January's Big Financial Freeze!!!

Ninno820

mayfair1985 wrote: »

Also, did someone on last months challenge post the fool proof way to cook rice? I usually get the 'in the bag' jobbies as i've never had much success with the other stuff. If someone could jog my memory that would be ace

Happy Saturday!!!

After rinsing the rice in running water to remove any starch, I normally put water in - twice the amount of rice - and let it boil. I then turn the heat off and put the lid on the saucepan. Around twenty minutes later the water has been absorbed and the rice is nice and fluffy.

If I've read the rules correcty then today should be NSD4 for me. I just need to pop out and put some petrol in the car but will update my signature on my return - just to make sure that I wasn't tempted by anything else!

In terms of the alcohol debate I hardly drink anything - and am now known for it. I agree - it can cause some harsh comments but my friends are now used to it and I tend to excuse myself at the hour where the drunkeness is tipping over! I also tend not to volunteer too ofetn to be the driver. A two hour drive back from a works do with a drunken colleague "hugging" my neck from behind scared me somewhat!

On a different note has anyone noticed that your homes are benefitting from having you for longer? All of this "staying in" and not coming home with more carp is resulting in a tidyier home. I now have a lounge fit to welcome any unexpected guest and am starting on the office and hallway today. Long may this continue.

Good luck to everyone - please keep posting - reading everyone's replies helps me to keep focussed. xx

beckyboo1980_2

Ninno820 wrote: »

On a different note has anyone noticed that your homes are benefitting from having you for longer? All of this "staying in" and not coming home with more carp is resulting in a tidyier home. I now have a lounge fit to welcome any unexpected guest and am starting on the office and hallway today. Long may this continue.

Know exactly what you mean!!! Not going out so much in an effort to save fuel has resulted in me becoming a bit of a domestic goddess! Have much more time to be tidying and cleaning and because I am in the house more, I am much more concious of keeping it clean and tidy. Clean and clear house seems to help me feel in control of other parts of my life.

Also know what you mean about how reading others posts is keeping you on track and motivated. I have had my computer on hibernate for the last few days and must check in on this thread up to a dozen times a day. I suppose in a way its become my new obsession! As opposed to eating or spending!!!

Just had a heated discussion with my hubby about lottery tickets. This is not something I have budgeted for and he just came and asked where he could get cash for a lottery ticket. I said its not budgeted and today is a NSD but he keeps telling me we only need one ticket to win the lottery and then we wouldn't be having to worry about this - HELP!!! What do you all do? Do you play te lotteryand budget it in? Is it just another expense with too tiny chances of winning to justify the spend?

So, dependent on question mark over lottery ticket, I am planning another NSD today. Really trying hard not to spend anything till Monday now when I will be hitting Lidls and the petrol station.

Have 13 items ending on ebay today, but are all relists and none have any bids yet:mad:
Good luck today everyone
XXX

poodlegal

Ninno820 wrote: »

On a different note has anyone noticed that your homes are benefitting from having you for longer? All of this "staying in" and not coming home with more carp is resulting in a tidyier home. I now have a lounge fit to welcome any unexpected guest and am starting on the office and hallway today. Long may this continue.
x

Er, no..... But I have the excuse of 3 kids, 4 dogs 2 cats and 2 cockatiels !:eek: Most people who visit me know not to take their shoes of at the door:o

gien

Today was meant to be NSbut I realised that it's twelfth night so I wanted to get a 'Galette des Rois' for tonight- it's a once a tear tradition for us. So I decided to move my shopping day forward and spent 99€ giving a monthly total of 131.54. We should havd enough for a lot of meals and next SM shop won't be before next Friday.

I used a voucher for 17€ towards the bill, so I'll use that towards my extra pennies.

Learning2Budget

Good shop done today as i needed to go to chemist for pain killers. So have done everything for week n a bit £85.96 spent. But will have some batch made stuff in freezer after that. Eeek must try harder next time.x

mayfair1985

Just pit stopping between shops! £8.00 down, 2x shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste and cotton buds (still need razors, hate the £ shop ones, that's gonna take me £1.70 over the £5 allowed for beauty bad times....) 2x Loaf tins and 2 x toys for a birthday coming up next week. LOVE the £ shop. Also, got a voucher for £1 off my next £10 spend. YAY!

Sholly

Just checking in...still on NSD number 3. Went swimming with my littlie yesterday so that cost 60p+20p for the locker, then put £20 of liquid gold in the car. Today I need to go to the shops for toilet roll and washing powder (there are some things I just cannot do without!!) but will be bulk buying at the cash and carry so they'll last for months. I've been batch-cooking so much that the freezer is about to burst so I've taken all the things out of the tubs they were in and have wrapped the blocks in clingfilm instead which has saved loads of room :j it's the little achievements!!

Have a good weekend,

Sholly x

Sholly

Oh and regarding the drinking, I hardly drink now either, I get the most horrendous hangovers now, I can waste a whole weekend feeling poorly and sorry for myself and it's my own fault. It's like paying someone 40quid for flu!! No thank you!!

Sholly x

MinnyMoo

Wow this thread moves fast.

Well the NSD's aren't going so well. Thursday I bought some big storage mouseproof boxes to store some things in. I wouldn't have bought them had it not been for the discovery of mouse poo in our house. Fortunately Mum had traps on hand. £7.62
Friday my boss seemed to be offering me free food (one of my jobs is in a takeaway) and then when it was ready charged me for it, hmmm I won't be falling for that again. £3.00
Today I went into the our local town to do various bits, banked xmas money, bought the cheapest calendar I could find £2.49 and 2x 1st class stamps £1.20 for birthday cards this month. Food shopping done today too - a whopping £56.89, going to be extra careful the rest of the month and petrol £15.01.

Really need to make a start on the ebay but have got lots of paperwork to do for my business first. Neither are fun

nimbo

I got a £25 partial refund on my new netbook - so that hes helped me towards my total - As I was already at Tesco I figured I would pick up some bits that I needed - so have a chicken curry on, and will make sausage casserole on tomorrow - both things that I needed ingredients to make - as I have been getting really bored of pasta...I even treated myself to a couple of jacket spuds...

However if I'm massively careful this will get me through to the 18th (except milk and maybe a few veges)....