Pay Off Before Lay Off!

Goldiegirl

Hi Hbbb!

I signed up with TCB and £co a few months ago.

I haven't really bought much online recently, so I've only used TCB the once ( and last time I looked, I hadn't received the cash back)

I'm like you, I can't work out whether to stick with one, or use both. I suppose the most efficient way would to be check both sites and use the one with the best cash back for the thing to want to buy. But on the other hand, it can be time consuming to research purchases online, researching the best cash back could be a few clicks too far.

I'll probably just stick with TCB.

hope you are having a good weekend

Habibiboo

:wave:

Hi to everyone!

apple_muncher wrote: »

The jumper WILL still fit dd....! It was always long in the body and I've not even cast on for the sleeves yet, so it may reach her butt instead of covering it now!

Hope all is manageable in the Hbbb household + menagerie, and that work is treating you both fairly x

Glad all the work so far on the jumper won't be wasted A*M!
We're plodding on thanks, although work is a four letter word around here! x

Goldiegirl wrote: »

Hi Hbbb!

I signed up with TCB and £co a few months ago.

I haven't really bought much online recently, so I've only used TCB the once ( and last time I looked, I hadn't received the cash back)

I'm like you, I can't work out whether to stick with one, or use both. I suppose the most efficient way would to be check both sites and use the one with the best cash back for the thing to want to buy. But on the other hand, it can be time consuming to research purchases online, researching the best cash back could be a few clicks too far.

I'll probably just stick with TCB.

hope you are having a good weekend

Thanks Goldie ... checking both is exactly what I've been doing so I think you're right that it's the efficient way forwards. I have cashback currently pending with both of them, so I'll stick with them for the time being.

Weekend is sunny, thank heavens! Hope it's good where you are too. x

Habibiboo

:wave:

Slightly AWOL for a few days, life's a little odd at the moment (but aren't we all)? So, since my last update:

MFW action:

* £62 MOP made (I know, silly odd number but it fitted the accounts)! So, AA day 30 / 100 = £ 632 / £ 2,000 (so much for getting it rounded up nicely)!

* Only 2 NSDs since my last update. Aiming for 5 in a row next week (won't include today as account sort out requires payment malarkey)!

* Deliciously thrifty meal-plan done, will post later when I've double checked veg situation.


Grey Clouds:

* GP appointment didn't go as well as I had hoped.

* Mr. Hbbb has revealed a little personal cashflow problem to do with his account / general spendiness on his trips away etc, resulting in a hefty overdraft debt. He'd written down all of his info ready for approaching the subject and has asked me to take control of his account as I'm doing so well with the mortgage. It wasn't pretty to look at but I came up with a thrifty plan to rescue him but it does severely limit MOP capacity.
((Poor Mr. Hbbb, it really wasn't an easy thing for him to do / admit))
Needless to say he's on board with every thrifty plan we now have, with a song (and relief) in his heart. He's even volunteered to get rid of the car if necessary and he'll walk to work, but we'll save that for plan B or C, I think!

So, on the whole, the Autumn Austerity push is going to be even more austere. In all honesty, I think I may even have to reduce the target amount for MOPs to £1,000. We'll see. I'll start with a M - F no spend aim for the week and take it from there!

Silver Linings:

* United we stand!
* Hens are mad in a delightful way.
* We've sorted a thrifty way to finish front garden makeover too, as Mr. Hbbb was half way through it (in the it's looking worse before better stage), so that's a little project to keep him out of mischief.

Daily Declutter:

* Pile of papers up to hen house.
* Pile of study / work bobbins shredded.
* Surplus crafting bobbins posted to friend.
* Old dresser runner upcycled by bleaching it so it's a snowy white linen, then crocheting beaded lace edge to the front of it. Now using it in living room to cover scratch on a shelf front. Very happy with this.
Have also been continuing yarn use up from stash by finishing granny squares blanky and have updated that total in signature!
Total 294 / 365.

Simple pleasures:

* Washing drying beautifully in this wind!
* Long phone chat with mum.
* Being told it's OK to "rest".

Hope everyone else is OK and has sunshine for their weekend too! ((hugs if you need them, plenty going around here!)) x

apple_muncher

You have quite a full plate to deal with at the mo, Hbbb. Do take care and don't overload yourself/selves. I hope to read that you are taking more time off, chilling out, spending time doing lovely together things.

Well done to Mr Hbbb to share the problem and seek a solution together. And well done you for not putting him in the hen house for a week or so!

Habibiboo

apple_muncher wrote: »

You have quite a full plate to deal with at the mo, Hbbb. Do take care and don't overload yourself/selves. I hope to read that you are taking more time off, chilling out, spending time doing lovely together things.

