My Olympic Challenge

postingalwaysposting

Hi Lewby, so nice to see you back on board. I have subscribed to this one as it looks like you will do just fine. I am so with you redarding cash. I have only been using cash this last month and its an eye opener what would have just spent with no reasoning :rolleyes: Keep updating as and when and I hope your sausages and butter beans go do well tonight :T

Take care

Lewby

Hi Pap! Thanks for the support.

Just wanted to let you know that I am still using the tin that you kindly sent to be in 2006 for my 20p's. It's almost full now and I don't want to get te tin opener out to spoil it! I have ordered another of the internet as can't find them around here but I always remember that it was you who sent it to me as a gift.

It is nice to be back among friends and on this journey again!

Lewby xx

MrsPorridge

Hi Lewby,

Thanks for the info re the milk.

Glad to see you are still really motivated. I agree with your tip about using money rather than "the card". You are right - when I use the card its not real money and I conveniently forget to count the odd fiver or tenner here and there and of course it soon mounts up.

retrocircles

I have the same feeling about using cards instead of cash! I started by checking my receipts when I got home, and I realised how much I'd spent - but mentally I thought I'd spent a third of that! From payday this month we're going to have envelopes allocated for things such as petrol / food / pet food. When they're empty, they're empty!

Glad to hear you're still feeling motivated! & I hope you're feeling better.

Olderbutnotwiser

Hi Lewby, as a fellow olympic wannabe I thought I'd pop over to say hello.
I hope you are feeling a bit better today, and that the sausage and butter bean thing was good :-)
I have been doing the meal planning thing about a year now and have halved my shopping bills. It's also nice when working full time to know whats for dinner, when to get what out of the freezer etc It also means if it's written on the wall daily that someone else can start cooking if they are in before me :-)
Initially the kids started saying, I don't fancy that I'll get myself something but now they know there is not really anything else except Cheese/beans on toast etc as I shop for my list not their wishes.
Anyway good luck hon

TurnaroundSue

Sorry I haven't responded sooner, but has been reallllllllllly busy!! I have been freezing milk now for the last 10 years and have found no difference in the quality of the milk. I would say though to allow for expansion when freezing the milk and when they freeze sometimes it is impossible to get one carton out if they are rammed in together. I don't necessarily agree with throwing out milk where the carton has split, but would say be careful when thawing it as you then end up with milk all over the place. On the occasions this has happened, I just transfer the milk into a jug and place in the fridge. To thaw, I take out required milk the day before I need it. I wait until I have say one pint left and then defrost new milk, but then I suppose it depends how quickly you use it up.

I really do agree with you about using cash for shopping, but as I use my Tesco credit card (always pay the bill off when it comes in) I am a bit loathed to do that as I will lose out on so many clubcard points. Have been trying to weigh it up whether I would save more money by using cash which would compensate for the cc points I would lose!!!

Good luck and am really impressed on how you are doing - well done!

ps forgot to mention that I NEVER defrost in fridge as it takes more like 48 hours to thaw and always stick it on draining board - we have never been ill through defrosting milk this way - not even on a very hot day. The only thing I would say though is make sure that it is out of the sun if you do defrost outside of fridge. Our draining board doesn't get the sun so is never a problem, but would bear that in mind as it would more than likely make the milk go off alot quicker.

Lewby

Morning all.

I had a lovely surprise when I checked my bank account this morning. It's a long story but in essence when my first husband and I split 11 years ago the kids stayed with him Mon - Fri (weekends with me) so they could remain in same school as I moved just 3 miles over the county border (he wouldn't move out:mad: ). It was really hard but I remained positive and actually had more 'quality time' with them at weekends. He claimed the child benefit but several years ago he changed jobs, kids moved back to me Mon-Fri and weekends with him. I forgot about Child Benefit until last Oct when I asked him if I could have it (counting every penny now!). He agreed but in his usual way took weeks to notify CB people ..... but today £129.10 has appeared in my bank account!!!!

