greent's mfw journey

greent

Morning! Grocery (etc) budget is already more than half spent:eek::eek: - but that does include a 'big' shop at the weekend for this week so will take us to more than half way through month. It also includes some money spent for DS2's party, which isn't a standard expenditure. However, it does mean I need to be careful from now on in and really rein spending in - basically only spending on bread, milk, yogurts, fruit and veg - although that in itself is enough for the 6 of us on a weekly basis!:rotfl:


DS2's party was fun - although we had one child cry during the briefing video, so he sat out - I tried to take him into a room so he could see it but he didn't like it. Another child sat out for a while and then some others came out - so I ended up going in with them (shucks!:D:D) and then they had a whale of a time! The original child who sat out stayed with my husband for a bit and then wanted to go home, so we called his mum) By the end of the hour, at least half of them wanted their party there this year! One party has already been booked on the back of it:T


HAve made DH some courgette, bacon and tomato soup this morning ready for the next few days' lunches. Have also made a tray of rocky road/ fridge cake using up some of the cheap leftover Xmas chocs and unwanted chocs (eg: strawberry creams, Cadburys fudge bars) and leftover Xmas biscuits - and a piece of DS2's birthday cake went in there, as it had gone a bit dry!:p I'm attempting a 7 day detox thing of Michael Van Straten's - not from a weightloss point, but from a 'I need to break this sugar craving' point - I'm just constantly eating sweet things at the mo and I know this tends to break that cycle for me, having done it a few times before. As a bonus, you finish the week feeling un-bloated and usually with a good few pounds lost.... so today I am mainly eating natural yogurt.... wish me luck!!!:cool::rotfl:

tootallulah

Hi greent, and how is the detox? I am trying to eat more veg and fruit because this time of year the sweet temptation is at its greatest. The party sounds good fun.

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Morning Greent, never thought of adding the unwanted chocka to rocky road. I have a tub of strawberry and orange creams and will have a go making it with the strawberry ones :)

Party sounds like it was good fun - great that you could have a go

Tilly x

DedicatedDFW

Hi greent - do you have a recipe for rocky roads - i have 3 tins of uneaten chocs here as well as 2 boxes :eek: We don't really eat them - i may have 3 or 4 at the weekend and thats it. We didn't have anyone popping round this year so have lots of chocs left and also got given some - again an odd gift when we don't really eat them - they are ok its just i very rarely want chocolate - using up on cakes sounds great - although that might make alot of cakes for me :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

How is Mr greent's job search going? Hope you are all well.

hmm detox - the bonus of losing weight sounds fab - my Mr had a good laugh at me losing 1 little lb this week that i was really proud of

greent

AFternoon all Had a busy and tiring week, so haven't managed to post on here. Mr G was on a course all week (cost us £800 as a last minute booking!!!) to hopefully help his prospects - he's still getting (on average) at least an interview a week, but they're just not translating into offers. Mostly he's seen as 'too big' for the roles - which is sooo frustrating! Anyway, good news on the course is he passed the first exam (marked during the week) and now we just need to wait t see if he's passed the 2nd one It did mean that I had to be super organised - 5 packed lunches to do, etc - and keep the children out of his way on an evening as there was a lot of evening work. I also spent every morning volunteering at a charity, so was tired from that. He was tired from getting up earlier and using his brain! DD was doing her mocks (still doing them this week) so was also a bit stressy! And DS1 managed to have 2 pushbikes out of action, necessitating some taking him to school - DD also had to be in school for 8.25 on Friday - which is earlier than the bus would have got her there, so I had to pack all 4 children into my car and leave the house before 8am on Friday morning - the small ones weren't impressed!


I've not met my grocery challenge budget for Jan - £20 over - but it does include all the newspapers, toiletries, pet food etc, so was a very optimistic budget. I have one more thing to buy to get us through until Friday - some mini breadsticks for DS2's snacks at breaktime - only Sains brand will do! I shall send DH in when he collects DS1's bike from the bike repair shop (2nd time in a week!)


I've made a couple of small OPs from cashback this month - nothing spectacular, but it makes me feel like I'm still doing something - and the money would be absorbed into everyday spending otherwise. I've also persuaded DH to sell his Lloyds shares and deferred bonus bond thing from when he used to work there - only worth about £5k, but the paperwork for it all annoys me intensely, so I want to get rid of it before the end of this tax year! He's also now keen to sell our BTL this year as it's a bit hassle with the tenant there. I'm keen to buy another eventually, but will take time out for the moment until we're back on an even keel. This means we're going to be doing the BTL up (just redecorating in the main - but a new kitchen (cheap) would help - and it def needs new carpets!) It's all stuff we can do ourselves, though

Secret_Saving_Squirrel

Sounds like you have a lot on your plate, very good luck with it all. Do you think your buy to let was worth it, financially and hassle wise, now that you are looking back at it?

Squirrel x

Habibiboo

:wave:
Sounds like an extremely busy week GreenT, hope you got a little me-time over the weekend?
Another thank you from me for the unwanted chocs / rocky road idea. Have a bag of T'Tons strawb creams and another bag of coffee ones which no one really likes. Sure I have some choc covered coffee beans somewhere too so I feel a caffeine laden, rocky road coming on!

norfolkdream

Hi greent,
I'm a newbie but an oldie, we have spoke in the past on here and I am just reading through members that I remember.
Thought I would pop in and say hi (trying to get my post figure up lol) cant say who I was on here though as had a stalker

usa1

Hi greent


Great diary. Your doing so well with your OP with lack of work.
Good idea to sell BTL. I hope it sells soon.

Habibiboo

:wave:

Hope all's good GreenT and that February's been a little calmer. Any news on the job front for Mr. T? Fingers crossed here!