Still OSing! (my other threads are a bit depressing so decided a new one needed!)

cheel · 29 May 2016 at 12:10PM

Hello everyone,

I haven't posted much lately, but I'm still here reading and learning.

So far in my journey I have actually achieved quite a lot!

Garden has a row of runner beans, 2 large tomato plants, 1 tumbling tom, strawberry's, and a white pumpkin all growing happily.
I have potatoes and spring onions to plant.

Freezer is emptying ready for batch cooking ect when I've used what we have up.

Haven't been perfect with money, but this month was hard month to start, with sons birthday ect. So maybe I was a little optimistic. But things are no worse and possibly a little better.

I've installed a hippo in the loo and started using a shower timer. Also saving sons bathwater for loo flushing as often as I can. (am a bit embarrassed. To do this when we have guests tho!)

I have started Christmas home made present planning, and have picked up and put away a few items from the charity shop and a closing down sale. I have a list of what I need to get when I see it. For example I making my sister a fab knitting bag and decided to use big knitting needles (the wooden kind) as handles, hopefully will find son in a charity shop or sale.

So while this has been a really difficult period of time (my health, family problems, and people shuffling off the mortal coil left right and centre) I have made some progress !

I'm still here and trying to get things in order!

Hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend .

Cheel. Xx

[Deleted User] · 29 May 2016 at 12:15PM

Wow CHEEL you've made a fantastic start to your journey, it's not easy changing life is it? but you've made a really good foundation to go forward from, hats off to you!!! well done!

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth · 29 May 2016 at 2:14PM

Tip for the Thomas Crapper! Fill old pint milk bottle with water, place in the cistern!

Keep up the good work! Take enough for what you need, not what you want!

Tiddlywinks · 29 May 2016 at 5:26PM

I had a little bit too much time on my hands last Christmas and so tried making foodie gifts (as stocking fillers) for the first time.

Great fun and cheap to do - I got some bags and moulds from Amazon and choccie from Lidl - they looked fantastic.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cellophane-Green-Snowflake-Christmas-Party/dp/B005Z5PDKM/ref=sr_1_16?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1464534815&sr=8-16&keywords=christmas+bags

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cellophane-Frosted-Holiday-Christmas-Party/dp/B00PCXCXIM/ref=sr_1_35?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1464534977&sr=8-35&keywords=christmas+bags

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shapes-Christmas-Chocolate-Silicone-Fondant/dp/B00A9QUTXI/ref=sr_1_8?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1464537658&sr=1-8&keywords=chocolate+mould

I also made a gingerbread Christmas tree using star cookie cutters

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tala-5-Piece-Plastic-Cookie-Cutter/dp/B008CYAW7C/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1464538697&sr=8-4&keywords=star+cookie+cutter

You make 2 of each size, bake them and them stack them on top of each other - largest to smallest - to build a tree. Hard to explain, sorry, but it looks really good when built.

Ooh, found a picture of something similar:

http://www.crisco.com/recipes/holiday-cookie-tree-centerpiece-6557

I've got a Christmas cupboard where I keep stuff that I buy through the year and it's amazing how much you can save by doing this.

DWhite · 29 May 2016 at 6:45PM

Wow! You've done amazingly well, we started airing the same time I think and you've done better than me. Financially this was a hard month for me to start but your head sounds like it's in a great place to keep going.
Well done and thanks for the motivation

cheel · 29 May 2016 at 10:16PM

Thanks everyone. And tiddlywinks those are brill ideas! Thanks.

I need more ideas for men if anyone has any! My dad will be next to impossible tho I did find some aftershave he likes deeply reduced. Xx

cheel · 29 May 2016 at 10:18PM

I know its a bit early for the c word but my sister gets married early Dec so I have to get ahead to cope with and afford both events!! Xx

Tiddlywinks · 29 May 2016 at 11:14PM

I bought a huge 2.5kg bag of mixed toffees from Amazon to stuff in various gifts:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00569WNO6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Then you could get some blackboard paint (about £6 a can), wash out an ordinary can or jar, paint a few paint strokes of black onto the can/jar and then write a message in chalk pen... something like 'Dad's treats' or whatever.

Or, there are choccie moulds for moustaches on sticks, tool sets or chill pills.

You can get these boxes and personalise them... I gave my uncle one for HIS remote controls along with a cheap bell so he could ring for a cuppa... my aunt thought it was a scream because we always joked he'd rather a burglar stole her than the TV and remote

.

http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/home-crafts/paper-mache/mache-boxes

I find the blackboard paint really useful as it's easy to work with and great for making things personal and quirky.

cheel · 30 May 2016 at 7:47AM

Morning, thanks again tiddlywinks! The toffee is a good idea, if I'm giving bags ect it'd be nice to put a few bits inside.

Beautiful day here! Washing out mow the lawn kind of day. Might toddle off to the beach later if son Is up for the walk. (just over a mile and so not bad).
We are both 'strawberry blonde' so it wont be till after three!

Its half term so tomorrow. We will be using our passes for heligan gardens, I love it there, so does son , and if i lug a picnic it'll only cost us bus fare. Be rude not to!

So todays plans, some paid work, bit gardening, housework, make picnic things, flapjack, sausage rolls etc.

Enjoy the sun everyone! Xxxx

[Deleted User] · 30 May 2016 at 8:21AM

I try to pick up things towards 'C' (the event in December) throughout the year as I see them and it spreads the cost. I always look at reductions at the end of whatever season happens to be and find things much reduced. I've got a couple of nice things for the Zebra child already a Shirley Hughes book 'Alfies Christmas' and a hopping frogs game towards his stocking and have a few things for the DDs. It all lives in a box in the spare room so I can keep an eye on what else to look for. Works for me and means I don't have to worry about the finances so much in December.

[Deleted User] · 30 May 2016 at 8:31AM

Indeed now's the time to keep a look out for CS virtually new bargains to be put away for 'C' I daren't mention the full word in May

:):) but I have a box in my spare room that gets all sorts of odds and ends that I see in my travels.Out of season sales for the coming summer means that by October they will be back in season again

:):)

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Still OSing! (my other threads are a bit depressing so decided a new one needed!)

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free