Memorygirls - Make Do and Mend

pixieface_3

Hi Memorygirl it's great to see you back, i remember reading your very first diary! keep up the good work you make very interesting reading.
((hugs))
Pixiex

cha97michelle

Crazy - I would not describe myself as affluent but we must be according to that. Just juggling along to try and do what we want as cheaply as possible. I think we would soon be in the doo doo though if we had a bad luck run. That is why i started reading more DFW diaries too as i feel more towards this end of the financial scale.

I will make some overpayments. I have some money coming in from Quidco that is about £23, and i am still ebaying. £20 requested from paypal. Also i will be payed for 2 mystery shopping jobs around the middle of the month. I haven't included all of this in my £100 so some pennies will head that way. I can't have a month where i pay nothing. My tightest month was just a 50p payment.

Good job i come from a family of hoarders isn't it.

DIY budget is going to start being spent today. £10.42 on some packs of plaster boards. I'm a bit cross as i didn't think to go through Quidco last night and get cashback for reserve and collect. It would have been about 3p but it would have been my 3p. Going to have to up my game. :eek:;)

Memory_Girl

Just popping in to report that I have safely made my £4.13 payment for the day - and checked that there are enough funds in the current account to cover all the DD's.

Still fighting to get to the magic £500 mark in the account - so keeping my head down.

Fridge looking OK, Money in account for bills, freezer and cupboards still pretty full - life is A OK I guess.

Going to spend the evening with the kids and a spot of crochet again - early night though cos I've been on the go since about half-two this morning. At some point I will crash.

Hope everyone has had a good day

Memorygirl

Memory_Girl

Evening all!!!

I am sitting as this computer feeling smugger than a smug thing.

Kitchen is clear, floors are hoovered, both boys are bathed, both eating their tea (stovies made with the last of the sprouty tatties and some leftover brisket - nom nom nom) 3 plates to wash and I am officially OFF for the evening - think I might treat myself to a bubble bath.

Paid my £4.13 - checked that Benefit was paid and made about a million phone calls today. Getting itchy fingers wanting to colour in a leaf. Wish I'd done 10,000 X £12.40 now - :rotfl:

Had to buy a bag of sugar today as I made fruit scones with the last 1oz. I think i last bought sugar at Christmas time - so I suppose I was due another bag. Bought with a £1 coin found in the street just in case you are wondering why the signature hasn't changed.:D Finders Keepers.

Packed lunch for everyone tomorrow - so I have a loaf of bread in the BM. I will ask the boys if they want sandwiches or rolls in a minute (same recipe different shape:))

Start packing up our school tomorrow - ready for our (fingers crossed) move over the summer holiday - wish me luck and if you don't see me for a couple of weeks I will be the wriggling legs under the kindy's papier mache.

My lovely car-share (well I drive their kids but we all share the petrol) all chipped in their folding stuff today. I actually have a full tank of petrol and another £12 to top up again next week - I feel rich I tell you , rich!!!!

Hope everyone is doing fine - and finding those sneaky little ways to hold the pennies captive.

Memorygirl

PS I can knit mittens ( thats not as bizzare as it may sound:rotfl: )One of my goals this year was to learn to "do thumbs" - my neighbour showed me today - and its easy peasy lemon sqeezy. Tom Kitten Mittens for everyone Chrimbo this year I think - get your orders in now!!!!:j

LittleBit_2

Memorygirl good to hear you're managing to do the daily payments. I've been keeping up with mine so far. I've also come up with an idea for my 2/1000 payments and that is an Ebay challenge. You can list up to 100 items a month as a private seller free of charge. So I'm going to make sure I use my full quota this month and try to make £171.88 which is what I need for my next 1000th.

cha97michelle

Struggling a bit with my budget. About £16 in the bank after paying for stuff like a small shop and my water bill that came in. I have about a tenner in my purse. I also have £20 wages/reimbursement for mystery shopping. Not sure that any of this will make it to the mortgage, although i am trying to be creative.

