MollyMischief's Money Muddles

Emmala

brizzledfw wrote: »

Hi Molly

Just popping in. You seem like you're coping very well. What a shock for you and your OH. Well done on your getting a suitable job, that's great news.

Keep on posting. The guys and gals on here are really supportive. I know
I couldn't do without them..:D

Have a good week.

Thanks brizzle....is it too weird to say I wake up to you every morning???!!!!:eek: I'm a subscriber.....lurker rather than poster, but I love following your diary and reading about what you're up to and of course the amazing progress you've made so far x

Ali-OK

MollyMischief wrote: »

For my bolognase I use onion and garlic, plus whatever I have in the fridge.....courgette, green pepper, celery....just chop/dice it all finely and it will cook fine. I dice a carrot or two and cook these in the microwave while I cook the rest in a pan. Add the mince, chuck in some mixed herbs, an oxo cube and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, and the carrots when cooked. I use passata, or Lidl pasta sauce (76p a jar). This is then ready as bolognase, or the bottom of a shepherd's pie, or just add chilli powder and kidney beans for chilli. Always worth taking a portion off to freeze as topping for a baked potato too!

Brilliant, thank you for all that. I'm a bit of a simple cook, so good to find ways to get more out of chilli and bolognese. Think that's going to be Thursday (with work tomoz and Wednesday).

I need to make biscuits as I've just been to SB for planned spend of shower gel and blue loos and bravely walked away from the packs of sweets for Halloween Trick or Treaters.

We get alot knock here. Perhaps if we have all lights off and just a few candles they'll think we're out and the dogs barking will frighten then off? They tend to be older kids now and not the littlies dressed up with parents chaperoning them.

Emmala

Ali-OK wrote: »

Brilliant, thank you for all that. I'm a bit of a simple cook, so good to find ways to get more out of chilli and bolognese. Think that's going to be Thursday (with work tomoz and Wednesday).

I need to make biscuits as I've just been to SB for planned spend of shower gel and blue loos and bravely walked away from the packs of sweets for Halloween Trick or Treaters.

We get alot knock here. Perhaps if we have all lights off and just a few candles they'll think we're out and the dogs barking will frighten then off? They tend to be older kids now and not the littlies dressed up with parents chaperoning them.

I hate Halloween, this year DD is going out with her friend (and her Dad) as her best friend is moving away and this will be the last time they do it round here. That means I'm hoping for a repeat of last year.....DH can take the boys out while I sit in the dark enjoying the peace and quiet! Lots of houses decorate round here too which is lovely, I just don't like masks and dressing up so only go out if I have to!

On a bit of a low today, don't know why. DH is out at a job interview so I'm pottering......which roughly translates as rearranging the kitchen! But, in a good way......getting the casserole dish out on a shelf rather than in the back of the corner cupboard, making sure my recipe books are to hand and trying to find some space somewhere to store the hot water bottles! They usually live in the airing cupboard, but DH came up with the idea that in the winter they would be better in the kitchen......don't tell him I said this, but the man makes a good point!! (for once......:rotfl:)

Also organising candle, tea lights and torches. We have two decent torches but they need batteries and a home which is accessible but out of DS2 who likes to use them as light sabres!:o Bless him. (he's only 5 by the way!) DD just mentioned they are doing the Home Safety badge at Brownies when they go back, so I've talked her through where the keys are, and how to escape from upstairs if she needed to. Not a nice conversation, but actually it's probably one we should all sit down and have together.

Right, best get back to it. I've had a read of some diaries and while it's awesome how well some people are doing, a little bit of me gets a bit despondent because we have let ourselves get into this mess and don't have the kind of incomes that some others have to make rapid progress. But, one day we'll get there I'm sure.

Have a good day everyone,
Molly xx

Ali-OK

Hi MM

Sorry to read how you're feeling - sending some DFW hugs and support your way. You're doing the best you can and very well too, it's quite reasonable to have bumps in the journey and that positivity will bounce back soon.

I think we shall do the 'in the dark' for Halloween too. It's an expense and event I don't feel guilty about opting out of. DS never got into dressing up and knocking - he did it once with another parent and a few school friends but was scared out in the dark. At 13, he's 'not bovvered' !

We did carve a pumpkin a couple of years ago and sat it out on the patio watching it lit with a tea light, only for one of the dogs to go out and !!!! his leg over it :rotfl:

Well done on all your re-organising and DH's suggestion on the water bottles (I'll stay mum on it :rotfl:). A good reminder for me to find ours too - they are in the utility room cupboard somewhere amongst household bits and bobs, the light bulbs and other stuff that needs tidying up.

DS has a solar torch which is brill and has 2 quite bright white lights from it. It was about £3 but can't remember where from (Wilkos possibly). I did it as a stocking filler years ago and it's about the only one in the house that works now. It's kept in his 'gadget drawer' so I can at least borrow it when I need to. Aww, sounds like your DS is a Star Wars fan? Certainly mine was at 5 (and older - you could probably tell from the Lego Star Wars stuff he had, but has grown out of now).

I will need some more candles soon too. No surprise after our epic candle burning evenings last week! I wanted to get through my list of jobs before darkness fell so I could have another candle eve, but no luck on that one.

I think its good her Brownie badge has prompted the safety chat. I've drummed everything into DS, though he has not been impressed with the number of times the hall smoke alarm has gone off due to my cooking :rotfl:

Hope you feel brighter about things soon and DHs interview went well.

Emmala

Got to the cinema this morning, only to find the whole complex shut due to storm damage! Cue three very disappointed kids. Not sure whether to rebook for later in the week in case it's still shut, and either way need to arrange a full refund for the tickets we'd booked!

