I have lost my OS ways, help!

mardatha

My sole plan so far is 2 days of soup & pudding a week. LOL!

AnnieO1234

Just been reading this thread with interest and just wanted to say I wanted to join it too!

I'm nowhere near that good an o/s'er yet but have been getting better up to about two months ago when my DH unfortunately ended up in an out of hospital which is where he currently is although he will hopefully be released today.

It's funny because I was absolutely kicking myself last night after leaving hospital and picking up my two year old from his grandparents (the hospital is over an hour away) we finally went to do some shopping in Tesco. A place I prefer to avoid anyway, but it was convenient.

I can't believe how much I spent though! I did get a couple of good deals, warburtons sliced rolls that were a day in date, 12 packs for 7p each! They only go in freezer anyway because my lo likes them for sandwiches, and over a kilo of bananas again still healthy looking for 12p. So they were the positives. But then I've also picked up some ready meals (for me as lo gets fed by either of his grandparents while I'm at hospital). I just despair at myself with them because I've now used up all but two fish pies from my home made "ding" meals. I mean I bought a lasagne single portion for two quid! I know I could've made a huge one for that and have been assured of the ingredients etc, but I really am time poor.

The problem is though I'm cash poor too right now, the hospital costs £8.40 for parking alone, let alone cost of diesel to get there but there really is ok way to make it work on public transport. Just so frustrated by it all.

I would put some bread in machine when I get home but then I think I won't really use it. Had a tinned soup at lunch today, another thing that wound me up considerably because I know that even though it was like 50p I could have made a batch of lovely soup for the same price!

Rant over! I really just wanted to thank you all for this thread, might've come at the right time for me!

Ax

charlies-aunt

I will be a follower too!


Not really fallen off the wagon but badly need some inspiration!


Must be something in the water but I have been feeling under-the -weather for months & now I have a RA flare so really struggling with energy levels.


Ashamed to say that DH bought me a lovely new sewing machine for my birthday at the beginning of June and its not been out of the box yet . . . . . . . . will keep reading and looking for my mojo!

Caterina

Good morning all, and a welcome to our newest recruits AnnieO1234 and charlies-aunt!

My OS Plan for today is

- planning it to be a NSD unless the builders need something, I hope not!

- picking up a few plums from local trees where they are being left untouched, to rot on the pavement! The still ok ones from the pavement will be washed and cooked then frozen but the fresh ones from the branches will be a nice fruit dessert, chopped into yogurt.

- using leftover veg to cook dinner

- visiting a friend to do the laundry (in return I help her with some forms that she needs to fill)

Hope you all have a good OS day.

AllYours

Hello there

I hope you all don't mind me joining.... it seems such a warm and supportive thread. I am a recently single mum and find that living the OS way makes me feel content, grounded and not afraid about what the financial future holds as I know I could cope.

I was brought up by my nana (very make do and mend, OS) and my mother (very spend thrift, very generous but silly with cash.) So I find myself occasionally straying from the path of common sense and good moral stock... to cash splash silly. Now I am a single mum to an almost three year old (I also have an adult son that works away) money has become tight and being OS is no longer an option, it's a necessity.
I have a small mortgage left to pay and that is my plan during the next five years to pay small amounts off as often as I can afford for a more financially secure future for myself and my little one... and to save thousands in interest payments.
I also really need to save for small emergency fund. I am not in debt... but I have no savings.... and it's time to start.

I hope you all have a lovely day

El x

AnnieO1234

Well I was attempting (minus the car park fee) to make today NSD. It didn't work!

I forgot to take bread out of the freezer last night and then, to really make my day, the lightening connector ended up being dropped into a glass of coke which I'm lucky didn't cause a fire (I was supposed to be economising there by buying a big bottle rather than cans! It couldn't have flipping happened with a can!) so instead of my 7p for 12 warburtons rolls I've paid a £1 for 8 of them and then £10 for a new connector.

Oh and to make matters worse I then got other bits while shopping that I wouldn't have got if I hadn't been there - grrrr!

Is it me or are there times when everything suddenly goes wrong? It's a conspiracy!!!

Xx

AllYours

My OS ways for today...


*Shower instead of a bath. I love a deep relaxing bath in an evening but as the weather is so lovely and it's so warm at night I shall save money and have showers for the foreseeable.


