rags to riches (hopefully), my diary.

mummy2mygirls

I would recomend getting a slow cooker, you can do something like a stew (can prepare the veg the night before) but it on and it should be ready in time for hubby and ds and then they can put it on keep warm and it would be fine for when you got home, thats what i do sometimes as dh gets in late some days!

Pips mums well done on getting all the shopping done! When i was due with dd2 i started really earley as i didnt want the whole walking round busy shops with the big bump, so you are very brave on going to wollies witha big bump!! I got my bread maker for birthday last yr (dh felt bad but i asked for it!!) so not sure where its from... i would look in the sales as im sure you should be able to get one for a good price.

I stuck to my plan and also have got out what i need for tomorrow being good, also tomorrow i have all the mince mixure ready for a lasagna so all i need is to make it up! did double last week when i made a lasagna. Today i made extra aswell so one day next week we have a stew ready in the freezer! being very organised!

Also made some of them weetabix brownies with the girls today, they are yummy!! i love them warmed up so helps with my chocolate cravings at the moe!!!

Im on a chatter one tonight!! sorry for the long post......hope your all ok...

ragstoricheswannabe

thanks for the vote in confidence!!!!!!

i have got a breville one, but didnt buy it. it was my nans and she didnt use it so gave it to me ages ago as i wanted to start making my own bread. have only just pulled it from the back of my cupboard and started using it. have you tried looking on asda direct? they might do a cheap one in their smart price range, they seem to do everything else!! or freecycle? they are quite expensive otherwise. my oh went through loads of bread when i was buying it (at least 4-5 loaves a week) so it was more cost effective for me to make my own.

why is it we look forward to having time off work then do nothing but worry when are??!! think its the guilt thing when going back after having children, your slated for staying at home and being a "sponger" and slated if you do for negleting your children!!! we cant win really.

ok, im am now off my soap box.......................

do you think you will still live within a budget and be frugal when you are debt free?? we will have to tackle the mortgage when we're done. mine will take some time to pay off!!!:eek:
just think of what we could buy with no debts to pay, no mortgage repayments................... (goes off into her world of fantasy)

miss_essex01

ragstoricheswannabe wrote: »

O.k, this is yet another diary but it is hopefully gonna motivate me to go from rags to riches ( well it works for slimming clubs...)

My plan: get my debt down by the time my fixed rate mortgage runs out next
november,
clear all my debt and overdraft,
live within my means so not in debt and can save for things i want in future.

Have been following martins advice and have gone through all my bills changing to the better deal and am now shopping at aldi to reduce my shoppping bill, did this before i started maternity leave as knew a drop in my wage was on its way (whose idea was it to make us live on so little??:mad: )

So here is my SOA:

Monthly Income: £2237.00

Monthly Outgoings: £2135.32

Personal loan = £173.80
Joint Life Ins = £22.33
Sky/broadband = £32.00
BT phone = £15.00
Council tax =£115.00
Water =£33.07
Dentist =£16.50
TV License =£11.61
Mortgage =£865.01
Gas & Elec =£56.00
Mobiles *3 =£160.00 (18mth contract on 2)
Childcare =£180.00
Food =£200.00
Debt payments =£100.00
Kids savings =£5.00 (pays for things needed through year)
My savings =£50.00 (pays for car tax, ins etc & emergancies)
Petrol =£100.00

My partner and i have a joint account, everything in and everything out so this soa is for things we both need to pay. We have 3 mobiles as my partner was conned into thinking having two would reduce his bills (dam salesman!!) but one is coming to the end of the contract so gonna persuade him to change it to pay as u go. Still use childcare even though on mat leave as i have found a very good childminder and will be sending both kids when go back to work and would have to pay a retention fee thats not much less than what i pay if i use the place.

Have joined several survey sites and one click(?) website (I dont fully get it though) in the hope of making some extra cash as at home and can do it when little one is asleep and big bro is in nursery.

