I Will Will Will Do It This Time!

cakelover_2

Hi everyone

Still snowing here! I want a day off to build a snowman :snow_grin but as I walk to work, there's not much chance of that

Work meeting was cancelled so no free lunch for me. Ended up buying some soup as I didn't want to trapes around too much in this weather walking home (I knew I should have brought lunch in this morning just in case!). Should be having the meeting in January now so hopefully the free lunch will come then OH hasn't gone into work today, it's too treachorous out there on the road. Our neighbour tried to get out this morning but couldn't get up the small incline out of our car park so I'm guessing that means we wouldn't be able to either anyway.
Had a look for chocolate truffle recipes last night as per my Christmas to do list but they all say put double cream in them? Not sure how long I could really keep them for with cream in so I think I will scrap truffles this year.
Hope everyone is doing ok in the snow.
CL

cakelover_2

Oooo I forgot to mention, whilst sorting out stuff in the flat last night I come across £14 worth of Tesco vouchers. I thought I had already put them with the others but I hadn't, which is great :j Might buy the Christmas tree with them :xmastree:

Little_bit_dizzy

cakelover wrote: »

Oooo I forgot to mention, whilst sorting out stuff in the flat last night I come across £14 worth of Tesco vouchers. I thought I had already put them with the others but I hadn't, which is great :j Might buy the Christmas tree with them :xmastree:

Don't forget, if you're getting your tree with your vouchers from Mr T's, you have until the 5th to double clubcard vouchers in value from £10 to £20 & chrimbo trees and lights is one of the categories you can double them in... happy shopping

Not sure about truffles made with cream and the shelf life once they're made, but if you need a guinea-pig to try them out for you just shout, I'd be happy to help :rotfl: :rotfl:

JIL

Hi Cake lover
I notice the conversation about Slow Cookers, just to let you know If you can get a home delivery from Asda you can order one of theirs from them along with your groceries. The really good thing about the Asda slow cooker is they cost £7!!. Also Asda do your first online shop with free delivery you will need to source some codes for this though (another tip is to register for free delivery and if they do not get an order from you within a week or two they send you some codes for free delivery/money off). Another good thing worth having is a slow cooker Hamlyn cook book that you can get for £3.17 from Amazon. I got my parents both the slow cooker and the Cook book and they are making allsorts of cheap, nutricious and delicious meals!!
Good luck.

cakelover_2

Thanks Little Bit Dizzy for the info on the Tesco vouchers, I didn't know about it. We went and got our tree today and also got a toaster for my brother and his girlfriend for Christmas so yay with our vouchers! :j Hopefully putting up the tree tomorrow.
JIL - thanks for the advice re the slow cooker. I think I may be getting one for Christmas now but if not I will remember Asda. I actually signed up to their website yesterday because I saw you could get cashback if you sign up. I may have had to buy groceries as well but will see if any cashback appears, fingers crossed!

Wasn't very happy about our food shop today. The plan was to spend no more than £50 for 2 weeks but somehow ended up spending £124! I don't know how it happened. We got a couple of treats - mince pies/magazine/cheap dvd, but those things didn't even come to a tenner! I checked the receipt and it was all correct, so wasn't very happy! We budget £200 a month and have gone over the last few months, resulting in using the credit card to buy food and using money from next months food budget when we get paid to pay that bit off and we are trying to catch up with ourselves. This time we needed to pay money off the card from last month and now with our shop today we need £255! I didn't know how we were going to sort this out but we have come up with a solution now that will hopefully mean in January we will be back where we should be. We are paying what we need to from last month off the card and I will count the £50 petrol money I put aside every month for food. We save £30 a month for car stuff (mot, tax etc) and hav been paying this on the card the last few months as we had a huge service bill and had to put that on the card, but we will use that for any more food we may need before pay day. OH will then pay for the extra petrol money I can't give him. I just couldn't believe how much we spent, food has definately gone up but we didn't expect to spend so much! Luckily this month I get paid on the 17th but don't really want to dip into it as soon as I get it because it has to last a week or 2 longer than normal. It will definately be a challenging couple of months food wise!

cakelover_2

Hi All

Can't believe how near Christmas is, the week after next! Have made my piccalilli today, cost more than I expected but if I made it again at least I have the base ingredients that I can keep in the cupboard and all I would need to buy is more veg and maybe vinegar. It's the first time I've made it and I think it's come out welll, it taste's like piccalilli atleast so that's a good start I think it will taste better once the flavours have infused between now and Christmas.
Off Christmas shopping with my Mum tomorrow, really excited about it. Been getting some presents through cashback sites too so I can get some money back there to whack on the card.
Don't really have any debt busting news or payments to report though unfortunately, too busy with Christmas to do any extra stuff, but I will of course report if I have any news.

fizzypops

cakelover wrote: »

Hi All

Don't really have any debt busting news or payments to report though unfortunately, too busy with Christmas to do any extra stuff, but I will of course report if I have any news.

i feel the same, all my money seems to be going on bills and christmas and it so frustrating noe being able to reduce my debts at the moment!! :cool:

cakelover_2

Hi Fizzypops, it is frustrating not being able to get debts down so much over Christmas, however I do love Christmas and it only comes once a year and I do really love giving presents (and obviously receiving them ). Maybe if I could get all my debts paid by end of Nov next year then I could enjoy Christmas without thinking of my debts? That wasn't my original plan but why not bring the date forward a bit, more of a challenge I guess but a challenge I should maybe take?

crapwithcash82 - you mentioned putting up an SOA. I have been meaning to do this so I will try to not forget next week and put it up. Hopefully I will have my other cc statement come through next week too then I can work out exactly what I owe. I love the way though that some things that I and other people have ordered on the net have been delayed due to the snow, but those bills still manage to get through! lol.

Off out to OH's work Christmas party tonight. It's all expenses paid - meal, drinks and even overnight in the hotel! Probably have to pay for breakfast if we have it there but it should be a good night! Could even consider this a pretty much free little weekend away! :j

cakelover_2

Oh, and 2 weeks till Christmas day, yay :j:D:xmastree:

PollyBanwell

Hi Cakelover!

Just come across your diary - I started mine last week and I agree it keeps you more focused! Its so good also to read that other people are having similar issues and that you are not the only one! Well done for all your pickle making! My OH made his "special" pasta sauce last year and gave it with a packet of pasta as Christmas pressies! People loved it! What you said about not making head way with debt over christmas - i think that's OK. the important thing is not to get into any MORE debt! I have almost finished all my pressie shopping and I haven't paid full price for anything! I worked it out for my own diary and have speant just over £130 for everyone including friends children, my family, OH family!

Keep up the positive attitude! its very inspiring!