*Plant more spring onions. They grow so quickly, can be eaten at any stage and you get hundreds to a £1 packet. A huge saving in the long run (I frequently use them in cooking rather than whole onions.) They grow fabulous in pots too... and indoors. And water veggie plot.

*Low temp coloured wash to dry on the line.

*Following a Sl1mming World recipe to use up frozen pineapple and peppers in freezer; Hawaiian Chicken. They use breasts in the recipe... I am using thighs. I shall make double the amount and freeze portions. All produce from store-cupboards and/or garden.

*Get LO's trike out of the garage and go for a long walk/cycle. She has nearly out-grown this and I want to get some use out of it until the end of Aug when she gets her birthday bike.

*List two things on 3bay and wrap and post 3bay items.

*Put library book dates on calendar to avoid any fines.

*Declutter my 'man-draw.' I need to find some superglue and insulating tape. I am sure if I tidied this kitchen draw I would find these things rather than having to buy them again.

*Find a suitable small notepad to use as a cashbook for my handbag. My small day to day spends are the biggest drain on my finances. My big expenses are generally honed to the cheapest thing... utilities, broadband, phone package etc

*Iron my HUGE ironing pile this evening whilst watching Judge Judy. I have sixty odd episodes recorded.... this is my idea of heaven lol.:A

*Drink more water and less coffee. I currently drink around seven cups a day. Today I am aiming for six.... cutting back one cup at a time.

AllYours

AnnieO1234 wrote: »

Well I was attempting (minus the car park fee) to make today NSD. It didn't work!

I forgot to take bread out of the freezer last night and then, to really make my day, the lightening connector ended up being dropped into a glass of coke which I'm lucky didn't cause a fire (I was supposed to be economising there by buying a big bottle rather than cans! It couldn't have flipping happened with a can!) so instead of my 7p for 12 warburtons rolls I've paid a £1 for 8 of them and then £10 for a new connector.

Oh and to make matters worse I then got other bits while shopping that I wouldn't have got if I hadn't been there - grrrr!

Is it me or are there times when everything suddenly goes wrong? It's a conspiracy!!!

Xx

I think we all have those days when nothing goes right and it feels like everything is happening to cause as many problems as possible.
I have a notebook that I carry around in my handbag and it is my daily to-do list. A bit like a house-keeping diary... it has important dates in it, a daily to do list and things I need to remember like taking something out of the freezer, re-ordering prescriptions etc. I think us ladies are often multi-tasking in our minds as well as in person and with daily stresses things can easily be forgotten.

I hope the day gets better and better for you. xx

Caterina

Hello, welcome All Yours, your OS list is impressive!

Annie sorry your day did not go too well for you so far, but not the end of the world if a NSD turns out to be a SD, if necessary.

My proposed NSD became a SD too today, but am not complaining, because I am "spending to earn": I have persuaded the suppliers of something I did not like to let me return it even if the return time has expired (long boring story), so I needed to buy strong parcel tape to package it. For £1.99 I shall get back £80 plus refund of whatever the postage will be. So I am not bothered.

And the friend I helped with the forms let me do the laundry at hers AND bought me an ice cream and gave me a bottle of wine! I tried to refuse but she would not take no for an answer. She is very kind and generous and I have to be a bit careful because if I let her she would give me lots of stuff!

Planning dinner with the last bits of veg in the fridge, as tomorrow I have a food delivery. Which reminds me, tomorrow I need to find time to pop to the market to stock up on onions, I just refuse to pay supermarket prices when I can get large bags for less than half price in the market.

Living_proof

Mardatha I am sorry to hear you have been poorly. I am obviously behind with my lurking in some quarters.

Annie Tomorrow will be a better day. Onwards and upwards.

And in that thread I have made a momentous decision this evening. I haven't been happy in my job since my company was taken over (by a previous, not liked) employer. Everything has been incredibly stressful for many months now and the newer the technology the worse life has become. The company are also 'cheap' and will charge a £1 debit card fee on something costing £10K/££15K. I wouldn't pay it and can't justify it and tonight I just flipped.

I am going to leave that job sometime very soon, even if I don't have another immediate offer (I haven't tried yet) and I will go self-employed and create my own stress and my own challenges. So it's just as well I have come on this thread, because I will need every os skill I can muster as I might have to wait some months for my next income. I feel some much more positive for having made the decision though. I work at home so if work is bad, life in general isn't too great. Carpe diem!