I made the mistake of the kiddies coming shopping with me today.I only spent £13 in total but they wanted some grapes, some cherry tomatoes, and some yoghurts. I can't really moan at that as it is not like they were nagging for junk.

I am going to find it hard. Some shopping will have to go on the CC after the 8th when the bill is due. No spending between now and then. :eek:

Memory_Girl

LittleBit wrote: »

Memorygirl good to hear you're managing to do the daily payments. I've been keeping up with mine so far. I've also come up with an idea for my 2/1000 payments and that is an Ebay challenge. You can list up to 100 items a month as a private seller free of charge. So I'm going to make sure I use my full quota this month and try to make £171.88 which is what I need for my next 1000th.

Ooh!! Thats a good one for me to do over the summer holidays too.

And in the spirit of never leaving the scene of a goal without taking action - I stopped inthe middle of typing this to phone a friend who sold loads on ebay before her move. She is going to come over next week and get me set up - Yippee!!! Here's to the next £124.

Memorygirl

Memory_Girl

cha97michelle wrote: »

Struggling a bit with my budget. About £16 in the bank after paying for stuff like a small shop and my water bill that came in. I have about a tenner in my purse. I also have £20 wages/reimbursement for mystery shopping. Not sure that any of this will make it to the mortgage, although i am trying to be creative.

I made the mistake of the kiddies coming shopping with me today.I only spent £13 in total but they wanted some grapes, some cherry tomatoes, and some yoghurts. I can't really moan at that as it is not like they were nagging for junk.

I am going to find it hard. Some shopping will have to go on the CC after the 8th when the bill is due. No spending between now and then. :eek:

Oh! I know - sometimes you just have to stop spending - on anything. It's like going cold turkey.

I now carry around a purse that has no money in it - just a running total of what is left on the challenge. I am literally flying into LIDL for a bottle of milk, popping it straight on the card and out again.

Having said that - for "treats" this week the boys have had - popcorn, frozen smoothie lollies, frozen mango yogurt, chocolate cake and Twinks Hob Nobs - so I don't see how they could be feeling deprived.

Last night my darling DS requested "those Italian dumpling things" for tea. After a bit of questioning I got to "gnochhi" - which of course for those of us of a frugal bent are the "perfect penny pinching supper"

GNOCCHI

Mashed potatoes - and I mean a really smooth mash, no school dinner lumps, in fact I did mine in a ricer. About 6oz per person.

Half the weight of potatoes in plain flour

Lots of salt and pepper - you need to season them well.

In a huge bowl - or on you kitchen worksurface, plonk the mash and start to work the flour into it using a wooden spoon - move onto you hand cos it's quite stiff. You are making a smooth dough, that actually feels like warm play-doh.

Take tennis call sized lumps and roll out into sausage shape that is about 1 1/2 com in width. With a sharp knife cut the sausage into 1 1/2 com "slices" flatten each dumpling with the flat of a fork and set aside until ready to cook them all.

Boil a huge pot full of salted water - throw the gnocchi into the rolling water (a couple of portions at a time) and cook for about 3 minutes. They are actualy done by the time they have all risen to the surface.

Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and dress with your favourite Italian sauce. We had them with 2 ripe tomatoes, 1 garlic clove, seasoning and a glug of olive oil blitzed in a blender then warmed through.

Other nice ways:

Sage Butter
Garlic Butter
Pesto
Tomato Ragu
Ratatouille
Courgettes and lemon
Bologenese sauce.
Chorizo and cherry tomatoes.

I'd forgotten about having these on my repertoire. Next time I do a menu plan I must remembe to include them.

And even better - bacause I use LIDL flour at 39p and potatoes from our local farmer £2 per sack - this dinner is literally cheaper than chips.

Taking all the kids fromthe school off to rockpool at the West Sands this afternoon - so better get me and the baby into the car with all our bits no bobs.

Pizza and wedges for tea I think - unless DS has another gastronomic brainwave onthe wayhome.

