Enjoying the journey to becoming debt free - paying back the credit cards

fedupandskint

While being bored stiff this evening trying to find something to do or watch on tv I decided to put a meal plan together for next week to both use up what I have in and also stick to the daily kcal allowance

Here I go with the plan
Breakfast - cereal, toast and banana
Lunch - either soup, something from fridge for next 2 days, yoghurt and an apple
Evening meal - mon and tues- sausage casserole, veg and yorkshire pud, fudge pud and creme fraiche for dessert; wed and thurs - ham and pea pasta, veg and rice pud for dessert; fri and sat - cauli biryani and spiced cabbage and potatoes with a chapati and something like banana and custard for pud
Snacks - pear, clementines, banana and apple

New goal - try not to stuff face when get home from work with chocolate try something else - a couple of oatcakes?

fedupandskint

other ideas thinking about while on about meal planning and kcal allowances. I want to stay the same size I am - size 8 skirts and dresses and size 10 some trousers and size 8 a few. Tops the same between an 8 and 10. While I decide to stay on the current eating plan which I think I will as there is a good offer on to help me stay on track here are some ideas from there.

**a weight loss target either for the end of the year or a special occasion in 2013 - by summer be at 9st 10lb

**an exercise target - complete half marathon in May

**a healthy eating target (5 a day for the whole year is 1825 pieces of fruit and veg) - do this every day

**a measurement target - waist get to 26 inches through exercising healthily and lose an inch

**a clothes size target - stay where I am which is between an 8 - 10 depending on whether skirt or trousers

**a special outfit you want to look good in at some point in the year - my birthday next year and also summer holidays

fedupandskint

Have just spent a little while looking for some new soup recipes to use up some things I have in the fridge and cupboards

Creamy tomato soup - should be nice and cheap to make using up a tin of value chopped toms and a tub of passata languishing in there. Also going to make some cheese scones to go with it and freeze both into portions for work or weekends. Then some broccoli and stilton soup too which sounds lovely and can use up some of that stilton in the fridge and that mega expensive head of broccoli I bought last week which was double the price than usual. I must have forgotton it wasn't in season hence the price hike so off it will go into several portions of soup to make it very worth the price. I'll make one lot for today and the other lot tomorrow

Have gone for an annual budget for the GC for 2013 for £1440 which works out at £120 per month to help me take some of the monthly pressure off and see if I can catch up some months if I run over other months. Anyway will add up the spends so far for Jan later on

Weather dreadful here today so no running - will Shred later instead

fedupandskint

Yummy! Made the broccoli and stilton soup after thinking I might not be too keen on it as I don't really like the shop bought soups in this flavour and avoid it usually.

Well that was a nice surprise, it was lovely and not too overpowering in flavour at all and not those horrible bits in either. Worked out it prob cost around 40p per portion roughly - maybe less and got 7 portions out 3/4 of a head of broccoli, old chicken stock cubes and 1/3 of pack of stilton.

Weather still rubbish here miserable and rain and grey and cold so hoping it clears up before this afternoon's dog walk

Also final NSD of the year today totally 12 for Dec

fedupandskint

Jan spends so far = £59.78/ £120 leaving £60.22 until 28th Jan or
YTD left = £1380.22/£1440

Will have to be superfrugal to get away with under £20 per week and I will need to stick to my list rigidly at all times. I'm ok for most things apart from some cartons for work that don't cost much at all as are basic range. I will meet this challenge as when I've tried before I've always fallen by the wayside so I'll stop trying and get on with it instead!

WelshWoofer

fedupandskint wrote: »

Yummy! Made the broccoli and stilton soup after thinking I might not be too keen on it as I don't really like the shop bought soups in this flavour and avoid it usually.

Well that was a nice surprise, it was lovely and not too overpowering in flavour at all and not those horrible bits in either. Worked out it prob cost around 40p per portion roughly - maybe less and got 7 portions out 3/4 of a head of broccoli, old chicken stock cubes and 1/3 of pack of stilton.

Weather still rubbish here miserable and rain and grey and cold so hoping it clears up before this afternoon's dog walk

Also final NSD of the year today totally 12 for Dec

How do you make the soup? I have broccoli and stilton in the fridge and could do with using them up.

I'm another one on a superfrugal grocery budget until payday on the 15th - I'll be using things up as much as I can and eating those things in the cupboard that always get overlooked because its easier to buy more stuff.

fedupandskint

WelshWoofer wrote: »

How do you make the soup? I have broccoli and stilton in the fridge and could do with using them up.

I'm another one on a superfrugal grocery budget until payday on the 15th - I'll be using things up as much as I can and eating those things in the cupboard that always get overlooked because its easier to buy more stuff.

It's this one - I left out the leek as I didn't have one in and it was lovely
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1940679/broccoli-and-stilton-soup

Enjoy!

WelshWoofer

I hate celery and don't have a leek but will give it a go anyway! I'll dry fry the onion so I can leave out the oil - fewer cals.
That's a job for tomorrow.
Thank you!

fedupandskint

I used 10ml of oil only - no need for anymore even a tsp would do next time

Tomorrow I am making this one:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2604646/creamy-tomato-soup

Now feeling very full after yorkshire pud leftover sausage casserole and veg and also have a chocolate fudge pud baking in the oven as my treaty pud for tonight which will stretch over the next few nights - naughty but nice with some low fat creme fraiche to make some amends!

Did do Extreme Shred L1 this afternoon after getting absolutely drenched while out with the dog, good job I am used to that from all the long walks in the hills in similar weather so at least I could smile about it at the time!

Tomorrow might do Shred again - will see

fedupandskint

Just had a brilliant thought - after feeling worse for all that chocolate I have consumed today I know its time for a break. How about this for a plan?

Instead of succumbing to my large bars of dairy milk or small bars or treat size bars I will put the money I would have spent on these into a new saving pot and use this to buy something nice for myself to make it worthwhile not eating all of this.

Savings/costs
Large bar - £3.49
Smaller size bar - £1.30
Treat size bar multipack - £1.20

Its getting a bit out of hand since I've been maintaining and there's no way I want to put any more weight back on. I'm going to extend my memebership of the plan I've been using at the end of Jan as its the thing that has helped me get this far and I worked out if I do this it will cost me less than £2 per week and that's well worth it as far as I'm concerned considering how much a ready meal curry costs or a takeaway.

Now this might be quite hard work for me to do but I'm giving it a go all the same. If those feelings of temptation kick in around the supermarket I will make myself put it down and put the money into the pot. I would really like to put this towards some new running trainers too.

Sorted out my running music again on my ipod after quite a long break so this is all ready to go. Also planned my workout plan for Jan so I know exactly what I am doing instead of not being sure and talking myself out of it. I am focusing on the training for the half marathon by increasing by 1/2 mile per week for Jan.

Well its time to sign off for this year and wish everyone a happy new year!