Live on £4,000 for a year - 2009, Part 4

liloandstitch

Well my budget is still doing well. We have been enjoying casseroles, and 1lb meat plus enormous amounts of veg has been lasting us for days - really tasty and so quick and warming in the evenings. We have been having it with dumplings or jacket potato. Yum Yum Yum.

The budget is going reasonably well. I have about £15.00 left out of this weeks, with new money tomorrow - so that will go towards my monthly heavy and always needed delivery. Going well at the moment but always room for improvement.

Lilo

bails

Great advice from SFT Taka, really hope you can get this frustrating situation sorted. Well done Blair!

SF, nice to see you posting. With the lesson plans, remember this is your first time so don't expect too much of yourself. The great and challenging thing about teaching is that you are always learning and improving. Focus on getting the basics right and the rest will flow in time. I hope you have good support who can offer you constructive criticism. I had the most inspirational Head of Dept in my NQT year (after an awful PGCE teacher in my second placement) and although, I haven't worked with him for many years, he still inspires my practice now.

Well done Lilo, keep up the good work! Casseroles are making me drool but the one thing I miss the most is a jacket potato!!

findingmyfeet

morning everyone,
still lurking not gone awol just yet. Had a busy weekend and now need to catch up. Have been pickling beetroot and red cabbage so my hands have been a lovely colour but now my jars are done and im real chuffed with myself.
Just running my freezer down ready for restocking and cleaning and thinking of having a baking day soon doing lots of pies, dinners etc.
How long can i keep quiches in the freezer for ?
Got lots of shallots left and was going to pickle some for xmas but they are enourmous- do i pickle them whole or would you recommend chopping them up ?
Also how long will these pickles keep for unopened ? Sorry to ask but got nice recipes but nothing says how long they keep.

was given a old cook book too farmhouse kitchen from 1984- nice old fashioned recipes, heart warming stuff so going try some of those.
off to town so will post more later.

many thanks, have a nice day all.

bails

No idea about your questions FMF, sorry, but I'm sure someone who knows will be along soon.

I've been reading this thread I bookmarked before coming out here and have been inspired to make some plans for next year I know, I know but school hasn't started back yet, apparently it's now the 25th and I've already been to a new school this morning and to a university class on Buddhism so I am multitasking!

The great news is that it's refocused me on future MS plans - I've written a new list for our new life - and also prompted me to query my TAB money that still hasn't come through. As a result, I now have £45.60 winging its way to my bank account from free scratchcards :T and also reminded me I have a £10 PB voucher to exchange with my mum still. So that's £55.60 into a new pot for something next year :j Oh, I do love a good moneysaving moment :rotfl:

taka

savingfortravel wrote: »

Taka-Keep focused on the long term goal. Don't worry about the interview..you deserve this opportunity.


Great news Blairweech!
x SFT

Sadly the only definite thing is if I have to self fund a MSc in order to get a PhD place AND funding it'll cost me ~£18-20k all in, in combined living costs (for just over a year) + extortionate fees. :eek: Guess who's on a major, major economy drive... :rolleyes:

Anyway... in an attempt to be a calm, non emotional person last night (after bursting into tears after the latest round of various emails from registry/college) I went home and tried the DVD I got in poundland at the weekend. Its on Tai Chi / Chi Kung - I've done a bit of Chi Kung before so I thought this might be good to try... Sadly I hadn't counted on my distinct lack of co-ordination and balance! :rotfl: I spend half the time laughing my head off while a) trying to wave the correct arm/leg in the right direction in something approaching the right manner without hitting something and b) trying not to fall over... :rotfl: Hmmmm... its going to need a LOT of practice I fear! :rolleyes: :rotfl:

SF - good luck with all your lesson planning and for after term.

findingmyfeet - No idea... sorry. Maybe you should try asking on the OS board - they have a question thread that has been helful to me when I've had a quick question.

Bails - the class on Buddhism sound interesting. Well done on your MSE efforts! :money:

Skint_Lynne

Good evening everyone,

It's been quiet today, where is everyone? I guess that it's time to get prepared for winter, so lots of activity will be going on hanging new curtains, cooking etc.

I've done a jewellery party tonight so am just in.

Still following the thread, but not posting as much as I am so busy at the moment, hopefully I'll have more time soon. I've still not got the presents out from under the bed yet, will need to get it done over the weekend defo.

Will check in later guys, hope everyone is well. xx

slowlyfading

Evening everyone.

This is just a quick one again I'm afraid! Had another NSD today, though I'm not doing as well as I did in Sept! Got a course social tomorrow night which will be nice obviously means spending something, but it'll be nice to relax with the others outside of the lectures environment we're normally in

The BF is also coming across tomorrow night :j I think I must be getting old - every time he leaves me at the moment I end up crying, lots. I don't think of myself as a crying person, but nothing can stop me once he's leaving. Its sad really I keep saying I can't wait until this year is over, but its going quick enough as it is at the moment, without wishing it away!

I hope everyone is okay this evening.

sf xxx

bails

Why does that make you old SF? You're just in love! And going through a full-on year so you're bound to be wanting him around more. If you enjoy being in the classroom it will be worth it!

Morning everyone! I couldn't sleep as the dogs here are insane, packs of stray dogs compete with pet dogs all night barking their heads off so I don't sleep well at all -and I'm a dog lover, I don't know how others who aren't so keen put up with it! it's the only downside about where we live, shame it has such an impact. Anyway, as a result I've been awake since the early hours having random and exciting thoughts for the future. Can't post about it on here yet (or possibly at all) but will bring you up to speed in the future if it comes off, as it is frugal-related. Sorry for being so vague but wanted to share my excitement! Off to do some more research

Frugaldom

Hi guys,

I seem to have had a post removed but don't know why. Apologies if I inadvertently offended anyone?

Not much to report from here. I'm still sticking to the store cupboard / freezer for meals, still on the lose weight campaign and still lighting the fire for extra heat rather than switching on the storage heaters, but the log pile is diminishing at an alarming rate, so there's still the possibility that I may just cover up the fireplace and revert to electricity if it works out cheaper.

I'm off to see if I can solve the mystery of the missing post before sulking about it because I don't know what I did to get it struck off, if that's where it's gone. All clues gratefully received. :rotfl:

bails

Not a clue Nyk, haven't seen a post from you to know who you were slagging off;) I do hope it wasn't MOI!

Prob just a random blip I expect, when did you post it?