WTBSEs 'Starting From Scratch' Savings Diary.

JoJoC

Congratulations on your car passing it's MOT! It must be fabulous you be able up save something in January well done!

I've been a bit AWOL this week, work has been horrendous this week and I've been trying to keep on top of everything outside of work so there's not much time for anything else.

I managed to spend just £29 on food shopping last Sunday, but that's for just five days meals again as we are at a friends dinner party tonight and were at my parents on Wednesday as normal.

Also, I've noticed a nice difference in fuel recently. It normally cost me around £72 for a full tank which I needed twice per month but I filled up on Wednesday and it was £58. Fab. The price has come down locally from around 130p per litre to 104p so it's a nice saving.

I'm looking forward to seeing what I can save this month. My husband worked all last weekend so £260 went into the savings account. He's working this weekend too so hopefully I'll be able to do the same on Tuesday

Im making a baileys and toblerone cheesecake and a lemon and lime cheesecake for the dinner party we are going to tonight. Never made cheesecake before so I hope it turns out ok.

Hope everyone is well

WantToBeSE

Hi Jo.


I am jealous of how much you are able to save, I wish I could save more. But I suppose its good that I can at least save something


I have noticed the difference in fuel too. It costs £40 to fill my tank normally, but its only been costing about £30 a week, so that's very nice! Ours has gone down by the same amount that yours has I think, and is not at £1.04 per litre.


I am doing some extra work on Monday, and earning an extra £30 (not business related, its a private thing) so will put that in my 'school uniform pot' in the bank.
So I am going food shopping today instead of Monday. I don't think I have too much to buy. I've done a meal plan:


Saturday (today)- Carbonara
Sun- Garlic chicken, rice and salad
Mon- Vegan Chilli
Tues- Fish Pie
Wed- Pie/sausage and chips, with beans
Thurs- Leek and Chorizo risotto
Fri- White pasta (don't have any macaroni) and cauli cheese
Sat- Roast duck legs & potatoes, carrots and salad.


That should free up some space in my freezer too. I have lots of pastry and some sausage meat and beef skirt in my freezer and want to do some pasties and sausage rolls, but don't have any space in the freezer for them, so need to free some up first!


But, all of these plans mean 1 thing...I have to go and get dressed!

atush

I have managed to make my last tank last nearly 2 months, so I haven't even bought any of that cheap petrol yet but will fill the tank later today. Should be a lot cheaper than normal (my last fill was around 80 quid I think).

And I pay by DD for my fuel oil or heating cooking (huge house, oil fired rayburn) and with the price drop and warmer autumn, I just ogt back 1000 quid as I had been paying too much and have lowered the outgoing monthly DD. Normally I fall behind about now, but was way in credit.

that has gone into savings, but will be used to pay for an upcoming holiday I think.

WantToBeSE

Oh hec..£80 spent today! However, the cupboards and fridge freezer are full to bursting.


atush- that's a lovely lot of cash to be putting away for your holiday. Where are you off to, somewhere sunny?


I have done some baking today (granola and cheese biscuits). My new food processor makes very light work of any type of dough, including the cheese biscuit mixture. It is brilliant!


Have joined a brilliant group on FB called 'Frugal Homemaking and Living'.

atush

I am going home to the USA in april. Has been booked for a while, but turns out I have to back abt a week later in may cuz my niece is getting married.

Eco_Miser

WantToBeSE wrote: »

With that draught excluder tape, it is meant for doors that don't get opened much or will it be OK in the porch do you think?

It's plastic foam on a tape, what do you think? Should last a season.

I think similar stuff is sold on the DIY aisle of pound shops, and not-just-a-pound shops. Watch the length! (cheaper pack, but more per metre). Real DIY shops used to have springy copper strips to block the gap. They may still do.

WantToBeSE

Eco_Miser wrote: »

It's plastic foam on a tape, what do you think? Should last a season.

I think similar stuff is sold on the DIY aisle of pound shops, and not-just-a-pound shops. Watch the length! (cheaper pack, but more per metre). Real DIY shops used to have springy copper strips to block the gap. They may still do.

Lol, as long as it lasts until the cold weather is over, that is fine with me Apparently there might be some in poundland, so I'll take a look in there when I am next in the city.
http://www.poundland.co.uk/home-and-garden/diy/home-improvement/draught-exclusion-tape-2-pack Yes they do


I'm just having a nice quiet Sunday today, and then we are off swimming later The pool is always quiet on a Sunday evening, so that's when we prefer to go.

JoJoC

Your meal plan sounds lovely, I'll need to get onto mine and get to the shops pronto.

Good news about the extra earnings that you can stash away, every little helps. I Definitely won't be able to save this much regularly, I'm just enjoying it while the overtime is available for my husband. One of his colleagues has just left to go to another job and his boss is swamped so he is getting all the weekend work in the world for the next few weeks. It's good, but he's knackered and so am I (pregnant and looking after a two year old on my own is harder than I thought!). It's all worth it though.

My cheesecakes went down well at the dinner party last night, so I'm pleased about that. I'm heading down to pick up my little boy from his grandparents around lunch then going to a wedding fayre with my sister (shes getting married in 2017 and asked me to be matron of honou).

My friends also told us last night they're setting a date for 2017 too so it's all very exciting!

Enjoy your swimming

JoJoC

My meal plan for this week is:

Monday- eating out before movie night with friends
Tuesday- pasta and sauce (husband working late)
Thursday- Mince, potatoes and veg
Friday- chicken and bacon stew
Saturday- thai green curry with rice.

WantToBeSE

Good Afternoon All


What a painful 24 hours! I came home from work yesterday and promptly cut my hand open! It was really deep and blood was everywhere...you get the picture!


The paramedic came and took me to the MIU at it was glued back together. I was advised not to drive for at least 3 days.
Well, me being the silly plonker that I am, decided to go to work today.
NOT A GOOD IDEA!! It has reopened and is bleeding a bit again. So I have to go back this afternoon


I don't think i'll be able to work for the rest of the week


Oh, but on the plus side, I am hopefully going out on a date with the paramedic I gave him my number so just waiting for him to call. Fingers crossed!