Feeling very smiley this morning with this 'windfall'. I should have asked him ages ago but just never thought about it. Every little helps!

OBNW - I think we are twins! Our debt situations seem to mirror each others. The sausage and butter bean thing went down a treat. I'm going to experiment some more with pulses and beans - they pad out a meal really well. You're right about the meal plan too as OH does start tea if he knows what it is. So much less stressful! He's even suggested that we plan for 2 weeks at a time .... he's coming around!

Retro - I am feeling better now, managed work yesterday. Have used it as an excuse not to get on with my diet though so back to that today too! I've spend £111 of my cash allowance for the month now but have plenty of food etc in so should manage to live on what we have left. I am actually liking using cash now. There is something nice about counting the notes out to pay for shopping, knowing that it isn't 'debt'!

Sue - I have frozen my first carton of milk as a back up. I'll leave it a week and see if anyone notices. I seem to remember my mum freezing milk when was little as we lived so far from the shops. It has expanded but not split. It would be brilliant for me if it's accepted by the kids and OH as I know that shopping mid week for milk and bread is my spending downfall.

Making my first PAD overpayment on credit card today. I love that thread as it makes me think about reducing my debt on a daily basis. I've never made overpayments before, always stuck to min payment - no wonder it never gets any less! I'm so looking forward to updating my snowball in 6 months time to see how much my DFD has come down!

For me this is an important post in my thread. Back on the diet today, feeling better, extra money appeared in my bank account and making an overpayment. When I'm having a down day in future weeks (and I know I will) I will look back at this and remind myself of what a positive start I've made and that I WILL BE DEBT FREE.

Lewby xx :T :T :T :T

MrsPorridge

Hi Lewby - how lovely to have that windfall. I do small overpayments now and again - sometimes only £1 but it always makes me feel good that I've managed to do so.

As regards my diet its not going too badly (although I know I could do better). I'm having a special £5 dinner from Tesco tonight - it was a main course and a side dish for a fiver for a family. Having beef pie with cauliflower cheese. I know its not really slimming but I think you have to have a least one treat a week don't you? So Saturday night are going to be my treat nights. However, normally I would have bought a pudding and also chocoate and I haven't got either so I'm still being good.:D

Olderbutnotwiser

Woo Hoo Lewby well done on the extra dosh:j
Let me know how you do with the pulses I'd like to use them but whenever I've tried it'd been a disaster so if you do something good you can give me an idiots guide to making something edible with pulses:D
Well done on your PAD, why do you only update you snowball 6 monthly?
How old are your kids? Do you work full time?

Lewby

Hi OBNW,

Yes it's been a good day, started with the nice surprise on the on-line banking, a friend came over and we talked Weight Watchers for a while and I've stuck to my diet and I think I've pretty much finished my last assignment for my course!!!

Will keep you posted on the pulses. I made a vegetable soup today and added a tin of mixed beans and it was delicious - much more satisfying .... which is good on a diet!

I work full time as the Managing Director of a support and advocacy organisation for social care. It's really interesting and I have a great team. I have two children of my own (16 & 14) and three step-children (21, 18 & 17) so it's hectic most of the time. My eldest is just taking A Levels having got straight A's at GCSE and she works so hard bless her ... she's been sat at the table with me all day writing an essay on Othello ... I've never done Shakespeare but I have ended up getting quite into it. She wants to be a Doctor so she has to work hard .... and we need to get rid of this debt to be able to support her. That's my main motivation.

Life is very busy but happy. I feel much happier when I'm in control of my finances and eating so must stay on track having got back on the wagon.
Hope you are ok. Have left you a mesage on your diary.

MrsPorridge - Hope you enjoyed the pie and cauli cheese... I love it. You definately need to have a treat once in a while and £5 for a meal isn't too bad at all. Well done for resisting the chocolate. I treat myself to a bit of Green & Blacks 70% Choc occassionally to take care of my choc cravings. Out to Sunday Lunch tomorrow so have to be on my best behaviour and stay away from the pudding list!

Lewby xx