Changing our lives....

Poosmate

Hi Sessie, sorry your Christmas idea didn't go down too well. I know exactly what you mean though, I've got loads of stuff people have bought for me that I haven't really used as much as I should have or not at all. I do feel guilty about it but I guess when you've been in debt and struggling for as long as I have you kind of lose the concept of "gifts". Well I have anyway.

A couple of years ago we had a family meeting re: Christmas. I told everyone that I didn't want them to get me anything because I wasn't in a position to buy them anything (except mom of course). I don't have a creative bone in my body so making stuff was out too! Anyway, I was exempted from buying pressies. Part of this was because I was (and still am) poor but also because DB1 had wife and 2 kids (he now only has a partner but less said about that), DB2 has wife, 1 kid and 3 steps, and DS has partner and kid (this next bit is going to sound terrible but...), so I was paying out for at least 3 presents for each of them whereas I only got 1 back. I know that sounds awfully unspirited but I don't particularly like Christmas anyway - it's not a good time for everyone.

So now I've admitted I am the Christmas Grinch! I do give nice cards with lottery tickets in them though.

Anyway, I'd love to be creative and be able to make/do stuff so I often check out "How To...." type websites if I have any [STRIKE]dumb, hairbrain[/STRIKE] er.. I mean... bright ideas to research.

I thought I'd share a few with you:

http://www.craftbits.com/

http://www.ehow.com/

http://www.instructables.com/

or of course there's always:

http://www.youtube.com/index

There's probably many more but these are the ones I have visited.


Glad you had a good day at the aquarium, 4 hours family entertainment and precious memories made, I think that deserves a tick! lol

Plus, you forgot all your airing cupboard stuff that you FINALLY got finished, surely that deserves a tick too?

Anyway, must take a peek at the OS board, it's not a place I frequent, thanks for the recommendation. I'll nip over there before bed, got work tomorrow!

Good night and best wishes.

Poo

Sessie

Wow thanks for those - that's my early night tonight out of the window then!!

Also thanks for the earlier post about the duvet cutting whatawit, and apologies for forgetting to thank you at the time!! I can't believe I didn't think about doing it that way but that's the way I'll go with it now. I think I'm going to see if I can get a duvet (or probably two!) from the Argos clearance sale with the voucher I won at work. I'll probably need two because I will DOUBTLESS completely botch the first one - but, from huge silly mistakes one learns and next time makes... slightly smaller silly mistakes!!

Today was another quite productive one, was an NSD so there's a TICK! straight off! I had the children on my own all day as my parents (aged 65 and 70!) were climbing a mountain for charity (I know!! They're more than crazy!). However, the weather was fantastic, the children were in (another!) great mood so it was pretty much a repeat of the other day - a bit of play, a bit of work, a lot of mess, a lot of water (we had their big pirate boat out full of bubbly water!) and a LOT of noise and giggles!

Managed to make an apple crumble and stew the rest of the apples with some raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Did HALF of the ironing (which I NEVER thought I'd get done in a day - TICK TICKETY TIIICK!), then took the children to the park where we shouted and waved at the moon - it was one of those days where you can see the moon at 10 am. It's very rude though, that moon, NEVER waves back!

Decided, after lunch - a clementine, cheese and Quaver picnic on the back decking - to mow the lawn. Boychild made me all teary as he walked up and down the grass next to me with his little play hoover, copying me and beaming with joy. Girlchild had, by this point, climbed INTO said pirate ship and was happily flinging all the water into the sandpit as the sun blazed down on us. Had a long bounce on the trampoline they got from parents-in-law for their birthday then they had some of my macaroni cheese and aubergine that I made the other week (it had been in the freezer I might add!) and some more fizzy jelly, a little chocolate cake - 65p from Mr M's and UTTERLY lovely, a "small" sliver may have "fallen" into my mouth!) and some of the fruit. Having had no sleep all day, they were all heavy-eyed and so we ran a nice warm bath, had some warm milk and have been flat out ever since.

Am working tomorrow instead of today so I don't know that I'll get much else done and Thursday is a bit of a treat. I got some money for my birthday which I just gave to mum to hold on to until we had time to go and get me some new clothes with it. I've had virtually NOTHING new since the children were born. I've not really needed it as I pretty much live in jogging bottoms/jeans and Tshirts when I'm not at work but I have to say, I do need some smarter things for work, so it will be used for that. My dad and sister are going to take the children to some gardens for a couple of hours so mum and I can clothes shop in peace. I won't be spending any of MY money, just birthday money but it will be nice to have some good clothes.