Cheery Byes

Memorygirl

cha97michelle

Glad you are back again. I need a bit of financial inspiration. I can't seem to do cold turkey. I had a few things come out of the CC that i wasn't expecting. (Danger of having a joint CC with DH.) We were at -£3.56. I have just transferred £50 from the car savings as it was the £240 repairs plus £140 on two tyres that have done it to me. I also asked for £6 from paypal from ebay sales, and hopefully by the end of the weekend there will be a bit more there from sales.

I'm running into problems as i am spending on mystery shopping and also paying out ebay postage but transferring all monies paid to me into the mortgage. I'll have to redress this a bit. I am also going to have to repay the car savings as it was money for DH's car insurance in September and i don't want to end up with problems later in the year.

Thanks for the Gnocchi recipe. I must try that when i get a minute. Also, my two love twinks, and we have some smoothie mix and lollie moulds so i might try that one too. I'd also planned on pizza here tonight. I cannot wait until my garden makes enough for us to make a difference to the budget.

One thing we have been doing you would be pleased with - DH has said he wants to go away for his 30th in August. The in-laws have offered to stay at our house with the kids. We have booked a hotel for 2 nights for free using up our airmiles, and i booked some cafe rouge vouchers using Mr T coupons at 4x face value. The in-laws will also give us some cash for a meal, and we plan to walk around sightseeing. So all in all it should be a fantastically cheap break away.

We only have to find some diesel money, and lunch for 2 days. I plan on taking some bits with us and just buy a sandwich each day. Result.

Plan is to now not go anywhere for a few days at least, and then if i need to put groceries on the CC after this i will, but as little as possible. I need to run the pantry down anyway as the people doing the boiler/bathroom for us need access to the gas supply which is typically at the back of the pantry.

Memory_Girl

Hi Michelle - Wahayyyy!!!!!!!! on the trip away planned. Especially kind of the in-laws to come and take car of the kids. I bet you are both really looking forward to some time away - and done so DFW too.

I'm away at a friends wedding on the 3rd of July. Me and a girlie friend have clubbed together and are flying down on the cheapest flight - Very, very , very early on the Friday morning then back Sunday evening. I will be driving to the Park-n-ride so that we can park for free. We are sharing a room and managed to get that at a discount. My Friend who is getting married - her hubby-to-be runs a a car service and is picking up at the other end. My dress cost £4.50, my shoes are last years (charity shop too) my necklace and earings are borrowed and my "designer handbag" was a "borrow" from a friend who has a shop. WE are taking a bottle of champers (cava) and a bottle of vodka for our room - and instead of a "hen night" my friend is having a "Picnic in her room" on Friday night.

For a wedding present, we three Witches from Scotland ,are making her a Picnic Hamper. A wicker basket full of lovely crockery, Shabby chic lining, knapkins and stuff, Fizzy stuff, Scottish baking, jam, tablet, chutney etc all wrapped ina huge sheet of cellophane. My oher friend is driving down to the weeding with her partner so will transport it for us for free.

All of that - and what am I most excited about????????? A couple of days away from the kids where I can dress up, wear heels and make-up, drink a little and not have a wee one crawling nito my lap, pulling at my top and pleading "Milky please!!!!!!" I love them really - LOL

We are going to have our very own "Sex and the City" Moment.

After that - well holidays will have to be, tent, sleeping bag and Scottish weather roulette - LOL

Spent a littl eyesterday on milk n stuff - so updated my signature.

Only got £4.22 left - I don't know if I'm going to make it to my birthday on Friday, althougth the "Healthy Start" vouchers should be through soon which always helps.

Got a Childrens Gala today so must go and decorate an umbrella for DS who is dancing at 2.15pm.

Making hummus, dips, flat breads and squash for lunch. DS may be persuaded to wait until he gets home for ice-cream cos I can make much nicer stuff here really - Honest!!!

Have a great day - hope its sunny and low-spendie for you all.

Memorygirl