Taking the plunge

Jelllibeanz · 23 April 2017 at 5:36PM

Well yesterday we spent a little but not a lot! DS3 was given £3 to spend whilst we spoke to the travel agent to check our booking is all ok (the boys don't know we are going on holiday) and he ended up buying himself a fidget/finger spinner. This of course has made DS2 immensely jealous as he wants one too, but will have to wait until next week once we've been paid and he was at a special event anyway so it's not like he completely missed out.

We popped into Icyland to spend just over a tenner (need to do this once more to get a fiver off) but it worked out well as we got some stuffed crust pizzas and Mr J has declared he will happily eat these instead of a take out, which will save in excess of £10 (with trimmings coming from Aldeee) a time, and the boys were happy with them too

The joy of Icyland is that MrJ also really likes their sausage rolls, which currently have a free coffee at Griggs offer per pack. So happy days we both had a free take out coffee whilst the boys were at Woorhummer today and we achieved a day in the town centre spending nothing!!!

To polish it off we have had a lovely roast beef dinner cooked by the amazing MrJ, courtesy of Aziida and their cheap meat with TCB just before Easter. We managed to cut a joint in half and it looks like each half will do sandwiches as well as the roast. Mr J is totally awesome at keeping me on track and is a fantastic cook too.

Roll on pay day and paying off a bit more of everything. However, it's been such a lovely weekend with the family I would much rather not go to work tomorrow.

Jelllibeanz · 26 April 2017 at 1:07PM

Well we survived until payday :T
Have done a little shuffling and we are heading closer to the £75s

Work has been quite full on, but today is over the hump day and the weekend ahead is a BH. I'm looking forward to putting my feet up a little. May even treat myself to a glass of wine tonight!
Kids are on their first day back at school so they will be shattered this evening. But there is a belly of pork in the slow cooker waiting for when we return so it should be a little easier tonight. I may even treat MrJ to a microwave. I haven't told him I'm considering one, as I am quick anti them after my eldest nearly set the kitchen alight. However, the incident earlier in the week where MrJ cooked a homemade frozen fish pie for 1.5 hours and it was still frozen in the middle makes me think this could be a positive time saving investment. Hmmm...

Jelllibeanz · 27 April 2017 at 12:15PM

I went and did it. I picked up a microwave whilst in Aldeeee on the way home from work. Installed it in the corner of the kitchen and hid the box in the shed. Needless to say MrJ was thrilled and very shocked as I've told him no so many times. I only cooked the sweetcorn in there just to test it. Even treated the family to a microwave pudding (hot choc fudge cake and ice cream), actually rephrase that I got MrJ to work out how to use it under protest as he has gone on about having one for ages. I'm please kids were happy too. They were made up that I'd bought something the MrJ wanted.

Have had a Tilly Tidy and just need to pop a payment onto the cc later today.

Turns out the kids were full of beans last night and not as tired as I had expected. Getting DS2 up this morning was a novelty (he's normally up with the larks), but they are happy enough. Can't wait to see them all when I get home from work.

Jelllibeanz · 28 April 2017 at 4:31PM

It's date night tonight and the beginning of a long weekend !!!

I've called the Mco. to find out the latest balance, but not everything has gone through yet and the direct debit is taken on Tues next week. So I am hoping the balance is going to look even better. It's getting closer to the £75s and I've already shaved 10 months off, which feels fantastic

Think plumbing is on the menu for the kitchen sink - it deserves a new tap (we bought one months ago and it's been sitting in the cupboard waiting to be installed) and the waste pipes need replacing outside, as the boys have played football one too many times and cracked them. Thankfully they are getting old enough to play footie in the park now, otherwise my windows could be next!

Will do my best not to spend too much, but it always seems easier when I'm at work and MrJ absolutely loves shopping. If I can have just one day of being at home and resting I will be made up.

Jelllibeanz · 29 April 2017 at 12:53PM

Date night was awesome at the local Greek taverna. We both loved it, but completely over ate.

