The Ultimate Incentive to get debt free… again. Dinah & NIM go head to head!

Lara44

Eeek that's no good on the money front Dinah... hope things improve soon.

Birdie where are these hen night Barbie pics?? I'm mega curious

Tete - well done for the cinema!!

Birdie85

Here you go Lara







Nightmare about the money situation Dinah! Well done on getting lots of MS though!

Flower08

Birdie85 wrote: »

:eek: Love the dress! I want a princess dress!!

Nym_Mcfroglet

Flower08 wrote: »

:eek: Love the dress! I want a princess dress!!

Amazing. You look like you're having a great time... and you certainly don't look like you need to lose loads of weight

Cinny91

Oh jeez, that's not good about the money at all! I don't even know what to suggest really seeing how you do just about every money making thing already. With your budget next month, have you tried the envelope system? Getting all the money out at the start of the month, splitting it into envelopes and then hiding every bank card until the end of the month when you get the next batch out?

And what's your grocery budget like? Me and OH spend about £30 a week on food and well for it. Lots of fresh fruit and veg, and we certainly don't go without. Though saying that, ask me again in a couple months when we've eaten the rest of our Christmas chocs

Glad you're feeling a bit better as well, and fingers crossed you get a serious buyer for the car!

And well done on going to the cinema on your own Tete! My OH went on his own a bunch of times when we had the cineworld cards, I would have too if I lived closer. I always thought it was kind of indulgent to go on your own.

Dinah93

Groceries are more than £30 a week here. We set aside £150 a month, but usually this is around £50 extra. But basically this month we had bank charages, but usually what gets us is the £500 or so in minimum payments to everything. We just need to clear a couple of them and life will become a lot easier. Wish this damned car would sell!

Eager_Elephant

Hi Dinah

I am a lurker and very occasional poster.

I am sorry things are not going so well with you.

SMP up to £100 per week is discounted for Tax Credits so if you are off for the full 39 weeks (i think it is this long) then it is likely that you will qualify as potentially in that year you have earnt a lot less. Not sure you would get WTC but would definitely get a lot more CTC.

Also I am after a bit of a favour, my friend is getting married very soon and she is hoping to make cup cakes and I have been roped in and we are not 100% sure what we are doing.

The actual cake mix is just sponge mix isn't it?
What about the topping, I read somewhere that a 60/40 split so you end up with more icing sugar than butter?
Should you use salted or unsalted butter?
Is there any other way of doing the topping?
What about flavourings - does the flavourings go in the sponge or the icing or both?

My friend is having plain, lemon and one other as yet undecided - any tips on the other flavour would be great.

Each cupcake will be decorated with a single sugarcraft rose so the icing needs to be plain.

If you can't help then no worries but could you point me to a good website which explains the basics and of course I would buy your book when it comes out :rotfl:

EE

clearmydebts

Birdie85 wrote: »

How's the move to Scotland going CMD? Found a good flat and a creche yet? When is Max's birthday? I can't believe how quickly time has flown since you got pregnant!

Thanks for asking Birdie. We found a flat and it is lovely. Had a look around 2 creches and preferred 1 so am hoping they will have availability!. Max is 1 at the beginning of March. I can't believe he is nearly 1 already!

Dinah93

Eager_Elephant wrote: »

Hi Dinah

I am a lurker and very occasional poster.

I am sorry things are not going so well with you.

SMP up to £100 per week is discounted for Tax Credits so if you are off for the full 39 weeks (i think it is this long) then it is likely that you will qualify as potentially in that year you have earnt a lot less. Not sure you would get WTC but would definitely get a lot more CTC.

Also I am after a bit of a favour, my friend is getting married very soon and she is hoping to make cup cakes and I have been roped in and we are not 100% sure what we are doing.

The actual cake mix is just sponge mix isn't it?
What about the topping, I read somewhere that a 60/40 split so you end up with more icing sugar than butter?
Should you use salted or unsalted butter?
Is there any other way of doing the topping?
What about flavourings - does the flavourings go in the sponge or the icing or both?

My friend is having plain, lemon and one other as yet undecided - any tips on the other flavour would be great.

Each cupcake will be decorated with a single sugarcraft rose so the icing needs to be plain.

If you can't help then no worries but could you point me to a good website which explains the basics and of course I would buy your book when it comes out :rotfl:

EE

You have two quite light flavours there, I'd personally go with chocolate as they're always very popular. If your friend is keen for them all to appear quite light coloured then use a buttercream icing with maybe some orange essence or cointreau to create chocolate orange cupcakes. I'll post my frosting recipe in the morning as I'm a bit shattered atm!

It's easy enough to make one huge batch of frosting and then split it into 3, and just add some lemon zest to one batch.

And always unsalted butter in baking, the salt is just a preservative in butter.

I'll repy further in the morning xxx

clearmydebts

wendz86 wrote: »

I know they were so good, I really hope it is like that! I am quite keen on the idea of a water birth now but i think they only have two pools at my hospital.

I was in the pool for the first 8 hours of my labour and would defo recommend it. It was really good

I also was allowed to convert my annual leave to pay.