I have been trawling through the old style forum to pick up ideas of how to save the pennies and entering comps to win (think i am jinxed there though as never win...)

So here my journey begins............. wish me luck!

ragstoricheswannabe.
xxxxxxx

Sorry for being a nosey mare :rotfl:
But you havea brillant income, do you mind me asking what you work as?
xx

ragstoricheswannabe

i made some of them brownies and they didnt last long!!!!!! i had mine warmed up with nutella on the top!!!!! now that will sort your chocolate cravings out!!!!!! (and i wonder why im not losing weight fast??!!!!:rotfl: )

we are having a homemade chippy night (chips and gravy but ds1 called it homemade chippy and its stuck) easy and simple for midweek. bulked out my mince with onions (cut really small so they couldnt pick them out) veg (grated) lentils and a tin of beans. left overs now in freezer!!! left over new potatoes turned into a potato salad with red onion and chives for oh's dinner tomorrow.

hows your dd now mummy2mygirls?

ragstoricheswannabe

hi and welcome missesex,

the wage is a joint income as we have a joint account and includes child benefit and child tax credit. on mat leave at the mo so only bringing in £117 a week, my fella is a hgv driver and brings home the bacon. i work as a staff nurse in a really nice and caring nursing home normally where on a good wage as classed as a senior nurse (not bad since i only qualified in march 2004!!!!!)

mummy2mygirls

she is ok! she just had a bad bellythis morning bless her! so i will play it by ear about tomorrow! she will prob go as long as she isnt up in the night!! im going to have to go and have some of them brownies now!!yum yum. i got some chocolate spread yesterday might do instead of the nutella!! sounds nice...

I do the same with the oinons etc cut some really small so dds dont pick them out but leave some big as dh likes them, also grate some carrots in with the mince...what lentils do you use?? i got some red split lentils ( i think...) do they take just as long as the mince etc or do they need boiling before hand?? will your oh just have chips and gravey for dinner?? mine would moan that there wasnt any meat!!!

ragstoricheswannabe

i use the red split lentils and you dont need to soak them first. i brown off the mince, add onion and grated veg, then add stock cubes, tin of baked beans and use the tin to add water (2 tins worth) and then add lentils and mixed herbs and a little paprika. bring to the boil then simmer. the lentils should disappear and will thicken the sauce. you just have to stir a little more often to stop them sticking to the bottom of the pan

sorry for teaching you how to suck eggs but couldnt explain it.

my fella will have a massive plate of chips and gravy as long as he has some bread to mop up the gravy left on his plate! (normally 2-3 slices)

Pips_Mum

I would like to tackle the mortgage once we are debt free too so hopefully once I have been frugal for a while it will become a habit?:money:

As you say cant win no matter what. I am worried that I will have to go back to work as there is no money, not when I feel ready to leave Pip. So by reducing debts and lowering interest and fees and stuff it will make it a bit easier when i am only getting the £117 SMP from May.

Mmmmmmmm chips and gravy cant beat it!!:p

Have found a breadmaker in Argos for £23 and I have a £5 off voucher so might be the owner of one of them by the end of the week! Thought if I just get this cheapy one I can see how I get on with it. If I am rubbish at making it then I wont have lost so much when I banish it to the back of the cupboard!!:rotfl:

mummy2mygirls

thank you i will be adding them to my next mince meal!
pips mum - if you register on the mamas and papas website at the moe they will send a £5 voucher to your email, you can use it in store or online - just incase you might use it....

i think some things will stick with us now! but im sure ill still enjoy a treat now and again...........we will work on the mortage when the debt is a bit better and also on improving the house! And hopefully i wont have to go and get a part time job after this baby!! i did avon for a bit but was so much work and at the time i just spent any money i earnt on make up for myself....

smarties84

Hello, another yummy mummy here! I'm mummy to a baby girl who is 13.5 months old. I am 24.
Really enjoyed reading your diary from start to finish just now, will keep reading it from now on