Vala's frugal journey to be MF!!

edinburgher

Also does anyone know when the next free listing on fleabay is likely to be?

A few diaries seem to suggest that there's one this weekend.

Vala-Mal-Doran

Phew - Just back from a few days in Edinburgh I got on the Travelodge £10 sale back in April - bit of a nightmare at first as after preparing the breakfasts and lunches on Friday night for the 3 days we were there, I realised it wasnt Saturday morning we were going it was Sunday morning - wouldnt sound so bad had it not been 11pm that I noticed! (im blaming the fact that I booked it so long ago!) Also bad as I had booked us on an Edinburgh Literary tour which I thought sounded really good value for the Saturday evening and I was upset that I might have lost it however the website had said that they do what they can to accommodate missed bookings and when we got to the meeting point the lady was lovely and said it was fine as they wernt fully booked anyway, and I forgot my printed out map (which I was dead chuffed with finding on the net cos it was a really well detailed one!)

..but other than that it was a really nice few days! We treated ourselves to a Edinburgh Castle ticket which i grumbled at the price until we got in there and found we needed at least the whole day in there if not two just to see everything inside it!! Was very impressed, we had a walk around the (free) National gallery which was really good, the evening literary tour was something different we wouldnt normally do but i thought it would be good to get us into the smaller pubs that we wouldnt normally think to go in! All in all I feel like iv learnt a lot being there - iv also come away wanting to go back as I know we didnt get it all in! I feel like I need at least a week - and nicer weather!

We made it MSE with taking our own breakfasts (cereal with camping bowls & cutlery) packed lunches and flasks and storing milk and sandwiches in the cool box (only took this as we were driving), we also saved a bit of money by driving as the tickets from here are £96 each whereas the petrol probably cost about £80 between the two of us. Although Mr VMD seems to have conveniently forgotten what we said about each paying the £40 'travel ticket' price back into the joint account and wants to just take it out of the joint account....no doubt he will later moan about the lack of funds in there! :wall:

Oh well, back to it this week - will be back to making our regular over payments after a month off, am trying to ignore the washing machine shouting from the kitchen (its bearings have gone and we have to 'time' our loads so that they don't run past 9pm for fear of keeping neighbors awake!)

Im in work 3 days this week then the Wedding Show at the NEC on Saturday to try on a million dresses (then find the one i like cheaper on the internet!! ) Im taking my two bridesmaids with me and another friend who is getting married but had no one to go with so I offered her a space in my car out of the goodness of my heart (...nothing to do with the fact that got us 'group rate' tickets and split the £8!! :mad: car park fee 4 ways!! )
I am packing my lunch so will probably buy a coffee as I am still not 100% comfortable with being the only one at the table with my flask - its no problem with OH as we are both doing it and we laugh at the funny looks we get - seriously we get a LOT! :rotfl:
..so a coffee and a couple of cheap(ish) wedding magazines that come with the 'goody bags' and hopefully no other spending - I cant help it when I see goody bag im straight there - but I do only get the ones that are a decent scoop.

So busy week but hopefully with the exception of lotto syndicate and food shop on Friday there will be 4 no spend days this week (and limited goody bag buying on Saturday!

Also I plan to get back on top of posting as I have only had the energy to lurk on the slow cooker boards recently - got a reignited love for my slow cooker tho!:D

VMD xx

megela

Slow Cooker Board!!? - I'm off to find that!!

edinburgher

megela wrote: »

Slow Cooker Board!!? - I'm off to find that!!

You should post a link for those of us too busy doing fast dinner cooking to find it :rotfl:

megela

A link would be good please - I can't find it!!

Vala-Mal-Doran

Haha - here youu go

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2197233

At least I think that worked, its on the old style money saving board anyways its called 'whats in your slow cooker today?..' its very good for inspiration and im happy when i find something that isnt 'beef stew'! (Im not a big 'stew' fan) Im going to try out some pork chops with h0mepride bbq sauce tomorrow and then i just have to do some rice to go with when i get home. :j
Iv been so inspired I have been wandering round Mr A at lunchtime looking at all the cheap meat joints I can use in it - im getting a bit bored of tuna, sweetcorn on brown pasta each week! Unfortunately this meant i picked up some savers yoghurts as i had forgotten to take mine to work, but they were only 33p, I managed to put down the huge turkey leg for £1.71! *Must wait till food shop, must wait till food shop*

Spending this evening wiring up some artificial flowers for a possible bouquet/centrepiece, im fed up of picking it up to try it against the bridesmaids dresses and having flowers falling off it :rotfl:

Hope everyone is having a good day - and I hope you find some goodies on the slow cooker board!

xx

Vala-Mal-Doran

Went on food shop today - aforementioned cheap turkey leg was NOT there - gutted! Served me right for doing my shopping at 6.30am I guess. Bought a chicken to do in the slow cooker instead - had to go for the smallest one I could find just to fit it in there - on the plus side that meant it was the cheapest too.

