Pay off mortgage and start having fun!

newgirly

:eek: yes i'm wussy with those too, they don't know which way they are supposed to be going and fly into you :rotfl:

greent

Hi newgirly Well, we managed to sort out the 2 smallest chairs (DS2 & DS3) - was glad about that, as they were quite expensive (my mum bought them for DD and DS1 when they were little) One other chair is ok (flowery one - DD's) and 2 of the remaining 3 were a bit broken anyway (cheap ones bought a few years ago) Have found 2 nice solid and comfy ones for DH and I in Go Outd00rs and will buy DS1 a standard one in the sales (have found one for £6)

We really need one of those trailer vans (box trailers)- the small ones, but that'll have to wait for at least a year. We're skint!

newgirly

:dance: Back to school today, they are in late but they are back to school :rotfl:

It has been a long summer this year, and quite stressful as well. My two were up bickering until 10.15 last night, so I am more than ready to get rid of them all for a few hours, bad mother eh!

I have so many diaries to catch up on and plans to make for the rest of the year. I might do my xmas still to buy list today so I can see how much there is left to spend this year as its hard to budget properly without it.

newgirly

I have had a fairly mse day today so far:

• Done lots of washing and hung out - no spiders today:D
• went to mr s and bought food -spent today and thurs budget £10, but got lots of basics
• made a batch of laundry gloop as getting through it in about 3 weeks at the moment
• cancelled alton towers hotel (£72) and re-booked via the £19 rooms deal (£38) for the same night.:o
• made a spanish omlette with elderly potatoes and eggs from mums chickens for dd's tea, boys at grandparents for tea and we are having leftovers.
• conserved electricity but avoiding the ironing pile
• 50p survey done
• £2.70 postage paid for a free emma bridgewater address book via grabbit- xmas stocking filler.

newgirly

I've been trying to think up healthy easy v.cheap meals to do ( in the slow cooker if possible)

Tonight dh is out and the kids have had pasta so I will freeze the leftovers.

Chickpea curry:

• 2x tins chickpeas @ 37p (mr s)
• 3 tomatoes
• 2 onions
• various cupboard spices/garlic

Total cost approx £1.20 the lot for around 3/4 portions to go with value rice microwaved with a bit of cumin and tumeric.

I need a few more meals like this that I can freeze ahead so I'm not cooking various different meals every night due to everyone liking different stuff. The grocery budget is one of the easier ways to cut back a bit when needs be, we even tend to eat a bit healthier when on a tighter budget as you have to think ahead
and make sure its a balanced diet.

The times when spending gets out of control often coincides with the food shopping getting out of control, both cost wise and in the ready prepared junk we eat, both the dinners and snacks - extra fizzy drinks/crisps/chocolate etc.

Now they are all back at wotk and school it should be easier to manage.

Dh is out tonight so I might spend a bit of time going through the accts, and the mortgage op calculator.

numptyknownothing

Amazing - £5/day food budget and it sounds lovely :T I'm going to suggest some of these recipes to my sis. The things people can do on this site really humbles me. I am definitely not worthy

newgirly

Hi numptyknownothing, thanks for popping in.The £5 a day budget is only a temporary thing for the month, I really could'nt do it long term, at the moment we have lots of back up bits and pieces in the cupboards and free eggs from mum.

Its my parents ruby anniversary and my little brothers 30th today, Db has lots of silly presents to open plus dh has made him a set of his favourite books in leather (its his day job) which I hope he likes. Parents are super awkward to buy for and don't have any clutter,plus are quite well off so if they want it they tend to just buy it. So I gave up and bought lots of different red roses/flowers to make my own ruby bouquet , plus a balloon.

Tomorrow my dad is treating us all to a meal out in london yay! No budget needed that day which is handy as I need to stock up on packed lunch bits for next week.

In the budget I have £48 aside for the kids school dinners ( 1 a week each plus 1 bacon sarnie at break pw each) they tend to buy pizza/paninis/ice cream from the van etc.
The only one who gets pocket money is dd who has £10 a month plus they all have a phone on contract which they all are responsible with.

Just wondered what others opinions are as I've decided to let them have £20 a month to spend on the dinner a week or if they prefer have it as pocket money. They will aways have packed lunches available to take, but dh thinks they should be spending it on dinners not wasting it. Ds1 is over the moon as he wants to save for fifa 12 , he normally has to wait until xmas for it I fell like if our budget is tight and they have the option to bring lunch from home I really would rather they have some money to save (unlikely ) or spend. Their ages are 12 , 12, 15. What do you guys think?

newgirly

The weekend has flown by again, we had a lovely lunch at a brazilian bbq restaurant in the o2 yesterday courtesy of my parents.:beer:

I really want to sort the house out a bit as we just have stuff everywhere bursting out of every cupboard and drawer, not to mention a loft chock-a- bock.
I have held off sorting out lots of it as 1). I am too lazy and 2). I am planning to sell it and op the mortgage.

This seems to be getting me no-where, so I have decided to start working my way through it in a chuck it/ give it to charity way. The kids old video games gan be sold or exchanged at the game shop, but everything else will have to go. I have been planning on sorting it out and everytime end up having it all bagged up for boot sales or ebay and never get round to it.

The only other exception is my loft clothes. Something frugal queen said on her blog made sense, have a look through your old clothes (ie not worn for years in the loft type thing) and there is bound to be something that can be re-used this year, things like warm winter jumpers don't tend to change that much fashion wise each year, so I am going to give that a go too.

LauraWxx

Just thought I would pop by and say hi!!
:wave:

newgirly wrote: »

In the budget I have £48 aside for the kids school dinners ( 1 a week each plus 1 bacon sarnie at break pw each) they tend to buy pizza/paninis/ice cream from the van etc.
The only one who gets pocket money is dd who has £10 a month plus they all have a phone on contract which they all are responsible with.

Just wondered what others opinions are as I've decided to let them have £20 a month to spend on the dinner a week or if they prefer have it as pocket money. They will aways have packed lunches available to take, but dh thinks they should be spending it on dinners not wasting it. Ds1 is over the moon as he wants to save for fifa 12 , he normally has to wait until xmas for it I fell like if our budget is tight and they have the option to bring lunch from home I really would rather they have some money to save (unlikely ) or spend. Their ages are 12 , 12, 15. What do you guys think?

I would say giving them the money teaches them about budgeting, saving and cutting back on something nice in order to buy something even nicer!!

newgirly

Up early today so thought I'd try something new for dinner - macoroni cheese. I am 37 and have never made it Sooo easy and cheap to make , if it tastes ok we will have it more often.

I went shopping yesterday and bought all the kids a onesy each from primarni, fully expecting the 12 year olds to refuse to wear them, but they did. Apparently they are fashionable for teenagers! So hopefully that means I can keep the heating off for much longer I am now very tempted to get one for myself , but aside from the fact they are not very flattering I think dh might think i've gone bonkers :rotfl: