two frugal years to freedom: a fritterer's tale

lobbyludd

ooohhh lubbly pay day
have rung tax credits people and my case is closed, just need to wait for the paperwork - I thought what the case person said meant that my award won't change but am now second guessing myself so will wait for the actual paperwork before getting too happy and readjusting budget (had taken all tax credits out of my budget just in case when they announced I needed to send more evidence). I obviously thought I'd done it all properly but it is such an opaque calculation (and there is no need for it to be) that I worried I'd done something wrong. Well I am a worrier anyway so I'd probably have worried and second guessed myself anyway!

some money sent to debts last loan payment goes out on monday, have ordered all things for new school term apart from sports shoes and stationary so we are OK there I think.

lobbyludd

been more than a wee bit chilly today, and thoughts turning to autumn etc.

had chicken risotto tonight, carcass on to stock will strain and pop veg and chicken in for soup tomorrow (lunch and tea for me)

to fill in - meal plan for next week

sat lunch - not needed - kids out with their dad for lunch, I'll have mussels from the freezer, yum
tea - hm pizza and popcorn
sun brunch = bacon rolls
lunch - sunday roast
eve - pitta breads and choice of fillings
mon lunch soup and sandwiches
tea - chicken and chips (kids) me mackerel and salad
tue - cottage pie
wed - me (chilli chicken soup )
thur - beef stew? poss with yorkshires for the littlies, they're a weird bunch
fri - me (chicken rice dish)

lobbyludd

soup was dreadful, i've not had that happen before with soup, left the sc on overnight (8hrs) and it was horrible the next day - very overcooked and just a horrible taste. like bad school dinners. I am afraid, dear reader, I binned it: both the soup and the slow cooker.

the slow cooker has seen better days aesthetically - knob from lid broken off, and electrically - the dial on the front hangs off leaving the wires exposed (yes, yes, I know!!), but this is the second meal I've cooked in a row that has been overcooked with a recipe/method that used to be delicious, so I think the thermostat or whatever has given up. I found myself thinking I'm not going to risk using it again and wasting food, and in fact I used it less last winter because now I think about it, it was getting a bit hit and miss. So anyway, it's in the bin.

we'll live without it, until I can save up amazon vouchers for a replacement (and it's not top of the list).

went to bed at 10 last night to stop myself buying a takeaway, I think I mostly wanted the takeaway out of disappointment that the lovely soup I was expecting didn't materialise, I ate other food so wasn't actually hungry. but hey ho it worked and I am glad today that I didn't buy it.

anyhoo, £25 of groceries yesterday and a free bottle of vodka (cheap/large) due to a £10 off a £30 spend at local groceries emporium. going bramble picking later to make bramble vodka for xmas presents and a crumble for tomorrow. It's a beautiful day, crisp and sunny - very much my favourite type of autumn day (still blummin august LOL!).

need to pick up school uniform that's come in on order and sew names in, and some general outdoor DIY today. Have also started knitting a blanket for a friend for xmas, with wool I already have. It will take months so best to start now.

lobbyludd

letter from tax credits through in the post, have been through my claim (and returned all my evidence including all bank statements, feels a wee bit odd having other people comb through your purchases and phone records) and my award hasn't been changed so that's a weight off my mind (I am such a worrier).

washing on, should be able to get some loads dry outside, I'm really happy it's the weekend and have some lovely free things lined up.

my fuel fix is up at the end of september, there's an exit fee of £60 if I switch before it's over but they take so long to switch I nearly always mis-time it somehow and end up on a super expensive tariff whilst waiting for the switch to occur? not sure if I should do the switching on the 30th or before/after.
may investigate on other forums....

liltdiddylilt

If you're switching to another supplier and it happens to be First Util.... and you're using the MSE energy saving club... it takes them weeks to even get in touch with me to start the switch! I tried twice. Can't vouch for any others...

Phew for tax credits!! I have never been asked for extra evidence... *frightened*

I typed this at... 11ish? I was asked to move by my daughter and have just sat down for the first time since... Hope you had a good day!!

lobbyludd

had a lovely day thanks Lilt - I have days like that too, I keep seeing anther thing to do and before I know it hours have gone and I haven't finished the first thing or sat down .

How incredibly civilised is a 3 day weekend??? just scrumptious, definitely something to work towards.

