Do You Really Think I Can Do This?

TallGirl

I agree with all of the above of course you can do it. We used to live on ready meals and take aways although I can cook DH is so fussy I virtually gave up trying to cook two meals each night.

I then got a job where I had to be away from home a lot and eat out a lot which motivated me to get back into cooking and tackle fussy DH.

My MIL had been going on for years about me getting a slow cooker even offered to get me one. When she did I did not want it but now I am converted. Have got my mum and dad one (they are separated) and love it. Don't buy any ready meals as I actually find them too salty. But do cheat when you can why make your own puff pastry. Try to make your own pizza base but buy the ready made mix if you are worried about yeast etc.

I have also got back into growing my own veg something I used to do as a kid when I belonged to a gardening club.

I had my first home grown potatoes this week since I grew them as a kid with home grown lettuce too. I have a small raised bed 3ft by 2ft and I can get a lot in there plus grow things in bags and pots. It is actually quite easy to grow your own and there are lots of tips on here however you have to have the motivation. Once you taste things you have cooked yourself and grown yourself that is when you are converted away from ready meals etc.

Take small steps but try to get some seeds in the ground now as you will soon see the results.

kunekune

Some good ideas here (says someone who still does the long-hours thing). But there was one thing that leaped out from your post, which is a forthcoming move to Oz. The one fly in the ointment you might hit is not knowing what your cost of living there is going to be: Sydney is not much different from London, price wise, and you could find it particularly tough to cope on a significantly lower income. Australia is not necessarily cheaper than the UK. So my advice would be to take your baby steps but if when you get there you find that money means you do need to work more hours than you are thinking of, or that suitable work is full time or nothing, don't think you've failed. There are all sorts of reasons for a more "OS" life, but it isn't an all or nothing thing. It's possible, as some people have said, to be OS in some things but not in others, and get just as much pleasure and satisfaction out of it.

pixie1

Thanks everyone for your kind replies, im going to take this slowly, lots of baby steps etc.

Before our move im just going to concentrate on mean planning so i can use up all the food in the cupboards save giving it away or binning it when we move and also de-cluttering as we need to do that prior to the packers coming.

Then once we are settled in our new home i will start to try more os things.


Thanks again,

Pix
x

mouseymousey99

Just to add my best wishes too Pixie.
My best money saving tip ever is the local library. I would be lost without mine - and no doubt in oodles of debt. All the information you could ever want is there - cookery/fiction etc etc and best of all ......FREE

Mags_cat

maggie111 wrote: »

Having tried to follow Flylady - I will go against popular opinion and say to ignore it for the moment. I tried once and I failed under the weight of not being able to do half the things because I was already under the weight of utter chaos.

I'm in agreement with this - I read the book (leant by a friend) and looked at the website and couldn't decide whether to howl with hysterical laughter or growl at her patronising attitude. (What does she mean, dress to your shoes and make up? I don't wear make up *ever* so why would I slap it on dust?!!?)

BUT - the Flylady thread on here is absolutely the opposite - everyone's really friendly and supportive. You don't have to do everything on day one - and they keep telling you that! Having somewhere to record what you have done and almost *be accountable* for it was really helpful for me. I just lurk on the thread and read now - but be warned, you can lose hours that way :eek:

Hope the move goes well.

maggie111

Mags_cat wrote: »

I'm in agreement with this - I read the book (leant by a friend) and looked at the website and couldn't decide whether to howl with hysterical laughter or growl at her patronising attitude. (What does she mean, dress to your shoes and make up? I don't wear make up *ever* so why would I slap it on dust?!!?)

BUT - the Flylady thread on here is absolutely the opposite - everyone's really friendly and supportive. You don't have to do everything on day one - and they keep telling you that! Having somewhere to record what you have done and almost *be accountable* for it was really helpful for me. I just lurk on the thread and read now - but be warned, you can lose hours that way :eek:

Hope the move goes well.

Hello another Mags! :T

Definitely have flicked through the Flylady thread here and it does seem so much better than being bombarded with 100 emails a day off flylady (sent at bizarre US times!!) But I still think it's a lot to live up to... It;s brilliant for many mantras and the go power you feel in thinking "I can do it!!!" but I don't find it helpful for "picking the first battle"...

Some things I loved from Flylady were though:

* Trouble spots - we all have them and she does power home the point that they need to be tackled little and often to stop clutter building up!! (Mine is my computer desk... right now I have 10 bits of paper, 3 tissues, my smoking stuff, purse, handbag, makeup bag, one cup, 1 pad of paper, strepsils, nailclippers, cellotape, 2 box of tissues, 1 pack photo paper, 1 pair sunglasses, 2 bottles drink.... AND MORE!!! Jeez, and I SWEAR I had it tidied this morning!!!!! :eek:

* The shoes thing - I find it so true, or should I say for me - shoes and a bra! Means I am ready to pop out to post something, pick up milk... even put rubbish out which I might not otherwise!!

* Diary/filofax... I love it. Have a binder with birthdays in, lists in, stamps - a couple of blank cards and a pen - am ALWAYS ready when I am out and about, and I have something to do when stuck in line!!


If it helps, I read once on a blog about someone who was sick and was worried about keeping the house whilst they were not up to it. Someone said "sort out your priorities, you need to eat, have clean clothes and EVERYTHING else will keep" - thought it was true in all walks.