I have a dream...to be a MFW

ajmoney

I really should work from my updated list!

Make sure all clothes fit, CS the ones that I don't want and see if any others can be altered.
Sort/organise cupboards in spare rooms 1 done, 2 left to do
Make a list of Christmas stuff we have ready for next year Done
Tidy kitchen cupboard Done
Tidy coffee table
Sort through all paperwork
Sort kitchen unit drawers Done 1, 1 left to do
Check utility company are giving us the best deal
Look into ordering a smart meter
Organise for local furniture charity to pick up sofa

I have also done 30 minutes of ironing, I reckon another 30 minutes will get it done

I am going to my mum's tomorrow for the night so am going to try and get ahead a little bit today. It will mean that I spend more than my £10 a day as the train ticket will cost £34 but as I haven't spent any money yet this year I guess that will mean I am still £6 up and have the next 2 days money to spend if we do anything nice.

ajmoney

I have signed up for mfp as I was wondering what it was all about. If anyone wants to add me I am ajhardy1979.

edinburgher

I think we need to use email addys to add people, I will add you, is yours the btopenworld one?

Need to pick your nutrition brain anyway. MFP has a great wee feature that lets you add your own recipes and then it provides a nutritional breakdown. For recipes where salt is used as a preservative (say sauerkraut or confit), it says that you've gone something like 8x over your daily sodium limit because the base recipe features that much salt. As most of the salt isn't absorbed by the body (a lot of it leaches out during curing/osmosis etc.), any ideas how to more accurately reflect the salt content?

ajmoney

I managed to request HDK by the username she put on her thread, I will pm you my email address.

I am not sure how you would deal with the salt etc but maybe add your own values based on the recipes and reduce what it says for the salt maybe? I am trying to work how to add my german christmas biscuits at the moment.

edinburgher

Got you!

ajmoney

I have got my own version of a spending diary going on my phone. Out of the £60 I have had to spend so far this month I have £22.60 left. I am carrying the total over each day and adding £10 to it, that way if there is something I need that costs more than £10 it should cover it. It should also make things easier next week when I get back to work and have to start buying my own food again, it is giving me a better idea of the current total. I am using my card at the moment but wil probably swap to cash next week, I will see how the rest of next week goes. Today has been a NSD and tomorrow should only be £4 if I go swimming.

I am going to have a look at my mini savings accounts tomorrow to see how much I am paying in and see if they can be better put somewhere else, maybe in a single account with a spreadsheet to keep track of how much is for each thing. Once I have got this and my accounts sorted I am going to look into some financial advice.

ajmoney

My various saving "pot" accounts are as follows, the payments I put in and how often I withdraw the money

My own
Car account
£52
withdrawals twice a year
current total in account £445.77

Money to get home account
£335 approx
Whenever I book flights
current total in account £383.01

a buffer account to go to savings or mortgage at the end of the month
variable amount
each month
current total in account £250

Our accounts
Holiday account
£500
whenever we book holidays
current total in account £1391.59

Household account
£71.50
9 times a year
current total in account £935.89

So I currently have £3622.49 in these accounts, they have varying interest rates but with this amount of money I feel it could be working better. My own bank can't provide me with what I need as an overall account so I need to look at other providers but need to be able to withdraw money whenever. It could be an interesting search but I will do it tomorrow as I can't face starting it now. I will make my money work for me if it kills me.

ajmoney

I have a feeling today will be another NSD as I don't really feel like going swimming. I am getting over a cold and my sinuses are quite sore so I am trying to be sensible and do a quick workout at home instead. I will need my energy when I get back to work next week and a more normal workout programme resumes.

I wish my spending could stay like this, I just need to work out sensible spending from next week.

I had a look at some accounts last night for savings but nothing seems suitable. The ideal things would be to use my new RS account but I like the idea of that building up as a bit of a freedom pot. Current accounts that offer a better interest rate seem to be the way forward but need more research.

I wish this rain would go away!

ajmoney

I have just done a huge thing for me...I have entered the early ballot for the Great North Run, now it is in fate's hands if it happens. If not, I may enter for charity. I need to be even more strict with my training now.

ajmoney

In money news, 8 days in and as of right now I have £10.60 left to spend for the rest of the day. I have just signed up for 8 weeks of triathlon training sessions by a club local to my work that I am thinking of joining until the summer, they have cost £32 so £4 a session is a bargain. I was thinking of going out for lunch today and a look around the shops but I may have to rethink some of this now. Not sure what we have in the house for lunch so will need to investigate and make a plan. I quite like this way of living at the moment and am hoping to implement it next week.

Can I have some suggestions from you lovely people with my food for when I am at work please? My breakfasts are fine and for now I am going to continue eating the dinner that is provided so I can socialise. I was making my own lunches up last term which was normally pre-cooked fish (from the supermarket) and couscous but it was getting quite boring. I have a table top fridge to store things in and am considering getting a steamer to help me have other things and maybe take my slow cooker down to broaden the possibilities. Obviously in the summer this is easier as I can have a lot of salads but it is too cold at the moment so I welcome and suggestions.

Have just been for my last run before my 5k in Edinburgh tomorrow, really looking forward to it.