Starting again, 1% at a time. 100 ways to make £80!

happy_daddy_2

Totally amazing thread looking forward to reading more :O) keep up the good work everyone x

Kayleighpea

MrsPoppy wrote: »

3. Do a 7 day meal planner that is healthy but using less expensive foods

If you do this please share your secrets! Anything thats healthy seems to be expensive and anything cheap seems to be very fattening!! :rotfl:

I've just checked my statement for my CC & done the maths. Didn't think I would have got anywhere really as I haven't done a lot so far, just a couple of slight overpayments, my £5 Halifax reward and Quidco check ins but...

#130 checking in with 2.5%!

Pleased to be off the mark especially as I haven't tried much yet! Ebay is definitely on the agenda soon though, especially as I have just been given notice by my landlady so I want to get rid of as much as I can so I don't have to move it all!

I am worried that after the ebaying %'ing will be very slow though as I have been getting a pretty good deal on the room I rent at the moment so anywhere else is going to cost me more I expect

LaughingLorna

Hi all

Haven't got around to getting on here much recently but wanted to check in now I've got going.

#101 checking in with 12%....can you also change my % to £68 please? :-)

Restructured my debt about a month ago (can't remember if I posted it in this thread or my diary thread). I had to do some moving around between my existing cards to get 0% as I can't get new credit since changing jobs and taking pay cut. I was hanging on to the backboard of the wagon at the time and constantly on verge of spending so paid £600 off cc. Around 8.8%. This was what I had in my emergency/holiday fund before LBM and hadn't touched it but was beginning to weigh heavy in my virtual pocket.

I made a few more % with mse living (more economical driving/nsd/surveys/vouchers etc) and I've also been doing small overpayments each month out of any surplus. I've also put up my monthly dd to £100 which is about 1.4% each month (it's on 0% so min payments luckily all count towards the %). I did have a couple more % from selling books but that's been eaten up in BT fees for cc but happy to be moving in right direction.

Planning to do some ebay turbo lister today to get ready for next zero fees weekend but really desperate for a hair cut and my boss made some comments about my clothes after noticing I'd worn my trousers to holes so really need some cheap new work staples and a coat that fits for winter as I commute and it is getting CHILLY!!!

Congratulations on the list at the start of the thread everyone - have been through and there are a few I hadn't thought of and going to try while I'm feeling relatively upbeat and productive. Happing %-ing everyone! :T :j

MrsPoppy

Hi, not quite a 7 day meal plan but I've been having a think about what foods my husband and I can have that are fairly cheap in price but still healthy to eat.

I used to be a bit of a food snob and it was only when I really had to face our debts that I began to look in other shops than tesco or sainsburys. Aldi is fantastic. We shop there weekly now and save lots. I shopped there a few weeks ago and spent £37, I then went onto one of the supermarkets websites and worked out that it would have cost me £56. Which I think is a brilliant saving.

The other thing I dont do but would like to start doing is catching the veg man at the market at the end of the day- they always have bowls of fruit and veg for a £1 - be great for soups/ casseroles

Also we're very nearly at the end of the blackberry season but not quite. I've got a huge field nearby that has hedges and hedges, they cost nothing- free fruit!! At the moment the ones near me are really ripe. On dog walks I take a bag and fill up while I'm there. I've put them in the freezer for making pies/ jam for crimbo presents or for making blackberry vodka for Christmas. In Aldi 700ml of vodka costs 8.70!

So, cheap but healthy foods for next week. We absolutely love meat so I'm afraid it'll probably be a meaty planner! It's not really one for 1 week but ideas for for the next few weeks

Breakfasts
Economy cornflakes and milk and tea
Economy brown toast & spread and tea
Economy natural yoghurt and my blackberrys or any other cheap fruits
Croissant - they have 6 for 99p in Aldi, all wrapped separately so can take them to work.
Economy bacon in economy toast for the weekends
Porridge using economy oats.

Lunches
Jacket pot- tuna, mayo, kidney bean and onion
Spicy butternut squash soup made and put into small containers- frozen and taken out for work
Aldi mug shot with Melba toast and cottage cheese/soft cheese
In Aldi they currently have bags of apples for 69p which I'll add to my lunch
Yoghurts in the fridge at work In case i'm hungry 4 for 99p

Dinners
Big Chicken and veg soup made with chicken thighs - so nice
Shoulder of pork/ lamb for Sunday - even if I was rich I'd always buy the shoulder- yes it can be super cheap but when cooked for a while it is amazing- will have economy veg, economy stuffing, economy apple sauce
Cold pork/stuffing, economy savoury rice and salad
Sausages, jacket potatoe and salad- Aldis luxury sausages are on sale for 1.49 at the mo.
Chilli con carne made with all economy apart from mince
Spag Bol as above with any veg in the house added.
Sage and onion stuffed Chicken thighs, roastes and broccoli
Penne pasta, spinach, tomatoe based sauce - chicken if have it

Snacks - any deals on fruit/ popcorn or chocolate bars

All foods above I would buy economy if I could in tesco or the cheapest in Aldi. Doing the above has completely changed what I'm spending out. I hope some of it is useful too you
I'm hoping that doing this is going to help me get a %!
Does anyone else have some good ideas that might help?
MrsPoppy x

tra_2

I've started including the 99p store in my weekly grocery shop outing. Do all sorts, load of things I normally get for the children's lunch boxes. For example fruit strings which are over £2 in the supermarkets are in there!

Motoko_2

Just made my first 1% on ebay :j
Thats £60 off the debt

Hope everyone's having a good day

Hmm_2

MrsPoppy: Great meal ideas. There's loads of info on here that's great for menu planning and cheap eats, but I also read lots of blogs with weekly menu plans. This one has menu plans and a budgeting series. It focusses on organic food on a budget, but the menus make for cheap meals with non-organic ingredients.

http://savelivelove.com/categories/the-budget-series/

There's also the site that I believe was made by MSE forum folks with monthly menu pland for a family of 4 for an amazing £100. There's meat and veggie options too.

http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/

I also like reading through the 'what are you having for dinner' thread on the oldstyle board for cheap and healthy ideas.

Hmm_2

On another note, has anyone ever sold things on ebay around the christmas shopping period? Wondering if it's busier then or if gifts and decorations sell well...

liz-paul

In case you don't know already there is a grocery challenge thread on the old style board which is great for reducing the cost of your shopping!

Triangle

Hi all
Just been catching up with the thread and noticed there are a couple of others who are on maternity leave and want to either go back part time or not all...glad to know I'm not alone! Sadly, there is just no way we could cope without me working at all but I'm hopeful we'll be OK for me to do 2 and a half days a week. It certainly makes this challenge more of an incentive and I'm very gratful to be 'forced' into acknowledging our overdraft!

I'm currently at 22% which I'm so happy about Got 43 things listed on ebay at the moment. A few of them are on their 3rd relist...they will go eventually!

Take care
Txx