Am having this Saturday on my own at home, hubby is taking the children to his parents as they have been away for a couple of weeks and haven't seen them. I can then do loads of housey tasks with no interruptions. Won't list them now, will wait til I've done them then I can count them as Saturday's ticks! :rotfl:

Bit of a "nothing" post today when it comes to moneysaving but I'm quite liking the "keeping track" of the days when I HAVE achieved something. So long as they outnumber the days I don't, I'm a happy Sessie!

Don't know if I'll get to post in the next couple of days but I will be back to finalise the Monday town shopping list amongs other things.

x

pennywisepoundstupid

Sounds like you had a lovely day with the children sessie. My 2 go back to school tommorrow:(, i'm actually feeling a little sad about it, one hand it makes things easier as i can do my jobs in an afternoon between finishing work and collecting them, but then the house is so quiet and i like just having the around, even if they do drive me mad at times:D.

meersy22

Hi Sessie

Just popping in to say hi. I love your posts, you get so much done.

I love Xmas and since joining MSE, I've started squirreling away wrapping paper, gift bags and tags from the Jan sales. I had that talk about only buying for the kids with my family as I have 3 brothers & 2 sisters, all married with kids and it was getting so expensive. They all jokingly accused me of being tight but we were all in agreement that we only buy for Mum and the kids. The kids presents are really only token gifts. But it makes a real difference.
I'm very lucky as it's my birthday just before Xmas so I get extra pressies anyway

M

chevalier

Well done on taking control
I have a confession. We moved to New Zealand 2 and a quarter years ago. The one thing I haven't unpacked is my ironing board! I don't iron I fold. The idea of ironing my airing cupboard is just:eek::eek::eek::eek:. About the only thing I ever used to iron were my cottong work shirts, but even then if i got them straight out of the washing machine and either onto hangars to dry inside or hung them outside, then they barely needed ironing anyway. Just one of those things you could save time with.....!

Great idea about the ticks. Between you and Memory Girls make do and mend thread, I feel like I am getting loads of ideas to organise our home.
chev

Poosmate

Hi sessie and other posters.

I am about to embark on the great adventure of "foraging" so I've been on the "greenfingered" board quite a bit.

Sloe berries are ripening as we type, though they should be harvested after the first frost. I asked if there was a recipe for making sloe berry cordial (they seem to be mainly used to make sloe gin but I don't drink as I'm always driving boo! Hiss!)

Anyway, if anyone is interested, here's the link to recipe:

http://www.sloe.biz/pip/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=284

Now I just need to find a sloe berry bush (blackthorn)!

Thanks

Poo

B-J-D

:j loving the TICKS :j

your posts are really inspiring and full of great ideas, keep them coming!!

Sessie

No, seriously, this is going to be about as long as Lord of the Rings!

Don't really know where to start!!

Thursday, went for the birthday money clothes shopping spree. With children happily chasing squirrels in the huge gardens in town with my dad and sister, mum and I sloped off. We passed the Edinburgh Woollen Mill and noticed they had a sale on.... I'm all for that word these days so poked our heads in!! OMG! Sale?! They were practically GIVING things away!!

I was on the hunt for smart casual things to wear for work as the weather turn more autumnal. It's always BOILING hot in the office so I don't really need jumpers and such, I'd rather layer so I can take off and put on as needed. Found some lovely tops, some with embroidery on (but not twee... just subtle), a couple of more formal blouses (for days when we have outside visits from potential clients etc..) and some other colourful Tshirt-but-more-formal type tops. Here are the figures people, and they look good! (unlike mine!)

Top 1 - should have been £12 was £5.00
Top 2 - should have been £14 was £7.00
Blouse 1 - should have been £14 was £7.00
Blouse 2 - should have been £14 was £7.00
Top 3 - should have been £12 was £6.00
Top 4 - should have been £12 was £6.00

So there's a saving of £40!! Whoooop de dooo! I'm having a TICK! for THAT!!

Then, went to BHS. Was actually intending to buy some "normal priced" trousers as you can never go wrong with a couple of pairs of black ones, they go with everything and are easy maintenance! Found a "sale" section which was mostly summer things, ridiculous short SHORT shorts, bikinis (HA!) but dug a bit deeper and found three pairs of trousers my size, two black and one a light grey. Did a double take on the price tickets, tried them on and they FIT!! Get ready for THESE figures...

