Ultimate Challenge. 457 days / £16600!!!

NinjaSavingKat

HM you are right - you have to be careful and to be honest when my brother came to see me and needed a meat portion I bought the organic stuff as there is no butcher close where I was at the time. I wouldn't scrimp with quality when it comes to meat.....

And yes you are stumped then if the other half is not on board. I have also heard that TEV beans are gross....

his_missus

Most basic beans are foul to be honest!

Basic frozen veg is fine, usually the pieces are just smaller or less uniform in shape, pasta's ok, may need a few mins more cooking time than branded, never tried rice as I always buy boil in bag (cos I'm lazy) but think I will next time.

I'll see what I can get away with regarding Hubby. Only pain is he comes shopping with me so I can't disguise or hide food.

My mum used to buy cheap ketchup and pour it into a Heinz bottle - it fooled my sister for years!

NinjaSavingKat

his_missus wrote: »

I'll see what I can get away with regarding Hubby. Only pain is he comes shopping with me so I can't disguise or hide food.

My mum used to buy cheap ketchup and pour it into a Heinz bottle - it fooled my sister for years!

This last quote made me snort with laughter in the office. I swear people eat with their eyes. How dare hubby be so helpful...:rotfl:you just can win sometimes can you!

I have rice in my imaginary backet - although it's white (which is REALLY bad for you) I am going to risk it for a month as it can double for rice pudding rice as well with some soya milk and fruit...

Jack Monroe has some very simple kidney bean falafel recipe that she has perfected... and yes I agree with the frozen veg although I am wondering if the corn is as sweet as the "other" brands. Bland corn is "bluuuergh" to say the least. Almost as bad as beans.

I want more stories about your Mum though - what else did she get up to..?

his_missus

I don't mind the sweetcorn though I usually add a bit of butter once it's cooked (I do with any brand of sweetcorn) so I don't really notice a difference in taste.

My sister was a real label snob, in fact she still is now. All table sauces were in branded bottles but filled with budget brands. Shampoo and conditioner too. Heaven knows what else that I don't know about! It was before the days of recycling so tins and bottles went straight in the bin never to be seen

The only thing I could taste the difference in was baked beans so mum always bought Heinz for me.

Oh, I have to take Hubby shopping with me as he drives and I don't:D

LoveaDove

Kat- Re: Supermarkets upping prices. The thing that gets to me is when Mr T's sends those lovely discount vouchers through the post on the items you regularly buy. Being a DFW nerd, I am very aware of price increase/decreases of my favourite products, so a discount voucher (or extra points) is always super exciting (sad). However, in my experience, on the majority of occasions where I have considered using these vouchers I have noticed that the supermarket has kindly increased the price of the product by the 'discounted' amount or the value of the 'extra points.' To which you are buying the products effectively at their 'normal' price, thinking you are getting a bargain and feeling somewhat positively towards the supermarket and their thoughtfulness. :mad:

I find supermarkets very overwhelming- bright lights, lots of colour, sales, cleverly placed offers, lots of people, trollies and children etc... In fact they are completely overstimulating and just chocker block full of stuff that you are being told you need. My only survival method is take a list, get in and get out before I get engulfed by the sales brain washing or begin shouting about the constant subliminal manipulation!

That aside, some of the supermarket value brands are excellent for those on a tight budget. Mr T's Favourites of mine are: 18p value ketchup, 33p pack of 4 low-fat fruit yogs, value soya milk- 59p for a litre, custard creams- 35p, box of tea bags- 27p (weak but great if you're low on cash, just left mine to brew for longer), jar of jam- 29p, box of cornflakes- 31p, tin of spaghetti- 15p, (I agree about the beans though- grim and are mostly sauce!), stock cubes- 20p, bag of pasta-29p and the majority of the tinned stuff (toms, fruit, fish etc). a lot of the frozen stuff is good value. I would get fish and quorn when it was on offer though. Value and own brand got me through very tough times, not forgetting those amazing yellow sticker beauties! I still buy value now, even now the pressure has eased off. The power of advertising is mind-blowing. (I love anything psychological though being a Psychology Grad). :cool:

What Value stuff have you tried, tested and would recommend?

NinjaSavingKat

LoveaDove wrote: »

I find supermarkets very overwhelming- bright lights, lots of colour, sales, cleverly placed offers, lots of people, trollies and children etc... .............. Value and own brand got me through very tough times, not forgetting those amazing yellow sticker beauties!.........

What Value stuff have you tried, tested and would recommend?

This is a very interesting post LoveaDove and I would love to hear more. When you say tough times - what do you mean? How low did you go so to speak..? I have never had what could be classed as hard times - my Dads income is from self-employment and where I can guarantee I have a certain amount of money per week for food my Mummy said it's hard when you have know idea how much money you would have.. so harking back to my childhood I am happy on lentils and rice with broccoli. Nowt fancy but at least these challenges stand me in good stead should anything go up the creak..

I am a psychology graduate as well so your comments are basically hitting the nail on the head about what I think as well. They want to bedazzle people into thinking that they need everything that is on offer and sadly a lot of people fall for it. I take a list and take my time - I can't rush and I have to be in a good mood and well fed otherwise I am liable to beat children and whack-a-granny...