So far today DS2 has been to Saturday school. We've popped into town to drop off the dry cleaning (MrJ was not impressed a couple of weeks ago when I accidently washed his suit trousers), treated myself to a new F1tB1t from the local computer trading shop - so that saved me £60, and now MrJ and the boys are off getting shorn. We also managed to pick up a finger spinner for DS2 and we will give it to him once he returns. Like an elephant he hadn't forgotten and was quite jealous that DS3 got one last weekend. However DS2 simply hates having his hair cut and this will be a good treat for doing it. Then we are off to get passport photos sorted. I do at least have the house to myself for half an hour and I am enjoying the peace and quiet.

Jelllibeanz · 1 May 2017 at 4:48PM

I can honestly say that plumbing has practically taken over the weekend. Tap turned into a sink and tap and then to cap it off the stop !!!! went. £50 later to the H20 insurance company and we now have no leaks, a new stop !!!! and water! We reckon that has saved us approx £3k as they came round on the Sunday and the BH Monday.

Never realised how much we depend on water until we weren't able to use it! However, we are back to normalish, if you can call it that in this house and I have joined the May Penny Pincher Challenge.

Now we are having a movie afternoon with the kids.... Good Morning Vietnam, BioDome and then I get to choose.

Jessy103 · 2 May 2017 at 10:09AM

Oh no what a nightmare jellibeanz! Nothing's ever simple is it?! Glad you're all sorted and I hope you enjoyed your film! x

Jelllibeanz · 2 May 2017 at 6:53PM

Needless to say whenever I was asked how my long weekend was I've responded.... eventful!!!
We did enjoy the films - thanks Jessy. It was good to have some uninterrupted family time - note to self I need to learn to sit still more! x

I've managed another NSD, almost slipped as I've made some flapjacks for the kids packed lunch this week, but ran out of greaseproof paper. Have found some loaf liners that seem to be doing the same job and I don't think the kids will care much. It may not be an economical way to do things, but I'm winging it.

Determined to keep everything on the low for the next few weeks and hopefully have a little to shift over just before payday.

Jelllibeanz · 3 May 2017 at 1:09PM

Done a few TTups this week and a quick call to the Mco.... in the £75s!!!!

very pleased

Will need to update my signature and currently on track for 3NSDs in a row (that is good progress for me) all being well I may not need to spend until Friday.

Packed lunch has consisted of dried breakfast cereal, but I enjoy it and it means I can pick at it when I'm at my desk. Downside is it's another day without a proper lunch break soooo much to do.

At least I am not bored!

Jelllibeanz · 6 May 2017 at 4:11PM

Well the weekend is well underway and I found myself this morning wandering around Icyland with MrJ spending a tenner to get a fiver off. We managed it though and a few times when he reached for bits and pieces I found myself saying no we can get that cheaper in Aldeee - to the point where he was saying it too! And I took a list into Aldee to buy just 7 types of things, by the end we were both joking that we were putting things in that weren't on it. A grand total of 11 extra items, but in all fairness they will be used (e.g. the tin foil for tomorrow's roast, if we hadn't got it we would have ended up spending more round the corner shop) and now the cupboards are filled to the brim.

I've managed 4 NSDs in a row, which is quite an achievement for me

The breakfast cereal approach definitely helped along with the limited availability for a lunch break. We also picked up loads of cheap bulbs and perennials from Wilk0s that we are going to plant later. They were discounted down to 50p each and so MrJ didn't mind me filling a basket.

The sun is shining and the washing is out on the line. Ideally I need to cut the grass today too, will see how I feel in a bit. MrJ has fully loaded the car for a tip run in the morning and now my feet are up. Filling in passport forms was rather stressful this morning I think I went through 2 forms per person until I got it right and I'm pleased I paid for the check and send service at the PO as there were a couple of bits that needed to be added/removed.

Hope everyone else is having a lovely weekend x

Taking the plunge

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