Trousers 1 - should have been £25 (!) were £6.00 (I KNOW!!)
Trousers 2 - should have been £20 were £5.00 (yes, you're reading these right!)
Trousers 3 - should have been £25 and were £7.00.

A grand total saving here of £52.00!! I'll have another TICK! for that thank ya very much (look, it was a different shop so it counts as a separate one okay?!). :rotfl:

The only thing I bought at full price was one of those long (like almost knee-length) cardigans with the low pockets at the front (boyfriend cardigans?? I'm not much of a fashionista, don't know the terminology!) that are meant to be left open (although they do have a couple of buttons near the bottom) which was £25. I figured, given all the other savings, that I could have that for the layering thing.

The Ed Wool Mill said they didn't know how long the sale would last, that they would just get a call from Head Office to take away whatever was left of the stock they had in and the winter stock would arrive, but one of the Assistants said she expected it to be on for at least another couple of weeks. Now I can only speak for York but if you have a shop in your town, may be worth checking it out!

Did mean to ask at BHS but got all the way out of the shop before I remembered so check your local one if you're passing but I can't promise!!

Also, BHS were giving a coupon for 20% off anything at the restaurant when you bought anything so we met up with dad and sister and the children (who needed changing and we always go there to see to the children as the facilities are great - we don't just use them for that though, we always have a coffee there after) and had a drink and a snack at 80% of the normal price!

This was becoming an MSE day and a half and I'm not even done yet! However, this post is - I never know whether I'll try to post a big one (!) and lose it if it's too big (oo-er!) so... back in a mo!!

x

Sessie

After coffee, dad and I took the children and got the bus back to the outskirts of town and went to Mr T's. I think I posted earlier in the week, mum and dad had a load of clubcard vouchers but you can't use them on a "normal food shop", they have to be used in certain departments. So what they did was let me buy them from them at face value (ie: I gave them £25 for £25 worth of vouchers) BUUUUUT... until Sunday 5th Sept, Mr T is doubling up so, including my own vouchers, I had £50. Double that up, I have £100!

As Boychild had, a couple of months ago, decided that my mobile phone belonged in the bottom of the washing up bowl (as you do!) I haven't had one. To be honest, after the first week or so of feeling I'd lost my right hand, I got used to it and didn't really want to get another. However, I was getting pressure from my parents, hubby, sisters and friends that they couldn't get hold of me (like they can't wait til I get home from work???) so I decided to use the vouchers to get another. Didn't want anything fancy, no contract just Pay As You Go (keeps me in check!), just one that phones people and texts them - can't actually get one that doesn't have a camera on it - but apart from that, those are the only features it has and that's fine with me. Should have cost £39.97 so I only had to use £20 of the vouchers, which doubled up to £40.00. Was pleased as punch with that but... there was MORE!!!

As the total cost came to just UNDER £40, they had to add something else as the computers can't cope with that missing 3p! So they gave me a SIM card. When I got home I read that if I use that SIM, and I credit £10 - they will triple it, so I will have £30 on my phone!! This appears to be (though I have to check this) a rolling monthly thing, ie; not tied in to any contract or minimum time period. I can't quite see how they make any money on it so am suspicious but apparently it's the real deal. Anyway, will come back to y'all on that but here's hopin'!

Went to one of the pound shops and bought a few more packs of baby wipes (£2.41 for one pack in Mr T's and other supermarkets) for £1. EXACTLY the same pack, exactly the same brand (J's, the ones that do baby oil etc...) - how do they do it?? I don't know and I don't CARE!

Also bought an umbrella for a quid. Just one of the small ladies ones but that's all I need! Does it go up? Check. Does it come down? Check. Will it keep me dry? Check. Sorted! So there's another item from my winter list TICK!ed off!!

Finally, on the way back to the car, found 21p on the ground! Was beginning to think it might be a good idea to buy a lottery ticket as I was having such a lucky day!!

Thursday night my other sis and her bf came over. They didn't know little sis was going to be here and had only brought enough food for 4... but that was OK as I had batch cooked meals previously so I had some of that.

Time for another short break as must have more coffee.. back shortly!

x

Sessie

Okay, so by Friday night I was getting freaked.... things were going waaay too well ....