So far this weekend I have picked up school uniform: ds will need sports footwear, at least 1 pair poss 2, I've got £60 left in the budget (which was £200 and I hoped I'd get some change from as I managed to get shirts with amazon vouchers and could use the trousers he already had- gah). I'm not sure will stretch to sports trainers and football boots unless I can find a whizzo sale somewhere.

brambled in my hidden in plain sight best blackberry spot (very industrial opposite a supermarket, fire station and power substation, but brilliantly sweet huge blackberries that as far as I can see no-one else ever picks and are far too many for the birds) only got 1lb, but enough for the vodka, I'll take dd to the park to get some more.

son's broken chair mended (glued and screws in), most of ceiling in hall painted, door curtain rail put back up, home to get curtain hammed and rehung today.

have bough a 2x1.5 m rug for the kitchen from fleabay for a tenner (sisal/coir stuff - I'm not really anything other than a tiles-in-kitchen person but our dining table is in there and it's a really cold room so it's been on my list for 2 winters now to try and cosy up breakfast). off to pick that up this morning, have also bought a victorian fireplace for my lounge for £30 - needs a good restore but a great bargain, won't be able to use it until I can afford to get the chimney lined (and the bricks sorted in the chimney stack - my brother can do the chimney but isn't qualified to sign off the former yet), but it's a step closer (currently the place where the fireplace should be is a fetching "alcove" - I blame 90's DIY programmes).

so that is all discretionary spends for the month spent, all on list things so very good. Mis-og of a day - but great for cosying in, baths etc tonight

lobbyludd

brother dropped by for a coffee this morning, which made my day as a) it was unexpected and b) he lives 180 miles away! he was on a delivery run which took him near us and thought he would drop in and surprise us. For once I was grateful that the littlies were procrastinating getting their coats on, if they'd hopped to it we'd have missed him on dull errands.

so with a lovely start I have picked up new-to-me rug which is much nicer than I thought it was going to be (Isn't it lovely when it works that way round!), have hung and pinned front door curtain - I may sew the hem tonight - depends how bath-time goes, and have been through dd's bedroom which was so cluttered she had stopped playing in it. It took us hours, but she has released a bin-bag full of toys and books to go to charity and I have got half a bin-bag of broken bits, lidless pens, school junk artwork (not a critique of her ability! - models made from junk, but -she's 6 and they were crumbling and she has the tiniest bedroom).

still clothes to put away, general housework, cooking and I started the understairs area at the same time as DD's bedroom (?why?) that may all just be thrown back in there to be saved for another day, don't want to be in danger of running out of housework do I?

lovely bruv has suggested an alternate way I can plumb in a fireplace without lining and part rebuilding the chimney which will be cheaper and last longer so that is hunky dory, just need to clear the debts and save up now! 2 winters to go before I can have a roaring fire with any luck

mum2one

sounds like a great day and very productive and your so organised... you put me to shame!!

been orgainised day here - trying to sort out my mums bank account, as dads the old fashioned type that does all the banking.... she just does the spending!! still a work in progress - get there

unfortunatly dad is still in hospital - were on the 150 mile round trip again 2mor.... did 5 days last week, feel so quilty when we dont go. xx

liltdiddylilt

Hiya!

fleabay bargains sound brill! Really need a rug for my living room. Cavernous laminate the whole way through the house is not good with a stomping two year old who throws things in temper... Poor neighbours.

Bro sounds lovely! What a nice surprise and yay to fireplace being cheaper. If it helps, when I was a kid I built a proper fireplace that was sat around in the shed..... in the shed. And set a fire in it. There wasn't a chimney. Just an asbestos sheeting roof on the (luckily) brick built shed, with brick flooring. It ventilated quiet well.. after a few hours I painted flames on the wall behind it but it just wasn't effective enough so I got some coal and paper balls I am still a bit of a pyro now.

M2O. Very sorry to hear about your dad. That is a lot of travelling. I don't think your dad would want you doing that much if it was crippling you financially just for the petrol...

lobbyludd

clearly I need your design know-how on the fire front lilty

not organised M21, the understair area has been wrested from the forces of chaos but only because it's all in a big heap in the lounge, still - found a plastic sword whilst digging around in there so that'll be useful.

M21 - have a look here - it's the macmillan site - please don't be put off by that they are very good for advice on the benefits/grants side of things - and this advice would not be disease-specific - your mum might be able to claim towards the petrol for you to take her?

and try to get some rest, I know it must be really hard, but if you keel over too, then where will everyone be? you're dad would not wnat you feeling guilty, he'll want you well, and fingers crossed you'll have him home soon.