Iv finally sorted my nectar card out so that I get points from searching now - yay - unfortunately as I hadnt used my card for so long I lost my previous points balance of £12 :mad: which I earned from my gas and electric provider and was saving for xmas

Oh well, at least im earning points again! Will definately be using everywhere I can. I only thought about it after getting stuck having to get petrol on the motorway and oh my god the price difference :eek: but then I saw nectar card sign which I thought would soften the blow a bit but it turned out not to be in my purse-Grr!! Will be more organised next time!!

On a bad note - my Washing machine has done its last wash tonight, I noticed the grinding noise (bad I know) getting louder then suddenly started sounding like there were ball bearings rattling round in there! Cue me and OH running into the kitchen and turning it off very quickly. One essential load left this weekend which I am hoping to go to mums and do on Sunday (dont worry I am suitably embarrassed to admit to doing that!) but now we REALLY need to get one
Have been searching online for one, found a cheap(ish) one on argos, just going to check if I can get cashback on it first! :money:

VMD

gallygirl

Vala-Mal-Doran wrote: »

Had a freezer surprise tea tonight - certain Mr N CSlaters Sweet Onion Lentil Stew - Recommended, tastes a lot lovelier than it sounds! Especially if you like cinnamon and nutmeg! Its pretty low fat too!

This does sound yummy . I asked Mr GG what he would like for lunch today and he said he didn't mind. Now, I'm sure he didn't think whatever I cam up with would consist largely of onions & lentils, but that will teach him to be so unspecific .

Vala-Mal-Doran wrote: »

AND I made the most of my O2 moments app and got 4 free cookies from mi11ies on the way into Leeds, them got 4 more on the way back as the lady at the till had changed and the first one didn't write down the code- happy times! I'm going to take these to the inlaws tomoro for dessert as they are cooking us tea! I only thought about it as I went to the O2 shop yesterday to get a car charger with a 'sorry' voucher from O2 and the assistant was telling me about the good offers that are on it now!

Thank you - you have finally inspired me to register for this. Now I need to find a reason to drive past Little Chef so I can get a free coffee

nattypants

Hi Vala-Mal-Doran

I have just read through your diary - really enjoyable! and wanted to thank you for reminding me about o*2 priority moments as I keep forgetting about those.

Also for the slow cooker recipe link as mine has been tucked away in a cupboard all Summer long.....

NP:D

Vala-Mal-Doran

Thanks for all the nice comments, I really appreciate it!

Did my slow cooker chicken today with some potatoes and carrots and it was AMAZING!! Failed on making gravy out of the juices in the bottom of the SC, will just save for stock instead. It went down really well with OH too, im so pleased, definitely doing it again!!

Went to the NEC wedding show yesterday, was quite fun going round trying on lots of dresses - darn heavy things tho! I was SHATTERED at the end of it!! IT was so hard keeping a straight face when the sales person starts telling me about the 'really good show deal' they have on where if you buy it today you can get it for only £1800 :eek: Haha - I think not thank you very much. I am most definitely not going to be paying that much on a one day dress - yes I know its your wedding day and special etc etc but I cant justify (nor afford) that! Even if my parents buy my dress (which they have very very kindly offered to) I would STILL never spend that money! Just think of then dent in the mortgage I could make! :rotfl:

Ordered new washing machine today - didnt get the cheapest like originally planned after talking to mum she suggested one about £50 more expensive but had a 8kg drum instead of a 5kg and a faster speed, this should make it dryer when it comes out so hopefully worth it as we dont have a tumble dryer!
BUT-I managed to use a code to get £10 off and then went through t0pcashback to get another £10 back (eventually!) so that helps a little. Roll on Friday when that gets delivered!!:T

Hoping for hardly any spending this week, going to Leeds again on Friday - going to go into one of the posh department stores to find a free make up trial at one of the pretty counters - I learnt a lot of tips at the last one I went to in my home town and intend to quiz the assistant on how to get the wedding make up to last all day! Everyone keeps saying im very brave wanting to to my own make up (and possibly hair!!) but iv seen too many overdone brides recently it makes me cringe!

Ooh also bridesmaids came round and tried on my bargain dresses and they loved them! :T Fitted one perfect and the other it will need taking in but im hoping I can find someone who will be able to do that for me!! Which is another questions by the way - does anyone know if I get my dress online then need to get it taken in (I wish!! haha!) would a normal dress shop do it for me if I havent bought it there? And how much are these kind of things?

Right wedding talk over now, dont want to bore people too much

Night!!

VMD