Well done to Mr Hbbb to share the problem and seek a solution together. And well done you for not putting him in the hen house for a week or so!

:wave:

Thanks A*M for your kind words!

Re henhouse, did I tell you about the time he "accidentally" locked me in our super secure hen run? For over an hour, over twilight to pitch black. In the rain. In November. Without my trusty cardigan. Luckily I had a faithful hound on the other side of the chicken wire to raise the alarm (eventually)!

We still laugh about that one ... well, one of us more than the other!

Habibiboo

:wave:

Super frugal meal plan for the coming week, with the usual star ingredients ...

Sun (today): Stuffed courgettes, mini roasties, green beans
Mon: Leek and potato soup
Tues: Bean chilli, rice, guacamole
Weds: Leftover chilli in wraps
Thurs: Lentil & courgette soup
Fri: Chickpea & courgette curry
Sat: Homemade fish & chips

Bakes: rhubarb and white choc muffins, courgette cake, garlic rolls (if I have enough of the right flours as DSD2 has been on a cupboard raid to make brownies to take to a party)! My own baking will be a flour use-up campaign which may be interesting! x

Watty1

I love your thrifty meal plans. And I think I'll borrow the leek and potato soup idea. Was wondering what to do with a few leeks in the bottom of the fridge. Was going to bake them in a very 'Jamie' style with red wine vinegar but couldn't find anything to go with them so soup it is

Goldiegirl

Until this year, I had barely eaten a courgette.

But we were experimenting with growing things, and bought a courgette plant, and it's still producing now.

We mainly use them as an accompanying vegetable for meals.

I've been chopping them, boiling them for about 5 minutes, draining them into a colander, using a fork to press excess water out of them. Then I put them in a frying pan with a little olive oil and halved cherry tomatoes from the garden. Cook for a while until they look done, and serve.

The red and green look nice together, and it's been a genuine help with the shopping budget.

Next year we'll 'up' the courgette production

Habibiboo

:wave:

Watty1 wrote: »

I love your thrifty meal plans. And I think I'll borrow the leek and potato soup idea. Was wondering what to do with a few leeks in the bottom of the fridge. Was going to bake them in a very 'Jamie' style with red wine vinegar but couldn't find anything to go with them so soup it is

Thanks Watty ... we pulled our first two leeks from their raised bed for the soup & probably have enough still growing for a weekly soup for the next six weeks or so, although may pull the rest slightly sooner and get something else in the bed! Included the leftover mini roasties from yesterday, so all very economical! Hope yours turned out ok! X

Goldiegirl wrote: »

Until this year, I had barely eaten a courgette.

But we were experimenting with growing things, and bought a courgette plant, and it's still producing now.

We mainly use them as an accompanying vegetable for meals.

I've been chopping them, boiling them for about 5 minutes, draining them into a colander, using a fork to press excess water out of them. Then I put them in a frying pan with a little olive oil and halved cherry tomatoes from the garden. Cook for a while until they look done, and serve.

The red and green look nice together, and it's been a genuine help with the shopping budget.

Next year we'll 'up' the courgette production

We're loving ours Goldie ... we usually grow green ones but this year we've got yellows for a change, very impressive indeed and extremely low maintenance (growing them in bags otherwise they take over the beds)! I like the sound of red ones though ... sounds like a way of making a nice pink soup! :rotfl:

Habibiboo

:wave:

Lovely sunny day here today!

MFW actions:

* NSD 1/5
* Trying to do one extra MSE thing each day as things are tough at the mo, I'll call it my AA action. Today I chased up the credit that hasn't come through from previous gas and electric company from when I switched in June (see below) ...

AA day 31 / 100 = total £632 / £2,000

Grey Cloud:

* Old provider said I hadn't had the credit because the account hasn't been closed for electric (although is showing as closed for gas). :eek: Said I must speak to new provider but they kept me on hold for too long so gave up and will try again tomorrow.
* Vomity day today, hence not keen to be hanging on the phone for too long!

Silver lining:
Very low key day, lots of resting.

Daily declutter:

Mr. Hbbb took a surplus Demi-John to work for colleague to make his sloe gin in. Total 295 / 365.

Simple pleasures:

* First of the leeks harvested for tonight's soup ... very tasty.
* Repurposed old work diary for financial and food diary notes, to help with fiscal fasting and healthy habits!
* Finished back of Mr. Hbbb's jumper and completed ribbing for front. Aiming to gave front finished by end of month, hopefully.
* I've started to count the weeks until Christmas in said diary, a happy thing to look forward to!
Hope everyone is Ok and had a great start to the week. X