Did you notice a difference in the standard of your eating when you were using EDV? There are things you can't get on EDV and quorn is one of them but beans are just as good when squished and formed into falafel..:)

It's clearly all the junk food that's on offer. Amazing that a packet of biscuits could be reduced to 70p when 1 pepper is 80p.

Before I went vegan those yoghurt's were a staple.. I buy everything I can as basic bar milk (I like almond milk), jam, honey, porridge oats, flour as long as it isn't for bread, raisins, kidney beans - I buy any quorn on special offer cause the sausages can be cut up into anything, quorn can be cut into strips and fried etc..Bread is always yellow sticker and never over 50p unless it's Burgens then I am happy to pay 65p as it goes in my freezer.

But in keeping with my frugal life, despite being 30 years of age I absolutely love getting care packages from my mum back home.. Please see picture attached...

I have made a "possibly basket" at Tesco worth £15 which is enough for 2 weeks at least if I am inventive. However this does not include fruit and veg... I intend to get my spending back down from £100 to £80 a month and be a little more sensible although my £100 has only been for three months...

All this food stuff is a serious eye opener...

NinjaSavingKat

Good Day one and all. It's Friday and I am at work until 1900. Deep joy.

On a much better note - the debt has reduced considerably. I was stashing Mummy's contributions in another account and hoping to whack it all on on top at the very last minute. This was beginning to drive me nuts although I was waiting to see if the bulk payment of £1000 last month affected the interest charge at all -only to realise that the interest is added every 3 months which is the end of next month.

Way to impatient to wait I have added everything I have, including the £141 from the old landlady...

This brought the amount right down and I am waiting Mummy's next transfer which will go on top....

I am pleased as punch - all in all out of that amount only £2327 is what I have to find on my own. This will be done now with ease as I have secured more OT... and have a projection of about £1000 a month for October and November...

I am tired, exhausted, I have put on a little weight but I am remaining positive. I am certainly not stressed and really quite enjoying my journey.

The Australian embassey wrote back. They want $60 to replace my citizenship certificate and it will take 2-3 months. This is going to be a priority now as it means I can apply for my actual Australian passport in the New Year - glad I decided to get the ball rolling.

I have also decided this thread / diary will close on the 31/01/13 and a new one (possible blog or website) will open to chart my progress from debt free and skint to super saving traveller Kat.... "£8000 in 8 months".... That should be interesting... :rotfl:

Thats my news so far... a little something fun will be added to Septembers challenge but I haven't told them yet...:T:T:T

LoveaDove

NSK- I'm heading off to my festival in a mo- will catch up with you in a few days with a big post-age. Those goodies look absolutely scrumptious!! Lovely Mummy NSK! Have a great weekend and a HUGE well done on the massive debt reduction!!

NinjaSavingKat

LoveaDove wrote: »

NSK- I'm heading off to my festival in a mo............

Lucky Mare...:p:p:p

Siouxsie32

Loving the plummeting numbers Kat :T:T:T:T That'll be big fat zero before you know it!

Fab news that your wanderlust is being realised - loving your plans! Having an Australian passport is fantastic. It's such an expensive place to be so having an Ozzie income will change your life. In fact, the whole journey will change your life! Super excited for you :dance:

£8000 in 8 months is a whole lot easier than paying off £8000 of debt in 8 months which you've managed rather successfully so by August, I bet you'll have the £8000 saved plus you'll have paid for your trip and all the necessary red tape stuff (plus have some left over )

Your journey is still similar to mine so I'll (of course) still follow your inspirational journey whether it's in blog form or your own website. I'd urge you to start another MSE diary though as you have built up quite a following and inspire a lot of people...not to mention keeping me company on my final year of debt busting. Funnily enough, I had been considering starting my own diary on 1 January to chart my final year. Hmm, shall ponder that one.....

My debt busting has hit a temporary wall as my ability to turn down trips isn't quite as strong as yours. I've booked a trip to the States next month and feel as though I can justify it (rather than make excuses for it as I may have done in the past). Instead of paying extra money to my debt this month as I have done over the last year, I paid off the trip in full and have spending money set aside as well so there's no danger of it being added to the pile of money I owe and forgotten about. I did say last month that the remaining money I owe from this challenge (as in my signature) would be paid off by the end of August but heck, it can wait another month. I'm still ahead of my own challenge and it's a one off! It's my friend's birthday during the trip and we're flying in from all over the world (my friends are fairly scattered and we don't get to see each other very often). The last time we were all together was 10 years ago (and one of the group has since died). When I weighed it all up, I decided it's more important for me to nurture the relationships in my life and be a month behind on my (self imposed) debt free date than it is for me to be debt free one month ahead of where I would be if I didn't go on this trip. As you are Kat, I'm a master at pulling magic out of the bag when required so I'm relatively confident that my debt free date won't change, but if it does than I'm okay with that.

Phew, that was a lengthy explanation (did it sound like an excuse?). I think all I meant was that I'm not just going on holiday willy nilly and talking about paying off my debt whilst adding to it.

In other news, I'm on my 7th vegan day and feeling fab for it. This I'm sure will all change when I next have to travel for work (sometimes it's difficult getting a vegetarian meal in some of the places I have to stay, veganism will be like a foreign language to them!) but I'll definitely keep it up when I'm at home.

Can't wait to see the "fun" element of the September challenge - to me it's all fun :rotfl: