Live on £4000 for a year - Part 3

Janey51

I do apologise if I have not answered anyone's queries lately but my brain still seems to be a little behind the times

I have been looking at the Remoska threads on MSE and having a think...a serious think...about one.
Now I am on my own it's looking like an option. During the summer when the Rayburn is off, I have the microwave and the big electric cooker. I also have my slow cooker without a lid which I use a plate to cover when its cooking.
But the Remoska seems to do everything bar talk.
It worries me in case I lash out to buy one and then it ends up in the cupboard nestling next to the juicer and the toastie maker. Not to mention the breadmaker....I can only eat very small amounts of bread now and a loaf lasts me about a month so its not worth putting it on.
I was reading that slow cookers do burn more electric than you would expect. Mine was in a big box of bits I got from an auction about 6 yrs ago so could be less efficient than more modern ones. And it is a bit difficult to clean as there is no removable inner bit which I believe later models have.

Somebody asked me about my planting/sowing efforts. I'm afraid nothing did as everything went pear shaped when DH died. But, I have treated myself to some winter flowering pansies and violas via Quidco. I know I can't eat them ....could crystalise them I suppose or put in salads but I can't eat too many of those either. I just wanted to know I would have some cheerful colours to look at when the winter sets in

I have got my sig back on track so I will be trying to be good. I don't know when I will be back to work. I am aiming for the beginning of September but some days are dreadful and there is no point waking up in the morning and deciding on a work day that I just can't face people.
Maybe I am putting too much pressure on myself by setting deadlines but I thought having a plan would be good. Now I'm not so sure

sophiesmum_2

Janey just go with the flow, you will know when it is right for you to return to work, try not to put too much pressure on yourself, you will only feel bad if you don't meet deadlines which would be counter productive.

Burlesque_Babe

no DD's gone out today and no need to spend so it should be NSD number 3 of the month for me today.

bails

Janey51 wrote: »

But the Remoska seems to do everything bar talk.

:rotfl::rotfl:I'm beginning to see this too but am not ready to splash out on one yet either.
Take you time Janey, as Sophiesmum says, you'll know when it's right. Lovely idea with the winter flowers.

I have been trawling through Weezl's latest thread here, only on p14! and am once again truly inspired by her crazy antics! I'll be avoiding the pig's head and snails though :eek: I'm determined to get my GC spends down much further with their help (def need that 2nd freezer!).

Marru

Uh oh - bad night here as well. DD and The Dog ganged up on me to make sure that I wouldn't get any sleep. When it wasn't DD waking me up by coming into my bed and then keeping me awake by her fidgeting it was The Dog who tried to be sick in the middle of the night, spent ages outside eating grass and then while I tried to settle DD back to bed (at 4 am) did a wee on the floor. After that was cleaned I couldn't sleep anymore. Yawn...

I haven't done my Monday morning weight check yet. I don't think it looks good as I didn't do anything over the weekend exercise wise and did do fair share in eating wise. No chocolate thou.

Need to go and sort out lots of things today and do some running around. I am going past Mr S so need to go and see if I can get some good whoopsies in their fruit and veg section. Last time got loads.

Wishing you all a great day!!

Marru

Edited: one more kg dropped off. My target was half a kg per week and so far it has been 3kg in two weeks :T

looby-loo_2

Janey51 wrote: »

Somebody asked me about my planting/sowing efforts. I'm afraid nothing did as everything went pear shaped when DH died. But, I have treated myself to some winter flowering pansies and violas via Quidco. I know I can't eat them ....could crystalise them I suppose or put in salads but I can't eat too many of those either. I just wanted to know I would have some cheerful colours to look at when the winter sets in

What a good idea, you will be pleased you found the motivation to do that. When my DD2 died 18 years ago I made myself plant the carrots I had already prepared the soil for. I couldn't be bothered the think about what else to plant, I was angry and fed up, so I just planted carrots - hundreds of them, about eight rows but nothing else that year, until all the seed was used up. Then I left them till about August and we used those carrots all winter.
Unsurprisingly I alway think of her when I plant carrots, but usually only one row now.

Take your time going back to work. I went back far too soon because everyone said 'it wll be good for you'. It wasn't.

bails

Looby, thanks for sharing what must be a painful memory to help Janey xxx

shaz_mum_of__2

Hi all

been absent a bit as busy at home

Sophiesmum - would happily swap courgettes for toms as mine are all green still ........................i think your to far away though


Getting about a pound of runner beans a day and at least 8 courgettes (i have started to pick them snall so we can eat them all,i am experinmenting with freezing them today) endless lettuce and new potatoes been busy preparing for winter veg we have planted out or planted seeds for:

sprouts
chinese cabbage
celeriac
pak choi
red chinese mustard leaves
purple and white sprouting broccoli
kale green and red
pointy cabbage
kohl rabi
swiss chard
cavolo nero
cauliflower

hubby built a new raised bed recently and some plants will go in place of stuff thats finished believe me the gardens not huge

I think i may have to freecycle some plants after e seem to be winning after finally giving in and buying slug pellets

Off away in the caravan for 2 weeks on Sunday - we want to set a spending budget but can't decide what it should be

we are 2 adults a 16yo(adult prices for admission everywhere) and a 7 yr old

we are having a week at chertsey surrey and a week in thetford forest norfolk planning a trip into london to all the free museums was going to legoland but £35 each!!!! even with the BOGOF Mr T vouchers we wont be off

I am going to RHS wisley though so lots of piccies i promise


Shaz

Marru

shaz_mum_of__2 wrote: »

BOGOF Mr T vouchers

I am going to RHS wisley though so lots of piccies i promise

I have 3 of the BOGOF Mr T vouchers that I have no use of so if anyone wants them please PM me.

RHS Wisley is wonderful!! Reserve lots of time and comfy shoes. And allocate a budget for their gift shop .

dfw844

Hi everyone,

Afraid I've done the figures for July and I am not doing too well! Had a busy couple of months, no excuse I know, but we've had weddings, hen dos and lots of other trips and things I didn't feel I could say no to... On the plus side, even though I wasn't particularly keen to go on any of them, I had a wonderful time! So I feel as though I have had a series of mini-holidays which will compensate for the fact that we won't get away this summer. (Although if people stopped having such expensive hen / stag dos we would have been able to pay for a hol with that!). Sorry rant over. Although if I'm ever in the position of holding a hen do, remind me of this please!

Anyway, the result is that my total for the year so far (holds breath) is £3528. Terrible I know. However... the silver lining is that I have compared it against last year spending, and by the same point in 2007 I had spent £5243 on the same categories. So you guys have helped me to the tune of £1715!! Not to mention how much I am saving the planet by reducing my food waste to nothing, and conserving as much electricity as possible. Thank you all!

NYK - big thanks to you, obviously, for being the inspiration for all this. Please could you change my challenge total to £5000 for the year? I think I stand a (small) chance of coming in under this, and it will be a marked improvement on my 2007 total of £8684. As you always say it's whatever figure will make us feel like we've reduced our outgoings whilst having a good quality of life. I'm sure you'll all agree how much you appreciate everything when you have waited and saved for it. And how reluctant you are to throw anything out without checking it's potential resale value on ebay!

shaz_mum_of _2 I have tried freezing courgettes as I love them. I found it was ok for a couple of days, but any longer than a week and it was just horrible wet mush. I think there must be too much water in them or something... unless it was just me.

Have a great day everyone.

xx