Instead I have been to the SM to get the bits I need for xmas baking tomorrow. I wrote out the ingredients for the cake and the pudding, crossed off what I already had so I didn't buy stuff I already had in the cupboard. Used my nectar points to pay, I save them through the year for the xmas bake, and any left go towards the Christmas food shop in December.

Popped into the 99p charity shop and got a board game for the kids (DD's choice), am pleased to report all the bits are in the box, so they are busy at the dining room table playing with that. Also picked up a purple Mantaray jumper for me, and a spotty top ready for the dress up in something spotty for Children in Need at school......I do so hate dressing up!!!:rotfl:

Right, onwards and upwards. The sun is shining today so I have lots and lots of washing on the line, including some hardly worn converse boots for ebay (DS1 insisted on them for his birthday, then could never be bothered to unlace enough to put on so they didn't get much wear at all, now they don't fit!). Got a couple of bids on things on the bay of e, so that's all good. Fingers crossed for some more, then I can use the paypal account to cover the cost of the kids xmas presents. How many weeks left ??? 9??? 10???? I have a feeling it will be here before we know it!:eek:

Have a good day all,
Molly

Ali-OK

Good morning!

Hope you have a great time with your Mum and baking today.

What a pain with the cinema - might be best to find out when they are re-open before booking more tickets? A shame if its not during half term though.

I used my CC for the Quidco cashback in Cineworld here last night and we took our own drinks. Decided to go during the evening to save on home heating and lighting

A fruitful trip into the charity shop there too and hopefully kept the children occupied for a good while.

Fingers crossed the eBay bids keep climbing.

Have a great day.

Emmala

Well, today was Christmas Baking Day....one pudding and one cake all ready to develop in flavour in time for the big day (well, xmas eve in our house as we have our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve!). Going halves with my mum so that's saved a bit.....and she treated us all to a fish and chip lunch today while they were baking!!

Not much else to report on the money saving front, though I have another item with a bid on ebay which is always good to see!!

Need to check the banking later, I try to go online every two days or so to keep an eye on things. Also need to find a way of managing the day to day finances to let us keep a tighter grip on our spending.

Still no news on the job front for DH. Interview on Monday went well, but he won't know for a week or two if they want him back for a second interview. Such a slow process!!

Ali-OK

Great your Mum went halves on the cooking and a free lunch too, a nice bonus. DS got a free tea at my mum's tonight as well. We love our Mums!

Fab news on eBay too. Hope for more tomorrow.

Don't know if it would help, but I use spreadsheets that mirror my bank account with all the usual DDs/SOs etc and then I insert any debit card use/cash withdrawals and have a running total column so I know exactly what I've got at any point in time and am ahead of the bank. Different colours for types of bill (utilities, debt payments, etc).

Separate spreadsheet for my credit card which has fuel, work, personal, DS (he pays me the cash) that I update with each spend too and then I put the total into next month's budget sheet so I can see the month ahead too.

Fingers and toes crossed for positive news for DH. It's good he's getting interviews just need that one step further to an offer.

Emmala

Today we got to the cinema with the kids, £12.75 for the five of us, and I gave the kids £1 from their pocket money (from my Dad, he gives them pocket money each week) to buy something to take from the corner shop before we went. They're now out and about, trick or treating with friends while I enjoy some peace, in the dark, at home!

My friend gave me a lovely cardigan today which she didn't like as it's got 3/4 length sleeves, so that's nice and gives me an extra for going back to work next week. I went through my wardrobe this week, and I have enough to be going on with (mostly charity shop finds!) but oh how I wish I wasn't pushing middle age with the spread to match!!! WHY oh why didn't I wear the clothes I used to think I was too fat for when I was young and thin????:rotfl::rotfl: I guess having three big babies has done it for my waistline, but it makes me feel so dumpy I could cry. Which I should probably do actually, as what I usually do when I want to cry is eat! :eek: I'm hoping that going back to work will help actually, as I won't be at home nibbling as much.....:o

So, November tomorrow! My plan is to take out £350 for the housekeeping and make it last......cupboards are well stocked, the cats have plenty of Iams, and the toiletries drawer is full so I'm hoping we get through without blowing the budget. I will get paid this month which will help a lot as the savings are dwindling big time and DH still has no news about a new job.

Trying to find the NOvember info, if not may well do a version of my own....no diet coke, no chocolate, no take aways, no spending! Pretty much covers it I think!!!

Emmala

Not much to report today, it's rained on and off so another day of kids lazing about....not that they're complaining!!

Checked the bank earlier, and this month will take us into our overdraft, although I have money in an Isa to top it back up for December.....come January though I think things will start nose diving quite quickly unless DH gets a job in the next few weeks.

Took £250 out of the cashpoint, planning on doing November on £350 for all housekeeping so will get the other £100 when/if I need it. Paid in the bagged up change which came to £22, not to be sniffed at!

Also gave a bag of DDs clothes to a friend today and took three big bags to the charity shop. House is certainly looking better as no shopping means that getting rid of stuff is starting to notice! :T

I am thinking we need to sit the kids down for a chat though, not so much DS2 as he's too young to understand, but the others need to be 'aware' of things now. I don't want to worry them, but I think they need to know that they simply can't just ask for things, or at least understand why we're giving them a hard time about eating everything on their plates etc.

Gloomy all round here, both mood and weather!! Going to the local pub later for a friends birthday drinks, but it's walking distance and I'll only take a tenner with me so won't be able to go mad and spend too much!