Countdown to Freedom

evab_2

Well done on all your progress, I don't think the weather is going to get any better so saving for a rainy day just has no long term financial planning

I hate shopping too but I've done an order on AF and has really noticed the reduction in my trips to Mr S.

Ev x

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hi NorthStar, it early did me good and the dogs had a great time, plus the rain held off and the sun had an attempt to shine. Worth the effort and I always feel much better now for exercising.

Evening Evab, certainly right about the rainy day savings :). I love it when my AF order arrives and have found the service to be good. I have made one complaint which was handled quickly and appropriately so will certainly continue to use them. They seem to get mixed press don't they, but you can only speak as you find. I have to make sure I don't check the web site often as its too tempting.


Went completely mad and bought a Mr A Indian takeaway - even though I had something out to cook. Will save that for tomorrow instead.

Great night with the Kidd and Mr T. Two glasses of wine, lovely meal, scary film and I hid behind the cushion much to the amusement of DS and DD.

Off to visit my mother tomorrow and do some jobs with her then back for a relaxing late afternoon.

Almost time to start menu planning for May - could someone please tell me where April is disappearing to? Tomorrow I am only buying milk 6 pts, apples, pears, bananas, two loaves, broccoli, washing tabs - that's it. So after no food spending this week, I can't imagine tomorrows will come to more than £12. Budget is circa £60 per week for 4, +2 lodgers). Bear in mind I buy loads of offers, meat, fish etc for the freezer and bulk buy cleaning materials, so the £60 is the normal weekly shop amount. Over a two week period that's £108 into the OP pot.

I really do love the imaginative aspect of menu planning and sticking to a budget. It is interesting to plan (yep it is on a spreadsheet) healthy, varied meals and make the most of the offers, either already purchased, or available when I am getting ready for the following months planning,

Anyway, off to bed now so have a good weekend and lets hope the sun shines a little. I don't like using the TD or having the heating on from 1st April

Tilly x

brizzledfw

Hi

Yes we had fish and chips...but it felt like a real treat which was really treasured!!

I too like meal planning. It makes me feel like i know where we are and as there are so many clubs and childcare stuff ( and often working out of town so long commutes) to sort it makes it easier too. Often we batch cook say fish pie and then have it over a couple of days.

Hope weekend weather is good..any predictions Tilly??:rotfl:

We need to go to the allotment, it can't wait any longer!!

Have a great weekend with the family

Brizzle

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hi Brizzle, I am going to bed eventually

Weather forecast pretty dismal for the weekend unless we hop to Iberia - could we arrange an MSE trip?

I know just what you mean about activities, if I didn't have a plan I would be totally stuffed. There are some days when we only have 20-30 minutes to cook, serve, eat and out. However, that does mean we don't have kids activities interrupting the weekend, which I am afraid I refused to do. Mr T and I decided many years ago that whilst we could put up with manic weeks, weekends had to be family time. So we socialise with friends but no footie, rugby etc - mean mother I know......

Night Tilly

Btw, take your flask of coffee to the allotment you'll need it (and your wellies:rotfl:)

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Good morning, what a lovely morning to wake up to. Just off for a dog walk/run but enjoying a quiet cup of tea first

I am in a rather muse'y' mood this morning and feeling at peace with the world. As I have a tendency to run rather than walk, I am appreciating the feeling of calm. Let's hope it's not the proverbial 'before the storm'.

Anyway, thanks to my post last night I have my shopping list and MrT will be doing the shopping this morning. I do have to tackle the ironing when I get back from visiting my mother.

Apart from that no spends today, nor tomorrow. On second thoughts I guess money in the collection at church is spends? All accounted for though.

As next weekend is pretty busy, I am going to surround myself with cookery books tomorrow and prepare the May menu. I will do the shopping list at the same time which makes life easier.

Starting my diary and the Tilly family making these changes has brought a significant sea change for us. Although I would be mad to say life is perfect, it is clean and straight forward. This truly is an improvement on so many levels.

I did say I was musing but on occasion, it is good to look around and recognise how far you have come. I don't mean just in reducing the mortgage but the mindset change which is driving our actions.

OK enough seriousness, have a fab weekend and I can see the sun coming out so will grab the leads.

Best wishes Tilly x

unhappy_shopper

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS wrote: »

Anyway, thanks to my post last night I have my shopping list and MrT will be doing the shopping this morning.

Hi Tilly, They have been giving out tillspits for money-off this week at MrT. So, if I were you, I'll first put through a purchase for £1 as a tester for any till spit before I purchase the rest of my shopping.

Oh the ways we try to scrimp for quids/pennies!

Courgette

Hi Tilly

Just letting you know how much I am enjoying your diary. I've been catching up with it for a couple of weeks now and I'm up to about page 35 - you're about to switch to FD and getting very excited! It's really inspiring stuff, your enthusiasm is completely infectious.

Have been trying to work out what in the world you do for a living though. On the phone all day while ironing and earning pots of money. I genuinely have absolutely no idea! :rotfl:

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hi Courgette, thanks for stopping by - I promise I am not a tele s@x worker :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Tilly x

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Afternoon US, many thanks for the t tip. Mr Tilly popped in to buy a loaf of bread so I will check the receipts. Best wishes Tilly x

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Just back home from spending most of the day with my mother. It's a 3-4 hour round trip and we had a good couple of hours spent on finances, lunch etc. she may be getting on in years but her mental arithmetic is better than mine.

She was giving me lessons on how to make food go further, which is what she is doing more now that the fuel bills are so much higher. She spoke at length about the war and she touched on how sad it was to back to times where she feels she is penny pinching. In all seriousness though, she does have money put away "but it's for a rainy day", I do wish she would spend it on things she wants though.

Right, off to check Mr Tilly's receipt. Tilly x