.

Today I met a friend for lunch at a local shopping area. He bought his lunch from a local vendor. I brought my lunch from home. Did his food look better? yes, but who walked away saving money? I did.

black-saturn · 15 December 2005 at 6:43PM

They are doing Micro meals in Iceland for £1

MissMuppet · 15 December 2005 at 7:28PM

Thanks for all the ideas... I do really need to get used to making my own lunch! I do have another reason why I don't and that is because I have IBS and sandwiches (especially with white bread) don't agree with me... I tend to buy salads for lunch, like today I had a Somerfield salad (help yourself type) but it cost £2.49 for a small one!!

I think my new years resolution will be to make my lunch instead of buying it... I will save hundreds I'm sure!! :xmassmile

:xmassign:

Suprised by how much!

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