I have a dream...to be a MFW

ajmoney

I think I am around the £10 mark for today's spending on food plus £10 on tights but I won't be spending much from the rest of the week's money so can be absorbed. I would love to be able to send anything not spent to my ISA but I need to pay for a course next month so would just take it straight out again.

ajmoney

I am back from my trips now and am not officially in work until Thursday. I do have some things to catch up on but I am making myself stay away until tomorrow as I need to break.

My money spending went quite well which is good as I think the next couple of months are going to be tight on the money front. However I am going to try and take over the food shopping for the rest of this month at least and try and meal plan to ensure we do not waste too much money or food. We are finishing rehearsals tonight and a concert tomorrow for the residential course we did over Easter so unfortunately we need to eat out tonight but from Wednesday I plan to have all home cooked food for the rest of April.

I think all my spreadsheets are up to date and I have just submitted my meter readings so now I just need to decide how to get more from my money.

I only have one day off this weekend and I am planning a day out for us at minimal cost. We have membership to Historic Scotland and National Trust in Scotland and don't use them enough so I am looking for a couple of options for Saturday that we can do whatever the weather which won't cost us anything. I am also planning on us taking a picnic, if it is raining we can have it in the car.

Caught up on adpoints yesterday so now I just need to catch up on my surveys.

ajmoney

I have caught up on all my surveys now although one on you gov timed out as I was finishing so I am not sure if it was submitted successfully.

I have spent an hour ironing but have 2 loads of washing drying and another load to go in so I will be spending a lot more time this week on it to keep the ironing basket at a manageable level.

I am enjoying having some time to do what I want today but am feeling guilty for not playing catch up at work or for going to the gym. I will need to look into some money making things to keep my mind busy although the plus side of not going to the gym/work is that I won't be using the car so will save me petrol. Picking Mr AJM up from work at 3.30 so I have a few hours to potter about.

ajmoney

After next month's standard mortgage payment we will own 20% of our house :j it is based on a figure between what we paid for it and what the house price index says it is worth but hopefully we will get back what we paid if and when we eventually sell. I have each 5% increment in my spreadsheet but am considering breaking it down to 1% so I can have some mini goals.

Next job is to check the food inventory, I think it is up to date although I think there may be an extra homemade ready meal in the freezer. I have highlighted what needs to be used up this month and also next and am going to incorporate these into a meal plan. I need to check when I am in work next week first so I can plan properly depending on when I have time to cook. I may need some help with inspiration with some of the ingredients, especially as we could do with using up lots of jars of things!

ajmoney

The food inventory is now up to date. Planning on going shopping tomorrow but need to go after popping into work so I know when I have time to cook. We are low on money in our spending account and will need to transfer more before the end of the month but I am hoping to keep the costs low. Just need to factor the food into a meal plan now, maybe I should pop to the old style board for some inspiration.

ajmoney

As much as I really don't want to go into work on my day off I know if I don't that Thursday will be a nightmare. I am going to write a list of things to do while I am there, try and hide from anyone so I don't get distracted get the items done and get out of there. I then need to go to the gym and go shopping. We have decided to take a packed tea with us tonight so we don't need to spend so much money on another meal out.

I am starting a new running training programme today which I am quite looking forward to although it starts off easy so I am not sure how much I will feel like I have exercised after it.

ajmoney

Been to the gym and spent far less time in work than I expected too :j they have taken some of my work and given it to someone else which is good as I had no idea what I was doing and it is their job anyway. It means that when I pop in tomorrow I won't need to be in so long either. I will definately make another list though as it helped keep me motivated knowing that I didn't have too much to do.

It is the youth concert tonight and I have been roped in to helping look after one of the instructors children, they might not ask me again after tonight. It looks like it will be another month before I get paid for it as they have lost some of my paperwork so I have filled it out again and am handing it in tonight. We have been asked to assist again for a weekend in the summer (not residential) so I am hoping this could become a permanent thing for both of us. The money is a nice added bonus, but to see where the kids have come from the first rehearsal to now is amazing and I am very proud of them. Looking forward to applauding them tonight.

Just over an hour until I need to pick Mr AJM up from work, off to get changed and sort our food out so I can chill for a bit before I leave.

ajmoney

I have a new favourite website, BBC GF and am trying a few of the recipes for the rest of the month. If I can pull off some of these recipes I think I can get Mr AJM on board with meal planning and cooking fresh most of the time rather than take away. I am shocked at how quick some of the recipes are.

ajmoney

18 meals planned from my new favourite website and ready to go into a meal plan, about to look at the fish dishes they have then my next job is to look for good recipes from my own books. Most of the meals are ones that can be cooked within 30 minutes, once I get the hang of doing this regularly I will look at some other recipes. I think we could quite easily have a different meal for every day of the month but obviously with batch cooking I hope to have some homemade ready meals for quick meal nights. I am surprised at how low in calories most of the meals are too.

Been for a slow jog today and looking forward to working on my speed next week.

Mr AJM will be finishing teaching in a few minutes so I will go downstairs to heat our ready made chilli and cook the rice, 2 other things that need using up!!!

HelenDaveKids

I so need to start running again. Have become sooo lazy, was doing really well and me and DH used to g for a run every sat morning and got up to 7.5 mile and then we bought this house and havent run since (about 3 years) and I dont think I could do 5 minutes now. I think Ill have to start doing 1-2 minute interval training at gym...


Well done on meal planning, Ive hit a low so your thread will get me back on track.