Vala's frugal journey to be MF!!

ajmoney

Vala-Mal-Doran wrote: »

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!

I used Estee Lauder double effect foundation, don't normally wear any but it kept all my make up in place with no touch ups :T

Vala-Mal-Doran

Thanks ajmoney funnily thats the only one iv liked so far too. I didnt get to go and find any free make up testing in Harvey Nics as my lecture went on for a lot longer than planned and I ended up missing my train back. Even more unfortunately that spare half hour lent itself to wandering around the local Primark near the station, intending to find a couple of dresses for work (mine have actual holes in them ) but came out with a pretty dress (read:not work wear) and 2 pairs of shorts....not exactly work wear. The only plus side is that they were on sale so it came to a grand total of £20. Still more than I was intending on spending!! :mad:

At least I didnt spend anything on food so my waistline will appreciate that - all packed lunch, flask and snacks today. I always seem to be hungrier when im travelling so always make sure Iv got an extra snack with me and if I pack it I can control what it is rather than grab a choccy bar when im needing a 'treat' for all the travelling.

New washing machine came today - OH has spent all day plumbing it in and wrestling it into the tiny space we have but its all well and humming away quietly now im really chuffed - got a feeling im going to be washing all weekend!

On an MSE note, went for our weekly shop tonight and I got my turkey leg for £1.70 to try in the slow cooker tomoro :T AND they have some of their 'extra special' range coffee reduced from £2.98 to 74p! so I bought 8 bags :eek: it will keep me going for a while and it is my favourite one that I always feel a bit bad for putting in the trolley at that price IYKWIM.

Speaking of food shops I have a question for you - is it better to do a weekly shop and split the bill equally (we do this currently) or to have a set 'pot' of money per month and get things as and when you need it. This is something I am considering you see, the way I figure - now we have a rough idea of what we should be spending each week, to take that amount of money and draw it out at the start of the month and then I could use it to get better offers from different shops on my lunches and could use it to buy the reduced items when I see them rather than doing 1 big weekly shop and having to pass up on buying the offers or buy them myself - which doesnt benefit my bank balance!

Hope that made sense!? Im a little sleepy..zzzZZZ

VMD

gallygirl

Vala-Mal-Doran wrote: »

On an MSE note, went for our weekly shop tonight and I got my turkey leg for £1.70 to try in the slow cooker tomoro :T AND they have some of their 'extra special' range coffee reduced from £2.98 to 74p! so I bought 8 bags :eek: it will keep me going for a while and it is my favourite one that I always feel a bit bad for putting in the trolley at that price IYKWIM.

Where is this and what coffee please? I feel the need for some proper stuff .

Re the shopping - I think you answered your own question really. I'd go for money in the pot from both at the start of the month, plus a nice spreadsheet to monitor .

Vala-Mal-Doran

Gallygirl lol I think iv heard about your love for spreadsheets on other diaries!

It's from MrA, the dark blue extra special range and the organic one 'fair trade Latino American' I think it is-its delish!!

X

Vala-Mal-Doran

Hiya all,

Busy day today, done all the housework- not very exciting but I didn't mind it knowing i wasn't going anywhere today meant I could have a day of pottering around.
Had a slow cooker roast dinner again tonight, turkey leg from Mr A for £1.70 had enough meat on to satisfy both of us and I managed to get the roasties almost right (not as good as my mums!)- next challenge - stuffing!! (I'm not attempting gravy again until mum gives me her recipe-last time mine was just a big salty mess!)

Iv spoken to OH about going to a 'pot' of money for shopping and he's happy to give it a go for a few months, possibly cos I said I didn't mind going hunting for bargains on my lunchtime. Which I don't-it gives me an excuse walk further.

I'm not sure what shops are best for what tho -I think we'll still do a bit of a main shop at mr A for milk and bread and maybe canned goods but where's cheapest for other things? I'm not sure l1dl etc are really much cheaper for fruit and veg etc, but then I saw tomato pur!e in there for 29p the other day?

night all x

HelenDaveKids

I just started trying to monitor my grocery spend, didnt realise how bad i was!

I_want_a_baby

Hi Vala,

I am a SAHM so have had a little time to get to grips with the food shopping bill.

I used to get all my fruit and veg from the weekly market however now there is a new fruit and veg shop which does the big bowls for a £1 deals - you can get a lot of fruit and veg for your money here.

Milk £1 for 4 pints, bread £1 for branded loaf, cheddar cheese (around £5 per kg) & the end of aisle freezer deals from iceland.

I have started to get meat from a butchers but do get a discount as my sister works there. I find that the better quality the meat the less we need to eat and therefore works out the same price as supermarket stuff.

The rest I shop at Lidls first and then morrisons. I always buy chopped toms, passata, tom puree, cleaning products, tortilla wraps among others at lidls.

Also I draw out the food money £200 at the beginning of the month and spend £40 at butchers and have £40 per week to which i put in my little 'food purse'. My food purse stays with me all the time so I can buy offers/weekly shop and always see what I have left until Saturday.

Hope that helps.

Stacey x

[Deleted User]

Hey vmd
have enjoyed reading through your diary and good luck with the wedding plans! definitely the "DIY" smaller weddings I have been to have always had a more intimate and enjoyable atmosphere I think and like you say better to have a day full of friends and family!

re: food shops I find a monthly budget works out as buy things at different times/stock up if things on offer so I find it easier to work out if money is monthly !

Vala-Mal-Doran

Hi All - Sorry I have been MIA for a while - have been so busy and not much time in the house to be on the computer.

To be honest, I shouldnt be on it now but I am procrastinating from doing my IPP assignment work which I booked myself the day off work to do!! I know, I know - kicking myself trying to get into activation - my deal was i will update this and then i will start on it - iv done just about everything else to put it off that once this is done I really will have to start on it!! Also I have told myself im doing my 4 mile run today at 3.30pm so that give me a 'finish time' too so that helps.

Ok boring stuff over with, on a more MSE note I have signed up to dooyoo for a go with some help from ammonite this should hopefully add to the christmas budget. I will be writing up my reviews ready to post when the 'newbie' sticker goes. I am also going to write up my ebay items ready for the next FLW to make it quicker to post.

Did some lovely chilli in the slow cooker last night, made enough for tea for us both and 4 portions for the freezer - which is looking rather full at the moment - unfortunately a lot of it appears to be stock i keep saving from meat etc which i dont use a lot of so i may be doing a lot of soup and risotto based meals over the next week to use it up. Speaking of which - I got my HM leek and potato soup out of the freezer last night to defrost for lunch, and apparently it does NOT freeze, what i am left with is a bowl of watery stuff with what looks like a big slice of bread but is actually the leek and potato stuff thats left. :eek:
Yes I did consider toasting it under the grill to see what happens as it does seem to be a bread consistency (Im a bit of an experimentalist!!) but threw it away in the end. Canned it is for me then!

Right im off now, to get on with my assignment - if I thinki about it as it may lead to possible promotion so very MFW if I get on with it and do it well...then again - im pretty sure the washing machine has just stopped....il put that out first THEN il start it...:o:o:o

V :rotfl:

Sepa74

I had the same problem with covent garden leek and pot soup, but my home made stuff is seems fine. I make it thick, mainly to save space, to be honest, and then I suppose I could water it down once it's thawed but I generally don't bother as it's for lunch, so keeping it thick is more filling.

I also add butter beans to the HM stuff, so that also might help break up the starch while it's frozen and stop it turning into that horrible gluggy mess!

Interesting... I thought it was just that the covent garden soup variety was rubbish, but obviously not!

I just have to hope I haven't jinxed myself now, by saying my version freezes ok!!