Dreaming of a new life in Norfolk.

julliff

Hi nn

you should definitely take the car back. I had a similar thing this week. I took my car to Halfords to get a bulb replaced on my rear light, and the next day I noticed that the indicator at the back on the same side had stopped working.

I went back, and initially the chap said "that is unlikely to be the cause" but after taking the unit out, and testing the bulb, he conceded and fixed it for me.

I too am trying to be healthier, and I have bought myself a soup maker. Its brilliant! I throw in loads of vegetables, especially those which are starting to go soft, and 25 mins later, I have enough soup for lunches at work all week!
Great way to get your 5 a day too :-)

wantabetterlife

You are so near the finish line ND! What I wouldn't give to have a mortgage that small. Looking forward to reading your progress!

greenbee

I grew up in West Norfolk. What do you want to know?!

norfolkdream

Ooh why did you leave? What are the pros and cons of living in a seaside town?

greenbee

norfolkdream wrote: »

Ooh why did you leave? What are the pros and cons of living in a seaside town?

I left because there were no job/career prospects beyond bar/kitchen work (which incidentally was very helpful in paying my way through Uni).

The seaside towns are expensive, and can be over run with visitors in the summer. There's a price premium round the coast, so you may want to consider looking very carefully at where you want to be. Much of the coast now has lots of offshore and onshore windfarm development too.

Oh - and transport links are atrocious. They like to keep the foreigners out :cool:

However, it is still 'home' to me, and I do love the huge skies and sense of space that you get there.

Thistlewhistle

norfolkdream wrote: »

Thank you

I am going to try and start doing meal planners, I was given a new SC (my old one broke) and have been attempting to use it at least 3 times a week. I really love coming home to the smell of food cooking and knowing I havent really got to do anything more.
I usually get my meat from the supermarket but after a comment on a group on FB about trying to get a good deal of bulk meat from the butchers, that is what I am going to try and do. The meat will be MUCH better quality and tastier as well. My grocery budget is £140 and I am really trying to be more healthy and eat more veg. Luckily the kids eat plates of veg its just me that doesnt but I have been good since new year so keeping it up now.

Hi Norfolk,

I like to pop along to our local market on a Saturday afternoon about 4pm. The butchers and the fishmongers are regularly selling off everything they've brought with them, presumably because they don't want to take it back with them or maybe it won't keep until the Monday. Anyway, I regularly pick up a whole salmon for less than £10 and loads of chicken, pork and beef. It's really cheap and fab value - I rarely spend more than £40 and it lasts the whole month.

Thistle:T

norfolkdream

I spent £23 at my butchers today, got some beef stewing steak, 3 chicken breasts, joint of pork and some mince, and posh sarnie ham. I am hoping that I can do double meals with that lot. A lot more expensive than the supermarket so might try your idea as we have a butcher van on the market. Not sure what time they pack up tho.

pavlovs_dog

nice to see you back. Shame you had to give up on your old diary, used to love your updates. You can be so proud of what you have achieved, must be lovely to be at a stage where planning for life after the mortgage feels more like a reality and less like a pipe dream!

pavlovs_dog

RE the meat. something to consider is the accuracy of your portion sizes. How much meat we serve up is often well over the recommend protein portion size.

Could you use the rubber chicken approach to stretch it further still, using veggies etc to add cheaper bulk to meals?

gallygirl

pavlovs_dog wrote: »

must be lovely to be at a stage where planning for life after the mortgage feels more like a reality and less like a pipe dream!

Well, from my point of view I can definitely say I'm 'bricking it' :rotfl:.

The problem with buying from the butchers is there are no yellow stickers .