6 grand in 6 months - my personal challenge!

andrar

Tar for all the app info - I'll have a search through tonight and see what I can find.

Well done on all the batch cooking CR! Very impressive.

debtfreeby30:S

That's some good going on the batch cooking!! I may look at doing something similar over the bank holiday weekend to keep me occupied!! What do you freeze everything in? Just basic tupperware?

cottage_retreatist

Morning people!!!
Thank you! It did take a while-I wanted to do more but ran out of space in the freezer!! Contemplating a second freezer for the cupboard under the stairs!!!

I just used ice cream and margarine tubs I had stored and also got some of those takeaway freezer foil tubs from the pound shop-6 for a pound to make the lasagnes in so they could go straight into the oven and they were the perfect shape for a two-person helping!!!

It was very easy going-the chopping was the worst bit and the washing up but otherwise it was all bubble bubble on the hob while I browsed the net! Hoping it doesn't hinder the gas bill in the long term!!!!! :eek:

Got so much grub now-I'm not sure what to get out for supper tonight!!!! :rotfl: think well try the veg lasagne!!!!

Have a good day all-urgh, can't believe it's Monday again already!!!!

Xx

cottage_retreatist

OK - so just when I thought we were all smiling and happy something comes to kick us in the guts and reminds us we're still at the start of our debt-free journey as my new thread here proves:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4745107

with OH being harassed by some b*stard s*it-pie debt collection agency!!!! (apologies!)

I don't know how these people can sleep at night knowing how much stress they put people under with their scaremonger tactics of saying 'we will pass you details onto our home collections agency' - what details? We haven't even received a letter through the post from you!!!! haha!!! It drives me CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad::mad::mad:

*deep breath* - ok - but otherwise. All is good! haha!
we have got sky down to only 37 per month for sky tv (inc entertainment extra+, HD, broadband and phone) which they offered us to stay, even though I was all for cancelling TV until they said if you don't take the offer then phone and broadband alone will be 27 because there is a 5 quid surcharge for people who don't use the sky tv service!!!! Incredible but true!!! :mad:

So I stayed - for all the hassle its worth but that is a 20 quid reduction on what we paid last month so deffo success!!

I'm off to eat a freezer meal veg lasagne -looks like its going to be a tough few months so I'm glad the freezer is at least stocked up!!!!! :eek:

andrar

Stick with it CR, we all have our tough moments and you're doing ridiculously well do keep going! And take the advice from the other thread about the DCA - wait for a letter and do it all in writing. It may take longer but it means you're covered.

cottage_retreatist

thanks andrar!!

we're going to wait. oh the dream of being debtfree when no one has any claims to my time or more importantly my money!!!!!

Not much on the debt-busting side today as payday has gone, and now just waiting for the next one after bank holiday!!!

xx

cottage_retreatist

Haha! It's true! They keep sending me emails saying they haven't seen me for a while! Too right! They're never going o get my custom again-those money grabbing . . .!!!! You get the picture I'm sure!!!! :rotfl::rotfl:

We are living from our giant freezer meal marathon-going well and good variety too and I love the reduced amount if washing up we do as the food just needs to be reheated.

Spent some money at the supermarche getting some tomatoes to make a salad to go with freezer spag Bol-mmmm tasty! I, starting to feel all autumnal with the weather getting a bit more bluster and overcast and I'm visiting family this weekend-apples are ready to pick, hoping the plums will be too for a jam-making marathon!!!

Prep the pantry-the storms are coming!!!!:rotfl:
Hope you're all well

C-R x

cottage_retreatist

so payday is come and gone and after all the calculations I'm left with 20 quid until the 13th (OH's payday!!! :eek:) This is mostly because of my over-payments on CCs going up this month and also the water bill going out (payments every 6 months).

It's also because I cracked and needed to buy a new skirt and underwear cause my most of my clothes are rags - you've never seen so many holes in clothing!!! so this was an extra 60 quid :mad:

But - we still have a healthy supply of food in the freezer from the batch cookathon (having a spag bol with salad for supper today) and since visiting the family I now have a larder FULL of jams. So far it looks like this:

• x10 jars of strawberry and rhubarb jelly
• x16 jars of plum and apple jelly
• x12 jars of blackberry, plum and vanilla jelly

(I like jelly better than jams cause it means i don't need to bother stoning the plums or coring the apples and i can chuck whatever into the stockpot knowing it'll get sorted when it's strained!!!!)

i currently have a spicy plum and apple jelly straining to be boiled with sugar and the aim is to then do:

• boozy sloe gin jelly (from straining the sloe gin we steeped last year)
• apple and elderberry jelly (from elderberries in the freezer)

these two may have to wait though as I have exhausted my glass jar supply and my sugar supply!!! :rotfl:

Phew!!! Carried 10kg each of plums and apples on the train from visiting the family over bank holiday and picking these and the blackberries form the trees/bushes in the garden!!! Nice bit of exercise for OH carrying them from the station to home :rotfl:

Got a blister or two on my fingers from the exertion though!!!!! Ooh, it's tough work stockpiling!!!!!!!!

cottage_retreatist

payday was such a damp squib can it be that I actually feel as though we have less money than we did a few days ago?!!!

Haha! But it's good - i was getting sloppy with this saving money malarky - going to visit family can have that effect!

The reminder of why I'm doing all this? A close friend showing us what can only be described as MY dream house and saying 'I'm going to buy that'.

OK - wow!!! I mean, they have money and are secure so I say go for it and good luck but without knowing it they plunged a knife straight into my heart - envy is a terrible thing and I tend to get it quite bad sometimes! One of my awful (secret) character traits! But - it made me think - this is why I'm doing it, this is why I'm going to try and have 10 NSDs until the 13th September - because then I can do all the things I want!!! :cool:

So, even though we have 20 quid until the next payday I say bring it on B*tches!!!! The only chink in my armour - the OH! This is going to be a study in good partner management :rotfl:

Currently we have no milk and no potatoes (so versatile!) so today will have to be a spend day (9 quid hopefully as will need his tobacco as well - will get a big pack - i currently have some change in my purse which should cover this so won't crack my 20 quid spend limit on my card) but hopefully no more spending for the rest of the week!!

Here we go . . . . . . . [time to join the September step-up!] Wish me luck!!!!!!!!!!

HOK3Y

Good for you - turning envy into motivation. Bloomin well done! You have so much positive energy in your diary. It's inspiring to read and you've beaten your monthly targets consistently. That has to feel great!