Jamiedodger's 2010 Journey

brummiebabe

Morning JD - I'm up early too..couldn't sleep. Great news on your August budget.....really pleased that my tip has made such a difference! Thought I'd let you know, if you've got a Morrisons nearby, they are also doing 'purple' milk - it was 50p for 4 pints this week!!! Was probably on offer & I don't know how long it'll last, but it's a good deal!

I'm rejoining the grocery challenge & NSD challenge in Sept too - am thinking it'll be easier once children are back at school.

Have a good day x

beanielou

Wish our Tesco sold that milk.Gah.

JAMIEDODGER

Morning:)

Bank holiday monday morning, weather looks ok so far!

I made some changes to plans I had for a trip away in November, I was going to go to a convention, but changed my mind in the end. I decided I would take DD up to London for the weekend instead. I spent a lot of yesterday trawling through Martins Travel Tips and ended up buying a YHA membership for £15.95 and booking us into the YH at Earls Court for the sum of £66 for two nights. This is compared to the £150 the hotel was costing me for convention. I also bought an Oyster Card online (£35 loaded onto it + £3 to buy it) which will cover both London trips. Quite a saving in comparison to how much I was paying out for convention. Our train tickets will cost £28 as we have a friends and family railcard. DD doesn't need a YHA Membership as she comes under mine and she can travel free in London as I have an Oyster Card:) Result. The savings for this trip will be used towards paying my dad back!

I am planning on taking her to the Science Museum, Changing of the Guard and maybe London Zoo, if I can get cheap tickets, the YHA also offers reduced tickets for the open top bus tour, which I can buy when we are there if I decide to do it. I am making a list of all the places we can go for free....any suggestions?

We will also be doing a little bit of shopping and I want to take her to Hamleys and The Disney Store (she has some money saved up if she wants to buy anything). She is excited and so am I!!! This is going to be so much cheaper than convention, which would have put me back £300 just for registering and the hotel!!

Off to browse for more ideas, hope everyone has a great Bank Holiday!!

hypno06

the planned trip to London sounds fab - my children love going down there and it can be done cheaply if you keep your eye on these boards for voucher ideas etc. You can also change clubcard vouchers for some things too I think, and of course many museums are now free, so science museum, V&A, Natural History etc all allow you to take a packed lunch in and visit for nothing.

JAMIEDODGER

Hi hypno, thanks for the tip!

Unfortunately I havent got any cc vouchers to exchange as I have just converted all mine for our disney trip in april:( wish I had thought about this before!!!

I was just looking at lastminute.com at theatre/meal packages to see The Lion King, but I don't think I will be able to squeeze a show in, which is a shame as she would love it!! (£36 each)

Any other suggestions for things to do? November should be a quieter time to visit London than it was last week (so busy) I think I will have to do a itinery so to make sure I can fit it all in:D

JAMIEDODGER

Just printed out a voucher for 2for1 London Zoo:) Saving about £13!

Pooky

A few friends of mine did the Zoo this year and were really disappointed with it.

I took DD's on the open top bus tour which is fab, you can hop on and off at any stop and as it does all the main bits you really do get to see everything. We hopped off at Harrods for jellybabies and the pet department (as you do) We then got off again at The Tower and got the river cruise (included in your bus ticket price), back down the thames to Embankment.

JAMIEDODGER

great tip pooky!! many thanks:)

JAMIEDODGER

morning!

Slept through my alarm this morning so I must have been really tired! Done banking etc and updated spreadsheets. Cant wait until tomorrow...new month! Raring to go for all the challenges.

I decided to take Pookys advice and have put the bus tour (and free thames cruise) into our itinerary. I think it is reasonably priced and if we use the buses that day then I wont have any money taken off my oyster card. I have just had an email saying my card has despatched!!

All ready to go for kids to go back to school, just a PE shirt for DS2 to buy, which I will get on Thursday.

Did some more baking yesterday, made a victoria Sponge at DS1 request and some more fairy cakes. Need to make up some more Twinks this week. The cookies I made the other day went down really well so when I go shopping I will pick up some more chocolate chips so I can make some more.

Off to do some browsing!

JAMIEDODGER

Morning:)

Wow! 1st September is finally here!! I am so looking forward to starting all of these challenges!

Won't be spending anything today, which is a good start to the month, however tomorrow will be a different story as I have petrol and groceries to get.

Lots to sort out today as the kids start going back to school from tomorrow!

Off for a browse:)