Six year retirement plan

Ninno820

A casserole carrier is, I guess, a posh towel - or whatever you wrap around something to carry it from your house to the event. There's a you tube video here which looks easy enough - i'm going to try it this afternoon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFiI5M3-At0


I am lucky that my family appreciate hand made items and i've never heard of this before so hopefully it will be of interest to them. i've also got a pattern for a haybox lying around somewhere which I want to try - then it will save money cooking as well as using up the stash.

joedenise

Thanks Ninno. Just watched the video - looks good if you know someone who cooks for someone else.

Denise

brizzledfw

Hi Ninno, just catching up after my hols...so glad you had a great time.

I am a real convert to the 'hay box' idea..well a marshmallow full of padding that you put the casserole into cook. I bought one ( didn't get around to making my own but it would only take you an afternoon) via Mooloo who subscribes to Elaine Colliars site, but it's excellent. We used it in our motorhome in holiday this summer, the thing About an electric slow cooker is you need to be hooked up, but with this, you can be anywhere . It will also be great for when you get back from a hard day at school!

Ninno820

Thanks for that brizzledfw - you've reignited my enthusiasm. The casserole carrier is nearing completion so that will be my next project.


Not much to report for today's mse action - spent the morning in work and this afternoon crafting so have spent very little and am using the storecupboard / freezer contents for tea. I have made a shopping list for tomorrow based on next week's meal plan and am hoping that there are aldi vouchers in the mirror. I also have a £5 off £25 voucher for M & S plus another £5 off and a voucher for a free cup of coffee s that will be my treat tomorrow. I also need some clothes for work so will have a look tomorrow - YNAB says yes - still £60 left in the budget. I hope that everyone is having a great day - looking forward to settling down to Bake Off tonight. x


Just remembered - a friend transferred the money she owed me today. Rather than it just sitting in general funds as it would have done before I pushed it through to a credit card - go me. its a hopeful sign that my mindset is changing!

brizzledfw

Not sure how to post a link but it generally referred to commercially as a 'wonderbag'. Elaine sells a pattern for about £3 I think..or experiment with your own

A new Lid' is opening next month near me..it will take trade off the nearby horrid T2sco I think...and hopefully will be useful for some basics as its well within walking distance. I have just spent about 2 hours on YNAB and have been having to do some manual adjustments as well as do 3 weeks of standing orders/DD entries etc from when we were on hols which was a right pain..but all upstanding now which is the main thing

Ninno820

Well done - it's a good feeling getting straight isn't it? I try to use my phone app to record the daily spends.

Wow I've just googled wonder bags - how expensive are they????

Ninno820

Okay - so today has been a spendy day - but a MSE spendy day. Let me explain:-
First there was a trip to but some clothing for work - kept to my YNAB budget and 5 out of 6 pieces of clothing were in the sale. Then I had a coffee and cake as a treat in M & S - total cost was 35p because I have free coffee vouchers and they honour £2.65 no matter what size of coffee you have - I have a small filter coffee! Then I shopped in M & S food hall - a luxury I know but I had a £5 off a £25 spend , 4 x £1 vouchers and bought some of their meal deal and reduced items so made the funds go further. Then it was onto Aldi to use their £5 off a £40 spend voucher plus 5 of their offers. I tend to do this once a month and come back with a stocked cupboard and freezer. Then it was off to dunhelm mill - no bargains here but needed the polystyrene beads for the wonder bag. Will, no doubt, regret this as they will go EVERYWHERE but - hey - it will be fun. Finally it was home via Tesco who not only had the cheapest fuel but I had a 2p off a litre ticket.


So - the bags are unpacked, the freezer is packed to the rafters, the YNAB budgets have been updated and still look okay and everything seems to be chugging along nicely. Tomorrow should be a NSD so everything will calm down again.

brizzledfw

Sounds good with the shopping and freebies/vouchers and of course, the wonderbag..let me know who you get on

Ninno820

Afternoon. The summer holiday is nearly over and I pledged to do something towards reducing the debt every day - yet today has been another slow one. I have tried to sell a couple of things on facebook but there was no takers. So this afternoon, after walking the dogs, I am on a mission to collect a pile of goodies for the car boot sale on Monday - fingers crossed for fair weather!!


Otherwise its been a quite NSD - just chuntering along getting ready for school to return and a catch up with a friend at her house for a coffee. Given that I didn't sleep much last night it was just what I needed - a chill out!


Tomorrow is a visit to a craft fayre - a treat I know but budgeted with YNAB so that I can go and spend without feeling guilty. We are taking our own pack up for lunch - saves the pennies for craft goodies!!

Seasidegal58

Hi Ninno


Haven't posted for a while but glad to hear you enjoyed your holiday. Wow! You've booked next year's holiday flights already! That's organised!


Hope you had a good money saving day at the craft fayre today!