Friday morning, went up to local shopping park (where Mr T's is) as there are other shops such as H0me B4rgains, Wilk0s, Pound-something (I forget which one!) etc... with lil sis (I say "lil", she's 38!!) and the children.

Bought the following:

Vicks, plasters (packet and a roll), TCP ointment, 2 packs of Beechams for the winter medicine box. TICK!
J's talc and baby bath (the latter was 50% extra free) - both cost 99p each.
Pack of 8 lighters for the emergency winter under-the-sink box (already has candles in, in case of power cuts, needed the lighters for them)

Was also looking for a torch (or two!) but they were about £6 or so and I was umming and aahing about it when Girlchild decided to do a runner down the toy aisle.... where I found kiddies torches (Disney ones, Toy Story and Princess ones) for 99p!!! They are totally bright enough so IN the basket they went!! Need to get some AAA batteries for them, although we already get those in for some of the children's trains so it's not an extra spend!!

Children needed changing, sis and I needed sustenance so into Dun3lm we go, quick drink and, on the way out, see these gorgeous kids' blankets in blue and pink (quite bright, not baby colours) with an embroidered train on the blue one and a rabbit on the pink one. Opened them up and they were HUGE!! Cost? £2.49 each!! IN the basket they went, for use in the car when it gets colder. If we go visiting in the autumn/winter and stay somewhere into the evening (as we often do at Mr Sessie's parents), we can put these over the children for the journey home! Also, useful for keeping children warm if we break down. (Actually, need to add that to one of my many lists - check if/when we change car insurance that we have breakdown cover as part of the deal).

I think I'll probably go back and get a couple more of those as we can use them when we're inside in the dead of winter if we're all sitting watching a DVD or snoozing on the sofa. Plus, Mr Sessie and I can put them over us on a night if we are cold. Might make it that we can keep from putting the heating on for a bit longer! You know, sometimes you think, "Well I'm.. cool... I'm not COLD but... " and a blanket might just do the trick rather than putting the heating on - saving saving saving!!

Also, if anyone is considering making hampers for people for Xmas present, there were a lot of really nice wicker baskets, some lined, some painted, some plain at pretty good prices I thought - started at £2.49. Again, this might be a limited offer so don't take my word for it that they are those price all the time, please check with your local store, would hate for someone to trek out and find the prices have changed. Am also going to post this on the Old Style Board in the Preparing for Xmas thread as I know a lot of them are planning to do that (in there are some really good ideas for different hampers to make up for family members, may well be doing a few myself!).

Okay, I've got one more thing to tell you and then I'll be disappearing for the night. Had AWFUL insomnia last night (that's not the thing I've got to tell you!!)- no clue why, haven't had any trouble sleeping (apart from when my back is bad) since I had the children - they wear me out so much I just FLOP into bed and ZONK! Got up and read a book for 2 hours at half past midnight and have been at the beach again with the children and my mum all day, gorgeous day again, donkey rides, paddling, running, sand throwing, sea air ... so am flagging now...

I mentioned about the children getting free shoes a few posts ago. Story is: mum and lil sis had taken the children to another city for the day a few months ago so I could get a full day to attack the house and get some of the bigger jobs done. They had gone to a shoe shop to look at sandals for the children as it was getting warmer and the shoes they had were from early January, still winter shoes. They had some sandals on both of the children when an elderly man close by to them in the shop smiled at them and just said to the shop assistant to put the cost of the shoes on HIS bill along with his own purchase! Mum and sister were amazed and said, "... but.. but... you don't know us.. you can't!" and he said (something along the lines of...), "... if you can't do something nice for someone once in a while.. " and INSISTED on paying for them!!

They were really good shoes, £15 each per pair and have lasted them all summer, though Girlchild's are looking a bit worse for wear now ... so that was amazing!! We will need to go and get them some more shoes soon which will be another cost but (without checking cos I can't be bothered) I THINK I did include that on the "known upcoming expenses" list a few posts ago. Wonder if we go back to the same shop he'll be there again!?

Oh, one more thing (I promise! This really IS the last one for today!!) I bought another of those long cardigans and a crocheted slightly shorter one today from one of those shops on the seafront that sell stuff for crazy prices. They are really well made and willl both be really toasty in winter. These are for home though so are a bit more casual. Total cost £19.

Right, I'm going to bed, hopefully to ZONK. Thank you all for your kind comments, you're making me blush!!

G'night

x