make do and mend for tougher times

gailey_2

Thanks guys for warm welcome .

nice to be remembered and missed.

prepared at home-hope you better soon, family good.,

stepson starting new school in september.
eldest going into year 2
middle dd is 3in september and suddenly grown up last few months very chatty and starts pre school in september.
Baby boy is now 16months and such a happy little think follows his sister round like lost sheep.
hubby loving new job which was slight pay rise, hes doing well, hes closer to home.But hes been very busy so been operating solo for hols.

dont see my family that much due to distance but my mums been making effort to see them more regular even babysat over night as we had a works thing on for hubby up north which was lovley.
Mil seems bit happier and less demanding.

kids are exited about seeing baby cousin.

My eldest has needed bit more support with her school work so got some bargain work booklets for 99p.
she enjoyed the 2museums and they free at least.

I do think school holidays can be added financial pressure and trying to entertain them.Plus shes always hungry im sure if I ate that much I be huge by now.

Looking forward to foraging. free food.
cant believe how much blackberries cost in the shop.

Car needs work and tax up this month.

so will be tight month again

so try to do things on shoestring by shopping cheaper places, making stuff and hunting down bargains on ebay/carboots.

we do leave bathroom light on for kids in the night.

have to ring agents again tommorow bath plus blocked tried drain unblocker , plunger and soda crystels rang them friday and today they useless.

One thing would say is realised how lack of money can be negative to relationship as puts pressure as we both worry each month.
I always feel stressed in supermarket and try add up when go round and faced with choice i spent about 10mins trying to decide what brands best value.

Every time we go shop the kids are I want.

feel like im a mummy who says no a lot.

watched olympics last week, quite a few people I know had tickets and felt bad couldent offer my kids that opportunity.

Most days im ok life is what is is just get on with it but other days
i get a bit down as juggling the budget such a challenge feel like lifes passing me by. I can see light at end of tunnel once debts paid off. we made such progress last few years but then costs seem higher.

mcculloch29

Back again after Olympics watching break, was nice to use up my leisure time in that way as I don't usually watch TV. Loved it.
Grandchildren visited today, and I asked them if they wanted to earn some pennies.. we set them to work at clearing the front flowerbed of expletive bindweed.
So much more satisfying giving them pocket money than being overcharged by the young lad who left all the roots so the bindweed would regrow and ensure him another job.. They left roots too, wasn't a perfect job, but paying £4 for an imperfect job and paying £30 for an imperfect job is a world of difference.
I will be up all night if I read back everything but hope you are all as well as you can be.

becca-2012

I feel quite sad that the Olympics have come to an end, back to the normal rubbish on tv. My dd has a "recipe" for ice lollies in a magazine, think it is just blended blackberries and apple juice. So this afternoon we will be picking all the blackberries we can find.

Bit early but what do you all do with rosehips? We have tonnes of them here but they normally get left to the birds.

Popperwell

Nice to see posters return again...Hope everyone is feeling a little more happier and not ill anymore...

May see if I can buy the electric blankets later today, Wish I had managed to get them when they were on offer but it's pot luck if you hit the offers...I'll look at Tesco's direct and Argos as they are both on my town...

I need two matresses, a sofa and some carpet but I'll maybe look into those at the end of the next month at the end of September so I can save a little.

I am a bit short now so don't plan to spend as much(need some spare shoes and trainers perhaps)can't seem to find a pair of ordinary black or brown slip on shoes anywhere.

They all look a bit weird in the local shops to me...may have to travel to a neighbouring town which adds to the cost. Need a woollen hat, scarve and gloves for winter so I'll have to watch out for them...Argos suggested they may start appearing in October...

At least I have the theatre tickets purchased and paid for and the money put aside for the taxi fares...

Think I have enough cardigans, jumpers, trousers, thermal underwear, Pj's and a dressing gown, socks to last me for the time being. But I need anymore I'll use the charity shop.

I have just enough in the bank to pay for my DD for my electric, gas and internet. And some in the house to pay for the rent. And I can put more in the bank each month to cover the utility bills.

So now apart from buying milk and bread, I'll try and use my storage room and just top up what I use. If I need any other fresh food it will be salad, fruit, fish and meat but I'll freeze and/or portion that out to last longer.

I'll try not to panic and live in the day and worry about money matters when they happen(I'll regret saying that now, you watch)

Tempting fate...

Here's a link to my tealight candle holders that I purchased yesterday and as I said I managed to get them home safely form the supermarket in a taxi and then smashed a spare green one just carrying it upstairs:(Still don't know how as it was surrounded with more protection like some clothes I had purchased(a kind of grey hooded top, a nice leisure shirt, two pyjama sets(Short tops and shorts)and three fleece throws.

If I happen to be in the supermarket again I'll see if I can replace it but it's false economy returning for one glass jar...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u4GwOiPCiPk/UCnmcuSq1aI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/Qaulz0Rfz3o/s1600/P1010475.JPG

You can make the image larger or smaller by clicking on it...

Popperwell

For the first time ever I appear to have captured a screen shot of my computer...I have no idea how it happened, if anyone can tell me how to do it again so I know what I am doing I'd appreciate the information...

I'm away for some breakfast and to get a quick wash and tidy up...

fuddle

Popperwell wrote: »

For the first time ever I appear to have captured a screen shot of my computer...I have no idea how it happened, if anyone can tell me how to do it again so I know what I am doing I'd appreciate the information...

I'm away for some breakfast and to get a quick wash and tidy up...

On my keyboard I press ctrl with PrtSc and then paste it into word or paint.

Good morning everyone, off for a catch up with my cuppa.

Off to the library later for the kids crafts but up until then just menial chores.

Stewing steak for tea. Ordered shopping online via Sainsburys to arrive tomorrow as DH is paid. Sainburys have much more in the way of basic stuff than Asda do, I was surprised. It's been a very long time since I shopped with Sainsburys and got a shock at what I used to buy as normal practise. :eek: I was over budget with my groceries this month, going to try to hit the budget this month.

Off to the 6 miler butchers for meat fruit and veg on Thursday but my sister wants to go too so I can get a lift

mardatha

The bread turned out nice using Hovis granary flour and Hovis yeast...but we have a mystery. The crust was lovely and crisp when it came out, but after a few hours in the breadbin (aka crockpot that sits beside it on the worktop lol) the crust went soft. We like crusty crunchy bread...does anybody know why it would go soft?

mardatha

Fuddle I use Sainbugs all the time, Basics stuff is nice

fuddle

Same problem mar apparently it's to do with the humidity. I'm hoping in the colder months it will be better. I read storing in a paper bag can help but I haven't tried it yet... where can you buy loaf sized paper bags from?

Degeneration of bread begins after only 2 hours of cooking. I'm making smaller loaves to try to ensure it gets cobbled within the day. Can't win can we mar.

Popperwell

I have heard that brown paper and/or greaseproof paper works...when putting bread in a bread bin...

When in ASDA yesterday there seemed very little in their range of low priced items and the same in Sainsbury's perhaps they offer more online?

At present Tesco's seems to have the biggest range so far.